DeepSeek founder Lian Wenfeng is being hailed as a hero in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, where he grew up and reportedly returned for the Lunar New Year, joined by bodyguards.
Wenfeng—who, at 40, is already a billionaire due to his hedge fund, High-Flyer—is apparently even more beloved by locals following DeepSeek’s breakthrough research, which demonstrated that strong AI models could be built with fewer and less-powerful Nvidia chips. The finding has significant implications, particularly in China, where access to the highest-end chips has been restricted.
Residents of his native community tell the Financial Times that Wenfeng was a “top student” who loved comic books, was a math whiz, and came from a family of educators. According to one local, Wenfeng also played some football. “We all grew up in this village,” the resident tells the FT. “We’re very proud of him.”
Despite his rising star, Wenfeng has largely avoided public attention, frustrating those eager to learn more about him. Given the fate of high-flying Chinese CEOs like Jack Ma and Pony Ma — who faced government scrutiny after gaining a little too much visibility — don’t be surprised if Wenfeng chooses to stay in the background.