Alibaba Group was established in 1999 by 18 people led by Jack Ma, a former English teacher from Hangzhou, China. From the outset, the company’s founders shared a belief that the Internet would level the playing field by enabling small enterprises to leverage innovation and technology to grow and compete more effectively in the domestic and global economies. Since launching its first website helping small and medium-sized enterprises in China to sell internationally, Alibaba is a holding company of six major business groups: Taobao and Tmall Group, Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group, Cloud Intelligence Group, Local Services Group, Cainiao Smart Logistics Network Limited, and Digital Media and Entertainment Group, along with various other businesses.