DeepSeek is seeking external investment for the first time this year as the division of roles with its founder’s quant hedge fund, High-Flyer, becomes clearer. CNBC reported that High-Flyer-affiliated funds secured pre-IPO allocations in Chinese semiconductor and robotics firms, while DeepSeek moved to raise separate financing to meet expanding funding and computing needs. Analysts cited limits to relying solely on High-Flyer as DeepSeek grows.

Rising expectations for growth in the humanoid robot market have not clarified which robotics companies and exchange-traded funds are investable, the report said. Even ETFs marketed on the same humanoid theme differ widely in holdings and strategy, raising questions about what part of the robot industry investors actually own. The article compares firms directly selling humanoid robots with component suppliers, automation companies and broad supply-chain ETFs, and outlines risks including profitability, commercialization and policy factors.