BOAH NOVA creates sustainable lighting products with a focus on local manufacturing and durability

BOAH NOVA, a startup incubated at UPTEC – Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto, has just launched new lamps with a sustainable approach, going against the current logic of seasonal collections and mass production in the lighting industry. The domestically produced pieces are made from wood and finished with water-based finishes.

Founded in 2021, in Leça da Palmeira, BOAH NOVA was created with the aim of establishing itself as an alternative to traditional lighting: "we felt that much of the industry was geared towards selling more objects, often of poor quality, driven by trends. All of this with a huge environmental impact, constant waste and a disregard for the life cycle of products and the impact they have on the world," explains Fernando Pinto Santos, founder of BOAH NOVA.

The new products, presented in partnership with SCAR-ID, an independent shop and gallery in Porto, are pieces designed and produced entirely in the North of Portugal, using entirely manual processes. The new products, with a particular focus on floor and table lamps, draw on a variety of influences, ranging from twentieth-century design references to the observation of forms found in nature and historical elements, such as a Roman millstone seen in a museum. "These products are also the result of the technical maturity we have gained over time; many of the solutions that now seem simple only became possible thanks to the knowledge accumulated through dozens of prototypes and a great deal of experimentation," notes the founder.

In 2025, the brand launched BOAH reNOVA, a service that transforms the atmosphere of spaces such as hotels, restaurants or commercial premises by renewing the lighting, reusing the existing electrical infrastructure wherever possible, which eliminates costs and waste, as well as avoiding unnecessary interventions. Customers can also visualise the expected result using augmented reality tools before making any decision.

"For us, BOAH reNOVA is important because it translates into a concrete solution what we believe in as a company: improving spaces without generating unnecessary waste and demonstrating that innovation and responsibility can go hand in hand," says Fernando Pinto Santos.

By the end of 2026, BOAH NOVA wants to invest further in brand communication and consolidate its presence in the markets where it is already established, particularly in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, the Netherlands, and also in Portugal. "We want to continue developing products and services that challenge some of the industry's most entrenched practices, whether in the way objects are produced, distributed or experienced by customers," concludes Fernando Pinto Santos.