30/05/19

Hiroshi Menjo joins the board of the U.S. subsidiary of XTPL

Hiroshi Menjo has been involved in developing technology companies in Japan and Silicon Valley for more than 30 years. He supported the leading Japanese technology players in the electronics, IT and media market in transforming their businesses in light of the tectonic shift of industries by digitalization. He was also a valued consultant, advising technology companies on implementation of new strategies. Now he is going to support XTPL in building its business in East Asia, which is one of the company’s key markets.

Hiroshi Menjo says about himself that he is like a decathlon athlete for the companies he advises – he tries to build value for them through the effective use of his experience and skills in interdisciplinary fields. He has an impressive number of projects to his name, where he was involved in the transfer of technologies from the research and development phase to the industrial implementation phase. For several years now, Hiroshi Menjo has been supporting the development of technology startups as well as large corporations, acting as Managing Partner with NSV Wolf Capital, a strategic ventures capital fund from Menlo Park, California.

– In my professional practice, I have often times seen breakthrough solutions whose development was slowed down by market scepticism. This is the nature of the revolutionary technologies that from the very beginning they are being confronted with social and business mistrust, their sense being put in doubt. However, time shows that new ways bring better quality and end–user satisfaction. It is this potential, one that can change the rules of the game e.g. in the display market, that I see in the technology developed by XTPL. I believe in this product and its solutions. I am aware of the challenges that the company has to face. For this reason, leveraging my experience, network of contacts and understanding of the technological trends, I intend to support XTPL on its way to gaining a position of a global player offering a unique ultra-precise nanoprinting solution – Hiroshi Menjo says.

After Amir Nayyerhabibi and Harold Hughes, the Japanese will be the third experienced international expert in innovation and development of young technology companies to join the Board of Directors of the U.S. subsidiary of XTPL.

– The groundbreaking nature and global potential of the XTPL technology means that we have to focus on international expansion right from the start. This is why we bring together experts with extensive international experience to support our company.’ Considerable position in the Japanese technology market, as well as a deep understanding of display manufacturers’ needs and profound knowledge of local business rules are among many substantial strengths of Hiroshi Menjo.

He is going to support our efforts to establish relations on the markets not only in Japan, but also South Korea and China. Due to the concentration of industrial companies potentially interested in cooperation with XTPL, these markets are key to the execution of our development strategy

says Filip Granek, CEO and co-founder of XTPL

For several decades, Hiroshi Menjo has been advising technology companies and helping them foresee and respond to market needs. He was one of the first advisors to predict a scenario in which the traditional photographic industry will be replaced by digital technologies, including digital cameras and display-based devices. He has been supporting the development of innovative companies in both Japan and Silicon Valley for more than 30 years. During his career, he has worked with the leading Japanese companies in the areas of electronics, consumer electronics, telecommunications, information systems and so on, supporting them in the digitalization of their business. He also worked with Regis McKenna, who laid foundations for technology marketing in Silicon Valley, running contrary to the then widespread belief that “technology sells itself”. Menjo successfully pursued numerous projects with The McKenna Group, where he developed Japan Practice and became known as an innovation expert. The work with The McKenna Group, which was focused on business consulting for high-tech companies, was not Hiroshi Menjo’s first experience in consulting for technology companies. Previously, as part of Boston Consulting Group in Tokyo, he worked side by side with the world’s best consultants supporting U.S., European and Japanese technology companies in implementing their business strategies.

– XTPL technology is the one that electronics manufacturers have long been waiting for. The first company to find a solution in this area can take over the entire market. XTPL has done a great job developing technology to the current level and has all what it needs to become a global player. – sums up Hiroshi Menjo

Hiroshi Menjo began his career with Konica in Tokyo as a key engineer for their photo film products. Upon realizing the possible disruption of the film industry by electronic systems, he researched electronic materials at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, followed by MIT Microelectronics Labs. He then joined the Boston Consulting Group in Tokyo, working with U.S. and European clients as well as Japanese technology companies to develop corporate and business strategies. Hiroshi left Japan and moved to Silicon Valley in 1991. He assisted a variety of North American technology startups with the development and implementation of Japan entry strategies, as well as strategic alliances with Japanese companies. He then joined The McKenna Group, a premier high-tech business consulting firm founded by Regis McKenna, to lead the Japan Practice. In this, he established his reputation in Japan as an innovation expert based on his deep understanding of entrepreneurism in Silicon Valley. It is here he met Richard Melmon, subsequently co-founding NSV Wolf Capital. Hiroshi has co-authored number of business books in Japan. Two of them were the best sellers. He is also a regular columnist for Nikkei, and Diamond, the leading business journal in Japan.

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