Business

Jack Ma

A former English teacher rejected from dozens of jobs; founded Alibaba in his apartment at 34.

Jack Ma was born in 1964 in Hangzhou, China. Jack Ma's background is described as Chinese. Growing up, the family was working class — parents were traditional musician-storytellers (pingtan performers); modest household during the Cultural Revolution. A former English teacher rejected from dozens of jobs; founded Alibaba in his apartment at 34.

Born: 1964 · Hangzhou, China
Roots: Chinese
Family: Working class; Parents were traditional musician-storytellers (pingtan performers); modest household during the Cultural Revolution.
Education: Hangzhou Normal University (English) — after failing the entrance exam twice
Started with: $60K pooled; Raised from 18 co-founders in his Hangzhou apartment in 1999.
Affiliations & societies: Chinese Communist PartyDocumented; His party membership was disclosed by the People's Daily in 2018.; Information only — claims like these are often unverifiable and may be wrong.

The pathway

1976 · age 12
English at the hotel gates
Bikes to a Hangzhou hotel for years, guiding foreign tourists for free to practice English.
1984 · age 19
Third try at university
Enters Hangzhou Normal after failing the gaokao twice; by his account, rejected from ~30 jobs, including KFC.
1988 · age 24
English teacher
Earns roughly $12–15 a month.
1995 · age 30
Sees the internet in Seattle
Founds China Pages, a web-directory venture; it fails.
1999 · age 34
Founds Alibaba$60K
In his apartment, with 17 co-founders.
2000 · age 35
SoftBank invests$20M
Masayoshi Son commits after a short first meeting.
2014 · age 50
Alibaba IPO$25B IPO
The largest initial public offering in history at the time.
2020 · age 56
Ant Group IPO halted
Regulators stop the listing after his speech criticizing Chinese financial regulation; he withdraws from public view.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Jack Ma from?

Jack Ma was born in 1964 in Hangzhou, China. Their background is described as Chinese.

When was Jack Ma born?

Jack Ma was born in 1964, in Hangzhou, China.

What is Jack Ma's background or ethnicity?

Jack Ma's roots are described as Chinese. These are broad categories drawn from public sources, not statements about how the person identifies.

Where did Jack Ma go to school?

Jack Ma's education: Hangzhou Normal University (English) — after failing the entrance exam twice.

What was Jack Ma's family background growing up?

At birth the family was working class. Parents were traditional musician-storytellers (pingtan performers); modest household during the Cultural Revolution.

How did Jack Ma get started?

Jack Ma started with $60K pooled. Raised from 18 co-founders in his Hangzhou apartment in 1999.

Sources

Compiled from these references and contemporaneous press reporting. Figures are approximate; verify before relying on them.