Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak got their start hacking ma bell, amid their experimentation in phone phreaking Wozniak discovered his technical chops and Jobs learned he could sell and that led rise to one of the greatest technology businesses of our time.

FORBES: How to Train Your Mind to Become Entrepreneurial

On the contrary, start-up companies like Westwood, MA-based Acumentrics are similarly pursuing a solid-oxide fuel cell technology tailored to the needs of the military.

FORBES: Lockheed Gambles On Green Generators For U.S. Military

Born in Hangzhou in 1964, Ma first made a name for himself with his idea to start an online directory called "China Pages, " widely regarded to be China's first internet-based company.

CNN: Jack Ma Talkasia Transcript

Manufacturers are only too happy to indulge these desires, with refrigerators that let you surf the Internet for recipes, ovens that will keep a meal cool while you're at work and start roasting it in time for your arrival home, and sinks that turn into dishwashers --look Ma, no loading!

FORBES: Cutting-Edge Kitchen Gear

No matter how much money a new start-up spends to get customers, they are just not going to be able to catch up to Jack Ma in the near-term.

FORBES: My First-Hand Impressions of the Chinese Tech Sector