Free Founder Xavier Niel
Image: MEDEF
The dropout, self-made billionaire founder of Free, France's biggest independent telecom operator, is usually described as a maverick, and with good reason.
Even if you don't care about France (and who could blame you?), here's why you should pay attention to him:
- He's starting another telecoms Revolution. This is the guy who invented triple play in 2002, which is now the standard for broadband in the US and elsewhere, with zillions of consumers affected. Now he's come out with a crazy new TV box, the Freebox Revolution, with Blu-Ray, a gaming console, a full web browser. The Revolution will start shipping in January, and depending on how it does in 2011, it might be the future of your cable box -- or even Google TV or Apple TV.
- He's the most active angel investor in the world. Earlier this year, Niel co-founded a seed fund called Kima Ventures, with the goal of investing in 100 startups in 2 years, all over the world. Think that's crazy? So does he. The goal is now to invest in 200 startups by the end of 2011. In the US, Niel has already invested in hot startups like Twitter founder Jack Dorsey's Square and Y Combinator graduate Rapportive.
- His hobby? Owning France's most prestigious newspaper. This year, Niel and a group of other investors bought out Le Monde, France's paper of record. For Christmas, he fired the company's money-losing Managing Director. At a time when traditional news outlets are grasping for new business models, we're sure he's got some ideas up his sleeve that could shake up the media business everywhere.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/10-rock-star-tech-execs-to-watch-in-2011-2010-12?utm_source=Triggermail&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Silicon+Alley+Insider+Select&utm_campaign=SAI_Select_122410#9-free-founder-xavier-niel-2#ixzz194dl1nmq
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