"We went through many tough times at the beginning of our business, but he showed constant perseverance in the face of pressure," says Fan.

As the head of the company, Liu spends much of his time on its strategic direction, allocation of resources and structure. But half of his work still includes checking on products and their technical details.

"I've been working as a technical engineer from the start. It's my true calling. I will never give it up," says Liu.

In August, the MIT Technology Review magazine recognized Liu as an honoree of its 2017 Innovators Under 35 List. Liu's "flexible components could change the way people use electronics", according to the website of the leading technology publication.

"Other researchers and companies have had similar ideas, but Liu moved fast to commercialize his vision …Royole's displays are as thin as an onion skin and can be rolled tightly around a pen. They can also be fabricated using simpler manufacturing processes, at lower temperatures, which allows Royole to make them at lower cost than competing versions," wrote the magazine's business editor Elizabeth Woyke.

"We are innovation-oriented, but we don't expand rashly," says Fan, adding that Liu is a steady person.

In recent years, Liu has grown his presence on multimedia platforms to keep in touch with people and the latest developments in various fields.

"I feel more relaxed talking with geeks because we can easily find common interests, but now I meet people of different professions and learn a lot from them," says Liu.

He has also been taking courses on management, finance, law and other subjects to help manage the company better.

Liu's emphasis on learning and self-improvement has a huge influence on many colleagues, including Fan. "I've also learned many important concepts in these subjects by working with him," Fan says.

Contact the writer at fangaiqing@chinadaily.com.cn