But these days Indonesia cannot afford his high-priced, high-tech projects, and funding for his trophy aircraft factory has been cut.

CNN: A Perception Problem

Sastri's talented multitudes reside on the servers of HelloBrain.com, an "intellectual capital exchange" in Santa Clara, California, where high-tech companies post engineering projects and freelance engineers around the world bid on the work.

FORBES: Hello brain. Good-bye rules.

Projects in Egypt include a high-tech reimagining of a "fanuz, " the colourful lamp traditionally lit during Ramadan -- a home-grown response to the loss of the fanuz-manufacturing industry to China.

CNN: Can Iraq's geeks save the country?

Collaborating on projects large and small, from sophisticated high-tech industrial designs for top manufacturers including Cappellini, Vitra, Kartell and Ligne Roset to limited editions for Paris's Galerie Kreo, the French duo are renowned for the elegant simplicity of their work, graced with humor and a signature poetic touch.

WSJ: ? La Module | 'Momentan��' at the Mus��e des Arts D��coratifs

Working in high tech, I am surrounded by innovative ideas and collaboration-influenced projects.

FORBES: Collaborate to Innovate

It was hard enough for Engadget editors to decide on 10 semifinalists out of the myriad awesome crowdfunded projects entered, including such futuristic fare as bipedal robots, high-tech puppetry and more.

ENGADGET