Press Releases

Ruckus Wireless Honored as a 2007 Technology Pioneer By The World Economic Forum


SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA - December 4, 2006 – Ruckus Wireless today announced that it has been named a 2007 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum.

Credited with pioneering “smart Wi-Fi” technology and systems, Ruckus Wireless was the only home networking company to be selected a Technology Pioneer. The World Economic Forum today announced 47 Technology Pioneers for 2007.

The Technology Pioneers were nominated by the world’s leading venture capital and technology companies. The final selection was made from 225 nominees 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.

Under the leadership of President and CEO Selina Lo, a recipient of numerous awards and accolades and frequent speaker at wireless and home networking industry events, Ruckus Wireless has innovated “smart Wi-Fi” technology to enable streaming of digital video and other multimedia over standard Wi-Fi in the home.

The Ruckus MediaFlex NG, just launched in October of this year, is the industry’s first and only carrier-class managed wireless services platform for the home, which delivers all the value of extended range, increased capacity and predictable performance using standard 802.11 Wi-Fi, combined with a full suite of carrier management capabilities.

Deployed by more than 75 service providers worldwide in their production IPTV rollouts or home trials, the Ruckus MediaFlex wireless multimedia system is the only proven solution for in-home distribution of triple play services (voice, video and data) over standard Wi-Fi. Building on its lead in video-grade performance and whole-home coverage, the Ruckus MediaFlex NG is the first in-home wireless carrier platform to support multiple virtual APs and extensive remote management capabilities, giving service providers unprecedented flexibility, security, visibility, and control over subscribers’ Wi-Fi environments.

“This is the ultimate honor to be named to this prestigious group of technology leaders. Our passion for bringing greater freedom and flexibility to people’s lives has fuelled our ability to turn our early vision into a reality, and make Wi-Fi reliable and predictable enough for video – something most people never thought possible,” said Ms. Lo. “As service providers around the world move forward in delivering IP-based content to subscribers over the home broadband connection, Wi-Fi will become more critical as the preferred way to get content to every corner of the home. The only catch is that it has to work – and with our system, it finally does.”

Technology Pioneers are companies that have been identified as developing and applying highly transformational and innovative technologies in the areas of energy, biotechnology and 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 tumors, mobile television service, blog search engines, open source Web browers, 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:

  • 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.
  • Potential Impact. This company’s technology must have the potential to have a substantial long-term impact on business and society in the future.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Leadership. The company must have visionary leadership that plays a critical role in driving the company towards reaching its goals.
  • 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.

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.