Liang Wenfeng: A Visionary Entrepreneur in AI and Quantitative Finance

1. Early Life and Education

Liang Wenfeng was born in 1985 in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, to a family of educators. His parents, both primary school teachers, instilled in him a love for learning and problem-solving. Liang’s academic journey began at Zhejiang University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Information Engineering in 2007. He continued his studies, completing a Master’s degree in Information and Communication Engineering in 2010. His master’s research focused on developing algorithms for tracking moving objects using low-cost PTZ cameras, under the guidance of Professor Xiang Zhiyu.

During his student years, Liang demonstrated an early interest in financial markets. In 2008, amidst the global financial crisis, he and his classmates began collecting financial data, laying the groundwork for his future ventures in quantitative trading.

Aspect	Details
Birth	1985, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
Parents	Both primary school teachers
Education	Bachelor’s in Electronic Information Engineering (2007), Zhejiang University
	Master’s in Information and Communication Engineering (2010), Zhejiang University
Master’s Thesis	Target-tracking algorithms using low-cost PTZ cameras
Early Interests	Financial market data collection, machine learning, and quantitative trading

---

2. Career Journey

Founding High-Flyer Quantitative Investment

Year	Milestone
2013	Co-founded Hangzhou Yakebi Investment Management with Xu Jin
2015	Co-founded Hangzhou Huanfang Technology (later Zhejiang Jiuzhang Asset Management)
2016	Founded Ningbo High-Flyer Quantitative Investment
2019	High-Flyer managed over 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) in assets
2019	Founded High-Flyer AI, focusing on AI research

After graduating, Liang moved to Chengdu, Sichuan, where he lived in a modest apartment and experimented with applying AI to various fields. His early attempts were unsuccessful, but he eventually found his niche in finance. In 2013, Liang co-founded Hangzhou Yakebi Investment Management with his university classmate Xu Jin. This marked the beginning of his journey into quantitative trading, where he combined artificial intelligence with financial strategies.

In 2016, Liang and two engineering classmates founded Ningbo High-Flyer Quantitative Investment, a hedge fund that used mathematical models and AI to make investment decisions. By 2019, High-Flyer had grown exponentially, managing over 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) in assets. That same year, Liang founded High-Flyer AI, a subsidiary dedicated to advancing AI research.

Launching DeepSeek AI

Year	Milestone
2023	Launched DeepSeek, focusing on Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)
2023	Secretly acquired 10,000 Nvidia A100 GPUs before U.S. AI chip restrictions
2024	DeepSeek V2 launch triggered an AI price war in China
2025	Released DeepSeek-R1, a 671-billion-parameter open-source AI model
2025	DeepSeek surpassed ChatGPT as the #1 free app on the U.S. iOS App Store

In May 2023, Liang launched DeepSeek, a company dedicated to developing Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). Leveraging his experience in AI and finance, Liang revealed that High-Flyer had secretly acquired 10,000 Nvidia A100 GPUs before the U.S. imposed AI chip restrictions on China. This strategic move gave DeepSeek a significant advantage in building large-scale AI models.

By July 2024, DeepSeek V2’s launch unexpectedly triggered an AI price war in China, showcasing the company’s growing influence. Liang emphasized the need for China to contribute to global innovation rather than merely benefiting from others’ advancements.

In January 2025, DeepSeek released R1, an open-source AI model with 671 billion parameters. Developed using only 2,048 Nvidia H800 GPUs at a cost of $5.6 million, R1 demonstrated remarkable efficiency compared to Western AI projects that required billion-dollar budgets. Shortly after its release, DeepSeek surpassed ChatGPT to become the #1 free app on the U.S. iOS App Store, causing a significant disruption in the U.S. stock market and wiping out over $1 trillion in market value.

---

3. DeepSeek’s Global Impact

Event	Impact
High-Level Symposium (2025)	Liang invited by the Chinese government to share insights on AI and economy
DeepSeek-R1 Release (2025)	Open-source AI model with 671 billion parameters
U.S. Market Disruption (2025)	DeepSeek surpassed ChatGPT, causing a $1 trillion market value loss

DeepSeek’s rapid rise to prominence had a profound global impact. In January 2025, Liang was invited to a high-level symposium in Beijing, where he shared his insights on economic and technological policies with Chinese leaders. The release of DeepSeek-R1 further solidified the company’s position as a leader in AI innovation, challenging Western dominance in the field.

---

4. Net Worth and Achievements

Aspect	Details
Net Worth	$3.2 billion (approximately ₹28,000 crore)
Key Achievements	Founded High-Flyer and DeepSeek, revolutionized AI in finance
Recognition	Featured speaker at Golden Bull Awards (2019)
Publications	Wrote the preface for the Chinese edition of The Man Who Solved the Market

Liang Wenfeng’s entrepreneurial success has earned him a net worth of $3.2 billion. His contributions to AI and quantitative finance have revolutionized the industry, making him one of China’s most influential entrepreneurs.

Liang Wenfeng’s journey from a small village in Guangdong to becoming a billionaire AI entrepreneur is a testament to his vision, perseverance, and innovative spirit. Through High-Flyer and DeepSeek, he has not only transformed the financial and AI industries but also positioned China as a global leader in technological innovation.