What is LIGHTFUL and Why I’m Pushing for Launch

Some of you already know, and some will definitely know from now on.

In parallel to leading the lighting team at Lucidus SIA (Latvia) and managing Lucidus Techno UAB (Lithuania) and Lucidus Techno OU (Estonia), I’m also working on my own project in the lighting field – LIGHTFUL.

LIGHTFUL is an HR Tech startup – a marketplace that connects businesses in need of lighting engineers with experienced professionals across the EU.

Personal Experience

After more than 18 years in the lighting industry, I still don’t claim to have seen it all. What I do know is that my own challenges – dealing with market fluctuations, an aging workforce, and constantly evolving standards – have given me valuable insights and a clear sense of where the gaps are.

The market goes up, the market goes down. Technology evolves. Colleagues retire, new people learn the craft and step in. It’s a demanding field that requires technical knowledge, mental focus, and countless hours behind a computer and on-site. Not everyone makes it. It takes a mix of love and madness to stay here – and for those who do, the industry rewards with never-ending projects. Sweet and bitter at the same time.

The Problem

Because the work is so demanding, the industry is constantly short on skilled hands and minds. Engineers burn out, and the imbalance of supply and demand only grows.

Both companies and individuals face fluctuations: one month, more projects than hours in a day; the next feels like a desert. At Lucidus, we work hard to stabilize project flow, but the reality is simple: once we free up time, we push for leads to fill the pipeline. Then, as projects come in, we ease off because our capacity is limited. The result? Peaks and drops that burn out project managers at the top and create inefficiencies and wasted resources at the bottom.

Rising Complexity of Standards

These fluctuations could be tolerated if not for the increasing complexity of standards. Overall, stricter standards are a good thing – but they come with heavier workloads. Every new layer of complexity adds time to each project, every new calculation takes more time, requires higher computing power, and limits how many projects one engineer can handle.

Traveling and speaking with partners across Europe – especially lighting producers – I realized the pattern is the same everywhere: there are never enough engineers. Distributors rely on producers for calculations, and when capacity is reached, project preparation times stretch out. That leads to either rushed, lower-quality work, delays, or outright rejections. Every scenario means lost income.

Engineers’ Perspective

From the engineers’ side, it’s not much better. Most are locked into one company, following KPIs, with little control over what projects they work on. They become just another cog in the machine – an important one, but still limited.

Many spend years in software, doing calculations, digging into forums and YouTube tutorials, and onboarding new colleagues. But their career growth is capped by the company’s market and region. Some are forced into projects that are far below their skillset, others pushed into projects beyond their comfort zone. Either way, it limits their development and the industry’s potential. Engineers often spend years like this, without real control over their careers.

The Solution: LIGHTFUL

LIGHTFUL breaks down physical and organizational barriers.

It’s an online marketplace where businesses post project needs and engineers bid with their price and timeline, and the best fit is chosen. In short: lighting engineering on demand.

• For businesses:

  No more fixed capacity limits. Use as many engineers as you need, when you need them. Costs shift from fixed to variable, and project acquisition costs become more transparent.

  
  

• For engineers:

  Access projects worldwide, work freelance or part-time, and build your own brand. Gain freedom to choose your workload, your projects, and your pace, and grow beyond your employer’s boundaries.

Why Now

Everywhere I travel across the EU, I hear the same thing: there aren’t enough engineers.

Borders are open, companies work internationally, and engineers are already working remotely for better opportunities. EU-funded projects create regional construction bubbles where local talent can’t keep up. That attracts cross-border collaboration, raises risks, and pushes prices even higher.

Even well-known brands now struggle more with hiring than with sales. Aging populations and long onboarding cycles make HR one of the toughest challenges in the industry. LIGHTFUL steps right into this gap.

Why LIGHTFUL

LIGHTFUL isn’t just about connecting people – it’s a trusted framework for collaboration.

• Security: guaranteed payment and refund structures. Businesses pay only for proper work; engineers are paid immediately.

  
  

• Insight: integrations with CRM systems to track tasks, milestones, KPIs, time allocation, and costs.

  
  

• Freedom: engineers choose projects by size, type, and location, while building their personal brand with testimonials and experience points.

Join LIGHTFUL

If you are a business or an engineer, register now to secure your spot among the first users of LIGHTFUL.

The pioneers of this platform – the ones who help reshape the future of lighting engineering – will be valued partners, with early access to new features and membership in the Edison Club, the society of LIGHTFUL’s most loyal supporters.

LIGHTFUL: Lighting Engineering on Demand. Join us and be part of the change.

www.lightful.eu