2006 Winners

Bioscience: Marvin Caruthers, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Colorado at Boulder, for the development of automated DNA synthesis—the ability to “print out” arbitrary strands of genetic material.
Dr Caruthers's methods were licensed to Applied Biosystems, which subsequently became one of the largest life-science instrument companies in the world. Automated DNA synthesis has been essential in such fields as chromosome mapping, genomic sequencing and the study of interactions between DNA, RNA and proteins.

Computing and communications: Janus Friis and Niklas Zennström of Skype, for the development of internet file-sharing and telephony using peer-to-peer technology, which allows millions of computers to link up over the internet without central co-ordination.
In 2000 Messrs Friis and Zennström launched KaZaA, which became the dominant means of sharing music and video files, despite attempts by the entertainment industry to shut it down. Skype, launched in 2003, lets users make free phone calls over the internet, forcing traditional telecoms operators to slash their prices.

Energy and environment: Johannes Poulsen, former chief executive, Vestas Wind Systems, for the commercialisation of wind energy.
In 1987 Mr Poulsen took the helm at Vestas, then a small Danish firm with 60 employees. By the time he retired in 2002, Vestas had 5,000 employees and a quarter of the world market for wind turbines. Under Mr Poulsen, Vestas greatly improved the efficiency of wind turbines, reducing costs and making wind power more competitive.

No boundaries: Pierre Omidyar, founder and chairman of eBay, for the development of electronic marketplace technology and his promotion of access to markets as a tool for social change.
Mr Omidyar set up eBay in 1995 with the aim of creating a marketplace accessible to any internet user. The business was profitable by 1996. People all over the world buy and sell items in 45,000 categories; some even make a living trading on eBay.

Social and economic innovation: Hernando de Soto, founder and president of the Institute for Liberty and Democracy, for the promotion of property rights and economic development.
Mr de Soto argues that bureaucracy and the lack of formal property rights are major causes of poverty in developing countries. Red tape and the lack of legal title to property, preventing its use as collateral, make it hard for the poor to establish or expand businesses. While serving as economic adviser to the Peruvian government, Mr de Soto initiated a property-titling scheme which helped 1.2m families. Similar reforms have been implemented in El Salvador, Haiti, Tanzania and Egypt. Mr de Soto has also championed the use of league tables to shame governments into cutting red tape.

Business-process innovation: Sam Pitroda, chief executive of WorldTel, for pioneering India's communications revolution.
In 1987 Mr Pitroda was asked by Rajiv Gandhi, the Indian prime minister, to help democratise access to telecommunications. His response was to deploy instantly recognisable yellow telephone kiosks in every town and village. This helped to release India's telecoms industry from state control and opened it up to private firms, paving the way for a technology boom. He now promotes similar policies in other countries.

Consumer products: Nicolas Hayek, chairman of Swatch, for revitalising the Swiss watch industry.
During the 1980s Switzerland's legendary watch industry fell into decline, with exports falling by half within a decade as a result of Japanese competition. Mr Hayek's response was to consolidate the industry to create the Swatch Group. It went on to beat the Japanese at their own game, creating the bestselling watch brand in history and becoming the largest watchmaker in the world, with a quarter of the market.