OTICON A/S

Their core work

Oticon is a major Danish hearing aid manufacturer that brings deep industrial expertise in auditory technology to EU research collaborations. They develop commercial hearing devices and invest heavily in the science behind hearing — from cognitive control of hearing aids to evidence-based hearing impairment management using big data. Their R&D spans speech and audio processing, spatial audio systems, and understanding how the brain processes sound, making them a bridge between audiology research and market-ready products.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2015–2018), Oticon focused on core hearing aid science — cognitive control of devices (COCOHA), big-data approaches to hearing impairment policy (EVOTION), and tinnitus research (TIN-ACT). From 2020 onward, their focus shifted toward broader audio intelligence: spatial audio processing, wireless sensor networks for sound (SOUNDS), AI/ML integration (ELISE), and the social dimension of hearing — particularly inclusion and accessibility for children (Comm4CHILD). This evolution reflects a move from device-centric R&D toward networked, AI-enhanced audio ecosystems with a stronger societal impact agenda.

Oticon is moving toward AI-driven, connected audio systems and expanding into societal impact areas like childhood hearing and accessibility — expect future projects to combine machine learning with hearing technology in real-world networked environments.

How they like to work

Oticon primarily joins consortia as a specialist industrial partner (6 of 7 projects as participant), contributing real-world product knowledge and testing infrastructure rather than leading academic research agendas. They coordinated one large project (EVOTION, their highest-funded at ~€940K), showing they can lead when the topic aligns closely with their commercial interests. With 72 unique partners across 18 countries, they maintain a broad European network — they are a hub organization that works with diverse partners rather than repeating the same collaborations.

Oticon has collaborated with 72 unique partners across 18 countries, giving them one of the broader networks among hearing technology companies in H2020. Their reach spans most of Europe, reflecting the pan-European nature of audiology and audio research communities.

What sets them apart

Oticon is one of the few large hearing aid manufacturers actively embedded in EU research consortia, providing a direct pathway from fundamental audiology research to commercial products used by millions. Unlike university labs, they bring industrial-scale testing, real user data, and market deployment capability. For consortium builders, they offer a rare combination: deep scientific credibility in hearing science plus the ability to translate research into devices that reach end users.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EVOTION
  Oticon's only coordinator role and largest single grant (€940K), applying big data to hearing impairment management and public health policy.
• SOUNDS
  Represents Oticon's strategic expansion into networked audio systems — microphone arrays, wireless sensor networks, and spatial audio beyond traditional hearing aids.
• Comm4CHILD
  Signals Oticon's growing focus on societal impact, addressing communication and language development for children with hearing impairment through an inclusion lens.