John Ugelstad is the researcher behind the now famous Ugelstad Beads. You can read more about Ugelstads life in the biography "John Ugelstad : the man behind the beads" by Per Rangnes, 1997.
In 2002 the beads gave birth to a brand new company, Conpart. They were recently said to be one of the 30 best business ideas in Norway by the Norwegian newspaper Finansavisen.