An investor who built 13 billion dollar companies explains why it's important to be paranoid if you want to succeed

Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch

• Former Google China president Kai-Fu Lee has invested in 13 companies that have attained billion dollar valuations.
• Among his portfolio companies' most successful entrepreneurs, Lee identifies one key quality: They're paranoid.

Kai-Fu Lee is the former president of Google China and a technology investor who has funded both American and Chinese startups. Among his portfolio companies, thirteen have achieved coveted unicorn status with valuations of a billion dollars or more.

Many of these successful companies have Chinese entrepreneurs at their helm, who operate under a different mindset than the typical American entrepreneur. A key quality that these entrepreneurs possess is what Lee describes as being effectively "paranoid."

Complimentary Tech Event

Transform talent with learning that works

Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

Chinese entrepreneurs aren't afraid to duplicate good ideas, often resulting in a number of companies fiercely competing for industry dominance. In order to succeed, they build their companies early on with the intent to monopolize the market. ...

Sponsored: If you enjoyed reading this story so far, why don't you join Business Insider PRIME? Business Insider provides visitors from MSN with a special offer. Simply click here to claim your deal and get access to all exclusive Business Insider PRIME benefits.