Lei Jun

Lei Jun

雷军

Founder and CEO of Xiaomi, a prominent Chinese electronics company, and a notable angel investor.

Born: 12/16/1969
Nationality: China
Locations: Wuhan, Beijing, Hubei
FounderCEOAngel InvestorEntrepreneur
SmartphonesConsumer ElectronicsInternetSoftware
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Biography

Lei Jun, born December 16, 1969, in Xiantao, Hubei Province, is a towering figure in China's technology landscape, best known as the founder and CEO of Xiaomi Inc.

A programming prodigy, Lei Jun completed all his credits within two years at Wuhan University and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science in 1991. His early work included co-founding a company in his university days and writing code that was so impressive it was preserved in the Wuhan University library.

In 1992, Lei Jun joined Kingsoft, one of China's earliest software companies. He spent 16 years there, rising from an engineer to the CEO, leading the company through its IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2007. After his departure, he became a highly successful angel investor, backing numerous startups like UCWeb and YY.

Feeling he had an "unfinished dream," Lei Jun returned to the entrepreneurial arena in 2010, founding Xiaomi with a vision to create high-quality, well-designed technology accessible to everyone. Starting with the Android-based firmware MIUI, Xiaomi launched its first smartphone in 2011 and has since grown into a global consumer electronics giant.

Education Background

  • 1991: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Wuhan University

Major Achievements

  • Joined Kingsoft in 1992 and became CEO in 1998, leading its IPO in 2007.
  • Founded Xiaomi in 2010, revolutionizing the smartphone industry with its business model.
  • Led Xiaomi to become one of the youngest companies on the Fortune Global 500 list.
  • A highly successful angel investor with a portfolio of influential tech companies.

Business Philosophy

Lei Jun is a proponent of "Internet Thinking," a philosophy that emphasizes user experience, rapid iteration, and fair pricing. His famous "triathlon" model for Xiaomi focuses on three pillars: hardware, internet services, and new retail. He is deeply committed to building a "fan culture" and co-creating products with users, famously stating Xiaomi's hardware net profit margin will never exceed 5%.

Legacy and Impact

Lei Jun is often called the "Steve Jobs of China" for his product focus and presentation style. His work at Xiaomi has not only made high-performance smartphones affordable for millions but has also fostered a vast ecosystem of IoT and lifestyle products. As an investor and mentor, he has been a key architect of China's mobile internet boom, shaping the growth of a generation of tech companies.

Timeline

Event
Born in Xiantao, Hubei
Lei Jun was born in Xiantao, a city in Hubei Province, China.
Born into a modest family, Lei Jun's upbringing in Xiantao shaped his diligent and determined character.
Xiantao, Hubei
PersonalLow Impact
#Birth#Early Life
Event
Enrolled in Wuhan University
Admitted to the Department of Computer Science at Wuhan University.
Lei Jun's journey into the world of technology began at Wuhan University, where he discovered his passion for programming and demonstrated exceptional talent.
Wuhan, Hubei
EducationHigh Impact
#Education#Computer Science
Event
Graduated from Wuhan University
Graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, completing a four-year program in just two years.
Demonstrating incredible focus and ability, Lei Jun finished all his university credits in two years. His graduation project, a piece of encryption software, was so well-regarded it was collected by the university library.
Wuhan, Hubei
EducationHigh Impact
#Education#Graduation#Programming
Event
Joined Kingsoft
Joined Kingsoft, one of China's earliest software companies, as its 6th employee.
After a brief stint post-graduation, Lei Jun met Qiu Bojun, founder of Kingsoft, and was inspired to join the nascent software firm, beginning a pivotal 16-year chapter of his career.
Beijing
CareerHigh Impact
#Kingsoft#Career Start#Software
Event
Became CEO of Kingsoft
At the age of 28, Lei Jun took over as the CEO of Kingsoft.
Following a period of intense competition with Microsoft that led to Kingsoft's near-collapse, Lei Jun was appointed CEO to lead the company's turnaround. His leadership was crucial in navigating the company through its most difficult years.
Beijing
CareerHigh Impact
#Kingsoft#CEO#Leadership
The Beginning
Founded Joyo.com
Founded Joyo.com, an online bookstore and e-commerce platform.
While still at Kingsoft, Lei Jun founded Joyo.com, which quickly became one of China's largest online retailers for books, music, and videos, competing directly with Dangdang and later, Amazon.
Beijing
FoundingHigh Impact
#Joyo#E-commerce#Founding
Event
Sold Joyo.com to Amazon
Sold Joyo.com to Amazon for $75 million.
In a landmark deal for China's internet industry, Lei Jun sold Joyo.com to Amazon, which used the acquisition to enter the Chinese market (as 'Amazon China'). The sale provided Lei Jun with significant capital and a major entrepreneurial success.
Beijing
AcquisitionHigh Impact
#Joyo#Amazon#Acquisition
Event
Kingsoft IPO and Resignation
Led Kingsoft to a successful IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, then resigned as CEO.
After years of effort, Lei Jun successfully steered Kingsoft to its IPO. Having fulfilled his long-standing commitment, he resigned two months later, citing health reasons, and began a new phase as a full-time angel investor.
Hong Kong
CareerHigh Impact
#Kingsoft#IPO#Angel Investment
The Beginning
Founded Xiaomi
At the age of 40, Lei Jun founded Xiaomi Inc. with a team of co-founders.
After achieving financial freedom and success as an investor, Lei Jun decided to pursue his ultimate entrepreneurial dream. He gathered a team of experienced industry veterans and started Xiaomi in a small office, aiming to disrupt the smartphone industry.
Beijing
FoundingHigh Impact
#Xiaomi#Founding#Smartphones
Event
Launched MIUI
Xiaomi's first product, the Android-based firmware MIUI, was officially launched.
Before building any hardware, Xiaomi focused on software. MIUI was launched and quickly gained a cult following in the tech community, built on weekly updates and deep engagement with its first 100 users.
Beijing
Product LaunchHigh Impact
#Xiaomi#MIUI#Software
Event
Launched First Smartphone, Mi 1
Xiaomi launched its first smartphone, the Mi 1, at a shockingly low price of ¥1999.
The Mi 1 offered flagship specifications at half the price of competitors, a move that instantly shook the Chinese smartphone market and established Xiaomi's philosophy of high performance-to-price ratio.
Beijing
Product LaunchHigh Impact
#Xiaomi#Smartphone#Product Launch
Event
The Famous 1 Billion RMB Bet
Lei Jun made a public 1 billion RMB bet with Gree Electric's Chairwoman Dong Mingzhu.
At an awards ceremony, Lei Jun bet Dong Mingzhu that Xiaomi's revenue would exceed Gree's within five years. The bet symbolized the clash between China's booming internet sector and its traditional manufacturing industry.
Beijing
Pivotal MomentMedium Impact
#Xiaomi#Gree#Business Models
Event
'Are You OK?' India Launch Event
Lei Jun's English phrase 'Are you OK?' at a launch event in India went viral.
During the launch of the Mi 4i in New Delhi, Lei Jun's attempt to engage the audience in English resulted in the phrase 'Are you OK?' becoming an internet meme. While awkward, it marked a key moment in Xiaomi's ambitious and challenging global expansion.
New Delhi, India
Pivotal MomentMedium Impact
#Xiaomi#International Expansion#India
Going Public
Xiaomi IPO
Xiaomi successfully listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Eight years after its founding, Xiaomi went public, raising $4.72 billion. In his open letter, Lei Jun promised to forever limit the net profit margin on hardware products to a maximum of 5%.
Hong Kong
IPOHigh Impact
#Xiaomi#IPO

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