Control Bionics secures German distribution deal with Tobii Dynavox for the NeuroNode
Control Bionics (ASX: CBL) has signed a distribution agreement with Tobii Dynavox GmbH for the NeuroNode in Germany, one of the largest augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) markets globally and the largest in Europe. Tobii Dynavox is one of the world’s largest providers of assistive communication technology. The partnership launches on 23 September 2026 at RehaCare in Düsseldorf, Europe’s largest assistive technology conference.
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Why Germany — and why now
The Tobii Dynavox agreement did not happen in isolation. Its foundation was the NeuroNode’s earlier inclusion in the German Medical Aids Directory, known as the Hilfsmittelverzeichnis (HMV), under Position Number 16.99.04.1013, issued by the GKV-Spitzenverband — the peak body of Germany’s statutory health insurers.
The HMV listing is more than a regulatory formality. It represents an independent validation of the NeuroNode’s function, safety, and clinical benefit, and it establishes a defined, reimbursement-backed pathway for German clients. Without it, every individual case must be argued separately, with materially lower prospects of reimbursement.
The German reimbursement listing, secured earlier in 2026, was the prerequisite that made the Tobii Dynavox partnership commercially viable, converting a regulatory approval into a funded pathway that distribution partners can present to clinicians with confidence.
The funded pathway created by the HMV listing works as follows:
- A clinician prescribes the NeuroNode for the client
- The client undertakes a trial of the device
- A funding application is submitted to the client’s Krankenkasse (statutory health insurer)
- The device is supplied through a specialist assistive technology service provider
Germany’s universal statutory health insurance system and its established network of specialist AT providers reinforce the market opportunity. The combination of a funded pathway and a distribution partner with national reach is the basis on which CBL has prioritised Germany within its international expansion.
Tobii Dynavox — distribution reach at scale
Tobii Dynavox’s German business operates through regional sales teams and holds established relationships with the clinicians, therapy centres, and schools through which assistive communication devices are prescribed and supplied in Germany. The first regional team has completed NeuroNode training, with the remaining regions being scheduled progressively.
CBL is supporting the rollout by providing trial and demonstration stock, product and clinical training, and German-language software and documentation. The model mirrors CBL’s approach in the United States — placing the device in the hands of partners already in front of clinicians at the point of assessment.
Jeremy Steele, CEO and Managing Director, Control Bionics
“Germany has been a deliberate focus for us since the NeuroNode was listed in the HMV earlier this year. That listing was the hard part… What we needed next was reach, and Tobii Dynavox gives us that. It is the same wholesale model we are executing in the United States — putting the device in the hands of partners who are already in front of the clinician at the point of assessment. We are realistic about the pace. Reimbursement decisions in Germany take time, and we would rather let the volumes speak for themselves.”
Lars Mutio, Managing Director, Tobii Dynavox Germany
“We see the NeuroNode as a genuine addition to what we can offer clients here rather than a substitute for anything we already sell… With the HMV listing in place we can take it to clinicians with a clear funding pathway, and we look forward to introducing it more widely at RehaCare.”
Agreement terms and what investors should watch
The agreement is non-exclusive, carries an initial term of 12 months, and renews automatically unless either party gives notice. There are no minimum purchase or minimum revenue commitments.
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Partner | Tobii Dynavox GmbH |
| Exclusivity | Non-exclusive |
| Initial term | 12 months |
| Renewal | Automatic, unless either party gives notice |
| Minimum commitments | No minimum purchase or minimum revenue commitment |
| Launch event | RehaCare, Düsseldorf, 23–26 September 2026 |
On revenue timing, CBL has been explicit: it is not in a position to forecast German revenue at this stage. Reimbursement approvals by individual Krankenkassen are assessed case by case and can take several months to resolve. Revenue will build as Tobii Dynavox’s sales consultants complete training and develop their pipelines.
The German reimbursement pathway and distribution agreement add to CBL’s international rollout, with the NeuroNode already holding regulatory clearances in the United States and Australia and CE marked under the European Medical Device Regulation, as CBL continues to execute its international expansion through the wholesale distribution model.
The Tobii Dynavox Germany deal is the second major partnership CBL has formed with a top-tier AAC distributor; the earlier PRC-Saltillo distribution agreement established the same wholesale model in the US, giving CBL combined access to the global number one and number two AAC providers.
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