Silicon Valley Venture Capital firm Sequoia teams up with Austrialian based smart lighting start-up LIFX with a US $12 million investment. The investment bumps up LIFX’s total funding to US $16.6 million. 

LIFX smart bulb. (LEDinside/LIFX)

LIFX’s success for their Wi-Fi enabled bulb raised US $1.3 million on kickstarker in 2012, which gained it a lot of attention from Silicon Valley firms including Sequoia. 

“This partnership will allow us to accelerate the growth of LIFX and produce some of the world’s best Internet of Things products,” said LIFX CEO Phil Bosua. 

The bulb from LIFX stands out compared to other connected bulbs such as Philips Hue because although it similarly offers a full array of LED colors, it does not require a hub since the bulbs are controlled through Wi-Fi. 

“LIFX is one of the fastest growing and most promising smart home companies,” says Omar Hamoui, partner at Sequoia Capital. “Phil and team have truly revolutionized the first consumer electronics device: the light bulb. As consumers adopt connected home technologies, the LIFX bulb will be a starting point because it’s easy to install and immediately useful on a daily basis. We couldn’t be happier to support them as they work to deliver the best home innovation experience.” 

LIFX plans to use the capital to further expand their business and is already hiring in the US and Australia.