|
Rank: 36
Why They Matter: Friis and Zennström have a talent for disruption. The Scandinavian software coders made their first splash in 2000 when they unleashed Kazaa, a peer-to-peer file-sharing program that quickly supplanted Napster as the music industry's worst nightmare. In 2003 the duo targeted the long-distance phone business by launching Skype, a free VOIP client. In the next year, global long-distance revenue declined by 33 percent. Since then, Skype has been downloaded about 300 million times. eBay rewarded the two with a $2.6 billion buyout last year, but apparently they have no plans to slow down: Their next move is rumored to be a company that will enable peer-to-peer television. If experience is any guide, broadcast and cable TV execs should be afraid. Very afraid.Janus Friis and Niklas Zennström Co-founders, Skype |
| NEXT» |