Eden Prairie, Minnesota (March 26, 2025) – Reinforcing Starkey’s position as a leader in tech innovation, Starkey is proud to announce that President and CEO Brandon Sawalich has been named a winner of the prestigious 2025 Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award by the Business Intelligence Group (BIG). This distinguished honor recognizes his leadership in driving AI innovation within the hearing industry and positioning Starkey at the forefront of groundbreaking technology.
"Starkey is leading an era of excellence where artificial intelligence is not just an innovation but a driving force for transforming lives," said Sawalich. "We believe AI is more than just technology—it’s a means to empower people, enhance human connection, and improve overall well-being. This award is a testament to our relentless drive to push the boundaries of what’s possible, ensuring that we continue to lead the industry with groundbreaking advancements that set new standards in hearing technology."
The Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards celebrate organizations, products, and individuals who are revolutionizing industries with AI-driven advancements. Honorees are selected by a panel of industry experts for their contributions to predictive analytics, generative AI, explainable AI, and beyond.
Under Sawalich’s leadership, Starkey has been relentless in its pursuit of innovation, redefining the hearing industry with AI-powered solutions that improve lives. Starkey was the first to incorporate embedded AI into hearing aids, transforming them into multifunctional health and communication devices. With industry-first features like real-time language translation, fall detection, and brain health tracking, Starkey continues to lead in intelligent hearing technology.
At the core of this innovation is the G2 Neuro Processor, the next generation of advanced technology from Starkey. Equipped with a groundbreaking Neural Processing Unit (NPU) with unmatched Deep Neural Network (DNN) processing capabilities, Starkey’s Edge AI ensures superior performance without compromising its industry-leading battery life. This revolutionary technology enhances speech clarity, reduces background noise, and adapts seamlessly to various listening environments, delivering an unparalleled hearing experience.
Sawalich’s dedication to progress ensures that Starkey never rests in its pursuit of excellence. By seamlessly integrating AI into hearing technology, he is shaping the future of healthcare and redefining what is possible for individuals with hearing loss.
Starkey is proud to be a platinum sponsor of the AAA 2025+HearTECH Expo. Attendees can experience this technology at booth 237, and don’t miss Sawalich on the Future Forecast Panel from 5-6pm on Thursday, March 27 in the HearTech Hub.
For more information about Starkey’s groundbreaking AI-driven hearing technology, visit www.starkey.com.
About Starkey
Starkey is a privately held, global hearing technology company headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Founded by Bill Austin in 1967, Starkey is known for its innovative design, development and distribution of comprehensive digital hearing systems. Led today by President and CEO Brandon Sawalich, Starkey is the only American-owned provider of hearing technologies. The company has more than 5,000 employees, operates 29 facilities and does business in more than 100 markets worldwide. Learn more at starkey.com.
