Who is the founder of the e-commerce company Alibaba?

Jack Ma is the founder most commonly identified with the e-commerce company Alibaba. He led a group of 18 co-founders who established Alibaba in Hangzhou, China, in 1999, helping turn a small internet venture into one of the world's largest technology and commerce companies.

Ma was born Ma Yun and worked as an English teacher before entering the technology business. After encountering the internet during a trip to the United States, he recognized its potential for connecting Chinese businesses with customers and partners worldwide. Alibaba initially focused on business-to-business online commerce.

The company later expanded through services such as Taobao, an online marketplace, and Alipay, a digital payments platform that became associated with Alibaba's broader ecosystem. Because Alibaba was created by a founding team rather than by Ma alone, "co-founder" is the most technically precise description. However, quiz questions asking for the founder generally expect Jack Ma because he was the group's leading public figure and central early organizer.