Up Close with Fabio Zaniboni

By Randy Reid and Katie Smith

Fabio Zaniboni brings a unique perspective on the lighting industry and is a self-described “mix of everything.” Zaniboni was raised in Italy, Paris and South America. Starting at a young age, he immersed himself in the arts and sciences, providing him with a remarkable background to his Masters in Engineering. He has shared his experiences and knowledge with Fortune 500 companies all around the world.

Currently, the Founder and Chief Vision Officer of BubblyNet, Chief Vision Officer of Zaniboni Lighting, and Chairman of Effective Lighting, Zaniboni is constantly drawing from his experiences and his interests in math, engineering, philosophy, and the arts, reinventing his take on the lighting world by focusing on the future.

lighting is no longer a service for architecture, but has its own meaning and its own value

― Fabio Zaniboni

After moving to the United States from Italy in 2007, Zaniboni focused his passion on lighting. Starting with specification-grade marine lighting for yachts and cruise ships, he has since created multiple companies, and through each of them he produces art by way of lighting. After adding architectural lighting to his portfolio, he created Zaniboni Lighting and kept the two businesses separate. That's when he realized that there was more to lighting than light simply reflecting off things. He believes that “lighting is no longer a service for architecture, but has its own meaning and its own value.” What does this mean to Zaniboni? "Architectural lighting is rapidly converging with stage lighting with the added complexity of human interaction,” he explains.

During LightFair 2009-2010 Zaniboni and his company went against the norm and featured a full product range only in LED. He was thinking 5 to 10 years ahead. He rejected all previous technologies and bet fully on the future of LED, which set his companies apart early on. At this point, none of his peers believed his company would survive, yet he was determined and went on to develop high-quality LED lighting, resulting in rapid success and popularity evidenced in both company growth and numerous awards, such as fastest growing lighting company several years in a row.

Zaniboni started out in the lighting industry as somewhat of an outsider. He was not one of the typical professionals who spent their life doing lighting. Zaniboni’s impressive background includes living and working in 40 countries in many diverse industries, in which he gained the experience and knowledge that helps him succeed today. For example, while working at a high level position in the automotive industry he was exposed to robotics, the manufacturing process and focusing on future technologies. Other industries he developed for, and gained knowledge in, included telecommunications, aerospace and more.

His experiences also include being a living witness to violence during Argentina’s military coup, working in Detroit, Michigan in the 90s navigating local unrest, and sourcing raw materials in war-torn Serbia when it fell to Croatia, necessitating stops at UN check points along his routes so they knew he was still alive. These experiences exposed him to the basics of human nature and all of its frailties. It gave him lessons and a perspective on life and business not possible to obtain sitting at a desk. He, thus, brings a lot to the table with both vision and perspective. His work history shows strength and a passion for creating.

Zaniboni’s latest bet on the future is already paying off. His latest company, BubblyNet, is a smart building platform built on Bluetooth Mesh. With open-source wireless controls, it has established a way to make lighting adjustable and comfortable for life. The goal was to create lighting that impacts space, including lighting that combines with fragrances, music, temperature, and so much more. According the Zaniboni, “Lighting, thanks to IoT, can now be a full sensorial experience, interacting with all other facets of space such as sound, air and time in original and unique ways.” He feels this creates a metaphorical concert of perceptions and sensations, and makes lighting far more interesting than just the lighting design. BubblyNet is creating a bubble around people of their own preferences and ideal settings.

Additionally, Zaniboni owns Zaniboni Lighting which produces signature lighting with the most up-to-date technology. He describes it as combining aesthetic and quality all into one. All of the products are encapsulated with sleek and modern designs and advanced technology, helping him stay ahead of the lighting game.

When speaking about the future of the lighting market, he encourages outsiders of the lighting field to join, which would allow for improved and innovative ideas in lighting. He believes that the unique perspective outsiders give can aid in finding new concepts in lighting. The market is growing and is on the verge of a new evolution that is going to be much stronger than the evolution we are in and the technology we currently have.

Fabio Zaniboni is a businessman through and through, who took his passions and crafted them into lighting. His unique experience of living in multiple countries and working among so many different fields allows him to continue creating unique technologies. While he is ambitious at what he does, he recognizes that there is so much more to come in the world of lighting in terms of new ideas and innovations.

This article was originally featured in the December issue of designing lighting (dl).