Harman acquires Yurbuds

MANILA, Philippines - Harman International Industries Inc. has acquired St. Louis-based Yurbuds LLC, the US market leader in sports headphones. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 2008, Yurbuds develops in-the-ear and behind-the-ear headphones that are ergonomically and functionally designed specifically for athletes. Yurbuds headphones are available in the Philippines in the following retail stores: PowerMac Center, Runnr, Planet Sports, Toby’s, and R.O.X.

With approximately 40 employees, Yurbuds has an extensive intellectual property portfolio, including more than 60 patents and 70 trademarks for design and technology, encompassing headphones, wearables and more.

“The talented – and athletic – management team at Yurbuds has helped drive the acceleration of the fast-growing niche of sports headphones and wearables, with best-in-class design and a rich pipeline of future innovations to enhance the athlete experience,” said Dinesh Paliwal, Harman chairman, president and CEO. “We see exciting opportunities to leverage the technologies, brands and distribution systems from our organizations to develop the next generation of headphones designed specifically for athletes.”

Consumer research from Yurbuds shows that more than 70 per cent of consumers won’t work out without music but nearly 90 per cent say their headphones hurt or fall out.

“When it comes to providing a premium audio experience, there’s no better name in the industry than Harman, and we are incredibly excited to join forces to enhance the Yurbuds product line, expand our scale, and grow the brand around the world,” said Seth Burgett, CEO and president of Yurbuds.