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DeepSeek raises $15B in Tencent, CATL-backed round

·StartupReader editorial desk· 1 min readReviewed by our editors
FUNDING. $15B raised by DeepSeek, next-generation AI models. led by Tencent, CATL.

DeepSeek has closed a $15 billion funding round led by Tencent and battery maker CATL, Bloomberg reported. The round, completed at 100 billion yuan, nearly doubles the company’s previously reported $8 billion target and ranks among the largest single AI investments globally.

The capital will fuel DeepSeek’s next-generation models, including the recently launched V4 series, which undercuts U.S. competitors on pricing. The startup’s trajectory reflects a broader trend: Chinese AI firms securing large-scale backing, often from state-aligned investors, and pursuing vertical integration with hardware partners. CATL’s involvement suggests potential interest in aligning AI infrastructure with energy solutions, though specifics remain unclear.

Tenstorrent’s $1.5 billion raise at a $6.2 billion valuation, reported by Seeking Alpha, shows similar demand for AI-optimized chips. While DeepSeek’s round is significantly larger, both underscore the high costs of building AI capabilities. For now, DeepSeek’s funding gives it a stronger position, but whether it can convert capital into global market share remains an open question.

Sources: finance.yahoo.com · seekingalpha.com

“The outsized funding round highlights the growing capital demands of AI development—and the resources China’s startups are mobilizing to compete.”
— StartupReader
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One of the funding rounds reported in the week of 19–25 October 2026. See every round that week.

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