STC Hearing Trade

01 / Challenge

Two global crises. One overlooked connection.

Only 17% of global e-waste is recycled — billions of discarded phones sit in drawers with functional components still intact. At the same time, by 2050, over 700 million people will experience disabling hearing loss, with cost being one of the biggest barriers to access. The question was whether these two problems could solve each other.

02 / Idea

One person's e-waste is another's hearing aid.

STC identified that millions of discarded smartphones contain speakers, amplifiers, and circuit components common across most models — precisely the parts needed to build a basic hearing-assist device. The idea was to repurpose these components, reassemble them into an affordable device, and make the process accessible to anyone in the world.

03 / Execution

From prototype to open-source platform.

PXL+ designed and engineered the hearing-assist device prototype, identifying which smartphone components were reliably reusable and developing an assembly process that could be replicated without specialist tools. The device blueprints were then released as free, open-source designs — enabling individuals, NGOs, and global organisations to adapt the solution to different phone models.

04 / Results

Impact that scales itself.

By releasing the designs as open-source, the initiative created a self-replicating model for impact — scaling inclusion while reducing electronic waste simultaneously. The project positioned STC as a technology company committed to meaningful innovation, earning widespread recognition for its social and environmental contribution.

Results

Numbers that speak volumes.