Dov Moran

{{Short description|Israeli entrepreneur, inventor and investor}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Dov Moran

| image = Dov Moran.jpg

| caption = Moran in 2014.

| native_name = דב מורן

| birth_date = {{birth date and age |1955|7|29|mf=yes}}

| birth_place = Ramat Gan, Israel

| education = Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (BSc.)

| occupation = Businessman, electrical engineer, inventor, investor, writer

| known_for = Inventor of the USB flash drive

| boards =

| awards = *Edward Award

IEEE Reynold B. Johnson Information Storage Systems Award

}}

Dov Moran ({{langx|he|דב מורן}}; born July 29, 1955) is an Israeli businessman, electrical engineer, inventor, investor, and writer. He is best known as the inventor of the USB memory stick, and one of the most prominent Israeli hi-tech leaders.{{Cite web|url=https://www.technion-alumni.org/content/%D7%93%D7%91-%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%9F-%D7%9E%D7%9E%D7%A6%D7%99%D7%90-disk-key|title=דב מורן-ממציא Disk On Key}}{{Cite web|url=http://nocamels.com/2013/03/dov-moran-talks-to-nocamels-about-sandisk-comigo-modu/|title=Dov Moran, The Israeli Who Sold The DiskOnKey For $1.6B, Shares His Thoughts On Success, Startups And Working Until The Very End|last=Sánchez Keighley|first=Paul|date=March 11, 2013}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-dov-moran-sets-up-100m-venture-capital-fund-1001125895|title=Dov Moran sets up $100m venture capital fund|last=Globes correspondent|date=20 May 2016|website=globes.co.il|access-date=}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.israel21c.org/20-top-technology-inventions-born-of-conflict/|title=20 top tech inventions born of conflict|last=Leichman|first=Abigail Klein|date=August 7, 2014|website=israel21c|access-date=}}

Biography

Dov Moran was born in Ramat Gan, Israel, to a family of Holocaust survivors who immigrated to Israel from Poland. His father, Baruch Mintz, came from a well-off family from Krosno. The only Mintz family members who managed to survive the Holocaust were Dov's father and grandfather who began a new life in Israel. Dov's mother, Bina Gever, immigrated to Israel with her family who escaped Blonie.{{Cite web|url=https://www.calcalist.co.il/local/articles/0,7340,L-3700338,00.html|title=בגיל 90, בבית החולים, אבא התעקש להמשיך לנהוג: "העיקר שביום ראשון אוכל לחזור לעבוד"|last=Bechor Nir|first=Diana|date=27 October 2016|website=Calcalist.}}

His interest in high-technology was obvious from his childhood days. At the age of ten he used to order electronic components and digital watch parts from MAD magazine, with the intention to create new improved devices, however, as he later testified, no significant results were achieved. In the following years, his intellectual curiosity and talent started to lead to breakthroughs. At the age of 16 he was sent to an annual course in computers held in Tel-Aviv University. Back then, in order to write a program you needed to mark cards dedicated to that with a pen. After three months of struggling to deal with that system, he wrote his first program.{{Cite web|url=http://nocamels.com/2013/03/dov-moran-talks-to-nocamels-about-sandisk-comigo-modu/|title=Dov Moran, The Israeli Who Sold The DiskOnKey For $1.6B, Shares His Thoughts On Success, Startups And Working Until The Very End|last=Sánchez Keighley|first=Paul|date=March 11, 2013|website=NoCamels}} His programming skills improved while he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering (with honors) at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa. It was during his university days that led him to decide "to start his own company.”

Moran served in the Israeli Navy for seven years and was commander of its advanced microprocessor department. Prior to becoming a businessman, Moran was an independent technology consultant in the Israeli computer industry.{{Cite web|url=http://www.eugro.com/comigos-dov-moran/|title=Interview with Comigo's Dov Moran|date=30 August 2014|website=eugro.com|access-date=|archive-date=27 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227121341/http://www.eugro.com/comigos-dov-moran/|url-status=dead}}

Business career

Moran formed M-Systems in 1989, a pioneer in the flash data storage market. The company invented the USB flash drive (DiskOnKey), the FlashDisk (DiskOnChip) as well as several other innovative flash data storage devices. Under Moran's leadership, M-Systems grew to $US1 billion revenue within 18 years, and at the end of 2006 it was acquired by SanDisk Corp (NSDQ: SNDK) for $US1.6 billion.

Following the sale of M-Systems, Moran embarked upon the establishment of Modu, that introduced a pioneering innovative concept of a modular smartphone, which subsequently sold its patents to Google in 2011. These patents later became the basis for Google's modular phone project, called Project Ara. Following Modu's acquisition by Google, over 30 cutting-edge high-technology companies emerged, spearheaded by the former employees of Modu.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.themarker.com/technation/1.2069244|title=המפץ הגדול של מודו: החברה מתה - 30 סטארט־אפים נולדו|last=Orpaz|first=Inbal|date=July 2013|journal=TheMarker}}

During his time at Modu, Moran also served as the chairman of Tower Semiconductor, a developer and manufacturer of semiconductors and integrated circuits. Throughout his tenure, he successfully turned around the ailing corporation, steering it towards a path of profitability. In addition, Moran assumed the role of chairman at Biomas, a prominent enterprise specializing in pharmaceutical development.

= Inventions =

Moran has been involved with a number of inventions, mostly in the field of infrastructure technologies. He says he has filed over 40 patents and patent applications. Inventions he's been involved with include:[http://www.ybook.co.il/book/6794/100-%D7%93%D7%9C%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%95%D7%90-%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%96%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%AA 100 Doors - An introduction to entrepreneurship], "Yedioth Books" website (Hebrew){{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/business-40706984/dov-moran-the-man-behind-the-memory-stick|title=Dov Moran: The man behind the memory stick|date=24 July 2017|website=BBC News|access-date=}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/interview-hi-tech-guru-dov-moran-inventor-usb-flash-drive-dullaway|title=An interview with hi-tech guru Dov Moran, the inventor of the USB flash drive|last=Dullaway|first=Natasha|date=July 24, 2017|website=.4yfn}}

USB flash drive (DiskOnKey)- small Flash memory device
the FlashDisk (DiskOnChip)
Modu 's revolutionary modular phone - the basis for Google's modular phone Project Ara{{Cite web|url=https://www.4yfn.com/speaker/dov-moran-2/|title=Dov Moran|last=Editorial team|date=2017|website=4yfn|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208004308/https://www.4yfn.com/speaker/dov-moran-2/|archive-date=2018-02-08|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.geektime.co.il/google-uses-a-dov-moran-patent/|title=גוגל רושמת פטנט חדש של דב מורן, בדרך לכרומבוק מבוסס סמארטפון?|last=yaniv Avital|website=Geektime|date=20 May 2014}}
Lightest mobile phone - Modu (weighs 40.1 g) world held the record for the world's lightest mobile phone.{{Cite web|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/lightest-hand-held-mobile-phone/|title=Lightest hand-held mobile phone|date=11 February 2008|website=The guinness world records|access-date=}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-1000029689|title=M-Systems' latest moves look good|last=Globes [online], Israel business news|date=November 16, 2005|website=Globs}}
Smartype - revolutionary smart keyboard{{Cite web|url=http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-1000780602|title=Dov Moran's KeyView unveils smart keyboard|last=Globes [online], Israel business news|date=August 29, 2012|website=Globs}}
Comigo's smart interactive TV system - patented hardware and software{{Cite web|url=https://patents.justia.com/inventor/comigo-ltd|title=Patents by Inventor Comigo Ltd|last=Patents.justia|website=patents.justia}}

= Investments =

In January 2015, after several years of angel investing,{{Cite web|url=https://www.4yfn.com/interview-hi-tech-guru-dov-moran-inventor-usb-flash-drive/|title=An interview with hi-tech guru Dov Moran, the enventor of the USB flash drive|date=July 19, 2017|website=4YFN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120122828/https://www.4yfn.com/interview-hi-tech-guru-dov-moran-inventor-usb-flash-drive/|archivedate=January 20, 2018|url-status=dead}}

Moran established Grove Ventures, an Israeli venture capital firm which operates with a funding of worth $US100 million. The venture capital fund mainly specializes in providing seed capital investments in early-stage startups with a focus on advanced groundbreaking technologies such as semiconductors, sensors, artificial intelligence, and digital health. In October 2017, Grove Ventures raised $110 million in commitments.{{Cite web|url=http://nocamels.com/2017/10/israels-grove-ventures-raises-110-million/|title=Israel's Grove Ventures Raises $110 Million|last=NoCamels Team|date=October 29, 2017|website=nocamels}} In February 2020, Grove Ventures closed a second fund with $120 million in commitments.{{Cite news |date=2020-02-18 |title=Dov Moran's Grove Ventures raises $120m second fund |language=en |work=Globes |url=https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-dov-morans-grove-ventures-raises-120m-second-fund-1001318782 |access-date=2022-08-09}}

Companies he invested in or launched include:

Consumer Physics, A thumb-sized spectrometer which acts as "digital materials analyzer", enabling a user to identify products' source, freshness, ingredients, the mix of materials and nutrition value.{{Cite news |date=2017-05-01 |title=Consumer Physics unveils molecular sensing smartphone |language=en |work=Globes |url=https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-consumer-physics-unveils-molecular-sensing-smartphone-1001170338 |access-date=2022-08-14}}
Sensible Medical Innovation Ltd., Absolute lung fluid monitor based on sensing and monitoring technology providing data for the management and treatment of several chronic medical conditions.{{Cite web |date=2013-11-11 |title=Sensible Medical raises $20m, Boston Scientific leads investment - Globes |url=https://en.globes.co.il/en/article--1000893131 |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=en.globes.co.il |language=en}}
GlucoMe, develops a blood glucose meter that provides an interface to the cloud through a phone or tablet to allow data gathering and analysis, alerts and patient monitoring.{{Cite web |last=Tress |first=Luke |title=Israeli startup uses big data, minimal hardware to treat diabetes |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-startup-uses-big-data-minimal-hardware-to-treat-diabetes/ |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=www.timesofisrael.com |language=en-US}}
Geneformics, focused on computing for genomics (DNA sequencing).{{cite web|url=http://www.geneformics.com|title=Geneformics Homepage|website=Geneformics.com|accessdate=2017-06-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822200934/https://www.geneformics.com/|archive-date=2017-08-22|url-status=dead}} Geneformics aims to provide savings in the storage, communications and cloud processing of DNA sequencing.{{Cite web |last=staff |first=T. O. I. |title=Israeli gene-crunching firm aims to cut data down to size |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-gene-crunching-firm-aims-to-cut-data-down-to-size/ |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=www.timesofisrael.com |language=en-US}}
RapidAPI, a company that developed application programming interfaces (APIs).{{Cite web |last=Orbach |first=Meir |date=2018-03-15 |title=Open Source API Marketplace Startup RapidAPI Raises $9 Million |url=https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3734172,00.html |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=CTECH - www.calcalistech.com}}

According to Moran, he views education as the fundamental crucial basis in promoting scientific advancement and cultivating technological innovation. In his role as an active angel investor and engaged venture capitalist seeking to take advantage of harnessing the potential of the most promising emerging Israeli high-technology start-ups, Moran provides guidance and mentorship to up-and-coming Israeli high-technology entrepreneurs, offering valuable assistance in transforming their research and innovative ideas into tangible goods and services suitable for commercial business endeavors. As such, he lectures extensively in universities and schools and sits on the advisory board of Tel Aviv University Momentum Fund.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcO5ztOALpE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/zcO5ztOALpE |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=The Innovation of Everything {{!}} Dov Moran {{!}} TEDxBGU|last=TEDx Talks team|date=June 2015|website=TEDx Talks youtube channel}}{{cbignore}}

In addition to several investments made by the fund.{{Cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/business/1.4947684|title=Dov Moran, a Zionist With a Mission|last=Omri Cohen|date=Jun 28, 2007|website=Haaretz}} Moran has also invested in Learni, a technology company which aims to provide efficient educational solutions for interactive material, live teaching resources, that work in real-time, and student evaluations while also enabling rich digital textbooks in a managed interactive classroom environment.{{Cite web|url=https://www.london-wealth.com/mr-dov-moran/|title=Dov Moran|last=Editorial team|website=london-wealth|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208123411/https://www.london-wealth.com/mr-dov-moran/|archive-date=2018-02-08|url-status=dead}}

Community activism and public sector career

He is an active member of the Korean Israel Business Forum, having spoken at conferences, and in 2014, was asked by the Korean government to spearhead a project aimed at growing innovation in Seoul, the capital of Korea.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}

The Yedioth Book publishing company published his book, titled "100 Doors - An Introduction to Entrepreneurship," which was released in September 2016.

Awards and recognition

In 2003 he was named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, and "CEO of the Year" by the IMC.
In 2007, the IVA (Israel Venture Association) awarded Dov Moran the Israeli Hi-Tech award as Entrepreneur of the Year.{{cite web|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20070604005774/en/Winners-Israeli-Hi-Tech-Awards-Dov-Moran-Avi#.VOQ3XiuUd5J%20 |title=Winners of the Israeli Hi-Tech Awards: Dov Moran, Avi Naor and Shlomo Caine |publisher=Business Wire |date=2007-06-04 |accessdate=2017-06-06}}
In 2012 Moran was awarded the prestigious Edward Rhein Award for inventing the USB flash drive.{{cite web |url=http://www.eduard-rhein-stiftung.de/html/2012/Kulturpreis_e.html |title=Kulturpreis - Cultural Award 2012 |accessdate=2017-06-06 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140910131752/http://www.eduard-rhein-stiftung.de/html/2012/Kulturpreis_e.html |archivedate=2014-09-10 }}
In 2013, he was named "Doctor Honoris Causa" from Moscow State Technical University of Radio Engineering, Electronics and Automation.
In the same year he had the title Honoris Causa conferred on him by the Academic Center for Law and Science in Israel,{{cite web |url=http://www.mishpat.ac.il/pdf/2013/post/kavod.pdf |title=The Academic Center of Law of Science : Conferment of Honoris Causa |website=Mishpat.ac.il |accessdate=2017-06-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218121833/http://www.mishpat.ac.il/pdf/2013/post/kavod.pdf |archive-date=2015-02-18 |url-status=dead }} in the company of other notable leaders such as former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Minister of Education Rabbi Shai Piron and Canada's Former Minister of Justice and State Attorney, Prof. Irwin Cotler.
Again in 2013, he was presented with a lifetime achievement Award by Geektime.{{cite web |url=http://www.geektime.com/2014/01/07/and-the-geeky-goes-to/%20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110141131/http://www.geektime.com/2014/01/07/and-the-geeky-goes-to/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 10, 2014 |title=And the Geeky goes to… |website=Geektime.com |date=2014-01-07 |accessdate=2017-06-06 }} Its "Geek Awards" are an annual competition to recognize and celebrate the most compelling startups, entrepreneurs and investors of the year in Israel.
In 2015, he received the Johnson Information Storage Systems Award{{cite web |url=http://www.ieee.org/documents/info_storage_rl.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) |accessdate=2015-02-18 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218122043/http://www.ieee.org/documents/info_storage_rl.pdf |archivedate=2015-02-18 }} for pioneering contributions to storage systems based on flash memory.
In 2016, Moran was awarded honorary doctorate at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2NoqpNT9WE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/g2NoqpNT9WE |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Dov Moran Technion Honorary Doctor 2016|last=Technion team|date=June 2016|website=Technion's youtube channel}}{{cbignore}}
In February 2018 Moran received, among others, the Netexplo Talent of the Year award in a ceremony held by UNESCO in Paris.{{Cite web|url=https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/netexplo2018_training_programme_en.pdf|title=Netexplo Talent Forum|last=ESCP business school editors|date=February 2018|website=en.unesco|access-date=}}

Personal life

Moran is married and has four children. His wife became religious 20 years after they got married.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-20 |title="I live my life my way and my wife lives hers as a religious person. It does not have to fit in" |url=https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/ltpo04xfe |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=ctech |language=en}}