LumaStream

About LumaStream

LumaStream, founded in 2009 by Eric Higgs, operated in the low-voltage LED lighting market, targeting both commercial and residential sectors. The company's inception was a direct result of Higgs's dual career as a high-tech entrepreneur and a sculptor. While working on a large-scale outdoor sculpture, he was confronted with the high energy consumption of traditional lighting and the inefficiencies of early LED technology, which inspired him to develop a more efficient, low-voltage solution. Higgs, a Silicon Valley veteran with experience at companies like Citysearch, leveraged his tech background to address a gap in the lighting industry.

The company's core business centered on providing a patented, end-to-end intelligent LED lighting system. This system's key differentiator was its ability to use thin-gauge, low-voltage wiring (akin to speaker wire) to both power and control LED fixtures over long distances—up to 200 feet from a remote power source. This architecture eliminated the need for individual drivers in each fixture, a common point of failure in LED systems, and allowed for installation by low-voltage technicians rather than licensed electricians. The product line included the Trinity™ series of intelligent power centers, which combined digital power conversion, constant current drivers, and dimming controls into a single unit, and was compatible with control systems from companies like Crestron and Lutron. LumaStream served a diverse client base, including national retail and restaurant chains like Tesla and PDQ, as well as hospitality, institutional, and residential markets. Revenue was generated through the direct sale of these lighting systems to corporate accounts, contractors, and low-voltage integrators.

Over its decade of operation, LumaStream amassed a significant intellectual property portfolio with over 23 patents for its technology. The company raised substantial capital, with reports indicating amounts between $11.8 million and $27 million, to fund engineering, product development, and operations. A key acquisition was the Power Vector division from eCraftsmen Corp. in 2011, which provided the remote driver technology central to LumaStream's competitive advantage. Despite securing high-profile clients and developing a robust technology platform, the company faced significant financial challenges. In February 2020, following a lawsuit from a former chairman and mounting financial pressures, LumaStream filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with the intention of reorganizing and seeking a buyer or strategic partner. The company is now considered deadpooled.