Alibaba Group was founded in Hangzhou, China in 1999 by 18 people, led by Jack Ma, a former English teacher. From the beginning, all the founders believed that the Internet could create a fair competitive environment, allowing small businesses to expand their businesses through innovation and technology, and be in a better position when participating in domestic or global market competition. Since launching the first website that allowed Chinese SMEs to reach global buyers, Alibaba Group has continued to grow and become a digital ecosystem covering commerce, cloud computing, digital media and entertainment, and innovative businesses.