GoKawiilUhura Bionics builds wearable voice device for laryngectomees, led by cancer survivor founder
Konrad Zieliński, who lost his voice to cancer and later completed a PhD on bionic systems for laryngectomees, founded Uhura Bionics in 2023. The startup makes two non-surgical wearable devices, including a premium model called Whitney, designed to let users speak with emotional inflection rather than a flat robotic tone. Uhura will present at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026's Battlefield 200 next month.
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Zieliński frames the devices as akin to glasses for people with poor vision, suggesting a mass-market, non-medicalized approach to voice restoration that could reduce reliance on invasive surgical implants. Because the products currently sell as wellness devices at $500-$1,500 out of pocket, gaining Class I medical device status in Europe and the U.S. could open insurance reimbursement and broaden access. Zieliński's estimate of a roughly $2 billion market suggests room for growth if the company expands beyond laryngectomees to other voice-impaired populations.
- Uhura Bionics offers non-surgical wearable devices, including the premium 'Whitney' model, for people who lost their voice box.
- The startup currently sells devices as wellness products, costing $500-$1,500, without insurance coverage.
- Uhura is seeking Class I medical device classification in Europe and the U.S. to enable insurance reimbursement.
Source: techcrunch.com — Marina Temkin, 2026-09-29
Published there as: “After losing his voice to cancer, this founder is building “glasses for voice””
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