Alibaba Group Holding Limited is one of the world's largest e-commerce corporations, operating globally. Founded by Chinese billionaire Jack Ma in 1999, it has since become a major player in digital sales worldwide.
Alibaba offers many services and products, from cloud computing to wholesale sales. Its flagship e-commerce platform, Taobao, is China's largest online shopping website, with over 800 million products listed.
The company recently entered online entertainment with its streaming service, Alibaba Pictures. It provides film, television, and animation content to customers and live events.
Jack Ma has been an active philanthropist, donating generously to various charities, particularly those targeting poverty alleviation and education. He has committed over $2 billion to these causes.
The corporation has recently invested heavily in artificial intelligence and robotics, aiming to bring cutting-edge technology to everyday life.
Alibaba has also launched a finance arm called Ant Financial, which brings modernized banking services to the Chinese people and allows users access to credit.
The group has also agreed with a local government in the province of Zhejiang to become the region's official 'digital intelligence' provider, helping with infrastructure such as cloud computing and big data.
They are also creating an online university called Alibaba Group Digital College. The school, which currently offers 50 courses and tutorials, aims to educate people about digital commerce and technology.
The company's logistics entity, Cainiao Network, is a major player in the international e-commerce industry, providing delivery services to over 70 countries worldwide.
In March 2017, Alibaba became one of the first Chinese companies to complete the world's first cross-border logistics blockchain transaction, allowing the group to securely track and finalize supply chain payments.
Besides its core business divisions, Alibaba also provides content and services to a wide array of third-party platforms such as newspapers, magazines, and online marketplaces.