How to invest in the latest developments in hearing technology

Traditionally dismissed as a relative backwater, this branch of medicine is about to move into the limelight thanks to ageing populations and major breakthroughs, says Matthew Partridge

Woman having an ear inspection
The Tympa system is the world’s first all-in-one hearing health-assessment system
(Image credit: ©Tympa System)

Hearing problems are often dismissed as a niche concern when it comes to medical care. This is perhaps largely because they are seen as an inevitable consequence of getting older. But in an ageing world where one in ten people are already over the age of 65, more and more people will suffer from problems with their hearing. What’s more, there are some interesting technological developments taking place in this field. There is, in short, ample scope for this subsector to grow. Francesco Conte, JP Morgan European Smaller Companies Trust’s lead investment manager, says that €15bn is spent each year on devices such as hearing aids – just 0.2% of global health expenditure.

Generation X can’t hear you

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Dr Matthew Partridge
Shares editor, MoneyWeek

Matthew graduated from the University of Durham in 2004; he then gained an MSc, followed by a PhD at the London School of Economics.

He has previously written for a wide range of publications, including the Guardian and the Economist, and also helped to run a newsletter on terrorism. He has spent time at Lehman Brothers, Citigroup and the consultancy Lombard Street Research.

Matthew is the author of Superinvestors: Lessons from the greatest investors in history, published by Harriman House, which has been translated into several languages. His second book, Investing Explained: The Accessible Guide to Building an Investment Portfolio, is published by Kogan Page.

As senior writer, he writes the shares and politics & economics pages, as well as weekly Blowing It and Great Frauds in History columns He also writes a fortnightly reviews page and trading tips, as well as regular cover stories and multi-page investment focus features.

Follow Matthew on Twitter: @DrMatthewPartri