Why My Startup Went to the National Governors Association
February 28, 2018 Bruce Borenstein, Vice President of Global Sales, Nuheara
Last week, the startup I work for – Nuheara – exhibited in the CES Startup Alley at the National Governors Association winter conference in Washington, D.C. Thanks to CTA’s continued work with state policymakers and NGA, I was fortunate to be among a small group of accessibility-focused startup manufacturers exhibiting at the conference.
Nuheara prides itself on presenting technology-driven, cost-effective solutions for real world problems. Our IQbuds use audio technology to help the over 45 million Americans who suffer with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. Even better, whereas other hearing aid alternatives can be very expensive and only provide amplification in noisy environments – more of an annoyance than a solution – Nuheara’s proprietary technology is more affordable and can separate speech from background noises. NGA provided a forum for us to reach government decision makers who are entrusted with sharing valuable information to their state agencies.
The highlight of my recent trip to D.C. was meeting Australian Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull, his wife Lucy; Steve Ciobo MP and Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment; and Australian Ambassador to the U.S. Joe Hockey to demonstrate our products. Being a public Australian company traded on the ASX, the opportunity to speak to these leaders and make them aware of our technology was priceless. As the Ambassador said, “Amazing product. Well done!”
None of this would have happened without the support of CTA. As a startup, these types of opportunities can only happen with the connections that a trade association such CTA has with our lawmakers. For Nuheara, being part of CTA means not just joining, but getting involved to maximize visibility within the global tech industry. And I can honestly say, it pays dividends.
World Hearing Day is this Saturday. CTA worked with lawmakers in 2017 to help pass a new bill allowing hearing aids to be sold over-the-counter, giving Americans better access to hearing aids.
(20min delay)