Massachusetts-Based Wildlife Acoustics Becomes Employee-Owned

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MAYNARD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 10, 2025--

Wildlife Acoustics, the world’s leading provider of bioacoustics monitoring technology, announced today that it has transitioned to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), making the company fully employee-owned. The move marks a significant milestone for the Massachusetts-based manufacturer, which has been at the forefront of developing innovative wildlife recording and analysis tools for over two decades.

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Wildlife Acoustics staff, now employee-owners, pose for a photo at the company's Maynard, MA headquarters in 2023. Founder and CEO, Ian Agranat, is seated in the front row, second from left. (Source: Wildlife Acoustics)

Founded in 2003 by Massachusetts entrepreneur Ian Agranat, Wildlife Acoustics has earned a global reputation for enabling conservationists, scientists, and environmental organizations to monitor biodiversity, study animal behavior, and protect endangered species. With this transition, majority ownership of the company has been transferred to its employees.

“I want Wildlife Acoustics to continue serving our customers, employees, and community long after I’m gone,” said Agranat, who will remain CEO. “Selling to private equity or another company often erodes what makes a business special—its people, its culture, and its mission. Employee ownership ensures our values of equity, collaboration, and long-term thinking remain at the heart of everything we do.”

The ESOP model grants employees an ownership stake in the company, aligning incentives across the organization and giving team members a voice in the company’s future. For Wildlife Acoustics, the change reinforces its collaborative culture, where employees have long been encouraged to contribute ideas, share in financial transparency, and take pride in the company’s mission-driven work.

Agranat, who turned 60 this year, began exploring succession planning in late 2023 and was introduced to the ESOP concept by advisors. The year-and-a-half-long transition process was completed this summer. He likens the moment to watching his son, Sam, leave for college abroad: “It’s bittersweet, but incredibly rewarding to see something you’ve nurtured grow and thrive independently.”

Wildlife Acoustics’ products have been instrumental in conservation efforts worldwide, from locating endangered species and tracking migration patterns to advancing research on climate change’s impact on biodiversity. The company’s commitment to innovation and customer partnership remains unchanged—and, Agranat believes, will be strengthened by the ESOP transition.

“With employee ownership, we’re doubling down on our mission to support scientists and conservationists with the best tools in the field,” he said. “This is about securing our legacy and our ability to keep innovating for decades to come.”

About Wildlife Acoustics
Wildlife Acoustics, Inc. (Maynard, MA) is the world’s leading provider of bioacoustics monitoring technology, creating advanced hardware and software solutions that enable scientists, researchers, and conservationists to monitor wildlife through sound. Its acoustic and ultrasonic recorders are used in more than 100 countries to protect biodiversity, study animal behavior, and inform conservation policy. For more information, visit wildlifeacoustics.com/about-us.

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CONTACT: Media Contacts:

Heather Demick

Senior Copywriter & PR Specialist

Wildlife Acoustics, Inc.

978-369-5225 x 534

[email protected]

wildlifeacoustics.comNicole Wright

Director of Marketing

Wildlife Acoustics, Inc.

978-369-5225 x 516

[email protected]

wildlifeacoustics.com

KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: CLIMATE CHANGE TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OTHER SCIENCE SOFTWARE ANIMAL WELFARE AUDIO/VIDEO PUBLIC POLICY/GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE HARDWARE

SOURCE: Wildlife Acoustics, Inc.

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PUB: 09/10/2025 08:00 AM/DISC: 09/10/2025 07:59 AM

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