Jason Sandberg and Taylor Gwizadon are the founders of LiddUp Coolers and produce the first and only cooler with built-in LED lighting so you can find items in the dark. Jason came up with the idea one night when he was at a family cookout. He wanted an ice cold beer, so he went to the cooler and began to slosh around looking for a can. He found one, but it was a soda can. That’s when he wondered why there couldn’t be lights in the cooler. He and Taylor built the first prototypes of the LiddUp and had three patents, one of them for the interior LED lighting. Their best-case scenario was to get a licensing deal.
Kevin was excited about Jason and Taylor and the cooler. He gave them $100,000 for a third of a licensing deal. He said he was going to go straight to Igloo, the largest cooler manufacturer in the world. And that’s what he did. Igloo produced various models of the LiddUp, including an open-top model perfect for cookouts with a big selection of drinks, called the Party Bar.
Jason and Taylor continued to improve the technology with smarter bulbs that last longer, glow brighter and allow for customized colors. Now, products with their patented LED technology are available in Walmart, Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Sam’s Club.
The two friends share their success. In one instance, they donated $200,000 to the American Red Cross to use toward disaster relief following hurricanes.
