Konrad Zieliński lost his voice to cancer while studying at the University of Warsaw. After researching bionic systems for laryngectomees, he founded Uhura Bionics in 2023 to build a noninvasive alternative to handheld robotic-sounding devices and surgically implanted prostheses, which require ongoing maintenance.
The startup's two wearables include a basic model and a higher-end version called Whitney, named after Whitney Houston. Zieliński says Whitney lets users add emotional tone, laugh, shout, and even sing. He compares the device to glasses for people with poor eyesight, and he plans to demonstrate it onstage at TechCrunch Disrupt and SF Tech Week in October.
For now, Uhura sells the devices as wellness products, meaning customers pay out of pocket: $500 for the basic option and $1,500 for Whitney. The company is working to get them classified as Class I medical devices in Europe and later the U.S., which would allow partial insurance reimbursement. Zieliński estimates the market for laryngectomee devices at about $2 billion, and he sees potential to expand to people with other speech disorders.
Uhura faces competition from established players like Atos Medical and startups such as Laronix. Still, Zieliński is confident Whitney will resonate with other laryngectomees, and he is already planning higher-pitched voice options for women and personalization features so users do not all sound alike.