SHAI AGASSI

Founder and CEO, Better Place

Chosen because: Former software executive Agassi, 43, wants to make the world a better place by providing infrastructure for electric vehicles. Better Place was founded in 2007 and is best known for its battery-swapping concept. Under the Better Place system, instead of "filling up" with electricity, drivers of electric vehicles would swap a depleted battery for a fully charged one and drive away. Renault-Nissan was the first company to sign an agreement with Better Place. The two now have demonstration projects for battery-swapping networks in Israel and Denmark. Better Place is seeking similar networks in Australia, the United States and China. It is also partnering with General Electric on battery financing programs and fleet electrification.

Quote: "We want to save the auto industry."