Ottobock

What they do

Ottobock develops and makes prostheses, orthoses and related products for people who have lost limbs or have impaired mobility. Its range includes prosthetic knees, feet, hands and arms, braces and supports, and industrial exoskeletons. It also runs patient care clinics in many countries, combining manufacturing with fitting and rehabilitation.

The company was founded in Berlin in 1919 by the prosthetist Otto Bock to supply veterans of the First World War, and it moved to Duderstadt in Lower Saxony after the Second World War. In October 2025 Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Why it matters

Ottobock describes itself as a medical technology company working in bionics. Its C-Leg, presented in 1997, is widely cited as the first microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee and changed what amputees could expect: a knee that adjusts its resistance in real time makes walking on slopes and stairs safer and more natural.

Around the world, ageing populations, diabetes-related amputations and conflict injuries drive demand for prosthetic care. Making high-tech devices affordable and reimbursable is the industry's central challenge.

Products to know

• C-Leg: the pioneering microprocessor-controlled knee joint, now in its fourth generation.
• Genium X4: a microprocessor knee aimed at highly active users.
• bebionic: a myoelectric hand prosthesis.
• Taleo: a family of prosthetic feet.

The German angle

Ottobock's history mirrors twentieth-century Germany, from its founding after the First World War to its move west after the Second. The company has also faced scrutiny of its conduct in the Nazi era.

Duderstadt, a small town in the Eichsfeld region, has been its base for nearly eighty years. The founder's descendants, the Näder family, built the business into a global group through their holding company, and the 2025 listing opened it to outside shareholders while keeping a German KGaA structure common among family-influenced firms.