How Much Has Lei Jun Invested in China? Hint: It’s a Lot

This is a part of our TechCrunch Disrupt Beijing 2011 event coverage.

Chinese serial entrepreneur Lei Jun.

After talking about his Xiaomi phone a bit earlier, Lei Jun moved on to share more of his entrepreneurial story. Lei Jun revealed that he has invested in 20 companies so far and about 17 or 18 of them have received VC funding, to a sum total of US$1 billion USD.

TechCrunch moderator Sarah Lacy double checked to see if the figure was $100 million but Lei Jun confirmed he hadn’t misspoken and that the sum is $1 billion. (There’s often confusion between Chinese and English translation when it comes to numbers.)

Lei Jun then explains that he usually invests in companies which are still incomplete and in a state of flux. He likes to work with start-ups from the very beginning and build a bond with the founders. He also shared that his angel investing input is often as high as the $1 million region, not the typical sum that an angel investor would commit to an early-stage start-up.

He says that he predicted a couple of years back that e-commerce, mobile internet, and social networking would be huge in China. And that is why Lei Jun co-founded Vancl (fashion e-commerce), UC Web (mobile browser), and YY.com (software and music downloads) – which plans to IPO in the US next year.

Lei Jun also says that UC Web has 167 million users with a 17 percent monthly growth rate.

“People say that China is copying, but lately, I’m seeing more innovative ideas here,” says Lei Jun.

Ending off, Lacy asked Lei Jun to give advice to entrepreneurs — Lei Jun says, “Do what you’re passionate in. That’s the most beautiful thing in life.”