Lumir Inc., a South Korean startup that captivated Kickstarter last year for its innovative candle-powered LED lamp, aims to launch Lumir S, an advanced version with refined design and quality features, for developed markets in July this year.

The company’s early product Lumir C was a runaway success. The device was invented to address the shortcomings of a candle, which is still one of the main sources of light especially in developing countries.

To use Lumir C, you just light a small candle and place the lamp over top. This device, which emits 100 times brighter light than a candle, uses the thermoelectric Seebeck effect to generate power for the LED, which is positioned at the top of the Lumir C. The LED lamp does not need a battery or a plug, but instead uses candle lights to generate electricity.

The Lumir C campaign had a relatively modest $50,000 goal at Kickstarter, the world`s largest funding platform for creative projects, but the final funding reached $130,000 thanks to its unique and functional idea.

The company developed Lumir C with a goal to improve lighting conditions in developing countries and then kerosene-powered Lumir K tailored to Indonesia where kerosene lamps are widely used.

Lumir K reduces harmful black carbons from a kerosene lamp to one tenth, while increasing fuel efficiency by about five times.

“We are making candle-powered lamps with three features: practicability, design and social outreach. We cannot make darkness go away, but we want to deliver hope to developing countries with our light," said Park Je-hwan, the company’s chief executive.

By Song Min-geun

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]