47 Tech Companies That Could Change the World

The World Economic Forum announced Thursday a list of startup technology companies that the international organization said have demonstrated visionary leadership and proven technology that could change business and society.

From towing ships with wind-powered kites to 3-D facial recognition software, the 47 companies chosen as this year’s Technology Pioneers come from 10 countries and do work in the fields of IT, Energy, or Biotech. The companies were selected from a group of 225 nominees by a panel of leading technology experts.

Below is a snapshot of 10 of the winners.

Energy

Washington, D.C.-based GridPoint builds “smart grid” platforms that give utilities more control over energy demand, storage, and production. The company said its technology will help utilities plan and place online renewable energy plants, reducing carbon emissions, and conserving fuel. GridPoint is backed by Goldman Sachs Group, Susquehanna Private Equity Investments, and others.

San Carlos, California-based LS9 said it makes biofuels designed to resemble petroleum-derived fuels while being renewable, clean, and cost-competitive. The company is backed by Flagship Ventures and Khosla Ventures.

Hamburg-based SkySails builds ship towing kite systems that use wind energy for propulsion. The company says its products produce up to 5,000 kW and can lower fuel costs by between 10 percent and 35 percent. SkySails is backed by a combination of private and public investments.

Redwood City, California-based Nanostellar develops nano-engineered catalyst materials for the automotive and power industries. The company said its materials can reduce exhaust emissions and increase the effectiveness of catalysts, enabling industries to meet emission standards. Nanostellar is backed by 3i Technology Partners, Monitor Ventures and others.

Eindhoven, Netherlands-based fluXXion develops high-tech membrane assemblies for liquid filtration markets. The company applies technology from the semiconductor and micro-system industries.

IT

British startup Garlik enables consumers to find and understand what personal information is in the public domain about them and manage how their identities appear online. The company is backed by 3i and Doughty Hanson.

Innovative Silicon, with offices in California and Lausanne, Switzerland, develops highly dense memory technology for microprocessors and semiconductors. The company is backed by Index Ventures, Highland Capital Partners, and others.

Norwalk, Connecticut-based Kayak calls itself a travel search engine. The company says it scans the web for the best deals on flights, hotels, cruises, and rental cars. It takes feedback from its users to display the lowest fares.

Russian startup Yandex is the largest Internet portal in the country today. The site offers search, e-mail, news, web hosting, comparison shopping, a business directory, and more. The company said it receives 4 million visitors per day.

Malmö, Sweden-based Polar Rose combines facial recognition, biometrics, and social networking to allow search engines to visually identify people in photos. The company is backed by Nordic Venture Partners.

Some of the biotech startups that made the Technology Pioneers list were U.S.-based 23andMe, Switzerland-based Anecova, and Israel-based InSightec.
by Justin Moresco

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