DeepSeek Secures Record $7.4 Billion Funding in Unique Structure Amid AI Boom, ETEnterpriseai

• Chinese AI lab DeepSeek has closed its first funding round, raising over 50 billion yuan (approximately $7.40 billion). • According to a report from The Information on Tuesday, the investment was secured using an unusual deal structure.

• U.S. companies have captured nearly 80% of global seed- through growth-stage financing so far in 2026, according to data from Crunchbase. • This represents a significant shift from the pre-AI boom era, when American startups typically secured less than 50% of all global investment.

• SpaceX has agreed to acquire Anysphere, the developer of the AI coding assistant Cursor, in an all-stock transaction valued at $60 billion. • The deal, which converted from an option into a signed merger agreement on June 16, preempted a $2 billion funding round that would have valued Cursor at $50 billion.

• Nvidia has officially joined other major tech firms in tapping Wall Street for funding to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. • The move allows Nvidia to leverage the massive market demand for AI infrastructure that its own hardware and software have helped catalyze.

• AI startup ContraVault has raised $3.1 million in a pre-Series A funding round led by Chiratae Ventures, with additional participation from Titan Capital. • The company provides AI-driven tools to streamline the tender bidding process for businesses in high-stakes sectors, including construction, energy, power, defense, and aerospace.

• London Tech Week highlighted ongoing tensions between the UK government and major American AI and social media corporations. • Prince William made a surprise appearance at the event to launch the Homelessness Data Lab, a new initiative designed to prevent people from losing their homes.

• Europe has published a new strategic plan aimed at achieving "tech sovereignty" to reduce its heavy reliance on foreign technology providers. • The initiative faces significant practical hurdles, including high costs for switching systems, a lack of competitive local alternatives, and critical shortages in cybersecurity and technical skills.

• France's domestic intelligence agency (DGSI) is ending its contract with American AI firm Palantir to reduce strategic dependence on U.S. technology. • Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced a 655 million euro ($760 million) public investment to develop France's own sovereign AI capabilities.

• Europe is pursuing "digital sovereignty" to achieve technological autonomy and reduce strategic dependence on foreign entities. • Despite efforts to build its own cloud infrastructure, the region remains heavily reliant on the U.S. public and private sectors for critical threat intelligence and cyber attribution.

• GITEX AI EUROPE has launched in Berlin, gathering policymakers, tech leaders, and investors managing over $1 trillion in assets to advance AI innovation. • The event focuses on driving deep-tech investment and cross-border collaboration, featuring debut national technology pavilions from Canada, Japan, Austria, and Greece.

• NinjaOne President and Co-Founder Chris Matarese discussed the company's recent $400 million Series C funding extension. • The IT management platform is focusing its growth strategy on advancing patch management and integrating artificial intelligence into its services.