# Yan Junjie

From Baidu Intern to HKEX Giant: How MiniMax Overtook Its Mentor in Four Years

Yan Junjie, a former Baidu intern and veteran SenseTime researcher, founded MiniMax in 2021 and transformed it into an AI company that briefly surpassed Baidu’s market value on the Hong Kong exchange. Backed by major investors and a fast‑growing product suite, MiniMax’s rise highlights China’s rapid AI startup ecosystem growth and the geopolitical and governance challenges that accompany global expansion.