Audientes and Hengtong wins First Prize in University Innovation Competition with Intelligent Self-Fitting Hearing Aid Solution
Press Release no. 04-2024
October 9, 2024
Copenhagen, Denmark – October 9, 2024 – Audientes A/S (“Audientes”), an innovative Danish manufacturer of affordable, self-fitting hearing aids and hearables, is proud to announce that its Chinese joint venture partner, Shenzhen Hengtong Partner Co. Ltd.(“Hengtong”), has won the prestigious First Prize in the Startup Group Electronic Information category at the 12th “Tide Rising in the East, Winning in Haining” Entrepreneurship Competition.
This competition, held as part of the 2024 Haining “Gathering Talents, Building Circles and Strengthening Chains” Industry-Talent Matchmaking event, brings together top entrepreneurial teams and cutting-edge technological innovation projects. With the first prize comes support from various sources such as government green procurement channels, tax incentives, talent subsidies, and interest free loans, etc. This award highlights the commitment of both Audientes and Hengtong to the development of smart, AI-driven solutions that redefine the future of hearing healthcare in China and beyond.
The winning presentation by Hengtong CEO Ms. Xiaojuan Liu was centred on a fully intelligent hearing test and self-fitting system based on the Audientes software platform, which stood out among many high-quality technological solutions promoted by the Zhejiang University Science Park Juanhu Qizhen Incubator. The project was recognized for its innovative use of AI technology to enhance accuracy across key processes, including product functionality, hearing testing, and matching audiological fitting. Further applications enabled by the platform include health and wellbeing through built-in sensors and AI-assisted voice translation, which represents collaboration opportunities with ecosystem players.
Innovation in AI-Powered Hearing Solutions
The intelligent self-fitting hearing aid, which will be developed by the joint venture being established by Hengtong and Audientes, marks a significant advancement in hearing healthcare. By leveraging intelligent algorithms, the system reduces the risk of errors commonly associated with traditional hearing tests, such as inaccuracies caused by outdated equipment or insufficient experience among fitting personnel. With this innovation, the hearing aids provide a more personalized and effective treatment, preventing secondary hearing damage or accelerated hearing loss that can occur from improper fittings.
A Vision for the Future
Ms. Xiaojuan Liu, CEO of Hengtong, commented: “We are thrilled and honoured to receive this award. This recognition is a testament to our commitment to making high-quality hearing solutions accessible to all. The future AI-enabled self-fitting hearing aid which we are working on with Audientes, promises to eliminate barriers to effective hearing care, providing precision and convenience, especially in regions with limited access to professional audiologists.” Meanwhile, our joint company in China will extend the fundamental “hearing aid” functionality, which not only compensates for hearing, but also includes sound optimization, language translation, etc., so that customers can not only hear, but also understand, listen comfortably, and let more people easily and happily hear the beautiful melodies of this world again. This is our firm pursuit.”
Audientes A/S CEO, Steen Thygesen, extended his congratulations to Ms. Liu and the entire Hengtong team, stating: “We are excited that our joint venture will be working on such an innovative solution for the Chinese and other markets. The intelligent self-fitting hearing aid aligns perfectly with our shared vision of delivering affordable, accessible, and cutting-edge hearing solutions globally. We look forward to continuing our collaboration to bring this product to market and transform the lives of millions of people with hearing loss.”
Expanding Presence in China
Audientes has also taken a significant step towards strengthening its presence in China. Recently, Audientes signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Juanhu Qizhen, a science and innovation service platform under Zhejiang University National Science Park and Haining Juanhu Lake International Science Park. This partnership will provide Audientes and Hengtong with access to cutting-edge research and development resources, collaboration opportunities with top academic and industry experts, and a stronger foothold in the Chinese market.
The collaboration also aligns with the joint ventures’ broader strategy to foster innovation and growth in the AI-driven hearing aid sector, while supporting local talent development and technological advancement in the region. This MoU highlights a long-term commitment to create and expand a new generation of innovative solutions for hearing healthcare in China.
For further information, please contact:
Steen Thygesen, CEO, Audientes A/S
Phone: +45 77 34 16 80
Email: st@audientes.com
About Audientes A/S
Audientes A/S is a Danish hearing health company specializing in smart, self-fitting and affordable hearing aids and advanced hearables. Audientes’ unique hearing aid solution, Ven™ by Audientes, is available for purchase in the Indian and Nepalese markets and will be introduced in other markets in the coming years. Companion by Audientes is an advanced hearable, a consumer electronics product, that is commercially available in Europe and later in 2024 in Japan, China, and other markets.
Audientes’ mission is to make high-quality hearing aids and hearables for hearing improvement or hearing enhancement accessible to everyone who needs them globally. Audientes is listed on Spotlight Stock Market Denmark (AUDNTS) and headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark with subsidiaries in Hyderabad, India and in Tokyo, Japan.
For more information, please visit the Japanese Companion campaign website, our websites, www.audientes.com, www.audientes.eu or www.audientes.in, or follow us on our social media channels.