Wang Teng, the founder of ISHO, recently unveiled his AI health science team, marking a significant milestone a year after his departure from Xiaomi. In an interview with ‘Jiemian News’, Wang Teng shared his introspective journey and feelings about leaving the tech giant.
Reflections on Leaving Xiaomi
Looking back at his departure from Xiaomi, Wang Teng admitted that it was a difficult period. “The time I left (Xiaomi) last year was definitely a low point. It was the first time in my life to be on the trending search list for a consecutive week, and it was quite frustrating. But I adjusted relatively quickly, within about two or three weeks, I slowly came to terms with myself and then started looking for new directions.”
Gratitude for Xiaomi and Lei Jun
Despite the challenging exit, Wang Teng expressed profound gratitude for his nine years at Xiaomi. “I am still very grateful to Xiaomi, especially to Lei Jun, and I truly learned a lot of things.” He highlighted two major takeaways from his tenure:
- A Comprehensive Business Perspective: “The first big gain was gaining a complete overview of a product line from an operator’s perspective. And this was at a leading tech company, managing a business worth nearly a hundred billion yuan, an opportunity that is rare globally.”
- Practical Application of Xiaomi’s Methodology: “The second gain was turning Xiaomi’s, especially Lei Jun’s, stated methodology from learning into practice. I experienced how to create hit products, how to engage users, how to befriend users and conduct communication, and also experienced Xiaomi’s new retail and online-offline channel construction.” He added that people with such a comprehensive perspective are rare in startup teams.
Embracing Past Experiences
When asked about whether he hoped to one day shed the ‘Xiaomi’ label, Wang Teng responded philosophically: “There’s a saying, ‘All grace, whether thunder or rain, comes from the ruler.’ Since it’s all past experience, there’s no need to resist it, nor is there a need to deliberately do anything. Just let it be.”
Background Information
Public records indicate that Wang Teng previously served as the General Manager of Xiaomi China’s Marketing Department and concurrently as the General Manager of the REDMI brand. He was dismissed by Xiaomi in the second half of 2025 due to a leak. On the evening of his dismissal, Wang Teng posted on Weibo, apologizing for past mistakes and accepting the consequences.
His new venture, ISHO, focusing on AI health science, signifies a new chapter, building on the extensive experience gained at Xiaomi and demonstrating his resilience and forward-looking approach.
