# MED-EL

> <p><strong>Known for:</strong> Family-owned Austrian cochlear-implant specialist — one of three global players (with Cochlear Ltd and Sonova's Advanced Bionics). Founded by Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair, who developed the world's first multi-channel cochlear implant. Family control through three decades is unusual for a major medical-device maker.</p>

**Ownership:** Privately held by the Hochmair family (founders). Innsbruck, Austria since 1989.

**Employees:** ~2,500

**Key products:** Cochlear implants; bone-conduction implants; middle-ear implants; electric-acoustic stimulation

**Key markets:** Global — implantable hearing solutions in 130+ countries

**Known for:** Family-owned Austrian cochlear-implant specialist — one of three global players (with Cochlear Ltd and Sonova's Advanced Bionics). Founded by Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair, who developed the world's first multi-channel cochlear implant. Family control through three decades is unusual for a major medical-device maker.

https://www.medel.com