Jimmy 'Jimbo' Wales setup the Wikipedia project in early 2001. The project has now grown into the largest freely available online encyclopedia and is available in more than 100 languages.

In mid-2003, Wales set up the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation, to support Wikipedia and its sister projects. Wales is the foundation's president and chairman of the board.

Wales was appointed as fellow of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at the Harvard Law School earlier this year.