The World Economic Forum has announced the Technology Pioneers for 2008.

Thirty-nine visionary companies have been announced by the World Economic Forum as Technology Pioneers 2008 – nominated by the world’s leading technology experts, including venture capitalists, technology companies, academics and media.

The companies’ products and services include identity management on the Internet, understanding of individuals’ genetic information, robotic radiosurgery, pollution control materials, low-cost remote diagnosis solutions, virtual interface technologies, wiki-based projects and next generation business intelligence solutions.

Twenty-three of the Technology Pioneers 2008 are US-based companies. Israel and the United Kingdom each boast three; Sweden and Switzerland two each; Canada, France, Germany, India, the Netherlands and Russia, one each. Technology Pioneers are nominated in three main categories: Energy/Environment, Biotechnology/Health and Information Technology.

To be selected as a Technology Pioneer, a company must be involved in the development of life-changing technology innovation and have potential for long-term impact on business and society. In addition, it must demonstrate visionary leadership, show the signs of being a long-standing market leader – and its technology must be proven.

The entire list of Technology Pioneers and interviews with the CEOs of the selected companies can be found on: http://www.weforum.org/techpioneers/2008.

Peter Torreele, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum, said: “This year the World Economic Forum received a record number of applications from companies around the world to become a Technology Pioneer. In a highly competitive field, we are extremely pleased to have a community that uses innovation and technology to dramatically affect the way society and business operate and to do so in a markedly collaborative manner.

“We are excited to welcome the Technology Pioneers class of 2008 to the larger community of the World Economic Forum and we are looking forward to the fruits that their collaboration will bring.”