Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is poised to raise around 50 billion yuan ($7 billion) in its first external funding round, with backing from major investors including Tencent Holdings and battery giant CATL, according to sources familiar with the matter cited by Reuters. The financing would value DeepSeek at between 350 billion yuan and 400 billion yuan ($49 billion–$56 billion) on a post-money basis, the sources said, underscoring growing investor confidence in China’s rapidly expanding AI sector.
DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng is expected to contribute 20 billion yuan ($3 billion) of his own capital, while Tencent plans to invest 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) and CATL is set to commit 5 billion yuan ($740 million), making them the largest external investors in the round, according to the sources.
The company is also in the final stages of investment talks with China’s National AI Industry Investment Fund, gaming giant NetEase and e-commerce heavyweight JD.com. Fewer than 10 investors are expected to participate in the fundraising, the sources added. [IThome, in Chinese]
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