Luciano Hernandez is part of the team behind Tiger Sun Tech, a startup that aims to manufacture wireless, solar powered, easy to install mounted lights geared toward the auto industry.
“Right now, if you want to add lights to your vehicle, you have to drill holes in it and mess around with the wires,” says Hernandez.
This instillation often comes with the risk of short circuiting the vehicle, or a hefty price tag to have a professional handle the process. The Tiger Tech Sun-Powered lights uses a strong adhesive to adhere to vehicle surfaces and can be installed by anyone.
Hernandez has been working on Tiger Sun Tech since April of 2015. He has pitched 5×5 Night and GVSU’s Idea Pitch Competition, networked at trade shows, secured letters of intent and conducted consumer surveys. This November he will be going to SEMA– the largest aftermarket auto trade show in the world– in Las Vegas to secure more sales. The Tiger Sun Tech team, which includes Hernandez’s father, is currently working to produce a prototype. The are also raising funding for tooling, with hopes to be in production by February of 2016. Hernandez has plans to move to Texas for part of the year to promote Tiger Tech.
“I have to generate sales, (and that) is where most people drive trucks,” he says.
Although Tiger Tech is currently aimed at the consumers, Hernandez would eventually like to bring his lights to the commercial market, such as service vehicles.
Hernandez has put 15-20 hours a week into Tiger Sun Tech, and his biggest challenge has been deciding where that time is best spent.
“I could spend a month on the website and I won’t be happy with it,” he says. “I could also spend a whole day calling people to see if they want to talk more.”
For Hernandez, entrepreneurship runs in the family. He has worked at his father’s product and industrial design firm, Tiger Studios, since he was 13 years old, sweeping the floors and dusting shelves. Hernandez says his father made a point to share his business decisions with him.
“He has always informed me on his decisions, like why he is hiring people, why is not hiring people…why he is doing good in sales, why he failed, so I have been able to understand that from a very young age.”
Luciano Hernandez is a Junior at GVSU, majoring in Marketing
Tiger Sun Tech
NEU 