The World Economic Forum Announces Technology Pioneers 2007: Sling Media, Inc. Selected
The World Economic Forum Announces Technology Pioneers 2007: Sling Media, Inc. Selected
SAN MATEO, California, December 4/PRNewswire/ -- The World Economic Forum today announced 47 Technology Pioneers for 2007.
Sling Media, Inc. has been selected as one of these Technology Pioneers. The
Technology Pioneers were nominated by the world's leading venture capital and
technology companies. The final selection from 225 nominees was made by a
panel of leading technology experts appointed by the World Economic Forum.
Technology Pioneers 2007 are invited to attend the Annual Meeting of the
World Economic Forum to be held in Davos, Switzerland from 24-28 January
2007.
Sling Media is a digital lifestyle products company whose award-winning
product, the Slingbox(TM) allows consumers to access their familiar living
room television experience at any time, from any location, using a variety of
different displays including laptops and desktop PCs and Macs, PDAs, and
smartphones. The Slingbox redirects, or "placeshifts," a single live TV
stream from a standard cable connection, cable box, satellite receiver, or
DVR to the viewer's PC-located anywhere in the home or anywhere in the world,
via the Internet.
"On behalf of Sling Media and all of our employees worldwide, I would
like to personally thank the World Economic Forum for this distinction
bestowed upon our company today," said Blake Krikorian, co-founder, Chairman
and CEO of Sling Media. "The Slingbox is a breakthrough product that is
changing the way consumers view linear television and other video
programming. Sling Media is at the forefront of this shift in interactive
media delivery, creating new and innovative products and services that
deliver a rich customer experience. We look forward to participating in the
World Economic Forum in 2007."
Technology Pioneers are companies that have been identified as developing
and applying highly transformational and innovative technologies in the areas
of energy, biotechnology, health and information technology. This year's
class of companies has been selected not only because of the cutting-edge
work undertaken by these organizations, but also because their work has
potential long-term impact on business and society.
The companies' products include microscopic pill cameras, bio sensors
that localize landmines, implantable medical devices for the treatment of
brain tumours, mobile television service, blog search engines, open source
webrowsers, video headsets, thin-film diamond coatings, solar air-conditioner
equipment, paper batteries for music-playing greeting cards, and even an
automatic and compacting trash bin powered by solar energy.
Over half (27) of the Technology Pioneers 2007 are US-based companies,
with 13 located in California. The United Kingdom boasts six Technology
Pioneers 2007; the Netherlands, India, Israel and Singapore boast two each;
Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden, and Switzerland have one each.
"The competition to become a Technology Pioneer has been more intense
than ever. It is evident that technology and innovation is playing a key role
in the shifting power equation at a global level. Driving this shift is the
tremendous amount of innovation taking place outside of traditionally hubs.
The wide geographic spread of this year's Technology Pioneers is a testament
to this trend. We are pleased to welcome these exciting companies to our
Community of Technology Pioneers, and look forward to engaging these industry
leaders of the future into the community of the World Economic Forum," said
Peter Torreele, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum.
To be selected as a Technology Pioneer, a company must be involved in the
development of life-changing technology innovation and have the potential for
long-term impact on business and society. In addition, it must demonstrate
visionary leadership, show all the signs of being a long-standing market
leader - and its technology must be proven. Previous Technology Pioneers have
included Autonomy, Cambridge Silicon Radio, Encore Software, Google,
Millennium Pharmaceuticals, and Napster.
Go to www.weforum.org/techpioneers/2007 for the entire list of Technology
Pioneers and interviews with the CEOs of the selected companies.
The selection criteria include:
1) Innovation. The company's technology must be truly innovative. A new
version or repackaging of an already well-accepted technological solution
does not qualify as an innovation. The innovation should be recent - not more
than two years old. The company should invest significantly in R&D.
2) Potential Impact. This company's technology must have the potential to
have a substantial long-term impact on business and society in the future.
3) Growth and Sustainability. The company should have all the signs of
being a long-term market leader and should have well-formulated plans for
future development and growth.
4) Proof of Concept. The company must have a product on the market or
have proven practical applications of the technology. Companies in "stealth"
mode and companies with untested ideas or models will not qualify.
5) Leadership. The company must have visionary leadership that plays a
critical role in driving the company towards reaching its goals.
6) Status. The company must not currently be a Member of the World
Economic Forum. This criterion applies to the parent company - thus
wholly-owned subsidiaries of large firms are not eligible.
Sling Media continues to evolve as a company, reacting to the ever
changing landscape that is content creation, delivery, and interactivity.
Part of this transformation took place just last week when the company
announced the creation of the Sling Media Entertainment Group. This new
division within Sling Media was formed to define and create even richer and
more engaging experiences for Slingbox customers as well as their family and
friends. Headed by former MTV Networks executives, Jason Hirschhorn and Ben
White, this team will deliver entirely new applications and services enabled
by the Slingbox's marriage of familiar TV programming and richly interactive
web-connected devices. The Sling Media Entertainment Group is also chartered
with managing Sling Media's existing and future collaborative efforts with
content creators, distributors and advertisers.
About the World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum (http://www.weforum.org), based in Geneva,
Switzerland, is an independent organization committed to improving the state
of the world. Funded by the contributions of 1,000 of the world's foremost
corporations, the Forum acts in the spirit of entrepreneurship in the global
public interest to further economic growth and social progress. The Forum
serves its members and society by creating partnerships between and among
business, political, intellectual and other leaders of society to define,
discuss and advance key issues on the global agenda. Incorporated in 1971 as
a foundation, the World Economic Forum is impartial and not-for-profit, and
is tied to no political, partisan or national interests. In 1995 the Forum
was awarded NGO consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of
the United Nations.
Notes to Editors:
Go to www.weforum.org/techpioneers/2007 for the entire list of Technology
Pioneers and interviews with the CEOs of the selected companies. For more
specific information, please e-mail: tech.pioneers@weforum.org
Download print-quality high resolution photographs of the CEOs of the
selected companies at: www.pbase.com/forumweb/techpioneers2007
Nominate a company to be a Technology Pioneer 2008 at:
www.weforum.org/pdf/techpioneers/nomination_form_2008.pdf. Deadline for
submissions is May 2007.
Source: Sling Media, Inc.
Media contacts: Brian Jaquet, Sling Media, Inc., jaquet@slingmedia.com, Tel: +1-(650)-293-8022 US office, Tel: +1-(650)-787-6893 Intl. Mobile or Lucy Brake or Jeff Prior, AxiCom for Sling Media, Inc., lucy.brake@axicom.com / jeff.prior @axicom.com, Tel Lucy on: +44-(0)20-8392-4085, Tel Jeff on: +44-(0)20-8392-4077
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