DeepSeek reportedly to lead funding in robotics startup founded by ex-Tencent scientist

On October 12, 2026, Bloomberg Technology reported that DeepSeek plans to lead an investment round in a robotics foundation-model startup founded by a former Tencent AI scientist, at a valuation of $400 million. According to the report, DeepSeek would draw on its own financing of more than $12 billion to move into embodied intelligence and robotics. That report is the earliest point that can be verified.

Later the same day, Techmeme cited Bloomberg and people familiar with the matter and named the startup as Winverse AI, saying DeepSeek has agreed to lead its seed round of "tens of millions of dollars" at a post-money valuation of roughly $400 million. Techmeme framed the move as DeepSeek preparing to put capital to work beyond models. cnBeta's account matched Bloomberg's, again describing a company only months old, founded by a former Tencent scientist, valued at about $400 million, with the money coming from DeepSeek's $12 billion-plus raise.

36Kr added further detail: the company is based in Hangzhou and has not yet made a public debut, and besides DeepSeek, other investors including Meituan's Long-Z Investments have made funding commitments. 36Kr also noted that the deal has not been finalized and that details such as the valuation and investor participation could still change.

Taken together, the four reports leave the story at this point: DeepSeek plans to lead a seed round of tens of millions of dollars in Winverse AI at a post-money valuation of about $400 million, funded from its own $12 billion-plus raise, but the deal is not yet final. The accounts broadly agree on the size of the round, the valuation and the company's name; the main difference is whether DeepSeek has already "agreed" to lead or is still only "planning" to.