DeepSeek AI was founded by Chinese entrepreneur Liang Wenfeng in May 2023 as an offshoot of his quantitative hedge fund, High-Flyer.
According to Bloomberg, High-Flyer had grown to manage over $10 billion in assets by 2019, validating Wenfeng’s data-driven approach to finance well before he ventured into AI.
Who is Liang Wenfeng? Today, Liang leads DeepSeek as its CEO, steering a team that managed to train the company’s V3 model using just 2,000 NVIDIA H800 chips at a cost of under $6 million—a fraction of what most competitors spend.
In January 2025, DeepSeek’s newest release, the R1 model, made headlines worldwide when its unexpected impact on the tech sector contributed to significant market fluctuations, underscoring Liang’s growing reputation in global AI circles.
Who is the founder of DeepSeek AI?
The CEO and of DeepSeek AI is Liang Wenfeng, a Chinese entrepreneur known for his innovative approach to artificial intelligence and his successful background in quantitative finance.
Liang Wenfeng founded DeepSeek AI in May 2023, leveraging his success from High-Flyer, a hedge fund managing over $10 billion by 2019. Under his leadership, DeepSeek trained its V3 model with just 2,000 NVIDIA H800 chips for under $6 million, demonstrating his innovative and cost-effective approach.
Top 16 Key Facts about Liang Wenfeng
Here's the key facts about DeepSeek's CEO:
- Name: Liang Wenfeng,
- Age: Born in 1985, 39 years old as of 2025.
- Nationality: Chinese national.
- Education: Bachelor and Master in Engineering from Zhejiang University.
- Academic Focus: Specialized in information and communication engineering.
- Earliest Start: Began gathering financial data in 2008.
- Breakthrough Fund: Co-founded High-Flyer in 2015 for quantitative trading.
- Asset Milestone: Managed over $10 billion in assets by 2019.
- AI Ambitions: Started buying NVIDIA GPUs in 2021 for AI development.
- Official Launch: Founded DeepSeek in May 2023.
- GPU Efficiency: Trained models with 2,000 NVIDIA H800 chips for under $6 million.
- R1 Debut: Launched the R1 model on January 20, 2025.
- Hair and Personality: Known as a "nerdy guy with a terrible hairstyle," yet respected.
- Government Recognition: Consulted by the Chinese government in January 2025.
- Driving Principle: Focuses on long-term innovation over short-term gains.
- Future Outlook: Aims to advance China toward artificial general intelligence.
Also read: Key Statistics and Facts About DeepSeek AI
The Time Line of Liang Wenfeng’s Achievements
January 2025: International Attention – DeepSeek’s R1 model launch grabs global headlines, fueling discussions on China’s emerging role in AI.
Late 2024: V3 Model Efficiency – DeepSeek trains its V3 model with 2,000 NVIDIA H800 chips at a cost under $6 million.
May 2023: Founding of DeepSeek – Liang officially spins off DeepSeek from High-Flyer to focus exclusively on AI research and development.
2021: GPU Cluster Begins – Acquires 10,000 NVIDIA GPUs, laying the foundation for large-scale AI experiments.
2019: High-Flyer Milestone – Hedge fund High-Flyer surpasses $10 billion in assets under management, per Bloomberg.
2015: High-Flyer is Born – Co-founds High-Flyer with two classmates, integrating AI-driven quantitative strategies in finance.
Also Read: How Many Users Does DeepSeek Have?
FAQ
Who is the founder of DeepSeek AI?
Chinese entrepreneur Liang Wenfeng founded DeepSeek in May 2023. He previously co-founded High-Flyer, a hedge fund managing over $10 billion.
How old is the CEO of DeepSeek, Liang Wenfeng?
Liang Wenfeng was born in 1985, making him 39 in 2025. He earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Zhejiang University.
When was DeepSeek officially launched?
DeepSeek began operations in May 2023. Its main backer is High-Flyer, which Liang co-founded in 2015.
What is High-Flyer and how large is it?
High-Flyer is a quantitative hedge fund co-founded by Liang in 2015. It managed over $10 billion in assets by 2019, per Bloomberg reports.
How many GPUs does DeepSeek use for AI training?
DeepSeek built a cluster of 10,000 NVIDIA GPUs starting in 2021. They used 2,000 H800 chips for training the V3 model at costs below $6 million.
What is the significance of DeepSeek’s R1 model?
The R1 model debuted in January 2025 and gained international attention. Its efficiency and high performance disrupted global tech markets.
What sets Liang Wenfeng apart from other AI CEOs?
Liang Wenfeng combines a strong finance background with AI innovation. His low-profile style earned him a “nerdy guy” reputation, yet his results speak for themselves.
How does DeepSeek fund its AI research?
It primarily relies on capital from High-Flyer. DeepSeek also reinvests returns from successful AI-driven ventures.
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