About Us
The journey begins with Our Mission. See why it's so important to us, and how it shapes our groundbreaking solutions and services.
Mission
Sustainably improve the quality of life across every economic level through improved building and shelter technologies that minimize negative impact on the environment.
Shelter is the most basic need of everyone.
Our passion comes from satisfying this need and making the experience great.
Where we want to be is when 5 years from now, people installing and using our products say "Wasn't this the way it always was?" We have a chance to make Smart Energy for Everyone.
Vision
Build a multi-generation, international organization with strong positive brand appeal and reputation for reliable and sensible products with excellent support. Sustainably operate the most attractive work conditions promoting both company and individual growth through skills development and focus on company longevity goals.
The Evolution of LumenCache
Earth Day: Company formed
It seemed fitting to set the company anniversary on Earth Day.
Founder Derek Cowburn saw the low power of LED and motor controller electronics would transform the industry. The 120 year old AC power delivery infrastructure was now the weak link hindering broad adoption of Smart Energy for Everyone.
"Dear Mom & Dad, I rewired your new home"
His parents were building a new home in Noblesville, Indiana. As their "retirement home" he designed it to be Net Zero Electricity with only 4.8kW of solar panels, geothermal HVAC, and PassiveHouse Principles to keep them comfortable, healthy, and with low (or no) energy bills. Even through it looks like every other home in the neighborhood, he wanted them to feel safe through any Utility interruptions caused by storms.
Everything feels fine until the lights go out.
His father asked "Should be bi-wire it for AC too? Just in case we want to go back."
Derek replied "The world is not going back." A story his Dad loved repeating for many years as it was clear the world was never going back.
Legacy product released
Developed and released in just 3 months, the "Proof-of-Concept" was made to demonstrate the modular architecture solves all the adoption and market challenges.
It would go on to be installed in the luxury homes of celebrities, a hamlet in the Himalayas, bus stops and luxury hotels in Mexico, apartment buildings, health centers, offices, schools, and numerous homes. Legacy proved true to it's name and most are still quietly in operation today, without any service contracts.
LibRE "L2-" product, Shenzhen Big-Leagues
Requiring more runway, a few minor changes were made to the Legacy product to lower costs and improve supply chain components availability. LumenCache was accepted into the largest hardware accelerator in the Electronics Manufacturing Capitol of the world: Shenzhen, China. The unique DC LumenCache platform got the LumenCache a seat on the Industry Advisory Board of a 5 year US/China Joint Venture program between the US Department of Energy and China's Ministry of Housing and Urban & Rural Development. Their mission: Measure how much better is DC over AC power. Adopting the manufacturing and technology miracle of Shenzhen prepared the backbone of LumenCache as a seasoned product manufacturing company.
COVID Lockdowns, Advanced Degrees
With over $2.1M of Legacy and LibRE in service around the world for nearly 9 years, there was a LOT of data collected, experience gained, and learning what works and what doesn't.
Then COVID hit.
Stuck in China and operating on a razor thin survival budget, Derek took advantage of the graduate EE courses from Stanford and MIT. He learned the advanced design CAD tools to hyper-speed development of the Generation 2 product, completing the difficult Research and Discovery phase for the final design optimizations needed for perfect Product-Market Fit. Revenue from some large projects and timely investment helped "keep the lights on" and momentum going. The LED market also stabilized somewhat during this time, and builders became open to DC and "Cat5 Lighting".
Gen2 Prototypes Created
Most importantly, the Gen2 product solved the giant Adoption Gap by being attractive to the needs of Builders first: Schedule (install speed), Cost, and Quality (reliability). This elegant and simple solution then transforms into the most advanced open and future-proof platform in the world. The industrial design was nailed down and played with for several months while the last few trade secret electronics magic was tested and optimized for manufacturing. DFMA doesn't mean "Design For Manufacturing and Assembly" to us. It means "Designed For Manufacturing Awesomeness". This ensured we can produce millions of systems at a paradigm-busting price point, with healthy margins, and grow indefinitely without the risk of funding sources seeking a disruptive "Exit". (Never jump out of a perfectly good airplane--it can take you to many beautiful destinations).
ReNetA, the first "Gen2" product
It was critical to get the interface between the modules perfect. This is what creates the "future-proof" feature and must stand up to the test of time lasting for decades, or as long as you plan on being in a home. With those interfaces agonizingly scrutinized, and with all the future prediction skills from decades of experience from experts around the world, ReNetA was born.
ReNetA gets its name from the building block of DNA (RNA) combined with Renewable Network "A". It is the first of several brand products from LumenCache that leverage our patented modular architecture.
And this is just the beginning!
The Team
Today, LumenCache has an experienced and enthusiastic core team, and countless industry supporters, dealers, and customers excited to transform the most deeply rooted industry in the world.
We're building a team as innovative and special as the products and services. See our current openings for what excites and motivates you. If you think you belong in the LumenCache environment but don't see a specific opening, reach out to management with your thoughts.
When it comes to domain experience, we know our stuff. As you experience LumenCache products, notice the attention to detail from the application of the products to the smallest detail of the design. Every decision is based solely on the needs of the customer and partner stakeholders.
This takes time, patience, and intense observation and listening skills. We welcome your ideas and concerns, so please take advantage of our education platforms, then feel free to reach out to the management team through our discussion forums.
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