China’s DeepSeek closes record $7 billion-plus funding with unusual deal structure: Report

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has raised more than 50 billion yuan ($7.40 billion) at a valuation exceeding $50 billion in its first funding round, using a structure designed to preserve founder ‌control, the ⁠Information reported ⁠on Tuesday.

The funding required investors to put their ​capital into a limited partnership managed by DeepSeek CEO Liang Wenfeng ​rather than into DeepSeek itself, the report said.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. DeepSeek could not ​immediately be reached for ⁠comment.