It appears that Bridgelux have lots of partners and loads of patents and applications for more. (about 350)
Here is one possible partnership with a manufacturer...
Bridgelux reveals corporate partner and new LED light Emma Ritch by Emma Ritch | March 23rd 2010 Posted in Energy Efficiency Tags: Bridgelux, LED, light emitting diode, Molex
Sunnyvale, Calif.-based LED developer Bridgelux plans to announce tomorrow a new strategic corporate partnership that could reduce the cost and time to market for its solid-state lighting (SSL) products.
CEO Bill Watkins told the Cleantech Group that Bridgelux has jointly developed the Helieon Sustainable Light Module with Lisle, Ill.-based Molex (Nasdaq:MOLX), a 71-year-old manufacturer of electronic, electrical and fiber optic interconnection systems.
The partners created a fixture-mounted light-emitting diode (LED) product that is sold to lamp and lighting fixture companies to incorporate in luminaires.
The product is geared toward general illumination, a $100 billion per year opportunity. Despite the LED sector?s promise of a potential 80 percent reduction in energy use compared to standard incandescent lighting, the sector has made small progress in gaining market share because of the high upfront costs and unique design requirements.
Watkins and Mike Picini, Molex?s vice president of solid-state lighting, said this product could be a game-changer because it is between 30 percent and 50 percent lower in cost than comparable downlighting LED technologies. Watkins also said the product has several advantages over compact fluorescent lighting, which he described as ?crappy design, lousy light, and it has mercury and lead.?
The deal represents the first strategic partnership focused on SSL products for either company.
Watkins revealed Bridgelux has boosted its Series D funding to $92 million, and he named Molex as a strategic investor. Bridgelux closed the first tranche in April 2008 at $30 million in equity (see Two funds expand cleantech plans), and then raised an additional $50 million by January 2010 (see Bridgelux boosts Series D to $80M, names new CEO). Since that announcement, Bridgelux increased the second tranche to $62 million and closed the round, Watkins said
In all, Bridgelux has raised about $125 million from investors including VantagePoint Venture Partners, DCM, El Dorado Ventures, VentureTech Alliance, Chrysalix Energy Venture Capital, and Harris & Harris Group (see No-go for Nano).
Bridgelux has applied for 250 patents for its LED materials, chips and arrays, aiming to reduce cost and maintain quality through its vertical integration. The startup?s metal organic chemical vapor deposition reactors grow indium gallium nitride material, which is used to manufacture blue- and green-colored LED chips. Bridgelux says its high-power LEDs offer high light-extraction efficiency and good heat dissipation. Its arrays incorporate proprietary metal bond technology to reduce thermal resistance and cost, and to reduce design complexity and manufacturing cost.
The Helieon module combines Bridgelux?s LED arrays with Molex?s interconnect technology, providing a socketed plug-and-play module that can be integrated in luminaires. Bridgelux VP of Marketing Jason Posselt said the product simplifies and shortens the design process for its customers, and he expects to see design cycles shorter than six months for products that incorporate the Helieon module.
?Right now they have to become semiconductor design experts to try to adopt solid state lighting technology,? Posselt said. ?We took the technology and packaged it in a way that lighting designers can more easily use.?
Molex says its design can be adapted to a wide range of fixture configurations. The source and socket system is separable, much like a traditional bulb and socket, enabling flexibility to upgrade, interchange and replace modules without having to remove the entire lighting fixture.
See the Helieon module ?
Helieon is expected to cost less than $20 per unit in quantities of 20,000 or more, with a 50,000-hour/10-year lifespan and three-year warranty. Sample products are available now, but the product is expected to be available for shipments in May. The partnership is allowing Bridgelux to take advantage of Molex?s 41 manufacturing locations in 17 countries.
Posselt said the product is fully dimmable, allowing it to be integrated with building control systems that use motion and temperature sensors to determine when to reduce energy consumption by lighting and HVAC systems. Lighting-specific control technology is being developed by startups including Boston, Mass.-based Digital Lumens and Fremont, Calif.-based Redwood Systems (see Digital Lumens lifts veil on new lighting technology).
Watkins said the beauty of LEDs is the energy savings compared to traditional lighting, combined with the ability to control the lighting through the semiconductor architecture.
?The first thing is to get it in your ceiling at a price point and the flexibility the market demands. Then you can start adding those other features,? he said.
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