Bolb

Bolb Inc. is a manufacturer of high-performance ultraviolet C-band (UVC) solid-state emitters headquartered in Livermore, California. The company was founded in August 2014 by Drs. Ling Zhou, Jianping Zhang, Ying Gao, and Eun-hyun Park, a team with extensive experience in the semiconductor industry. Dr. Zhou, the CEO, and Dr. Zhang, the CTO and Chairman, previously worked at Philips Lumileds on the DARPA-funded Solid-state Ultraviolet Optical Sources (SUVOS) project, where they did pioneering work on thin-film UVC LEDs.

The company develops and manufactures high-output UVC Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) designed for chemical-free disinfection. Bolb's core technology is a proprietary and patented epitaxial platform that enables the creation of a fully transparent UVC LED structure. This breakthrough solves a long-standing industry challenge where a key layer in the LED would absorb light, reducing efficiency. By creating a transparent stack, Bolb's LEDs achieve significantly higher germicidal efficiency and performance compared to competitors, enabling faster and more effective deactivation of pathogens like SARS-CoV-2, E. coli, and airborne viruses.

Bolb's business model revolves around the manufacturing and sale of these specialized UVC LED components, including single emitters and multi-emitter arrays, to other businesses. These clients integrate Bolb's emitters into a new generation of products across various sectors. Key markets include healthcare for sterilizing equipment and preventing hospital-acquired infections (HAIs); water treatment for point-of-use disinfection; air purification systems for transportation and buildings; and food safety applications to prevent mold and extend shelf life. The company sells its products through distributors like WPG Americas Inc.

The company has secured significant funding to scale its operations, including a $1.5M seed round in 2014 and a $16M Series A round in February 2021. The Series A was led by Osram's investment arm, Fluxunit, which acquired a 20% stake, with participation from Walden International and UVC-Tech Group. This investment was aimed at expanding manufacturing capacity and global sales.

Keywords: UVC LED, germicidal disinfection, solid-state emitters, semiconductor manufacturing, ultraviolet light, pathogen inactivation, water purification, air disinfection, surface sterilization, food safety technology, epitaxial platform, deep-ultraviolet LEDs, UVC emitters, disinfection systems, healthcare-associated infections, chemical-free sterilization, environmental safety, optoelectronics, III-nitride semiconductors, solid-state lighting