Lighting Science Group LED Products Chosen for FIRST® Youth Science and Technology Enrichment Programs

SATELLITE BEACH, Fla., Nov. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading the ultra-efficient lighting revolution, Lighting Science Group (OTCBB: LSCG) today announced an agreement with FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) to resell the company's A19 LED bulbs.

FIRST, a not-for-profit public charity founded by inventor Dean Kamen, strives to cultivate young people's interest and participation in science, technology, engineering and math. The agreement encourages FIRST middle school and high-school students to sell LED bulbs, produced by Lighting Science Group, in their home communities.  A modern-day twist on traditional fundraising methods, the program aims to raise funds for student participation in FIRST robotics competitions throughout the United States.

"When we started the FIRST Green initiatives for robotics team fundraising, we knew we were onto something: a 21st century fundraising technique that not only helps teams become self-sustaining in the short term, but also promotes a better environment that they will someday inherit," said Dean Kamen, founder of FIRST. "Lighting Science Group's new LED bulbs give the teams a new dimmable option to sell. They have the opportunity to learn about the viable 'green' technologies available today and strengthen their sales, marketing, and leadership skills."

The agreement between FIRST and Lighting Science Group allows student participants to sell a bulb known within the student community as the FIRST Green e-watt saver to the general public via an online matching system. The FIRST Green e-watt saver program was started in 2010 and has become an important source of potential fundraising for nearly 20% of the FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC®) US-based high school robotics teams.

This 2nd generation FIRST Green LED offering includes an ultra-efficient 60-watt or 40-watt equivalent A19 LED bulb that is omni-directional, dimmable, lasts an estimated 50,000 hours, and has a five-year warranty.

"Lighting Science Group is thrilled to be associated with the FIRST Green fundraising initiative by providing the next lineage of LED bulbs for students' ongoing fundraising efforts," said Jim Haworth, chairman and chief executive officer of Lighting Science Group. "The idea proposed by FIRST to reconfigure the traditional fundraising program to a 2.0 version befitting of the times – where cookies and candy are replaced with ultra-efficient LED lighting – is brilliant. By empowering FIRST participants to show the public tangible savings and the impact everyone and anyone can make by implementing energy efficiency strategies, we genuinely hope our products foster students' own burgeoning passions for science and technology applications."

For more information, visit: http://www.usfirst.org/e-wattinfo.

About FIRST®

Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from three out of every five Fortune 500 companies and nearly $14 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC®) and FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC®) for high-school students, FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL®) for 9 to 14-year-olds, (9 to 16-year-olds outside the U.S., Canada, and Mexico) and Junior FIRST® LEGO® League (Jr.FLL®) for 6 to 9-year-olds. Gracious Professionalism™ is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.usfirst.org.

About Lighting Science Group

Lighting Science Group Corporation (OTCBB: LSCG) designs, develops, manufactures and markets LED lighting solutions that are environmentally friendlier and more energy efficient than traditional lighting products.  Lighting Science Group offers retrofit LED lamps in form factors that match those of traditional lamps or bulbs and LED luminaires designed for a range of applications including public and private infrastructure for both indoor and outdoor use.  Lighting Science Group's Advanced Projects Group business unit designs, develops and manufactures custom LED lighting solutions for architectural and artistic projects.  Lighting Science Group is headquartered in Satellite Beach, Florida; the Company's European operations are based in Goes, The Netherlands; and, the Company has a sales office in Sydney, Australia.  Lighting Science Group employs approximately 1000 workers building lighting products from domestic and imported parts. Lighting Science Group is a Pegasus Capital Advisors portfolio company. More information about Lighting Science Group is available at www.lsgc.com.

Forward Looking Statement. Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the performance of LSG and its products and/or use terminology such as "anticipate," "assume," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "goal," "intend," "plan," "project," "seek," "target," "soon," "will," "first of many" and variations of such words and similar expressions.  Such statements reflect the current view of LSG with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions.   Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements.  In evaluating these statements, you should carefully review the risk factors detailed under "Risk Factors" in our most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that may cause our actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements.  

SOURCE Lighting Science Group Corporation