When it comes to revolutionary brands in the electronics world, Xiaomi has consistently been at the forefront. In a matter of years, the company has gone from being a humble start-up to a global giant competing with Apple and Samsung. But who is behind this phenomenal success? Who is the person who founded Xiaomi and made it a symbol of innovation and affordable technology?
The answer is not widely known, although the founder, Lei Jun, is now on par with Elon Musk or Steve Jobs in the high-tech world, and his story is not just about starting a business, but about how technology, perseverance and innovation can change entire industries. In this article, we will explore in detail who Lei Jun is, how Xiaomi came to be, and why its philosophy remains unique in the market.
Lei Jun: From Student to Billionaire: The Way of Xiaomi Founder
Born on December 16, 1969, in the small town of Xiantao, Hubei Province, China, his childhood was modest, with his father as a teacher and his mother as a housewife, and at school, Lei displayed a remarkable ability in the exact sciences, especially mathematics and programming, and in 1987 he enrolled at Wuhan University, where he studied computer science, a choice that predetermined his future career.
After graduating from university in 1992, Lei Jun joined Kingsoft, a Chinese software developer, and in 16 years he went from being a regular programmer to CEO, turning Kingsoft into one of the leaders in the software market in China, but he was best known for the Xiaomi project he founded in 2010 with seven co-founders.
- 🎓 Education: Wuhan University, specialty "Computer Sciences" (1987-1991).
- 💼 Early Career: 16 Years at Kingsoft, From Engineer to Engineer CEO.
- 💡 Key idea: Create premium smartphones at an affordable price.
- 📈 The motto is “Innovation for everyone).
Fun fact: Before Xiaomi was created, Lei Jun stepped down as Kingsoft’s CEO and even planned to retire, but his passion for technology and his desire to change the Chinese smartphone market forced him to return to business. $15 Billion (according to Forbes) 2026 A year ago, and Xiaomi is in the top-3 smartphone manufacturers.
How Xiaomi Came: From Startup to Global Brand
Xiaomi was founded on April 6, 2010 in Beijing. The company's name translates as "sweet" (, xiǎomǐ), It also contains a play on the words, "Xiao Mi" can be interpreted as "a little rice grain," symbolizing a humble beginning with great ambition. Initially, the team consisted of 8 people, including Lei Jun and specialists such as the "Little Piece of Rice:
- 📱 Lin Binh, Vice President, Software Development (former Google China Engineer).
- 🔧 Hong Feng is a hardware expert (previously at Motorola).
- 🎨 Wang Chuan – Interface Designer (comes from Microsoft).
The company’s first product was MIUI firmware, a customized shell for Android that quickly gained popularity among Chinese users. Already in 2011, Xiaomi released its first smartphone, the Mi 1, which was sold exclusively online at a price twice lower than competitors at similar characteristics.
| Year | Event | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Founding Xiaomi | Start with 8 employees and the idea of an Internet smartphone |
| 2011 | Release of Mi 1 | The first smartphone with MIUI, sold 300 thousand copies |
| 2014 | Entering the global market | Expansion to India, Indonesia, Russia |
| 2018 | IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange | Company valuation at $54 billion |
| 2023 | China's top salesman | Overtaken Apple and Samsung in the home market |
Xiaomi’s key strategy has been to combine high technology with aggressive pricing, which Lei Jun called “three ironclad principles”:
- Sell only through the Internet (minimizing costs).
- Use the fan community to test software (MIUI was developed with user feedback).
- Invest in R&D (R&D) at least 5% of your revenue.
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Lei Jun’s iron-clad strategy allowed Xiaomi to reduce prices by 30-50% compared to competitors without losing quality.
Xiaomi philosophy: why the brand became a cult
One of the reasons Xiaomi has been successful is the unique philosophy that Lei Jun has articulated since the company's early days: Unlike traditional manufacturers, Xiaomi has positioned itself not as a gadget seller, but as a technology community.
- 🤝 "Fans First: Xiaomi actively interacts with users through forums and social networks, taking into account their wishes in updates MIUI.
- 💰 "Fair prices: margin on hardware does not exceed 5% (competitors – 15-30%).
- 🔄 "Continuous Updates: Even older models get software support longer than other brands.
- 🌍 "Global Thinking: Localizing products for different markets (e.g. Redmi for India, POCO Europe).
Lei Jun often said, "We don't sell phones, we sell experiences." This became the company's motto, for example, Xiaomi was the first Chinese brand to launch flash sales, which created excitement and increased customer loyalty.
⚠️ Warning: Many copycats have tried to copy Xiaomi’s model, but without success, because of the lack of the same “community philosophy” that Lei Jun was implementing from scratch.
Another unique feature is the device ecosystem, which, in addition to smartphones, Xiaomi has released smart watches (Mi Band), robot vacuum cleaners (Mi Robot), electric scooter (Mi Electric Scooter) and even household appliances, all managed through a single application Mi Home, making the brand indispensable for fans of the smart home.
The secrets of Lei Jun’s success: what you can learn
Analyzing the way Lei Jun, we can highlight several key factors that helped Xiaomi overtake competitors:
- User Focus: Lei Jun personally responded to customer emails in the early years, and today Xiaomi has a separate review analysis unit.
- Removal of offline stores and expensive advertising allowed to reduce prices. For example, the Redmi Note 4 (2017) cost 2 times cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy J7 at the best performance.
- Investment in R&D: Xiaomi spent $2.5 billion on development in 2023, more than many European tech companies.
- Partnerships: Cooperation with Qualcomm, Sony and Samsung on favorable terms (for example, the purchase of Snapdragon processors in bulk at reduced prices).
Lei Jun is also known for his non-standard management, including the introduction of “Big Meetings” at Xiaomi, where anyone can ask a question to top management, and the abandonment of the traditional hierarchy in favor of agile teams, which accelerated the release of new products.
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If you’re starting a startup, take note of Lei Jun’s approach: test prototypes on loyal users (like MIUI on fans) and minimize costs early on.
But things weren’t going well: Xiaomi faced a growth crisis in 2015, with sales falling by 30% due to saturation and logistics errors. Lei Jun acknowledged the problems and refocused his strategy on offline stores and the premium segment (Mi Mix, Mi 11), a turn that saved the company.
Xiaomi Today: How the Brand Has Changed the Industry
By 2026, Xiaomi is not only a smartphone, but also one of the largest ecosystems of smart devices in the world. Here are some facts demonstrating the scale of the brand’s influence:
- 📊 Smartphone market: 3rd place in the world in sales (after Samsung and Apple, Counterpoint data).
- 🏆 Innovation: The first company to release a smartphone with a 200-MP camera (Xiaomi) 12T Pro, 2022) and a subscreen front-facing camera (Mi Mix 4, 2021).
- 🌐 Geography: Products sold at 100+ Countries including Russia where Xiaomi is ~30% of the smartphone market (2023).
- 💵 Finance: Revenue in 2023 amounted to $37.5 billion (an increase of 14% compared to 2022).
Lei Jun continues to lead the company, though he handed over the CEO post to Lu Wei (co-founder) in 2019 to focus on strategic development. Under his leadership, Xiaomi has staked on:
- 🚗 Electric cars: Xiaomi sales began in 2026 SU7 — Electric sedan with autonomous driving.
- 🤖 AI and Robotics: Development of the Humanoid Robot CyberOne (2022).
- 🌱 Sustainable Development: Xiaomi Plans to Cut Emissions by 2026 CO₂ 50%.
Interestingly, Lei Jun is still active on social media, with 25 million followers on Weibo, China’s Twitter equivalent, and regularly announces new products, answers questions, and even broadcasts live with presentations.
What mistakes did Xiaomi make?
Competitors and Critics: The Dark Sides of Success
Despite its impressive achievements, Xiaomi and its founder have been the target of criticism on numerous occasions, with the following main complaints:
- In 2014, Apple accused Xiaomi of plagiarizing the iOS interface in MIUI. Lei Jun responded with a joke: “If someone wants to copy us, let them try.”
- Build quality: Early models (Redmi 1S, Mi 3) suffered from battery problems and overheating.
- Privacy Policy: Xiaomi was blacklisted by the Pentagon in 2020 for alleged ties to the Chinese government (the company denied the allegations).
- Aggressive marketing: Flash-seals and artificial scarcity annoyed some users.
Lei Jun responded to the criticism in his own way, for example, when Xiaomi was accused of being “cheap” positioning, he said, “We’re not cheap, we’re smart. We save where it doesn’t affect the user experience.” This approach has paid off: today even premium Xiaomi models (such as Xiaomi 14 Ultra) are getting high marks from experts.
⚠️ Note: When buying Xiaomi devices in Russia, pay attention to the global version of the firmware (Global designation) ROM). Chinese versions (China) ROM) You may not support Google Services and may have language restrictions.
It’s also worth mentioning that Xiaomi hasn’t always been a leader in innovation, for example, in the race for foldable smartphones, it has lagged behind Samsung and Huawei, releasing its first foldable (Mix Fold) only in 2021, but Ley Jun doesn’t see this as a failure: “We don’t chase trends. We build what people need.”
What's next? - The future of Xiaomi under Lei Jun
For 2026-2026, Xiaomi has ambitious plans, which Lei Jun voiced in recent interviews:
- 🚀 Electric cars: Xiaomi plans to sell 100,000 cars a year by 2026 SU7 I have received over 50,000 pre-orders in the first 24 hours.
- 🤖 Robotics: Robotics for the home and industry (CyberDog 2 project – four-legged robot dog).
- 📡 6G IoT: Investing in sixth generation networks and expanding the smart device ecosystem to 500+ position.
- 🌿 Sustainability: Transitioning to 100% renewable energy in production by 2030.
Lei Jun also doesn’t rule out the possibility of entering the laptop and PC market. Xiaomi already introduced the Mi Notebook Pro in 2021, but it hasn’t been widely adopted outside China, and the founder says the company is waiting for the “right moment” to compete with Apple’s MacBook and Lenovo ThinkPad.
One of Lei Jun’s main goals is to combat stereotypes about Chinese brands, and he often says, “Xiaomi must prove that Chinese technology can be as good as American or Korean technology.” And judging by recent advances, such as the Surge C3 processor (designed by Xiaomi itself), the company is doing it.