Martin Schadt patented the first organic light emitting display (OLED) in 1969 as a post doc fellow at Canada’s National Research Council. He then joined the Laboratoire Suisse de Recherche Horlogère at Neuchâtel of Omega.

Two years later he became a member of the newly founded research group at the Central Research Center of Hoffmann-La Roche working on liquid crystal field-effects and LC-materials. 

He was appointed head of the liquid crystal department inventing many new electro-optical effects, commercial liquid crystal materials and the photo-polymer liquid crystal alignment technology. 

From 1994 he headed the spin-off company Rolic Ltd. as its CEO. He is active as a scientific adviser to governments and industrial research groups.