Reinhold Schmieding Net Worth

Reinhold Schmieding has an estimated net worth of $5.8 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Reinhold Schmieding profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is down from a peak of $7.7 billion.

Reinhold Schmieding is an American businessman known for founding Arthrex, a medical device company focused on orthopedic surgery. He started the business in 1981 in Munich, Germany, when arthroscopy was still an emerging procedure. The company began as Arthroscopy Excision Instruments Inc. and later became Arthrex. Schmieding also worked for Med Tech International from 1981 to 1985. Over time, Arthrex built a broad product line for shoulder, hip and other orthopedic procedures used by surgeons in many markets.

His wealth comes from the company he built and still controls. Arthrex is privately held and based in Naples, Florida. The company has developed over 13,000 products used in orthopedic surgeries and distributes them to more than 90 countries worldwide. Forbes says Arthrex has estimated revenue of $3.2 billion, and Schmieding owns an estimated 95% of the company. The headquarters moved to Naples in 1991, and Forbes put his net worth at $5.8 billion on October 20, 2026.

How Reinhold Schmieding makes his money

Schmieding built his fortune in medical devices, especially tools used in orthopedic surgery. He started Arthrex in 1981 with personal savings as arthroscopy began gaining attention. In the early stage, he ran the company from his apartment in the Olympic Village while also working for Med Tech International from 1981 to 1985. That focus on a specialized surgical field helped Arthrex establish itself and later grow into a large private healthcare company.

Arthrex later moved its headquarters to Naples, Florida, in 1991 and expanded well beyond its original setup. The company now develops products for shoulder, hip and other orthopedic surgeries and sells them in more than 90 countries. Forbes says Arthrex has estimated revenue of $3.2 billion and that Schmieding owns about 95% of the business. Because the company is private, his wealth is mainly tied to the estimated value of his ownership stake in Arthrex.

How Forbes' estimate changed

Forbes has tracked Schmieding's wealth for years as Arthrex kept expanding. On the World's Billionaires List, Forbes estimated his fortune at $6 billion in 2019, then $5.3 billion in 2020. It later climbed to $6.7 billion in 2021 and $7.2 billion in 2022. Those shifts show how Forbes' valuation of his large stake in a private medical device company changed over time as Arthrex remained a major business in healthcare.

The estimate moved higher again to $7.7 billion in 2023, then eased to $7.3 billion in 2024 and $6.9 billion in 2025. Forbes listed him at $6 billion in 2026 on the annual billionaires ranking. On Forbes' real-time tracker, his net worth was $5.8 billion as of October 20, 2026. Since most of his fortune comes from Arthrex, changes in the estimate are closely tied to how Forbes values that privately held company.