How a Dutch AI Startup is Tackling a $2 Million Hearing Care Problem

Jan de Vries · 2026-08-28

You know, sometimes the biggest opportunities come from listening to the quietest problems. That's exactly what a little startup from Maastricht just proved. Clementine, a fresh-faced company founded just this year, has secured a $2 million Seed round. It's not just another funding story—it's about a fundamental shift in how we approach one of healthcare's most stubborn challenges. Let's talk about that problem for a second. Hearing loss. It affects a staggering 1.5 billion people globally. But here's the kicker: nearly 80% of those folks never seek treatment. And for those who finally do? They've waited, on average, more than eight years. That's a lifetime of muffled conversations and missed connections. The clinics are overwhelmed, the patients are hesitant, and the system is stuck. Clementine's founder, Vince van de Weijer, saw this gap. He realized clinics weren't just drowning in leads; they were missing the right conversations. So, he built Matthew. ### Meet Matthew: The AI Agent Changing the Conversation Matthew isn't just a chatbot. He's Clementine's AI hearing care agent, and he's built to be the first, judgment-free point of contact for anyone curious about hearing help. Think of him as a patient, knowledgeable guide who's available 24/7. No waiting lists, no awkwardness, just answers. He's designed using behavioral science to gently overcome the emotional and practical barriers that keep people from walking into a clinic. He educates, answers questions, and guides potential patients toward the appropriate care—all before they ever set foot in a doctor's office. For the clinics, this is a game-changer. "Clinics don't need more leads; they need better conversations at the right moment," van de Weijer explains. Matthew handles the initial engagement, eliminates administrative grunt work for staff, and—most importantly—translates inquiries into actual bookings. ### The Backing and The Vision The $2 million seed round was led by Healthy.Capital, an Amsterdam-based HealthTech investor with a sharp eye for impactful startups. Their managing partner, Douwe Jippes, put it perfectly: "Clementine combines deep domain expertise with a clear AI platform strategy that can scale globally. We believe this approach will fundamentally change how people with hearing disability engage with hearing healthcare." That belief is what's fueling Clementine's next moves. The funding comes hot on the heels of their strategic partnership with Zoolstra, a marketing agency that works with hearing clinics across the United States and Canada. This isn't just about building tech in a Dutch lab; it's about deploying a global solution. So, what's next for this ambitious startup? The plan is straightforward: - Deepen the AI capabilities of the Matthew platform. - Expand partnerships with hearing clinics and optical retailers. - Forge new connections with other healthcare organizations. The goal is to weave this AI agent into the very fabric of hearing care, making the first step toward treatment as simple and supportive as sending a text. It's a human solution, powered by machine intelligence, aiming to clear a path through a problem that's been ignored for too long. And with $2 million in fresh backing, Clementine is just getting started on turning up the volume.