The latest Silicon Valley venture capitalist confidence index suggests that entrepreneurs in the California area may soon find themselves with more investors. It might also mean that consumers will find themselves with new affordable LED lighting options.

One major California-based financier, Steve Westly, recently announced that he will be contributing major funds to Lunera - a new startup company that is developing ultra-thin LED lighting units for offices.

Westly says that he will be trying to support green startups exclusively. In addition to companies that produce energy-saving light bulbs and relevant technology, he is interested in companies that produce green building materials - a sector he thinks is "often overlooked."

Still, he thinks Lunera is one of his best investments yet. "The commercial market for LED lights is huge," he said. He believes he stands to gain a lot from the return on investment, and consumers stand to benefit from the company's technology.

The government seems to agree with Westly as the Energy Department recently awarded $37 million in stimulus funds to advance LED technology.

Experts at LED magazine predict that the LED lighting market will exceed $1 billion before the 2012 ban on incandescent light bulbs takes effect.