AI startup Manus has raised more than $500 million in fresh funding as it resumes independent operations following the unwinding of Meta’s proposed $2 billion-plus acquisition of the company.
Butterfly Effect, the parent company of Manus, said the funding round was co-led by Boyu Capital and IDG Capital, with existing backers including Tencent, Sequoia China and ZhenFund also participating.
Manus develops general-purpose AI agents capable of performing tasks such as research and automation with limited human input. The company’s latest funding highlights continued investor interest in autonomous AI systems as businesses look beyond chatbots toward software that can independently execute complex workflows.
The financing comes months after Chinese authorities ordered Meta to unwind its acquisition of Manus amid increased scrutiny of U.S. investment in Chinese AI startups. Manus announced in August that it would return to operating as an independent company and delete certain user data as part of the separation process.
The company’s growth has also strengthened its commercial position. The Information reported in June that Manus’ annualised revenue run rate had climbed to around $500 million, compared with about $100 million when Meta agreed to acquire the startup.
Manus’ return to independence leaves the company positioned to pursue further expansion in the fast-growing AI-agent market, while its new funding gives it additional capital to scale its technology and operations.
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