Audicus was launched in 2012 by Patrick Freuler. Freuler, with both undergrad and grad degrees in Aerospace Engineering from MIT, was previously at Bain Capital and McKinsey & Co. Freuler saw the opportunity to disrupt the hearing aid industry upon his discovery that the high cost of hearing aids was due largely to intermediary costs-- the 'middleman'-- attributable to audiology clinics and storefronts. Audicus is able to provide customized hearing aids over the internet by programming each set of hearing aids to user-provided hearing tests. By operating online and cutting out hefty operating costs, Audicus is able to provide these customized, high-quality hearing aids for $1,400 per pair rather than the traditional $4,000, $5,000, or even $8,000. One might compare the business model to that of Warby Parker or 1-800 Contacts. Audicus runs out of Manhattan and is constantly growing.