KARLSRUHE, Germany / GENEVA, Switzerland - Dec. 4, 2008 - The World Economic Forum announced today that Gameforge, the world's largest independent supplier of browser and client-based MMOG’s (massively multiplayer online games), has been selected as a Technology Pioneer 2009. The 34 Technology Pioneers, chosen for their accomplishments as innovators of the highest caliber, represent technologies which promise to have a deep impact on business and society.

With over 65 million users worldwide, Gameforge has been very successful at bringing players together through browser-based games that offer minimal barrier to entry.

“We are incredibly flattered to be recognized by the World Economic Forum and identified with 33 other outstanding companies,” said Klaas Kersting, CEO and Co-Founder of Gameforge. “This is certainly one of our greatest honors as a company and we look forward to continually bringing new innovative titles to gamers worldwide.”

“We congratulate the 34 newly selected Technology Pioneers for their remarkable achievements and welcome them to the wider community of the World Economic Forum. During these difficult times, we are certain that the technologies driven by these visionary companies will contribute to the next wave of growth, with the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit that characterizes them,” said André Schneider, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of the World Economic Forum.

The selection of Gameforge is the result of a rigorous selection process, for which the Forum received more than 320 applications from around the world that were evaluated by 44 global technology experts. The 34 Technology Pioneers 2009 are active in fields such as: body computing platforms for personalized healthcare, utility-scale solar power projects, mobile phone authentication methods to ensure drug safety in developing nations, miniaturized 3rd generation mobile networks, traceability and assurance over food quality, and electric motors with unprecedented levels of energy efficiency and smart grid solutions. The entire list of Technology Pioneers, with their profiles and interviews with the executives of the selected companies, can be found at: http://www.weforum.org/techpioneers.

This is the 10th anniversary of the Technology Pioneers program of the Forum, which aims to recognize companies at the forefront of technology and innovation. The program so far has identified around 400 companies that have contributed to the Forum’s mission of improving the state of the world. 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 and show all the signs of being a long-standing market leader with a proven technology. Previous Technology Pioneers include 23andme, Amyris Biotechnologies, Dr Reddy Laboratories, Google, Gridpoint, Infosys, Kaspersky Lab, Mozilla Corporation and Nanosolar.

Technology Pioneers 2009 are integrated into the Forum's initiatives and are invited to participate in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2009 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, from January 28th to February 1st, and in the Annual Meeting of the New Champions that will be held in Dalian, People’s Republic of China, in September 2009.