Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Sergey Brin of Google and venture capitalist Yuri Milner set up foundation to reward excellence in life sciences with 11 individual prizes of $3m
A Russian internet investor who quit a PhD in physics and invested in social networking, Milner persuaded his fellow internet billionaires to contribute to the bounty to encourage a new generation of molecular biologists and geneticists. "Young people will hopefully get the message that not only the careers in sports or entertainment can get a public recognition."
To honour the 11 scientists named on Wednesday, who will collectively receive $33m, he reached out to Zuckerberg, whom he has known since buying a $200m stake in Facebook in 2009. He also enlisted Brin, a Russian American entrepreneur, despite Google's occasionally testy relations with Facebook. Brin's wife, Anne Wojcicki, was named as a fourth sponsor.
