What NuLeds does

NuLEDs is a Carlsbad, California-based developer of intelligent Power over Ethernet (PoE) LED lighting control systems for commercial smart buildings. The company's core technology centers on the SPICEbox, a PoE control module that serves as a networked device (with its own MAC and IP address) and delivers up to 60W of low-voltage power over CAT5/CAT6 cabling to drive LED fixtures with four-channel RGBW or single-color control. This hardware operates under the proprietary NuSPICE protocol — enabling ultra-smooth dimming, color-mixing, and color-tuning across more than 16 million color states — and is managed through APPIO, a web-based commissioning and monitoring software platform that integrates with Cisco EnergyWise and Joulex Energy Manager. The peripheral ecosystem includes wall controllers, ambient light and PIR sensors, contact closure I/O modules, PoE exit lights, and a 2025-vintage MechoNet UPoE+ line that adds constant-current and constant-voltage SPICEbox variants plus a motor hub for automated window treatments.

NuLEDs sells primarily through enterprise direct sales and a channel partner ecosystem anchored by Cisco (Digital Ceiling initiative, early lighthouse customer since January 2012) and Eaton (co-developed PoE-enabled Metalux Encounter luminaire, 2016), with additional partners Deco Lighting and USLED. The go-to-market targets facility owners, IT administrators, architects, designers, general contractors, VARs, and distributors across verticals including office/CRE, K-12 and higher education, healthcare, and data centers, with reference installations at Cisco, Independence Blue Cross, Miami-Dade School District, University of Glasgow, Dart Container, the Sinclair Marriott (Fort Worth), and Dubai World Trade Center. Revenue is generated via hardware sales (SPICEbox modules and peripherals), bundled software, and project-based professional services for lighting design and installation; pricing is quote-driven with no public list prices.

The company was founded in 2011 by Chris and Lisa Isaacson and operated as an independent private firm until its acquisition by Springs Window Fashions in 2022, under whose ownership NuLEDs' PoE technology is now commercialized through the Mecho commercial brand to expand automated PoE shade and integrated building-control offerings.

Name

NuLeds

Legal name

NuLEDs

Website

https://nuleds.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NuLEDs develops intelligent PoE LED lighting systems — SPICEbox control modules, NuSPICE protocol, and APPIO software — that power and manage fixtures over Ethernet for commercial smart buildings. It sells via channel partnerships with Cisco and Eaton across education, healthcare, office, and data center markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

PoE LED Lighting Controls

NAICS

Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513), Wiring Device Manufacturing (33593), Electric Lamp Bulb and Other Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (335139)

SIC

Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640), Communications Equipment, Nec (3669)

akta.pro primary industry

Lighting Controls & Building Integration (Drivers, sensors, dimming, lighting control panels, networked lighting) (IMAGAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lighting Controls & Smart Lighting Systems (BPABAGAC), LED Drivers, Ballasts & Power Modules for Lighting (Constant-current/voltage drivers, ballasts, control gear) (IMAGAIAJ), Smart Lighting & Shading Systems (HSAPAPAC)

Keywords

• PoE LED lighting
• Intelligent building controls
• Networked lighting systems
• Smart lighting controls
• IoT building automation

Headquarters

HQ city

Carlsbad

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales - SPICEbox™ Control Modules: Sale of PoE control modules including the SPICEbox™ which converts PoE power to drive LEDs and sensors. Each module is a networked device with unique MAC and IP address, supporting 4-channel RGBW control with up to 60W power delivery to lighting fixtures.
2. Peripheral Devices and Sensors: Sales of complementary devices including wall controllers, ambient light sensors, PIR motion sensors, contact closure input modules, exit lights, and motor hubs that integrate with the SPICEbox ecosystem.
3. Software/Management Platform: APPIO software platform providing commissioning, control, and monitoring capabilities for connected devices. Sold as part of integrated system deployments.
4. Professional Services: Lighting design assistance, installation support, and integration services as indicated by contact form options for project collaboration.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

NuLEDs develops Power over Ethernet (PoE) LED lighting control systems and IoT-based intelligent building solutions. Its core platform consists of the SPICEbox control module that powers and controls LED fixtures over standard CAT5/CAT6 Ethernet cabling, the proprietary NuSPICE protocol for multi-channel LED color and dimming control, and the APPIO software for commissioning, configuring, and monitoring networked lighting systems.

Product overview

NuLEDs offers a unified PoE intelligent lighting platform centered on the SPICEbox control module, which connects LED fixtures to IT networks via Power over Ethernet. The core architecture consists of the SPICEbox hardware module (a networked PoE device with multi-channel RGBW control and sensor hosting), the proprietary NuSPICE protocol enabling smooth dimming and color-tuning, and APPIO software providing web-based commissioning and monitoring. Supporting add-on modules include MechoNet UPoE+ SPICEbox variants (Constant Current and Constant Voltage), a Motor Hub for motorized shading, wall controllers, ambient light sensors, PIR motion sensors, contact closure modules, and exit lights. All components operate over standard CAT5e/CAT6 cabling and integrate with network management systems like Cisco EnergyWise and Joulex Energy Manager.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NuSPICE: Protocol that controls LED brightness through four channels, enabling ultra-smooth dimming, color-mixing, and color-tuning.
• SPICEbox
• APPIO

Products and services

• SPICEbox PoE LED Control Module Core control module that uses Power over Ethernet (PoE) over standard CAT5/CAT6 cabling to power and individually address, dim, and control networked LED fixtures in commercial buildings. Designed for facility owners, IT administrators, and lighting specifiers.
• MechoNet UPoE+ Constant Current SPICEbox UPoE+ (Universal Power over Ethernet Plus) variant of the SPICEbox control module designed for constant current LED fixtures, providing higher power delivery for advanced connected lighting installations.
• MechoNet UPoE+ Constant Voltage SPICEbox UPoE+ variant of the SPICEbox designed for constant voltage LED fixtures, supporting flexible integration with constant voltage LED drivers in commercial lighting projects.
• MechoNet UPoE+ Motor Hub UPoE+ motor control hub that enables Ethernet-based control of motorized window shades and other motor loads, integrating shade and lighting control over a unified PoE network.
• 6-Button Wall Controller Wall-mounted controller providing manual user input with six configurable buttons for scene selection, dimming, and on/off control of networked LED lighting zones.
• Contact Closure Input Module Input module that brings external contact closure signals (such as occupancy sensors, key switches, or BMS triggers) onto the NuSPICE network for integrated lighting control.
• Contact Closure Input/Output Module Combined input and output contact closure module enabling bidirectional integration between the NuSPICE network and third-party building devices such as HVAC or security systems.
• Ambient Light Sensor IoT sensor that measures ambient light levels and feeds data into the NuSPICE network to enable daylight harvesting and automatic lighting adjustment.
• PIR Motion Sensor Passive infrared motion sensor that provides occupancy data to the NuSPICE network for automated on/off and dimming control based on space occupancy.
• Exit Light Networked PoE-powered LED exit sign that integrates with the NuSPICE system for centralized monitoring and testing of emergency egress lighting.
• APPIO Lighting Management Software Web-based software platform for commissioning, configuring, monitoring, and managing NuSPICE-networked LED lighting and IoT devices across a building or campus.

Quantifiable outcome

• Eliminates need for conduits carrying solid copper cabling for high-voltage power, reducing installation complexity
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Springs Window Fashions / MechocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 February 2022Springs Window Fashions acquired NuLEDs assets in February 2022 to strengthen its position in the Power-over-Ethernet shade market. NuLEDs' PoE technology is being applied within the Mecho commercial brand to expand leadership in automated shade systems and integrate with lighting and other building components for maximum energy efficiency.
• EatoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2016Eaton Lighting and NuLEDs collaboration to make smart, connected lighting a reality. The two companies went to market with a joint product offering including Eaton's complete portfolio of PoE-enabled LED luminaires and NuLEDs' drivers, software, sensors and keypads. The collaboration has delivered projects with Eaton's PoE-enabled Metalux Encounter luminaire featuring WaveStream LED technology and NuLEDs' NuSPICE solution.
• CiscocoreTechnology or IntegrationCisco partnered with NuLEDs in 2012 as a technology partner. NuLEDs delivered the first PoE lighting system to Cisco that could both power and control from the IT network. Cisco included NuLEDs in its Digital Ceiling ecosystem along with Philips, Cree, and Eaton. NuLEDs has numerous PoE lighting installations across Cisco facilities including Corporate Executive Suites in Silicon Valley and the Cisco Customer Briefing Center in Manhattan.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Acuity Brands: Large US lighting and building solutions company offering DTL Distributed Lighting Controls and Atrius IoT platform. While not exclusively PoE-focused, it competes for the same intelligent commercial lighting budget and brings significantly broader distribution and product breadth.
• Hubbell Lighting: Major US lighting manufacturer offering a wide portfolio of commercial and industrial luminaires with integrated controls options. Competes with NuLEDs in commercial smart-building lighting with significantly larger sales coverage and established contractor relationships.
• Cree Lighting: LED lighting manufacturer with a connected lighting controls portfolio and a prior Cisco Digital Ceiling partnership. Competes with NuLEDs in commercial smart-lighting deployments and brings deeper product depth in LED fixtures.

Direct peers

• Enlighted (Siemens): IoT building lighting platform acquired by Siemens that delivers sensor-based smart lighting controls for commercial real estate. Competes with NuLEDs on intelligent, networked lighting management for enterprise offices, healthcare, and education customers.
• Signify (Philips Lighting): Global lighting leader with its own PoE-enabled connected lighting portfolio (including Interact Office and Color Kinetics) and a direct Cisco Digital Ceiling partnership alongside NuLEDs. Competes head-to-head in PoE lighting for commercial and enterprise customers with far greater scale and channel depth.
• GE Current, a Daintree company: Provides intelligent LED lighting fixtures, controls, and the Daintree Networks IoT platform for commercial and industrial customers. Competes with NuLEDs in networked smart-building lighting, with broader product breadth and an established controls software stack.
• Molex (CoreSync): Molex's CoreSync PoE lighting system delivers power and control to LED fixtures over structured cabling, targeting the same IT-converged building use case as NuLEDs. Directly competes on architecture (PoE control modules integrated with luminaires) and shares the enterprise smart-building buyer.
• Digital Lumens (ams OSRAM): Provider of intelligent LED lighting and IoT-enabled controls for industrial and commercial facilities, now part of ams OSRAM. Overlaps with NuLEDs in software-managed networked lighting for enterprise and industrial customers, though historically more industrial-light focused.

Emerging players

• Ubicquia: Smart-city focused IoT company offering PoE-powered smart lighting controls and sensors for streetlights and outdoor infrastructure. Adjacent competitor in the PoE lighting control category, with overlapping technology (networked PoE control modules) but different primary end market.
• Igor (Poewit): PoE-based smart building platform offering lighting, shading, and sensor control over a single low-voltage network — directly analogous to NuLEDs' NuSPICE + MechoNet vision. Smaller and earlier-stage, but pursuing the same IT-converged building architecture.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nuleds
• Facebookfacebook.com/nuledsinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lisalisaacson

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NuLeds