DeepSeek Founder Becomes World's Richest AI Entrepreneur
Liang Wenfeng reaches $36 billion thanks to DeepSeek's success.
1The Rise of DeepSeek
DeepSeek has become one of China's leading companies in the field of artificial intelligence. With the completion of a $7.4 billion funding round in June 2026, the company's valuation reached $50 billion. This success made its founder, Liang Wenfeng, the world's richest AI entrepreneur.
2Liang Wenfeng's Fortune
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Liang Wenfeng's fortune reached $36 billion. This figure surpassed OpenAI's founders Greg Brockman and Anthropic's founder Dario Amodei. Wenfeng's wealth stems from his 78% stake in DeepSeek.
3Details of the Funding Round
The China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund also participated in DeepSeek's June 2026 funding round. The company's valuation, which was $10 billion in April, increased fivefold to $50 billion. Liang Wenfeng personally invested $3 billion in the round.
4DeepSeek's Founding Story
Liang Wenfeng founded DeepSeek in 2023 as an AI unit of Zhejiang High-Flyer Asset Management. The company managed to purchase high-performance graphics processors before U.S. export restrictions, securing future needs.
5Technological Achievements
DeepSeek introduced an AI model in 2025 that could compete with rivals like OpenAI. The company succeeded in developing this model at lower costs. Additionally, it launched the V4 model, compatible with Huawei's chips.
6China's Technological Independence
DeepSeek's success has significantly contributed to China's efforts to reduce its dependence on the U.S. in the field of artificial intelligence. The company's collaboration with Huawei accelerated this process.
Original article: INCRYPTED — DeepSeek Kurucusu Dünyanın En Zengin Yapay Zeka Girişimcisi Oldu