Les audioprothésistes Entendre

What Les audioprothésistes Entendre does

Les audioprothésistes Entendre (ENTENDRE SA) is the first cooperative of independent hearing-aid specialists (audioprothésistes) in France, founded in 1979 and headquartered in Guyancourt in the Paris region. The cooperative operates as a variable-capital retailer cooperative (SA Coopérative de commerçants détaillants à capital variable) and binds together more than 320 member-operated hearing care centers across France. Each member is a state-certified (Diplôme d'État) independent professional who operates their own center under the Entendre brand while sharing group purchasing, training, and marketing resources. The network's patient-facing offer covers free initial hearing assessments, three categories of hearing aids (contour d'oreille/BTE, rite/mini-contour/RIC, intra/in-the-ear), a 100% Santé zero-out-of-pocket selection capped at €950 per ear, accessories (TV headsets, magnetic loops, amplified phones, hearing protection), and maintenance products (cleaning kits, disinfecting wipes, sprays, drying systems, Perfect Dry heating boxes). Ongoing service contracts bundle fitting, adjustment, multi-year warranty, and damage/theft/loss insurance.

Entendre monetizes through hardware sales of hearing aids and accessories, recurring professional service fees embedded in multi-year fitting contracts, and the regulated French 100% Santé reimbursement framework. Pricing tiers span zero out-of-pocket 100% Santé devices, mid-range offerings priced based on patient needs and budget, and premium hearing aids. Distribution is delivered exclusively through the 320+ owned/franchised physical centers, with customer acquisition via online appointment booking, a toll-free number (0 800 12 12 56), national TV campaigns, the "Les Chemins de l'écoute" podcast, and partnerships with manufacturers including Oticon, Phonak, Signia, Starkey, Widex, Bernafon, ReSound, Hansaton, Unitron, and Cochlear. The customer base is individual consumers (primarily patients with presbyacousia, tinnitus, and noise-induced hearing loss), supplemented by NGO/community partnerships (Les Blouses Roses, The SeaCleaners) for ESG positioning. The company holds no patents or trademarks in the source data, has not raised external funding, and reports no M&A activity; its growth levers are member recruitment, geographic fill-in of the French retail footprint, and brand-extension through content and ESG initiatives.

Name

Les audioprothésistes Entendre

Legal name

ENTENDRE SA

Website

https://entendre.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Les audioprothésistes Entendre is the first cooperative of independent hearing-aid specialists in France, founded in 1979, operating 320+ member centers nationwide that fit and sell hearing aids, accessories, and ongoing audiology services to individual consumers with hearing loss.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hearing Care Services

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340), Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (62134)

SIC

Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Audiology & Hearing Diagnostic Centers (HLAFAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Audiology & Hearing Services (ENT-Affiliated) (HLAKAMAI), Hearing Enhancement / Assistive Listening Audio Devices (CRACANAL)

Keywords

• Hearing aids retail
• Audiology services
• Hearing care centers
• Hearing aid fitting
• Hearing loss solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Guyancourt

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Hearing Aid Sales and Fitting: Sale and fitting of hearing aids (aides auditives) to patients with medical prescriptions. Revenue is generated from the sale of hearing devices, with significant coverage through the French 100% Santé reimbursement system.
2. Hearing Aid Accessories: Sale of accessories including TV headphones, magnetic loops, amplified phones, hearing protection (water and noise plugs), and maintenance products (cleaning kits, disinfecting tablets, sprays, drying boxes).
3. Professional Services: Ongoing fitting, adjustment, and follow-up services throughout the life of hearing aids, including regular check-ups, acoustic verification, and personalized settings.
4. 100% Santé Coverage: Services covered under the French 100% Santé law where patients pay zero out-of-pocket for a selection of hearing aids, reimbursed fully by Assurance Maladie and complementary health insurance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

ENTENDRE SA operates a national network of independent audiology centers in France, selling hearing aids (contour d'oreille, RITE, and intra-auricular models), accessories such as TV headsets and hearing protection, and maintenance products. Each center provides audiology services including hearing tests, personalized fitting, follow-up appointments, and ongoing support for individuals with hearing loss.

Product overview

Les audioprothésistes Entendre is the first cooperative network of independent audiologists in France (established 1979), operating over 320 centers nationwide. The company offers a comprehensive hearing health portfolio centered on three core hearing aid types: Contour d'oreille (behind-the-ear/BTE), Rite/mini-contour (receiver-in-canal/RIC), and Intra (in-ear/ITE). These are complemented by a range of accessories (TV headsets, magnetic loops, phones, hearing protection) and care/maintenance products (cleaning kits, disinfecting wipes, sprays, drying systems, Perfect Dry® heating box). The company provides services including free hearing assessments, the 100% Santé zero-cost hearing aid program, and personalized follow-up care. The network also produces educational content including the 'Les Chemins de l'écoute' podcast.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Contour d'oreille hearing aids

Quantifiable outcome

• Patient satisfaction rating of 9.76/10 (verified by Wizville, 1st Prize Meilleure satisfaction client vérifiée 2026)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Les Blouses RosesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2024Association with 5,000 volunteers bringing comfort and social connection to hospitalized children and elderly in care homes. Entendre audiologists train volunteers on hearing difficulties and communication techniques. Joint collection of games, coloring books, and origami paper organized in Entendre centers.
• The SeaCleanersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2022Environmental NGO founded by sailor Yvan Bourgnon fighting ocean plastic pollution. Entendre provides financial support and helps relay the association's news, raise awareness about plastic pollution, and support the construction of the Manta ship.
• BernafoncoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1979Hearing aid manufacturer partner. Entendre centers offer Bernafon hearing aids as part of their product portfolio.
• CochlearcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1979Hearing implant and assistive listening device manufacturer. Entendre offers Cochlear products for patients with severe hearing loss.
• HansatoncoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1979Hearing aid manufacturer partner providing devices that Entendre audiologists fit and recommend to patients.
• OticoncoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1979Major hearing aid brand offered through Entendre centers, known for BrainHearing technology.
• PhonakcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1979Leading hearing aid manufacturer whose products are available through the Entendre network.
• ReSoundcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1979Hearing technology partner providing smart hearing aids with connectivity features.
• SennheisercoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1979Audio equipment manufacturer whose headphones and accessories complement hearing solutions.
• SigniacoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1979Hearing aid brand available through Entendre centers, offering advanced hearing technology.
• StarkeycoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1979American hearing aid manufacturer whose products are offered through the Entendre network.
• UnitroncoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1979Hearing aid manufacturer partner providing solutions for various types of hearing loss.
• WidexcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1979Danish hearing aid manufacturer whose products are available through Entendre centers.
• Fédération du Commerce Associé (FCA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1979National federation representing associated commerce, of which Entendre is a member as a cooperative network.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Amplifon: Global leader in hearing aid retail with significant presence in France. Directly comparable in product portfolio, multi-brand retail model, and patient fitting services, but operates at far greater scale and across multiple geographies.
• Demant: Global hearing healthcare group (Oticon, Bernafon, Audika). Comparable as both an OEM supplier (Oticon/Bernafon sold through Entendre) and a parent of Audika, a direct retail competitor in France.
• WS Audiology (Widex/Signia): Global hearing aid manufacturer (Widex, Signia). Comparable as both an OEM partner to Entendre and a competitive force through its own retail and pharmacy partnerships in France and across Europe.
• Optical Center: Large French optical retailer that has expanded into audiology. Adjacent incumbent that bundles hearing aids with optical services, competing with Entendre for cross-category health retail spend in France.

Direct peers

• Krys Audition: Hearing aid retail network spun out of the Krys optician cooperative. Directly comparable cooperative-of-independents model in France, serving the same patient segments with similar 100% Santé and premium product mix.
• Vivason: French independent hearing aid retail chain with a comparable multi-brand offering and audiology service model. Directly competes in the same DTC-to-patient market, with similar reliance on the 100% Santé framework.
• Alain Afflelou Acousticien: Hearing aid retail arm of the Afflelou optical brand with a large French footprint. Competes directly with Entendre in fitting, multi-brand device sales, and 100% Santé offerings through store-based audiologists.
• Audika (Demant): One of the largest hearing aid retail networks in France, owned by Demant Group. Directly competes with Entendre on multi-brand retail, audiology services, and 100% Santé positioning across a comparable center footprint.
• France Audition (LCA Group): French hearing aid retail network with national center coverage. Directly comparable in service model, device portfolio, and patient target, making it a head-to-head competitor for Entendre's network expansion.

Others

• Sonova (Phonak parent): Global hearing aid manufacturer and retailer (Phonak, AudioNova). Comparable as an integrated manufacturer-retailer; relevant because Phonak is one of Entendre's key OEM partners and AudioNova competes with its retail centers in select European markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lesaudioprothesistesentendre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/les-audioproth%C3%A9sistes-entendre
• Instagraminstagram.com/entendreofficiel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Les audioprothésistes Entendre