Technology Benefiting Humanity and the Tech Museum Awards winners were announced earlier this month. These awards recognize and support solutions that benefit humanity and address some of the most critical issues facing our planet and its people.

The Laureates are announced each year and they can be individuals, for-profit, public or non-profit organizations and they must demonstrate that with the use of technology, they can improve the human condition in one of the five areas:

 - Evidence that a serious problem or challenge with broad significance is addressed by this use of technology
- A noteworthy contribution that surpasses previous or current solutions.
- A novel application that represents a breakthrough or a creative adaptation of an existing technology.
- The potential for this use of technology to serve as an inspiration or model for others.

Among the 2007 laureates are P&G's Children's Safe Drinking Water Program, Kiva and PATH all of which we have blogged about on NextBillion. To see the complete list of all Laureates click here.