MED-EL, a global medical technology company specializing in hearing implants with its American headquarters located in Durham, and Starkey, a hearing aid manufacturing company, announced a collaboration to bring Bluetooth technology to MED-EL cochlear implant (CI) and Starkey hearing aid users. The partnership was unveiled at CI2024, the 17th International Conference on Cochlear Implants and Other Implantable Technologies in Vancouver.
The collaboration initially focuses on enhancing Bluetooth connectivity between MED-EL CIs and Starkey hearing aids, enabling users to utilize Bluetooth streaming technology fully.
“Last year, at my first ACIA meeting with MED-EL, we committed to listening more to our customers’ needs,” John Sparacio, president and CEO of MED-EL USA, said of customer feedback driving the innovation. “By announcing this exciting collaboration with Starkey today, we aim to co-develop solutions that enhance the binaural hearing experience for MED-EL patients, as our customers have requested.”
Starkey’s president and CEO, Brandon Sawalich, highlighted the collaboration’s potential impact.
“Today marks the beginning of a partnership between two global technology leaders dedicated to helping more people achieve optimal hearing,” he said. “Partnering with MED-EL aligns with Starkey’s commitment to continuously push achievable boundaries.”
The partnership will expand Bluetooth connectivity solutions specifically for individuals utilizing bimodal hearing technology.
MED-EL Medical Electronics, based in Austria, introduced the world’s first micro-electronic multichannel cochlear implant in 1977. The innovation paved the way for modern CI technology, contributing to MED-EL’s growth into a global company with more than 2,700 employees serving patients in 30 locations worldwide.
Starkey, headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, is a privately held hearing technology company. Established in 1967, Starkey has 29 facilities serving more than 100 markets worldwide.