On March 3, 2007, the Googleplex in Mountain View, California was the site of a momentous evening for the X PRIZE Foundation. A Radical Benefit for Humanity, hosted by Google co-founder Larry Page, brought in $2.7 million for the foundation. The first-annual gala welcomed almost 400 guests, including Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, author and political columnist Ariana Huffington, Tipper Gore, Anousheh Ansari, geneticist J. Craig Venter, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, and actor/comedian Robin Williams, who entertained the crowd with some impromptu comedy at the evening's close. Also performing was singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright, who followed the live auction with his unique style of ambitious, operatic pop music.
The live and silent auctions were responsible for a large percentage of the total money raised, with items like the 2007 Fisker Coachbuild Tramonto selling for over $300K. Money raised from the event will go towards the $50 million capital campaign for future prizes in space, education, poverty, and the environment.
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