Xiaomi launches sub-brand 'Mi Ecosystems'

Xiaomi might be known as a popular smartphone brand in India but the company has a wide range of products in China. At an event in China, Xiaomi has announced the launch of its new sub-brand Mi Ecosystems.

With the philosophy of making products that stand out as work of art in daily lives, the new sub-brand will cover products manufactured by Xiaomi's ecosystem partners. To build the Mi Ecosystem, Xiaomi has so far invested in 55 companies that design and manufacture products beyond its three core product categories: smartphones, smart TVs and smart routers.

Among these, 29 companies including Zhimi (which makes the Mi Air Purifier) and Viomi (which makes the Mi Water Purifier) have been incubated by Xiaomi from their founding. To date, over 20 Mi Ecosystem companies have launched products and won 28 international design awards in total.

According to the press statement shared by the company, Xiaomi's founder and CEO, Lei Jun started exploring the ecosystem business model two years ago with a mindset to "promote an upgrade in Chinese manufacturing with a new concept of 'Made in China' products".

The statement further added that "rather than simply being a venture company, Xiaomi imparts to these companies its approach to making quality products, sharing its methodologies and existing resources, including supply chain, e-commerce, marketing and branding."

The first product launched under the Mi Ecosystem is the Heating Pressure Rice Cooker priced at RMB999, which the company claims is less than 40% the price of comparable high-end Japanese induction heating pressure rice cookers.