Steve Jobs stepped down in August, signalling the end of an era. A few months earlier, in February, Fortune India’s Kunal N. Talgeri and Anurag Prasad spent time in Mumbai with a man who once knew Jobs extremely well—and was responsible for firing him from Apple in 1985. The two haven’t met in 22 years, but Apple’s CEO between 1983 and 1993, still maintains high regard for the cult of Jobs. John Sculley, on Jobs.

With everyone jumping on the online bandwagon, there’s heavy traffic on this highway. But there are questions about the sustainability of the space.

What keeps leaders of industry motivated? For some, it’s the challenge of building an institution. Others are driven by the need to make an impact on society. Fortune India spoke to a cross-section of corporate chiefs in India and abroad to find out what makes them tick, and what helps to keep them going.

Akamai president David Kenny talks to Kunal N. Talgeri about the company’s growth and how it will contribute to ensuring the Internet runs smoothly.

Without any startup funds or training in software coding, Varun Shoor created a hugely successful Indian global software product.