Michal Kicinski and Marcin Iwinski, co-founders of
The Witcher developer CD Projekt, received recognition from financial firm Ernst & Young, who named them Entrepreneurs of the Year.
According to the company, Kicinski and Iwinski earned the title for CD Projekt's publishing and distribution position -- the largest in Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, with $43 million in annual revenue -- plus the success of
The Witcher, which
sold over 1 million copies in its first year.
Ernst & Young's Entrepreneurs of the Year program is part of a global initiative that considers over 10,000 candidates each year. Though the competition originated in the United States, it's reached Poland, where CD Projekt is headquartered, six years ago.
CD Projekt recently
launched a beta version of its Good Old Games online distribution portal GOG.com, which sells classic PC titles DRM-free and optimized for modern operating systems. It's
also developing The Witcher: Rise of the White Wolf, planned for a Fall 2009 launch on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, alongside two unannounced titles, in addition to a sci-fi shooter under the purview of "family" studio Metropolis Software
Former Polish Prime Minister Jan Krzysztof Bielecki praised the pair: "My colleagues from CD Projekt are not only managing a good company but also focus on innovativeness. This is how they fight the monster of recession."
