Chinese startup Lattice Power has emerged as an unexpected bidder in the auction of Philips lighting component business, reported Reuters.

Nitride Solutions a developer and manufacturer of advanced nitride substrates for LEDs, lasers, and power electronics—announced today that it has successfully closed US $3 million in new funding as Hansol Chemical, Greenpoint Global Mittelstand Fund, and Silicon Pastures Angel Investment Network joined the company’s investor group. Funds will be used to expand production of the company’s aluminum nitride substrate offerings, as well as to accelerate market introduction of its high-performance thermal management coatings.

LED Source, North America’s leading LED lighting solutions provider, has made a name for itself as an industry leader by providing products and solutions that represent the latest in LED technology. Celebrating a decade in business, the company Entrepreneur Magazine rated as one of the top new franchises on its 2015 New Franchise list is now leveraging multiple partnerships with leading lighting companies like Philips and Ketra to expand its contributions to commercial LED lighting.

Leading Taiwanese LED maker Epistar announced recently that the company had acquired German manufacturer ALLOS unique GaN-on-Si technology. ALLOS has licensed the related patent to Epistar, and the two companies have concluded the initial phase of its technology transfer project. For further information please see original press release below.

Nichia has announced its product lineup for 2015 will include ELEDS, its first flip chip LEDs by the end of 2015. The new chip will be much smaller than existing products on the market. The company will also be launching new UV LED, red phosphor and laser diode based products. LEDinside projects Chinese sapphire industry will pick up as Apple Watch hits the markets. The price tag for the gold Watch Edition is a bank breaking $10,000. Sharp refutes claims last week that it will be withdrawing from the solar industry, or LED residential lighting market. TrendForce PV specialist observes the company will continue solar operations, but is transiting into an integrated energy solution provider. Philips lighting component business, which comprises of Philips Lumileds and automotive lighting might be sold to private equity consortium CVC and KKR. Osram will be increasingly focused on service and maintenance business in the near future as it overhauls its traditional lighting business.

According to a TrendForce photovoltaic analyst’s understanding, financially struggling Sharp might not be withdrawing from the solar business after all.

Private equity firms CVC and KKR have offered the highest bid for acquiring Philips lighting components business, a Reuters report cited three sources familiar with the matter saying.

An Israeli startup company Wi-Charge is freeing homes from power cords with a new charging system powered entirely by light, according to aYahoo report.

Leading global LED manufacturer Nichia’s product lineup for 2015 will include UV LEDs, Mn 4+red phosphor powder, and laser diode products, company representatives revealed at a recent press conference at Hotel Okura in Taipei, Taiwan.

As the lighting industry transits from traditional light sources to LEDs, Osram Licht, the world’s second largest lighting company, has responded by shifting its focus on service and maintenance business to maintain steady revenue growth, according to a recent Bloomberg report.

LG Display is in the process of setting up an OLED alliance comprised of Chinese, Japan and U.S. companies to promote its OLED panel business, according to a recent report by The Korea Times.

Several Indian LED manufacturers have asked the country’s government to consider implementing tax reforms to make it easier for companies to conduct business across different India states, reported The Hindu.

Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (MCC; Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Hiroaki Ishizuka) today announced that on January 23, the company filed a suit in the Intermediate People's Court in Shenzhen City alleging that products of Yantai Shield Advanced Materials Co., Ltd. and U.S.-based Intematix Corporation infringed on a patent (Chinese patent no. ZL201110066517.7, etc.) for red phosphor owned by MCC and National Institute for Materials Science. MCC seeks an injunction on the production and sale of phosphors in China and damages in this lawsuit.

Veeco Instruments announced today that a leading Taiwanese semiconductor foundry has placed a repeat order for multiple Apex™ Gas Mixing Systems.  The systems are expected to reduce germane (GeH4) purchase costs by up to 40% and increase yield for the foundry’s most advanced processes by delivering repeatable mixtures of GeH4 in hydrogen for silicon germanium epitaxy. 

Liown Electronics, one of the world's largest suppliers of LED flameless candles and lighting, announced that it has filed a patent infringement claim against nine (9) defendants for infringing on Liown's U.S. Patent No. 8,926,137, which issued on January 6 and covers Liown's flameless candle technology, Moving Flame TM.  Liown has also asserted that these nine (9) companies infringe its U.S. Patent No. 8,789,986.

Access Fixtures, a leading U.S.-based manufacturer of commercial and sports lighting, is spearheading a fundamental shift in the lighting industry with their new 26w LED traditional wall pack, the first to be priced lower than an equivalent 70w metal halide traditional wall pack.

Japanese LED chip manufacturer Nichia’s first flip chip LED product, set to be launched in October this year, will be one ninth the size of the average flip chip, said the company’s optoelectronic division chief technology officer today at a press conference at Hotel Okura in Taipei, Taiwan.

DEKRA Testing and Certification (Shanghai) signed the cooperation agreement with ORSAM recently becomming ORSAM's first certified partner for testing and certification in LLFY (LED Light for you) team.

RayVio today announced that it has emerged from stealth mode and raised US $9.3 million in Series B funding, with new investors including Applied Ventures, Augment Ventures, New Ground Ventures and Tolero Ventures. Existing investors DCM Ventures and Capricorn Investment Group also contributed to the round. The capital will be used to accelerate RayVio's go-to-market strategy, grow its team, and enable mass adoption of UV LED solutions in the industrial, commercial and consumer sectors.

Gobal LED manufacturer Lighting Science Group Corporation announces the appointment today of Pete Rumsey as Executive Vice President of Business Development. Rumsey brings over two decades of proven commercial, marketing and operational experience to his new role. Reporting directly to Lighting Science CEO Ed Bednarcik, Pete will be working with the executive team to direct the company’s commercial business development ventures and bring Lighting Science’s innovative LED product assortment to the forefront of the global commercial market.

Lextar today announced its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2014 financial report.

Leading Taiwanese LED manufacturers Epistar and Everlight reported declining revenues in February 2015, according to a report from CNA.

Bright colorful LED billboards, and neon lights are deeply integrated in Taiwan’s nightscape. The country’s bustling night life has been a major attraction for foreign tourists, but overtly bright lights at night can also be a health and safety hazard. Some local residents have seen their circadian rhythm disrupted by the bright lights, and it can also impact traffic safety. For years, there was no law available to regulate light pollution, but all this is about to change, according to an Apple Daily report.

Despite leading the global LED component market in 2014, Taiwanese LED manufacturers are entering LED niche markets, according to an UDN report.

GaN Systems, a leading developer of gallium nitride power switching semiconductors, has announced the signing of a distribution deal with Seoul-based global group Websolus. Listed on the Korea New Exchange (KONEX), with 13 Branch Offices in Korea, China, & Thailand, Websolus specialises in three major business sectors: IT Consulting & Systems Integration for Power Grid, Water & Energy systems solutions for Global Infrastructure, and Procurement & Distribution for Electronic Components. \

Urban streets will soon be lined with safer, cheaper, more efficient LED (light-emitting diode) lighting thanks to an accelerated funding model, said Simon Bridges, Transport and Energy and Resources Minister.

International scientists share their explorations about new light technologies that have the capacity to serve a range functions such as examining protein behavior and improving LED lighting

CUI Global, a platform company dedicated to the acquisition, development, and commercialization of new, innovative products and technologies, today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary,CUI Inc, has entered into a global distribution agreement and partnership with Mouser Electronics, Inc, the global authorized distributor with the newest semiconductors and electronic components.

At the long-awaited “Spring Forward” media event hosted by Apple on March 9, all eyes will be on the reveal of the Apple Watch, which will have a watch cover made of sapphire glass. By incorporating this material into its newest products, Apple has provided an unprecedented, game-changing opportunity for China’s sapphire industry. LEDinside, a division of TrendForce, anticipates sapphire market demand will multiply once these smart watches hit the market. LEDinside’s Senior Analyst Figo Wang further stated the sapphire manufacturing will likely become a globally competitive section of China’s materials industry. 

A Shanghai-based Chinese company has expressed its ambition to become one of the top competitors in Sri Lanka’s streetlight market, according to a report from The Island.