LYS A/S: Market's Fastest to Mature and Implement New Technology
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LYS A/S cements position as innovation leader through record time from technology development to market implementation
First-Mover Advantage in Retail Lighting
Over the past two decades, LYS A/S has established itself as the market's absolute fastest player in identifying, maturing, and implementing new technologies and business models in retail lighting. Where competitors typically spend 3-5 years from technology identification to full market implementation, LYS A/S has consistently delivered in 12-18 months – a speed that gives the company a decisive competitive advantage.
"Our ability to move quickly from concept to implementation is not accidental," the company explains. "It is the result of 20+ years of strategic partnerships with the world's best OEM factories, a deep understanding of customers' actual needs, and an organizational culture that prioritizes action over analysis paralysis."
Concrete Examples of Technological Leadership
Gen 4 LED: From Lab to Market in 14 Months
Where the industry typically spends 36-48 months validating and implementing new LED technology, LYS A/S succeeded in bringing Gen 4 LED technology from laboratory testing to full commercial rollout in just 14 months. The result is market-leading 170+ lm/W efficiency combined with CRI >90 color rendering – a combination competitors are not expected to match for another 18-24 months.
Key success factors:
•Close collaboration with BOKE Drivers Co., Ltd since 2010
•Parallel development of hardware and software
•Early pilot implementation with strategic customers
•Continuous feedback loop from installation to design team
Adaptive Control: 8-Month Lead
LYS Software System with adaptive control was launched at full commercial scale 8 months before the nearest competitor introduced comparable functionality. This first-mover advantage has given LYS A/S a 34% market share in the Northern European market for intelligent retail lighting.
Technological differentiation:
•Machine learning-based optimization (not just if-then logic)
•Sensor fusion from multiple data sources
•Smooth dimming without oscillation (<0.1 second response time)
•Cloud integration with real-time analytics
EU Ecodesign Compliance: 18-Month Lead
While the EU Ecodesign Directive (Regulation 2019/2020) does not fully come into force until 2025-2026, LYS A/S already achieved full compliance across its entire product portfolio in 2023. This 18-month lead gives the company a significant advantage as competitors now scramble to redesign products and supply chains.
Compliance areas where LYS A/S leads:
•Replaceable LED modules and drivers (non-destructive disassembly)
•EPREL registration of all products
•L70B50 durability: 50,000-70,000 hours (industry average: 30,000-40,000)
•Inrush current: 0.2-0.3mA (industry average: 15-30mA)
•Energy efficiency: 170+ lm/W (requirement: 140 lm/W)
Business Model Innovation: Software-as-a-Service in Hardware Industry
LYS A/S was the first player in the retail lighting industry to introduce a hybrid hardware-software business model, where LYS Software System is offered as a SaaS solution with continuous updates and improvements. This model, launched in 2022, has now become an industry standard – but LYS A/S's 24-month lead has created a loyal customer base and valuable data advantage.
Competitive Moat through Data
With over 1,200 retail locations connected to LYS Software System, the company has built the world's largest dataset for retail lighting optimization. This data is used to train AI models that continuously improve the system's performance – a self-reinforcing advantage that competitors will find difficult to catch up with.
Data-driven value:
•2.4 billion data points collected since 2022
•AI models trained on 47 different retail segments
•Predictive maintenance with 94% accuracy
•Continuous improvement: 8-12% additional savings through AI optimization
Strategic Partnerships: The Key to Speed
LYS A/S's ability to move quickly is fundamentally based on long-term strategic partnerships with the world's best technology suppliers. These partnerships provide access to cutting-edge technology months or years before competitors.
BOKE Drivers Co., Ltd (since 2010)
The partnership with BOKE Drivers has given LYS A/S exclusive access to next-generation driver technology, including the revolutionary ultra-low inrush current solution (0.2-0.3mA) that is now an industry standard.
Collaboration model:
•Joint R&D investments
•Exclusive access to new technologies for 12-18 months
•Co-design of products specifically for retail applications
•Direct communication between engineering teams
Global OEM Factories
LYS A/S works with a curated network of OEM factories in Asia and Europe, selected for their technological capabilities and ability to scale quickly. This network provides flexibility to implement new technologies without being tied to a single supplier.
Key advantages:
•Parallel production of multiple product variants
•Rapid scaling from pilot to mass production (6-8 weeks)
•Access to latest production methods and materials
•Risk diversification and supply chain resilience
Organizational Agility: Culture and Processes
LYS A/S's speed is not just technological – it is also organizational. The company has developed a unique culture and processes that enable rapid decision-making and execution.
Rapid Prototyping and Pilot Programs
Instead of lengthy market analyses and business cases, LYS A/S employs a "build-measure-learn" approach inspired by Lean Startup methodology. New technologies are tested in small pilot programs with strategic customers, and feedback is used to iterate quickly.
Pilot-to-production process:
1.Concept validation (2-4 weeks): Technical feasibility and initial customer interest
2.Prototype development (4-8 weeks): Functional prototype with 80% of final features
3.Pilot implementation (3-6 months): 5-10 locations, intensive data collection
4.Iteration (2-4 weeks): Adjustments based on pilot feedback
5.Commercial launch (4-8 weeks): Full production and marketing
This process typically takes 8-12 months from concept to launch, compared to an industry average of 24-36 months.
Cross-Functional Teams
LYS A/S uses cross-functional teams that combine engineering, sales, operations, and customer support. This structure eliminates silos and accelerates decision-making, as all relevant perspectives are represented from day one.
Customer Co-Creation
Many of LYS A/S's most successful innovations have been developed in close collaboration with lead customers – progressive retail brands willing to test new technologies in exchange for first-mover advantages. This co-creation model ensures that new products solve actual problems, not imaginary needs.
Market Impact: Concrete Results
LYS A/S's ability to move quickly has created measurable business results:
|
Metric
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LYS A/S
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Industry Average
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Advantage
|
|
Time from technology ID to launch
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12-18 months
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36-48 months
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60-70% faster
|
|
Market share (Northern Europe intelligent retail)
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34%
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8-12% (top 3 competitors)
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3-4x larger
|
|
Customer retention rate
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96%
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72-78%
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+18-24 percentage points
|
|
R&D to revenue ratio
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1:8.4
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1:4.2
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2x more efficient
|
|
Time-to-profitability (new products)
|
6-9 months
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18-24 months
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65-75% faster
|
Case Study: Brdr. Sørensen Furniture
The implementation at Brdr. Sørensen Furniture illustrates LYS A/S's ability to move quickly from concept to value:
Timeline:
•Week 0-2: Initial assessment and baseline measurement
•Week 3-6: Design and engineering of solution
•Week 7-10: Installation and commissioning
•Week 11: System live and optimization begins
•Month 4: First measurable results (42% energy savings)
•Month 8: Full optimization achieved (56% energy savings)
•Month 18: ROI achieved
Results:
•56% energy savings (24% from LED, 32% from adaptive control)
•56,000 kWh annual savings = €19,000
•11.2 tons annual CO2 reduction
•62% reduction in employee eye strain
•9.3/10 customer atmosphere score
•ROI <2 years
This implementation took 18 months from first meeting to full ROI – the industry average for comparable projects is 36-48 months.
Future Innovations: What's Next?
LYS A/S continues to invest aggressively in next-generation technologies, with several innovations in the pipeline:
AI-Driven Prediction (Q2 2025)
The next generation of LYS Software System will include AI-driven prediction of customer traffic patterns, weather conditions, and daylight availability. This capability is expected to deliver an additional 8-12% energy savings beyond the current 44-67%.
Technological foundation:
•Deep learning models trained on 2+ years of historical data
•Integration with external data sources (weather, events, holiday calendars)
•Continuous learning and adaptation to local patterns
Blockchain for Transparency (Q3 2025)
LYS A/S is developing a blockchain-based solution for verifiable ESG reporting that provides investors and stakeholders with immutable documentation of sustainability claims. This will be the first implementation of blockchain in the retail lighting industry.
Use cases:
•Verifiable energy consumption and CO2 reduction
•Transparent supply chain tracking
•Automatic compliance documentation
•Third-party auditing without manual data exchange
Digital Product Passport (Q4 2025)
In line with the EU's upcoming requirements for digital product passports, LYS A/S is developing a complete solution that tracks each component through its entire lifecycle – from production to installation to maintenance to recycling.
Capabilities:
•QR code on each component links to digital passport
•Complete material composition and origin
•Maintenance history and remaining lifespan
•Recycling instructions and material recovery rates
Conclusions: Speed as Competitive Advantage
LYS A/S has proven that speed in technology implementation is a sustainable competitive advantage in the retail lighting industry. Through strategic partnerships, organizational agility, and customer-centric innovation, the company has consistently delivered new technologies 12-24 months ahead of competitors.
This first-mover advantage creates a self-reinforcing cycle:
1.Early market access → larger customer base
2.Larger customer base → more data
3.More data → better AI models
4.Better AI models → superior performance
5.Superior performance → higher customer retention
6.Higher customer retention → more resources for R&D
7.More R&D → faster innovation
This cycle makes it increasingly difficult for competitors to catch up with LYS A/S's lead, cementing the company's position as innovation leader in retail lighting.
About LYS A/S
LYS A/S is a leading provider of intelligent lighting solutions for the retail sector, specializing in energy optimization, sustainability, and employee well-being. The company was founded with the vision of transforming retail lighting from a cost to a strategic asset, and has developed the world's most advanced software platform for lighting control over 20+ years.
With over 1,200 retail locations connected to LYS Software System, partnerships with global OEM factories, and a track record of delivering 44-67% energy savings, LYS A/S is the preferred partner for progressive retail brands seeking to achieve their sustainability goals without compromising customer experience or employee well-being.