DeepSeek Prepares to Raise $7.4 Billion in Funding Round, Targeting $59 Billion Valuation

China’s AI champion DeepSeek is gearing up to secure approximately $7.4 billion in its inaugural funding round, a move that could value the startup at a staggering $59 billion, ranking it among the largest private technology financings in China. Notably, DeepSeek, known for its V3 and R1 models, had previously achieved global recognition without external venture capital support. The upcoming funding round is expected to involve key investors such as Tencent and CATL, with founder Liang Wenfeng purportedly contributing around 40% of the total fund himself. The fundraising is poised to position the company’s post-investment valuation between 350 billion yuan…