Who is the Creator of Xiaomi: the story of Lei Jun – from a startup to the global smartphone empire

When you pick up a Xiaomi smartphone, you don't think about who was the originator of the brand, and yet the story of a company that is not known to everyone, even though his brainchild has changed the global electronics market, Lei Jun, the founder and current CEO of Xiaomi, is not just a businessman, but a visionary who has turned a small startup into a corporation with a turnover of tens of billions of dollars.

In this article, we’ll dive into Lei Jun’s biography, how he built the company that competes with Apple and Samsung today, and why his approach to business has been revolutionary. You’ll learn about key milestones in Xiaomi’s history, little-known facts from the founder’s life, and how his personalities influenced the brand’s philosophy. If you’ve ever wondered who really stands behind your Redmi or Mi TV, this material will provide exhaustive answers.

Lei Jun: Early Years and the Way to Found Xiaomi

Born on December 16, 1969 in Xiantao, Hubei Province, China, he grew up during the Cultural Revolution, when his family lived modestly and educational opportunities were limited, but even then the traits that later helped him in business were revealed: tenacity, curiosity, and the ability to learn from mistakes.

In 1987, Lei entered Wuhan University, where he studied computer science, a time when China was just beginning to open up to the world. IT-After graduating in 1992, he became an engineer at Kingsoft, one of China's first software developers, where Lei Jun went from being a low-level employee to CEO, making the company a leader in the software market.

• 🎓 1987-1991 – studying at Wuhan University, specialty “Computer Science".
• 💼 1992-1998 – working at Kingsoft, career development from engineer to CEO.
• 💰 1998 – Kingsoft goes public, Lei Jun becomes a millionaire at 29.
• 🚀 2000–2007 – Investing in startups, including UCWeb and Vancl.

By 2010, Lei Jun was already a well-known investor and entrepreneur, but his ambition required a new challenge: he dreamed of starting a company that would combine innovation, affordable prices and user orientation, and so the idea of Xiaomi, a brand that is now known around the world, was born.

Xiaomi founders: who else was at the origins of the company?

Although Lei Jun is the face of Xiaomi, the company was founded by a team of 8 co-founders, each of whom made unique contributions.

• 👨‍💻 Lin Bin, President of the company, was responsible for software development and ecosystem MIUI.
• 📱 Li Wangqiang is a hardware specialist who previously worked at Motorola and Google.
• 💰 Liu De – Chief Financial Officer, Investment and Wealth Management Expert.
• 🌐 Hong Feng – Vice President, Oversaw the International Development of the Brand.

Interestingly, all of Xiaomi’s co-founders had previously worked for leading technology companies like Google, Microsoft and Motorola, which allowed the team to avoid the typical startup mistakes and jump to the top of the development line.

Lei Jun has often said that Xiaomi’s success is due to a team, not just one person, but that his leadership and ability to inspire people were key to the company’s rapid growth.

How Xiaomi Became a Global Brand: Key Milestones

Xiaomi’s official founding date is April 6, 2010, but the real breakthrough came in 2011, when it launched its first smartphone, the Xiaomi Mi 1, which sold at cost, revolutionizing the market, selling 300,000 units in the first 34 hours!

Lei Jun’s strategy was based on three pillars:

1. The price is close to cost – the minimum markup due to online sales.
2. Feedback from users – weekly updates MIUI with feedback.
3. The ecosystem of devices – from smartphones to smart lamps and robot vacuum cleaners.

By 2014, Xiaomi was China’s most expensive startup ($45 billion, even ahead of Uber, and in 2018, the company went into the market. IPO in Hong Kong, gathered $Xiaomi today is not only smartphones, but also:

• 📺 Mi TVs TV (market leader in India).
• 🔋 Powerbank (the most sold in the world).
• 🏠 Smart Home (Mi Home with 400)+ device).
• 🚗 Electric vehicles (Xiaomi) SU7, released in 2026).

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The secret to Xiaomi’s success is its combination of innovation, low prices and close user connection through MIUI and Mi Community.

Lei Jun’s philosophy: why Xiaomi is so different from its competitors

Lei Jun is often compared to Steve Jobs, but his approach to business is unique. Here are the key principles he laid down at Xiaomi:

⚠️ Note: Lei Jun calls Xiaomi users not “customers” but “friends of Mi” (Mi Fans.

• 💬 "Three iron rules: Never cheat users, listen to feedback, and quickly correct errors, make products that the team likes.
• 📉 Lei Jun believes that profits should come from scale, not from high prices.
• 🤝 Fan Partnership – Mi Community has millions of active members who test firmware and offer ideas.

One of the most striking examples is the Xiaomi Mi 3, which in 2013 Lei Jun personally held an online conference where he acknowledged the flaws in the design of the smartphone and promised to fix them, and a month later, an update came out that took into account all the comments, an approach that generated loyalty that advertising can not buy.

Scandals and Criticism: The Dark Side of Xiaomi’s Success

Despite its success, Xiaomi and its founder have been the target of criticism, with the most resonant cases:

1. Accusations of copying the design: In 2014, Apple accused Xiaomi of plagiarizing the design of the iPhone (model Mi 4), Lei Jun responded ironically: "Who would have thought that even Steve Jobs did not patent a rectangle with rounded corners?"
2. Quality issues: In 2016-2017, users complained massively about the overheating and rapid discharge of Redmi Note 4 smartphones. Lei Jun publicly apologized and launched a free repair program.
3. Censorship and China peg: Xiaomi was blacklisted by the Pentagon in 2020 for alleged ties to the Chinese military, which Lei Jun called political pressure and sued.

Lei Jun has always responded to criticism openly, which only strengthened the brand's credibility, such as after the Redmi Note 4 scandal, he said, "We're not perfect, but we're honest. That's more important."

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If you buy Xiaomi, check the firmware region (Global/China). Chinese versions may have restrictions on Google services, while global versions may have fewer features for the local market.

Lei Jun Today: State, Influence, and Plans for the Future

According to Forbes, 2026 The year of the year, the condition of Lei Jun is estimated at $12,5 It's in the top.-100 He's the richest man in China, but he's still a modest man, like he still drives Xiaomi. SU7 — The first electric car of the company - and actively promotes it in social networks.

Today, Lei Jun focuses on three key areas:

• 🚗 Electric Cars - Xiaomi SU7 Tesla is competing in the Chinese market.
• 🤖 Artificial intelligence – the development of voice assistant Xiao AI and neural networks for devices.
• 🌍 Global expansion – strengthening positions in Europe, Latin America and Africa.

In a 2023 interview, Lei Jun said, “Xiaomi must become a company that changes the world, not just selling gadgets, but that our future lies in connecting hardware, software and services into a single ecosystem.”

⚠️ Note: In 2026, Xiaomi announced plans to launch a smartphone with its own processor, which could be a turning point as the company now depends on Qualcomm and MediaTek. If successful, Ley Jun will go down in history as the creator of China’s first fully independent ecosystem.

How Lei Jun’s philosophy influenced Xiaomi products

If you compare the first Xiaomi smartphones to the current models, you can see how Lei Jun’s philosophy evolved: early devices (Mi 1, Mi 2) were aimed at enthusiasts willing to put up with “raw” firmware for low price.

• 📱 Flagships (Xiaomi 14 Ultra) — competitors of the iPhone and Galaxy S.
• 💰 Budget models (Redmi) A2) — Affordable smartphones for emerging markets.
• 🎮 Black Shark (Game Devices) - for gamers.
• 📱 Foldable smartphones (Mix Fold 3) – innovation in design.

Ley Jun insists on maintaining the key principles:

1. The price should not exceed the cost of production by more than 10-15%.
2. Each device should have “flagship features” even in the budget segment.
3. Software updates must be released monthly (unlike competitors who update every six months).

Check the serial number at mi.com/verify|

Compare the packaging with the official photo |

Make sure the firmware is Google certified (in settings)|

Buy only from official dealers-->

Lei Jun often says, "We're not chasing profit, we're chasing happiness. The profits will come by themselves." And judging by Xiaomi's ranking as the 3rd-largest smartphone sales company in the world (after Samsung and Apple), his strategy is working.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Lei Jun and Xiaomi