DeepSeek's founder and CEO, Liang Wenfeng, made the most significant investment, around $3 billion. The National Artificial Intelligence Industry Investment Fund, which is state-owned, allocated $150 million in funding.
Earlier reports indicated that tech powerhouse Tencent and battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) intended to join the round, contributing up to $1.5 billion and 750 billion yuan in DeepSeek, respectively.
The WSJ highlights the atypical arrangement of the funding round, crafted to guarantee that the founder maintained authority over the startup. Investors were requested to put money into a partnership overseen by DeepSeek's CEO instead of the company directly, and to agree to a five-year freeze on selling shares.
DeepSeek intends to allocate the raised funds for research and development, along with enhancing its computing infrastructure.
DeepSeek received significant acclaim in early 2025 following the launch of an AI model that matched the performance of its U.S. rivals, in spite of China's restricted access to cutting-edge technologies and global expertise.
source: wsj.com
Earlier reports indicated that tech powerhouse Tencent and battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) intended to join the round, contributing up to $1.5 billion and 750 billion yuan in DeepSeek, respectively.
The WSJ highlights the atypical arrangement of the funding round, crafted to guarantee that the founder maintained authority over the startup. Investors were requested to put money into a partnership overseen by DeepSeek's CEO instead of the company directly, and to agree to a five-year freeze on selling shares.
DeepSeek intends to allocate the raised funds for research and development, along with enhancing its computing infrastructure.
DeepSeek received significant acclaim in early 2025 following the launch of an AI model that matched the performance of its U.S. rivals, in spite of China's restricted access to cutting-edge technologies and global expertise.
source: wsj.com