v7 DeepSeek’s Talent Playbook

The World Watches DeepSeek—But What’s Behind Its Success?

In recent weeks, the world has been buzzing about DeepSeek. Its breakthroughs in AI and cutting-edge technology have captured global attention, sparking debates, admiration, and even geopolitical competition. But while the headlines focus on DeepSeek’s innovations and achievements, few are asking a more fundamental question:

How does DeepSeek, a company with fewer than 140 employees, manage to produce world-class results at such an extraordinary pace?

The answer lies not just in technology, but in people.

Unlike most startups that obsess over rapid commercialization and hyper-growth, DeepSeek has taken a radically different approach—one that prioritizes talent density, intellectual curiosity, and a management philosophy that defies corporate norms.

This newsletter isn’t about DeepSeek’s latest AI breakthrough. Instead, it’s a deep dive into the culture and talent strategy that makes those breakthroughs possible—because regardless of industry or geopolitics, every startup can learn something valuable from how DeepSeek manages talent.

1. The DeepSeek Way: A Workplace Unlike Any Other

Most companies hire for experience. DeepSeek hires for potential.

Most companies measure success with KPIs and performance reviews. DeepSeek has none.

Most companies structure teams with reporting lines and annual plans. DeepSeek operates with no fixed teams, no reporting relationships, and no annual plans—a radical approach that fosters flexibility and rapid innovation.

At DeepSeek, work isn’t about checking boxes or climbing a corporate ladder. It’s about solving the world’s hardest problems with the best people—driven by curiosity, creativity, and a deep passion for technology.

2. Talent Density Over Team Size: DeepSeek’s Hiring Philosophy

Rather than building a massive workforce, DeepSeek is laser-focused on talent density—keeping the team small but exceptionally skilled.

• Fewer than 140 employees
• 85% hold master’s degrees
• 40% hold PhDs
• Average age: 28

DeepSeek’s talent pool comes primarily from China’s top-tier universities, such as Tsinghua University and Peking University, including PHD students in their fourth or fifth year of doctoral studies and young graduates only a few years into their careers.

What does this mean? DeepSeek hires for intellectual curiosity, not just credentials.

• “Young people often have the unique ability to fully immerse themselves in a pursuit without being driven by short-term gains. Smart young people are driven, and those who don’t know their place are more daring to venture out.” – Liang Wenfeng, DeepSeek Founder
• Potential > Experience – For companies chasing short-term goals, hiring experienced professionals is a no-brainer. But for DeepSeek’s long-term vision, experience takes a backseat to passion, creativity, and problem-solving ability.
• Creativity and passion fuel growth – When you put brilliant minds together in a high-density environment, they learn from each other at a rapid pace. Even if they start with less experience, they grow into elite problem solvers faster than in traditional workplaces.

3. The Practical Side of 'No Rules'

Hiring top talent is only half the equation. What really sets DeepSeek apart is how it manages people once they’re in the door.

The "Three No Policies"

At DeepSeek, there is:

🚫 No fixed teams – Teams form naturally around problems, not titles.

🚫 No reporting relationships – Workflows are bottom-up, not dictated by managers.

🚫 No annual plans – Strategy is iterated weekly, making the company more agile and adaptable to market shifts.

This level of flexibility and autonomy allows employees to work on what excites them most.

4. How Work Gets Done at DeepSeek

• No predefined division of workforce – Roles are fluid. Everyone brings unique experiences and ideas, so there’s no need to micromanage tasks. Work naturally organizes itself.
• No cross-functional departments or rigid team allocations – Employees can self-assemble teams around projects they find interesting.
• Ultimate autonomy – If someone has a great idea, they can immediately access resources like high-performance computing clusters (critical for training large AI models). There’s no approval process, no waiting—just action.
• Open collaboration – Employees are encouraged to freely exchange insights and explore new projects without pressure. This dynamic creates a workplace where team members collaborate seamlessly and push innovation forward.

This model isn’t just theoretical—it’s why DeepSeek consistently attracts and retains top talent despite having no traditional corporate structure.

5. Why Does DeepSeek Take This Approach?

DeepSeek is built differently because its mission demands it.

Three years ago, in a small warehouse on Yuhangtang Road, DeepSeek’s founder Jiang Wenfeng wrote on a glass wall:

“Let the children in the most remote mountain villages use the same smart AI teaching assistants as Silicon Valley engineers.”

DeepSeek’s mission is about breaking barriers—in education, in AI, and in opportunity.

• Equal access to knowledge and information should not be a privilege.
• AI technology should benefit as many people as possible.
• True innovation comes from lowering technical barriers and open-sourcing ideas.

Top Talents were attracted to work at DeepSeek on difficult problems thanks to the mission that resonates with them. Just as DeepSeek challenges the limits of AI accessibility, it also challenges the limits of how companies should be built. Rigid structures don’t foster world-changing breakthroughs—freedom, curiosity, and collaboration do.

6. The “No Rules” Model Only Works With High Talent Density

DeepSeek’s philosophy isn’t completely unheard of. In fact, Netflix—one of the most successful start-ups in history—follows a similar principle. In the book "No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention", Reed Hastings emphasizes that in order to remove rules, you first need to achieve high talent density.

This is exactly what DeepSeek has done. By carefully selecting a small, elite team of passionate technologists, it creates an environment where people don’t need excessive processes or micromanagement. The result? A workplace that’s flexible, fast-moving, and optimized for breakthrough innovation.

However, this model isn’t for every startup. Unlike companies that prioritize fast monetization and commercialization, DeepSeek is focused on research and long-term innovation. Its structure works because it’s designed for solving hard problems first, not chasing short-term revenue.

What Can Start-ups Learn from DeepSeek?

DeepSeek’s approach to talent isn’t just unconventional—it’s a blueprint for the future of high-performance teams. Whether you’re a startup founder, an investor, or an operator, the key takeaway is clear:

🚀 Talent density beats headcount – A small, elite team will always outperform a bloated one.

🚀 Potential matters more than experience – The best people don’t wait for instructions; they explore, iterate, and push boundaries.

🚀 Eliminate bureaucracy, unlock innovation – When you remove artificial constraints, the right people will take ownership and build something extraordinary.

The world is watching DeepSeek for its technological breakthroughs—but its real secret is how it builds and manages talent.