Find out exactly why Unplugs Hearing has been named a finalist in Fast Company's 2026 Innovation by Design Awards. Talk to the co-founders to learn their deeply personal story of how they paired passion with science to completely rethink a familiar frustration with hearing protection: people want to protect their hearing without disconnecting from the music, conversations, and full experience. Unplugs founder and CEO Tom Worcester has worn hearing aids since age four and grew up working with audiologist and hearing-technology innovator Dr. Natan Bauman. Years later, Worcester reunited with his childhood audiologist to tackle a problem he understood firsthand: traditional hearing protection can force users to choose between reducing sound and staying connected to the people around them. Their patented solution turns the choice into a simple click, creating a compelling story at the intersection of scientific design, music, health and a founder's lifelong experience navigating sound differently.
BROOKLYN, N.Y., Sept. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Unplugs Hearing is proud to announce that it has been named a finalist in the Fast Company Innovation by Design Awards for 2026 in the On the Rise: 0–4 Years in Business category.
Now in its 15th year, the Innovation by Design Awards celebrate the designers and businesses addressing today's most urgent challenges while anticipating the problems of tomorrow. The program is one of the most prestigious design competitions in the industry, spotlighting work that exemplifies originality, beauty, sustainability, user insight, cultural significance, and measurable business impact.
"This recognition is a nod to the obsessive design approach we've taken to create Unplugs, spanning acoustic, mechanical, and industrial engineering," said Tom Worcester, founder and CEO of Unplugs. "Our mission has always been to make protecting your hearing something you want to do, to solve that choice of "protect or connect". With our click-to-connect earplugs, we're proving that it's possible for hearing protection to adapt with you between life's loudest moments and life's most important ones."
Worcester has dealt with hearing loss since the age of four. "Growing up wearing hearing aids means sound wasn't just something I experienced. It was something I had to navigate, manage and sometimes fight for," Worcester said. He grew up working with audiologist Natan Bauman, the inventor of the "receiver in canal" hearing aid, now the most widely used hearing aid technology in the world. Years after being his patient, Worcester, Bauman reunited and added Ralph Campagna to work on a revolution in hearing protection. Thus, Unplugs was born.
Unplugs is a new type of earplug that uses an inventive design to provide two unique modes - full protection and transparency mode. Unlike traditional earplugs that muffle sound, the acoustic attenuators selectively reduce volume while maintaining audio clarity. They also offer users the unique ability to control how they use their earplugs without taking them out. The patented mechanical switch system means the wearer uses just one click to switch between full hearing protection and conversation mode, giving them the best of both worlds.
Honorees were selected by a panel of top designers, business executives from leading organizations, and Fast Company editors.
"The Innovation by Design Awards have always recognized the ideas that challenge convention and show what's possible when design is treated as a strategic force, not an afterthought. Congratulations to this year's honorees, who demonstrate how thoughtful design can solve meaningful problems and create new possibilities for people and businesses," said Brendan Vaughan, editor-in-chief of Fast Company.
To see the complete list, go to fastcompany.com/innovation-by-design/list, and read about the winners in the Fall issue of Fast Company magazine on newsstands September 22, 2026.
About Unplugs Hearing
Unplugs Hearing is a hearing technology company focused on advancing hearing protection through product design, acoustic engineering and audiology. Their main product is a novel mechanical earplugs designed to give users control over how they experience sound. Founded and led by Tom Worcester, who has worn hearing aids since the age of four, the company brings together his personal experience with hearing loss and background in the live events industry with the audiology expertise of Dr. Natan Bauman, his childhood audiologist and a longtime hearing technology innovator. Unplugs' patent-protected technology uses a mechanical switching system that lets users switch between sound-reduction and conversation modes with one click, without removing the earplugs or relying on electronics or batteries. The company's technology solves common limitations of traditional hearing protection, including the difficulty of moving between loud environments and conversation.
About Fast Company
Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow business publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.
Media Contact
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SOURCE Unplugs Hearing
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