Brief
DeepSeek close to $15 billion fundraising round
The round, valued at about 100 billion yuan, could boost DeepSeek’s role in China’s AI supply chain.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Chinese artificial‑intelligence startup DeepSeek is said to be nearing the completion of a fundraising round worth roughly 100 billion yuan (about $14.98 billion), according to four people familiar with the matter.
The round involves more than 15 investors. Reported participants include chipmaker GigaDevice, food‑delivery platform Meituan and automaker Geely, while existing shareholders Tencent Holdings and battery maker CATL are among the largest backers. Additional investors cited are home‑appliance maker Midea, internet firm NetEase, and capital groups Boyu Capital, CPE, Legend Capital and IDG Capital.
DeepSeek’s original target was 50 billion yuan, and prior valuations placed the company at 500 billion yuan. Analyst Lian Jye Su of Omdia said the valuation reflects confidence in DeepSeek’s open‑source strategy and the involvement of investors that supply key technology components.
The company previously raised $7.4 billion in June and was reported by Reuters to be preparing an IPO on Shanghai’s STAR Market, having hired CITIC Securities. The new funding would mark a substantial increase in both capital raised and valuation expectations.
DeepSeek did not comment, and Geely declined to respond.
Key facts
- DeepSeek is close to a fundraising round of about 100 billion yuan ($14.98 billion). (dailytimes.com.pk)
- More than 15 investors are involved, including GigaDevice, Meituan, Geely, Tencent, and CATL. (dailytimes.com.pk)
- The round exceeds the company’s original 50 billion yuan target and follows a $7.4 billion raise in June. (dailytimes.com.pk)
Sources
- [1] dailytimes.com.pk — originally reported as “DeepSeek nears $15 billion deal to accelerate AI race”
