Javier Iglesias «Our smart light makes indoor areas healthier for people»
Since January, Javier Iglesias has been the new CEO of Enlighting Technologies (ET), a spin-off of the University of Barcelona that is working on energy-efficient lighting with the well-being of people at heart. The company has just increased its capital by €450,000, which will enable the project to grow.
What does Enlighting Technologies do?
We spend up to 90% of our time indoors and under artificial light, from the time we wake up until the time we go to sleep; a kind of fixed, passive, unhealthy artificial light for human activities. Thanks to LED lighting, we have gained in energy efficiency over recent years. So why not gain in light quality through smart LED lighting that enhances people’s experiences?
The proposal by Enlighting Technologies is to create smart lighting that thinks about people. A quality light that follows the circadian cycles of the sun: that wakes you up in the morning and is energising, that keeps you active during the day, and that relaxes you in the evening. The current light quality proposal involves LEDs. However, at Enlighting Technologies we obtain better results through our smart algorithm.
What is your product?
We have developed software that makes lighting smart. It can be used in any lamp or fitting with four or more channels. The software is integrated into the microcontroller to take control of each channel independently, and is adapted to the latest colorimetry standard. In addition, the reaction time is less than one second. This enables us to offer the best possible solution to consumers.
Who are these products aimed at?
Enlighting Technologies software is the best tool to offer people-centred lighting, as it seeks to stimulate the biological process of hormone regulation or simulate the lack of solar radiation that actively supports this natural process.
The areas of application for biodynamic lighting are very diverse, ranging from domestic use to application in offices or care homes, among others.
On the other hand, the software also provides high added-value accent lighting, which we find very interesting for sectors such as retail, cosmetics and beauty, among others. By means of the quality accent lighting, we can increase contrasts and encourage a greater perception of the products, generating greater attention from customers, creating a more suggestive environment, etc. For example, we can accentuate the fabric colours of a fashion store depending on the seasons of the year. Or we can create shop windows that have life and invite pedestrians to stop and buy whatever attracts them.
At what stage is the spin-off?
A few months ago, Be Able Innvierte Kets Fund, the technology transfer fund that formed Enlighting in 2017, invested €450,000. They already played an active role in the company and have now decided to inject more capital to make the project grow. The truth is that we are very happy with them, they are helping us a lot in all the decisions we make. The company’s goal remains the same: to start working with industrial companies, to market our technology and, at the same time, to continue working in R&D+I. First, we want to focus on the domestic market because the response we are getting is very positive.
How have you found the experience of working in a spin-off company of the university?
We have had the company offices on university premises, and we are fortunate to have the University of Barcelona and the knowledge and expertise of its people behind us. I encourage people to visit the university, because it was totally unknown to me and was a nice surprise.
More about Javier Iglesias
The best invention in history: The lightbulb
A historical character: Nelson Mandela
A historical character who gives you chills: Vlad Tepes
The FBG is…: The truth is that I have not yet had much of a relationship with them, but I am happy with what I am getting because they have introduced us to different contacts in the sector.