Ilumi Shark Tank Update – Shark Tank Season 5
From Shark Tank success to MeshTek Labs, where Ilumi stands today, and how to find its smart bulbs.
Swapnil Bora and Corey Egan pitch Ilumi, a smart light bulb that’s controlled by your smartphone, in Shark Tank Season 5 Episode 25.
The pair met whilst getting their MBA’s and in 2010 started figuring out how to make their vision for Ilumi work. They won the annual Business Idea Competition at the University of Texas at Dallas and took home a check for $5,000. They reinvested the money into their new business and never looked back.
About Ilumi
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Business Name | Ilumi |
| Founders | Swapnil Bora, Corey Egan |
| Industry | Electrical |
| Product | Intelligent mood lighting |
| Investment Asked | $350,000 for 15% equity |
| Deal Status | Deal secured with Mark Cuban |
| Deal Outcome | $350,000 for 25% equity |
Ilumi is an LED light bulb that screws into a standard socket. Users control the intensity and color of the light with the Ilumi smartphone app. You can program the lights to come on when you wake and sync changing colors to music, too.
The founders successfully funded their business on Kickstarter back in November 2013, raising a whopping $145,230 (they were only looking for $25K).
It appears they used their Kickstarter funds to produce a run of “pre-orders.” They’re likely looking to the Sharks for cash to fund inventory and help with distribution.
Ilumi Shark Tank Pitch
Swapnil and Corey entered seeking $350K for a 15% stake. They explained how the light bulbs work and asked Barbara Corcoran how she’d like a simulated sunrise to wake up to.
The lights can automatically shut off when you leave the house and turn on when you return. They can automatically dim, flash in different colors, and sync to music! The control mechanism is in the bulbs, which fit into any light socket.
The bulbs are Bluetooth-based, and they are just about ready to go into production. The Sharks are shocked by the price of $289 for a three-pack. The lights last up to 20 years, and they’ve found consumers who want the most out of their space will choose Ilumi.
Robert Herjavec called it a lighting system: screw in the light bulb and set up everything on the app. There are 5 patents pending.
Did Ilumi Get a Deal on Shark Tank?
Kevin said if they want to be in the light bulb business, he thinks they could license. Their goal is to ship by the end of the year, and they’re tooled up and ready to go.
Barbara couldn’t see controlling lights with an app or paying $90 for a light bulb, and she was out. Lori Greiner doesn’t think they can be competitive. She was out.
Robert thought that in the high-end lighting market, Ilumi is cheap; he offered $350K for 35%. Mark thought he could bring value and offered $350K for 25%.
Swapnil and Corey asked to hear other offers, and Mark Cuban said he was out. Corey asks for a 24-second shot clock. Kevin offered $350K when the patents clear, but he wanted to license it and take a 15% royalty.
Robert said Mark is tagging along, but Mark said the value is in ongoing development. Kevin and Mark argued about the value of their patents. Robert decided to be out.
The guys didn’t like Kevin’s business plan. They asked Mark if he would go to 20%, but he held firm at 25%.
Corey wanted to know if Mark could make one phone call to help their business. Who would it be? Mark said, “well who do we need to call? There’s no one who wouldn’t answer my call.” Corey said, “Hey Mark, we have a deal!” In the hall, they said Mark is going to fuel the fire of their growth.
Ilumi Shark Tank Update
The Shark Tank Blog constantly provides updates and follow-ups about entrepreneurs who have appeared on the Shark Tank TV show. The deal with Mark closed. Ilumi returned for an update segment in Shark Tank Season 7 Episode 21.
In the update, Mark accompanied Swapnil and Corey at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. They are exhibiting their second-generation apps.
People can find their products in Brookstone, Frye’s, and Canadian Home Depot stores. Since their appearance on Shark Tank, they’ve gone from pre-revenue to over $2 million in sales. Everyone seems to like their products at CES, and Mark calls them a Bluetooth mesh company that can control anything without the internet.
By 2015, they were also in Best Buy and Home Depot stores. They also did a Kickstarter to introduce “New Ilumi,” which raised $365,662. In 2019, they renamed the business Meshtek Labs.
According to a press release, they’ll apply “the technology to the business-to-business environment, allowing networking and control of a variety of commercial LED light sources across large applications such as greenhouses, infrastructure, commercial and industrial buildings, landscape and outdoor spaces, garages, hospitals, hospitality, and residential applications.”
As of November 2023, they are still in business, and they have dropped the price of their original bulbs to $49. They have $5 million in annual revenue.
As of 2025, the classic Ilumi smart bulbs have limited visibility in retail and online, and official app support has become spotty, according to user reports. The consumer smart-bulb business is largely dormant, even if the technology side remains active.
Posts About Ilumi on Shark Tank Blog
Where Can You Buy It?
Ilumi smart LED bulbs were previously sold through Amazon and major retailers like Best Buy and Home Depot, but availability varies, and stock may be limited due to the brand’s shift away from direct consumer products.
You may still find Ilumi smart bulbs listed through third-party online marketplaces and refurbished units on Amazon and similar e-commerce sites. Check out more details on their official website or social media pages: Facebook and Twitter.
Quick Summary
- Ilumi secured a $350,000 deal with Mark Cuban for 25% equity in Shark Tank Season 5 and later returned for an update in Season 7 after surpassing $2 million in sales.
- The company expanded into major retailers such as Best Buy, Home Depot, and Brookstone, then rebranded as MeshTek Labs in 2019, shifting its focus to B2B Bluetooth mesh lighting solutions.
- As of 2025, Ilumi’s consumer smart bulbs have limited retail availability, with the original smart-bulb business largely dormant while the underlying technology company remains active.
Check out other Shark Tank Season 5 Episodes.
Curious to know about other businesses that appeared on the same episode? Check out their business updates!
My Bulb broke after 6 mths . It wouldn’t talk to my app. Reset both app and bulb …Nothing . Call Ilumi , no one answered and I left a message ! No call back ! Called the next day at a different time …no answer and no call back ! With customer service ( if that exists) that works that slow if at all ….. they will tank soon if not already ! So much for a Mark Cuban investment !!!!
After backing the first campaign (bought over 20 A19s & 15 B30s) and backing the new campaign. I no longer support ilumi. No Communication to the new campaign what so ever… when they updated the backer, they didn’t show regrets.
Originally campaign said they will support Amazon Alexa, a video I found with ilumi interviewing, they claim they working on Google Home (No Alexa talk) and they talk about adding a bridge to the whole thing.
THEY ARE LAIRS and a company that doesn”t care about their customer. If you don’t believe me, search “ilumi” in kickstarter and just read what the backers says.