Richard Liu
About Richard Liu
Richard Liu, also known as Liu Qiangdong, was born in 1973 in Suqian, Jiangsu province, China. He studied at Renmin University in Beijing and later earned an MBA from China Europe International Business School. While at university he taught himself programming and did freelance work for businesses.
In June 1998 he opened a booth in Beijing's Zhongguancun technology market selling magneto-optical drives, which became JD.com. During the 2003 SARS outbreak he began selling online, and he launched the JD.com e-commerce site in early 2004. In 2007 he moved the company's logistics network in-house.
JD.com is listed on NASDAQ (JD). Crunchbase says it reported 2019 revenue of $82.9 billion. Liu served as chief executive from the company's start. Wikipedia now describes him as the former CEO and current chairman. He is also listed as Founder and Chairman of JD Digits, and as Senior Advisor at Sandbridge Capital, according to PitchBook.
Crunchbase has two profiles for Liu. Both show 2 personal investments, 2 portfolio companies, 1 lead investment and 0 exits. One profile classifies him as an Individual/Angel investor at the Seed stage.
The two disclosed rounds are InWE (Series A, September 2014, listed as lead) and Knowbox (Series A, October 2015, not lead). Amounts raised and his own check sizes are not disclosed on the public profile.
PitchBook lists more deals under the name Richard Liu. Some of those deals may belong to other people with the same name, so this page does not include them.
The public record is thin. Crunchbase's two disclosed deals are both Series A rounds, and one profile tags him as a seed investor. I found no public statement from Liu about what he looks for in founders, his typical check size, or a preferred sector for personal investments. He is based in Beijing, and Crunchbase lists his region as Asia-Pacific.
Crunchbase's bio notes that JD.com has invested heavily in AI, big data and drones. That describes the company, not his personal angel portfolio, and I found no confirmed personal AI startup investments.
- InWE: Series A, September 2014. Crunchbase lists Liu as lead investor.
- Knowbox: Series A, October 2015. Crunchbase lists Liu as a participant, not the lead.
Investing activity
Richard Liu has made 2 investments according to Crunchbase across 2 portfolio companies, and has led 1 round and founded 2 companies.
Deals
Frequently asked questions about Richard Liu
Is Richard Liu an angel investor?
Crunchbase lists Richard Liu as an Individual/Angel investor at the Seed stage, with 2 personal investments. He is better known as the founder and chairman of JD.com.
What companies has Richard Liu invested in?
Crunchbase shows two personal investments: InWE (Series A, 2014, as lead) and Knowbox (Series A, 2015). PitchBook shows more deals, but some may belong to other people named Richard Liu.
Does Richard Liu invest in AI startups?
I found no confirmed personal AI startup investments. JD.com, the company he founded, has invested in AI, big data and drones.
What is Richard Liu's check size?
It is not public. No source I found states a check size or fund size for his personal investing.
Where is Richard Liu based?
Crunchbase lists his location as Beijing, Beijing, China.
How can founders contact Richard Liu?
I found no verified personal LinkedIn, X account or website for him. Founders may want to look for a warm introduction through JD.com or its related investment entities.
How can founders reach Richard Liu?
Founders on Lounge can see Richard Liu's contact details in AI Investor Contacts (paid plans), check for a warm introduction through members who worked with them under Warm Paths, and add Richard Liu to their Investor Pipeline to track the conversation.