I'm an investor in a number of biotech companies, partly because of my incredible enthusiasm for the great innovations they will bring.

The point is that when we focus on all three things at once-technology, policies, and markets-we can encourage innovation, spark new companies, and get new products into the market fast.

Innovation is a good thing. The human condition - put aside bioterrorism and a few footnotes - is improving because of innovation.

Innovation is moving at a scarily fast pace.

At Microsoft there are lots of brilliant ideas but the image is that they all come from the top - I'm afraid that's not quite right.

The tool that's most associated with the recent progress against malaria is the long-lasting bed net. Bed nets are a fantastic innovation. But we can do even better. We can invent new ways to control the mosquitoes that carry the malaria parasite.