ID Asks/Ron Mertens and Roni Peleg

Intrepid entrepreneurs serving the global display industry RON MERTENS, FOUNDER AND CEO, RONI PELEG, chief content officer, manage Israel-based Metalgrass. The company researches and writes about emerging technologies, particularly technologies. Mertens started in 2000 as a software enterprise later incorporated innovative new technologies into its portfolio. popular OLED-Info.com was created 2004 when OLED still infancy. Later, E-Ink-Info portal introduced 2009, followed by MicroLED-Info 2017, QuantumDots-Info 2021, formation of MicroLED Association 2022. They also have nanotechnology-focused Graphene-Info Perovskite-Info, with approximately 10 similar portals total. These represent entire segment terms players, applications, resources, current news. Peleg developed industry-famous reports, such Handbook, Graphene well more than dozen reports on microdisplays, transparent OLEDs, others. seeks speaks to customers colleagues understand latest markets trends. He is main contact for those who seek purchase Metalgrass product. loves write; she creates edits content, translates technical documents, manages all their publications. Their sites are knowledge hubs that curate up-to-date information, including independent articles commentaries. has 400,000 monthly readers, over 55,000 newsletter subscribers, 50,000 social media followers. include Sony, LG Display, SmartKem, Samsung, Merck, Solaires, Toppan. journalists, analysts, creators, translators, informers, teachers, and, most importantly, highly regarded industry. When he not solving problems his customers, makes time play piano, ski, hike, surf (the waves, ‘net). uses her spare cook, bake, design jewelry. Together they raising four amazing children. Sri Peruvemba (Sri): Ron, Roni, we known each other many years. It's my privilege formally interview you this article. There aren't examples husbands wives working together our How do divide your work? Roni (RP): great catch up; thank opportunity. Ron usually customer interface, whereas I am creator. We two support us. (RM): In general, handle displays, nanotechnology materials business. Sri: So, boss? RM: She decides everything. Dynamic duo did meet? interviewed job me. It half-hour went hours. RP: No, it three-hour interview; 8 years days ago. subsequently married, but before spent few very close, strictly professional platonic relationship. weren't sure if could work together, found niches. some cross-over tasks, collaborate several projects. been good ride, keep getting better at figuring out how combine being married. Having join firm family biggest highlight get started? founded 2000. career writing software, Windows software. had heard flexible displays camouflage vehicle thought cool. grew interested OLEDs OLED-Info site hobby. just wanted cool technology, then growing. At point make business it. market creating handbooks, organically from hobby experiment. nanotech—basically same idea original OLED-Info—to publish articles, write money. remember hit first $100 per month revenue, wondering should pay taxes. generating income, took long generate meaningful income. full-time engineer, part-time. startup acquired Cisco. meanwhile, Metalgrass’ revenue growing, ads were paying, saw trajectory. quit full time. living off savings while until picked up. Before joining Metalgrass, mostly freelance writer companies. home got bored. an office; house. During saying don't care money, want away hindsight, it's smart thing tell interviewer give mom. kids time, knew flexibility hours important. doing heart surgery so said can take whenever want. I, too, little kids. come day anytime summer wanted. didn't us sign me kids—two boys girls. since little. Since both passionate talk time? put up that? time—weekdays, weekends, even during romantic dinners. care. If hungry, Our top priority. help them homework, them, spend much them. generally okay hearing starting show bit interest ask questions. does cooking, lot food. Two athletes; 14-year-old eat two. wake someone wants eat, eating midnight. girls vegetarian; one vegan. meat eaters, effort something everyone. lunch already planning dinner. But moments. Just yesterday, daughter be engineer start growing teenagers; own aspirations. balance between parents watching grow. What normal workday like? think day. lots things—respond emails, update various sites, interact people. hundreds emails every day; takes news blog, websites; people updates what read thing, fresh. relatively venture, attention. aim partners advertisers happy. service, creation, post media, platforms, video. programmers ourselves. Every looks different, challenge daily tasks long-term access everything, given geographic location. Korea met engineer. job, told handbook; wonderful hear. communications. communicate industry; bridge. shorter updates, “the point.” ourselves bottom line writing. occasionally PR send pages material, says nothing. try offer value things done quickly. no bureaucracy; learned army limited resources. Did mandatory military service? served intelligence core My wasn't different today. gathering supporting customers. military, lot, chose pursue through basic training work. desk loved service. university enlisting army. weapons development, ground corps command, operates three years; that's where office job. Where grow up, decide career? Tel Aviv. older sister. father worked quite intensely, vacations. Mexico, Japan, China, parts Africa; traveled. [We] science classes school. computers school, always enjoyed programming. nine old. One uncles computer future, pursued. Military service training. name from? army, once commander talk. talking operation sounded like metal grass, misheard him. Anyway, decided company, would called which sounds fine English, translate Hebrew. selling weed; certainly “grass” transitioned years, focusing today? 18 Initially focused SEO, trying page views, mobile. connected marketing Today, links site, via promote companies, products handbooks), consult, run Association. More recently, helped smaller companies source unique marine application or industrial system; these projects much—helping actual device makers adopt making find right devices. products? suck self-promotion; promoting For never money; project itself. returned money felt deliver. will 80 percent call convince buy thinks need based needing help; personal. Israel; pretty world. gives joy happy writing; white papers! someone; hear hasn't started, topics loved; OLED, lighting applications. five love see applications perovskites. involved beginning through; emotional joyful highlights Meeting events, meeting friends you; feeling. really small wrote Handbook. night completed, published sleep. woke 70 bought simply wonderful. joined business, reports; big steppingstone brought know better. proof sought permission mention websites. Immediately, yes, realized impacting people's careers Germany person organic electronics, reading report changed life. gave hug. live down. Any learnings failure share? Six ago, came prefer go website listen ton lectures rather physically attend high-quality lectures; offered $200. Very signed nobody premature. there exactly this. create, impact have. exciting grows; constantly things. sometimes timing right. leaders building business? Barry Young (CEO Association) lot; edited free. And Sri, 2012 show; asked wait minute back Kindle tons back. Taka Tsujimura (CTO, unit Konica Minolta) answering questions citing views; Andrew Sculley (CEO, eMagin) says, “I you,” eMagin shares ago; kind. Association, Reza Chaji VueReal) said, “Count in,” Alexander Loesing (CMO, ALLOS Semiconductors) useful feedback helpful. SID team—Radu Reit, Neal Leavitt, Lisa Brown Valentino, Ana Tackett, Harit Doshi—they supportive giving helping students worldwide can't afford reports. India, free materials; hadn't paid Now buying products; advice entrepreneur you? everyone specific DNA type success. us, perseverance. look run. become successful venture; Is You at, learn lot. hard anything start, accept failures. let break you, else entrepreneur. end day, must yourself someone. 16. yourself, exciting, taking share stories readers. wish never-ending associate editor Information Display. CEO Marketer International Silicon Valley works high-tech board advisory roles. reached [email protected].