When we think of audio innovation, Bose often comes to mind. The company’s founder, Amar Bose, was a visionary whose work has revolutionised sound technology for millions around the world.

Amar Bose, born in the US to a freedom fighter from Bengal, developed a fascination with electronics during his childhood — a skill that would later help support his family after they fled British oppression in 1920.

At 13, Bose began a radio repair service during World War II, using his skills to contribute to the family income. What started as a small venture grew into one of the largest repair businesses in Philadelphia.

“I had a little pact with my father that if my grades remained good, I could go to school only four days a week,” Bose once recalled, describing how he balanced his education with the demands of his growing repair business.

Bose went on to study at MIT, earning a scholarship despite initially struggling with calculus. At MIT, his passion for electronics and design only deepened.

In 1956, after completing his PhD, Bose bought a stereo system to reward himself, only to be disappointed by its poor sound quality — a moment that sparked a lifetime of research into acoustics and sound engineering.

Bose realised that most speakers directed sound straight at listeners, unlike the indirect, reflected sound found in concert halls. This insight would become the foundation for his future innovations. During a Fulbright scholarship in India, he deepened his study of acoustics.

In 1964, with support from his mentor and a team of students, Bose founded Bose Corporation. Initially, the company developed power-regulating systems for military jets, which helped fund further research into audio technology.

By 1966, Bose released his first product, the 2201 speaker, designed to reflect sound like a concert hall. Though appreciated, it wasn’t a commercial success. “Everybody liked it but nobody bought it,” a colleague remarked.

Undeterred, Bose developed the 901 Direct/Reflecting speaker system in 1968, a groundbreaking product that became a bestseller for over 25 years. “You have to have the courage to be different,” he said.

In the 1980s, while on a flight, Bose struggled to hear over the aircraft noise. This experience inspired him to invent the world’s first noise-cancelling headphones. “By the time we reached Boston, he had the concept of noise-cancelling earphones ready,” recalled his wife, Ursula.

It took 15 years and over $50 million to perfect the QuietComfort noise-cancelling headphones. Today, this technology is even used to protect astronauts from hearing damage.

Bose’s innovations didn’t stop with headphones. His company also developed custom audio systems for cars, starting with the 1983 Cadillac Seville, and introduced a revolutionary suspension system in 2004.

Two years before he died in 2013, he donated the majority of his stock to MIT. Bose's company remains privately owned, allowing long-term investments in innovation. “We exist to perform innovations,” he often said.