Founded as a sub-brand of Xiaomi in July 2013, Redmi was initially launched as a budget smartphone line before becoming a separate subsidiary in 2019 focused on entry-level and mid-range devices. Created by Xiaomi Corporation, which was founded in 2010 in Beijing by Lei Jun and six associates including Lin Bin (former Google China Institute of Engineering VP) and Zhou Guangping (former Motorola Beijing R&D senior director), Redmi inherited Xiaomi's innovative approach to affordable technology. Headquartered in Beijing, China, the brand emerged from Lei Jun's vision after his successful tenure transforming Kingsoft Corp from a struggling word-processing company into a financially stable firm. Redmi targets global audiences seeking budget-friendly yet feature-rich smartphones, expanding beyond phones to include power banks, headphones, Bluetooth speakers, security cameras, electric scooters, tablets, televisions, and smart home products. As part of Xiaomi's ecosystem, which became the second-largest smartphone seller worldwide with 12% market share as of August 2024, Redmi maintains the parent company's commitment to high-quality, accessible technology. The brand represents Xiaomi's democratization of premium features, making advanced audio and electronic capabilities available to budget-conscious consumers while leveraging Xiaomi's engineering expertise and global distribution network.