In 2001 Topcoder was launched by a brazen technologist who happened to be an avid chess player. His question: could we create a transparent and reputable rating system for developers akin to the famous ranking method used in the world of chess? And if so, could top developers be accessed on demand to make it faster and easier for enterprises to get technology work done? What was deemed a wild idea in 2001 is now simply known as crowdsourcing.