By Johnathan Paoli
The University of Pretoria (UP) has welcomed the recent milestone of its spin-out company, hearScreen, in its journey from a groundbreaking invention to a global leader in hearing health technology.
In a ceremony marking this achievement, members of UP’s Innovation and Contracts Management Division joined hearX Group executives to sign an agreement transferring the invention’s intellectual property (IP) to hearScreen (Pty) Ltd, a subsidiary of the hearX Group.
UP’s Innovation and Contracts Management head Lawrence Baloyi described the transfer of the IP to the company as a significant milestone for both UP and hearScreen.
“They succeeded in turning an idea into something tangible and, more importantly, they are making a real impact in the world of hearing health. When industry and academia work hand in hand, magic happens,” Baloyi said.
He acknowledged that this would not have been possible without the hard work, vision and perseverance of the entire team.
UP hailed the development as representing the culmination of a university-licensed innovation’s commercialisation process.
Developed in 2016 as a mobile hearing screening application, hearScreen was designed to address the lack of access to hearing tests in underserved communities.
The invention was the result of a collaborative effort between UP researchers De Wet Swanepoel from the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Department and Herman Myburgh from the Electrical, Electronic, and Computer Engineering Department.
The innovation quickly gained attention beyond the healthcare sector, drawing interest from industries such as mining and clinical research.
Over the years, hearScreen expanded its offerings to include comprehensive diagnostic tools for occupational health and neonatal care, alongside platforms for fitting and supporting hearing aids.
With the United States deregulating the hearing aid market in 2022, hearX could market over-the-counter hearing aids for mild to moderate hearing loss, positioning the company as a global pioneer in digital hearing solutions, and enabling it to detect, diagnose and treat hearing loss on a large scale.
National Intellectual Property Management Office head Jetane Charsley emphasised the importance of translating research into real-world solutions.
“This success showcases the power of partnerships and the impact of innovation on improving lives,” Charsley said.
The university welcomed hearScreen as illustrating the transformative potential of South African innovation, with a ripple effect poised to advance global healthcare.
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