In recent years, solid state lighting devices (such as LEDs) were developed very rapidly. Energy efficiency is often the major driver, but other attributes of LED lighting such as long life, low maintenance cost, and improved quality of light are often important factors. Thousands of companies including lighting or non-lighting industry were established to capture the tremendous opportunities in the LED lighting industry.

The LED lighting industry value chain is relatively long and complex. It ranges from the very source of light, namely LED, then the LED packaging portion including LED bonding, addition of phosphor to convert the blue light from LED to white light for illumination, and the optics needed to provide the necessary lighting patterns. The packaged LED will be used inside luminaires to form the end product. In the development of the luminaires, various performances of the LED and its related optical characteristics will need to be considered, these include the electronics that drives the LED, the thermal performance for the dissipation of heat from the LED, and the optical design for the final luminaires specific to its applications. Typical applications include, light bulbs, candle lights, florescent tube replacement, down lights, corridor lightings, etc. for indoor lighting. Typical outdoor lightings include highway lamps, garden lamps, path lightings, etc.
With the LED lighting industry posting tremendous market opportunities, there are many new-comers joining the industry as well as those having minimal experience and resources, typically of SMEs. It will be necessary that there is ready information for them to understand the whole LED lighting industry value chain especially those before and after the specific player. One of the goals of the proposed project is to collate and establish such information for the SMEs.