The Next WebDeepSeek, the Hangzhou‑based AI startup, suspended its second fundraising round after founder Liang Wenfeng’s comments about the company’s reliance on Nvidia chips and China’s AI gap with the United States were leaked and went viral on Chinese social media. The pause comes as the round, aimed at a pre‑money valuation of roughly 480 billion yuan ($71 billion), followed a June Series B that raised about $7 billion and valued the firm at $50‑52 billion. Liang’s candid remarks sparked a backlash, putting the company under intense scrutiny just as it prepares for a possible IPO.
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