Meet Brandenburg Labs, The Startup Founded by the 'Father of MP3'

Hey Hackers,

Brandenburg Labs has been nominated in HackerNoon's annual Startups of The Year awards in Ilmenau, Germany.

Please vote for us here:

Read more about us below to understand why we deserve your vote.

Meet Brandenburg Labs

At Brandenburg Labs, our mission is to bridge the gap between the digital and the real world by unlocking the full potential of human hearing through immersive audio. We create audio experiences for headphones that are as intuitive and natural as real life, enabling users to dive deep into any soundscape. Established in 2019 in Ilmenau, Germany, our roots stem from the innovative and pioneering work of our founder Prof. Dr.-Ing Karlheinz Brandenburg, best known as the ‘father of MP3’. As a spin-off from the Technische Universität Ilmenau and the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology, we draw upon over 45 years of pioneering research in audio technology.

Creating immersive audio experiences for headphones has been an immense challenge for science and industry for decades. At Brandenburg Labs our interdisciplinary team of over 21 talented professionals is dedicated to overcome these challenges. We have developed a groundbreaking proof-of-concept system that has received wide acclaim from over 1000 audio experts and enthusiasts at global conferences and conventions, establishing it as the leading solution in the market. Pilot customers in music production and scientific research have explored its capabilities and experienced significant benefits.

Our first product, Okeanos Pro marks the debut of Brandenburg Labs' cutting-edge headphone-based Okeanos Systems. This product line is powered by the innovative Deep Dive Audio (DDA) technology, which accurately simulates virtual sound with precise localization, creating the convincing impression of listening to real loudspeakers. This advanced headphone system is designed to deliver an unparalleled listening experience for professionals, offering a versatile and high-quality solution, simplifying multichannel mixing by eliminating the need for traditional physical speaker setups. Okeanos Pro is designed to simulate virtual multi-channel loudspeaker systems through headphones.

This B2B solution is ideal for sound studios, educational institutions, and research facilities. This innovation allows users to experience multi-channel sound over headphones like never before. Learn more about Okeanos Pro here.

Looking ahead to shaping the future of audio technology, our next goal is to develop the next-generation headphones for the mass market, set to revolutionize all forms of digital media, including music, gaming, AR/VR, teleconferencing, etc. These immersive headphones will become the preferred device for any multimedia experience that benefits from headphone use.

How Brandenburg Labs achieved product-market fit

Brandenburg Labs has achieved a solid product-market fit by solving a critical and long-standing challenge in the audio industry: creating immersive, natural and intuitive auralisation/reproduction of virtual soundscapes for headphones. This challenge has remained unsolved for decades and Brandenburg Labs stands out as the only company in the world capable of delivering this level of immersion, setting a new standard for spatial sound experiences.

The strong legacy of our founder Prof. Dr.-Ing Karlheinz Brandenburg, coupled with the spin-off support from prestigious institutions (Technische Universität Ilmenau and Fraunhofer IDMT), further reinforces the credibility and appeal of the company’s offering. Moreover, the company is driven by an interdisciplinary team of over 21 experts, combining knowledge in acoustics, psychoacoustics, signal processing, software development, product design, and more. This blend of expertise ensures a comprehensive approach to innovation, enabling Brandenburg Labs to stay ahead of industry trends and maintain a deep understanding of customer needs.

Over 1000 audio professionals and enthusiasts have experienced the system firsthand at international conferences and conventions, including flagship events such as the AES Convention and NAMM Show. The overwhelmingly positive feedback received underscores the system's technical superiority, intuitive design, and relevance to industry needs. Many of these experts have publicly recognized Brandenburg Labs as a pioneer in the field, further enhancing the company’s reputation and fostering trust within the professional community.

Early collaborations with pilot customers have demonstrated the practical value and versatility of the Okeanos Pro system in diverse real-world scenarios. For example, at PXL University, the system has been praised for its ability to serve as a benchmark for binaural audio in six degrees of freedom, offering high-quality, neutral, and versatile sound processing while uniquely integrating the acoustics of actual rooms. Similarly, at SAE Zurich, the system has proven invaluable for assessing and improving 3D audio mixes, enhancing students’ understanding of spatial sound perception and how directional elements impact the listener’s experience. These successes highlight the system's profound impact on both research and education in professional audio.

Brandenburg Labs has already secured pre-orders for its groundbreaking first product, Okeanos Pro, reflecting strong initial traction and market validation. Beyond these pre-orders, the company has received expressions of strong interest from a growing list of potential customers, ranging from professional audio studios to educational institutions. The rapid expansion of key industries such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), gaming, and professional audio aligns perfectly with Brandenburg Labs’ offerings. These sectors are increasingly demanding high-quality spatial audio solutions, and Brandenburg Labs is uniquely positioned to meet these needs.

The evolution of Brandenburg Labs

Brandenburg Labs was established in 2019, driven by a mission to revolutionize human hearing by creating immersive and intuitive audio experiences. Rooted in over 45 years of pioneering research, the company began as a spin-off from the Technische Universität Ilmenau and the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology. The lifelong work of our founder, Prof. Dr.-Ing Karlheinz Brandenburg, and his groundbreaking contributions to audio technology, provided a strong foundation for our vision.

From the outset, our journey has been defined by rigorous research, prototyping, and validation. Our proof-of-concept system has garnered wide acclaim from industry experts, positioning Brandenburg Labs as a leader in the field. The support of pilot customers and enthusiastic responses from professionals at global events have reinforced our direction and fueled our momentum.

While Brandenburg Labs has not experienced a significant pivot, our focus has evolved strategically in response to user feedback and emerging industry needs. Initially, we explored a wide range of applications for immersive audio, recognizing its transformative potential across multiple domains. Over time, we refined our approach to concentrate on sectors where demand was strongest and where our technology could deliver the most immediate and impactful results.

This refinement was informed by:

Market Feedback: Insights from users and industry professionals highlighted the sectors with the most urgent need for immersive audio solutions.

Market Feedback: Insights from users and industry professionals highlighted the sectors with the most urgent need for immersive audio solutions.

Technical Feasibility: We prioritized use cases where our resources and expertise could deliver the greatest impact efficiently.

By concentrating our efforts on sectors such as professional audio production, education, and research, we’ve been able to maximize the value our technology provides. At the same time, this focused approach has positioned us for broader expansion into other markets as opportunities arise.

User feedback has been decisive in shaping our priorities and driving product development. By actively listening to users and integrating their input into our roadmap, we’ve developed a solution that not only meets current market needs but also anticipates future demands. This iterative, user-centric approach remains central to our innovation strategy. Some key examples include:

Enhancing System Usability: Early demonstrations with audio experts emphasized the importance of features that enhance spatial audio accuracy and ease of use. This feedback guided our efforts to refine these aspects during development.

Validating and Optimizing Core Features: Input from pilot customers highlighted areas for improvement in the system's interface and workflow, leading to iterative updates that ensure a more intuitive user experience.

Shaping Market Direction: Insights from potential customers at conferences and conventions revealed high-value applications for our technology. This feedback informed our decision to prioritize specific sectors with the greatest demand and impact.

Milestones and achievements

Development of the Proof-of-Concept System:

• Successfully created a pioneering proof-of-concept system for immersive audio that replicates real-life soundscapes with unprecedented accuracy and realism.
• This system became a hallmark of our technological leadership, establishing us as the only company globally to achieve this level of immersion.

Market Validation:

• Demonstrated the proof-of-concept system to over 1,000 audio experts and enthusiasts at global conferences and conventions.
• Received widespread acclaim, confirming its relevance and demand within professional audio communities.

Early Commercial Success:

• Secured pre-orders for our immersive audio system from pilot customers.
• Attracted strong interest from numerous additional potential customers, showcasing the product’s appeal and market potential.

Pilot Customer Partnerships:

• Collaborated with early adopters in music production and scientific research, validating the system’s practical applications and benefits in real-world scenarios.

Building an Expert Team:

• Assembled a talented interdisciplinary team of over 21 professionals with expertise spanning audio engineering, product development, and user experience.

Lessons learned

Technological Complexity: Creating immersive audio experiences that replicate real-world soundscapes for headphones is a problem that has eluded solutions for decades. Developing a technology required addressing significant challenges in spatial audio engineering, psychoacoustic, and hardware integration.

Lesson Learned: Innovation requires persistence and iterative experimentation. By assembling an interdisciplinary team of experts, we leveraged diverse perspectives to overcome technical roadblocks systematically. Collaboration and adaptability proved essential in overcoming these challenges.

Market Education and Awareness: As a pioneer in delivering unparalleled audio immersion, educating the market about the potential and capabilities of our technology posed a challenge. Many potential customers initially struggled to grasp the difference between existing audio solutions and our unique offering.

Lesson Learned: Clear communication of our value proposition is the key. Demonstrations and direct user engagement have proven essential in conveying the impact of our solution, building credibility, and generating interest.

Resource Allocation: Operating as a startup with limited resources requires careful prioritization. Balancing research and development, product refinement and market engagement often created competing demands/priorities.

Lesson Learned: Focusing on high-impact areas yields the best results for us. By targeting specific markets like music production and scientific research, we concentrated resources on areas where our technology could create the most immediate value, setting the stage for future expansion.

Feedback Integration: Early user feedback often revealed unexpected needs or preferences, requiring adjustments to the product roadmap. Incorporating these insights without derailing timelines was a delicate balance.

Lesson Learned: Establishing a feedback loop that directly informs iterative development has allowed us to refine our product while maintaining agility and responsiveness.

Gaining Early Traction: Securing early adopters for a revolutionary technology in a competitive and cautious market requires significant effort. Convincing customers to take the leap with a novel product was initially challenging.

Lesson Learned: Building trust is essential for us. Leveraging the legacy of our founder Prof. Dr.-Ing Karlheinz Brandenburg, showcasing our system at global conferences, and initiating pilot projects helped establish our credibility and secure early pre-orders, demonstrating the great potential of our technology.

What Startups of The Year means to us

Brandenburg Labs is delighted to participate in HackerNoon’s Startups of the Year to highlight our leadership in immersive audio technology and engage with a global audience of tech enthusiasts, industry leaders, and potential collaborators. This initiative provides an excellent opportunity to raise awareness about our groundbreaking solutions and strengthen our credibility through recognition on a respected platform.

We see this as a chance to build meaningful connections with investors, collaborators, and experts who share our vision for transformative audio experiences. Additionally, it allows us to attract talented professionals eager to contribute to advancements in spatial audio while gaining valuable insights into emerging trends to refine our strategy and stay ahead of the curve.

HackerNoon’s focus on celebrating innovation and fostering meaningful conversations aligns seamlessly with our mission. This makes the platform an ideal space to share our story, connect with like-minded individuals, and build momentum as we continue to drive progress in immersive audio technology.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Brandenburg Labs stands at the forefront of immersive audio innovation, revolutionizing how people experience sound through cutting-edge technology and a commitment to excellence. Backed by a world-class team and a user-focused approach, we’ve achieved significant milestones, validated our product’s market fit, and established a strong foundation as pioneers in the field. While challenges have shaped our journey, they have also strengthened our resolve and sharpened our focus. Participating in initiatives like HackerNoon’s Startups of the Year is an exciting opportunity to share our story, connect with a broader audience, and continue building a future where digital audio experiences are as natural and intuitive as real life. We are excited for what lies ahead and grateful for the chance to contribute to the evolving tech landscape.

Vote for us today!

Voting page by Region

Voting page by parent industry

Voting page by sub-industries (Music)

Voting page by sub-industries (Research)