FUNDING · STARTUPS · #1715
China’s AI startup Manus raises over $500M in first funding round since Meta split
Manus, the AI lab under parent Butterfly Effect, said it raised more than $500 million in a funding round led by Boyu Capital and IDG Capital, with participation from existing investors including Tencent, HSG and ZhenFund. This is the company’s first financing since the collapse of a planned $2 billion acquisition by Meta; Manus has launched Manus 2.0 and the Cue app, is hiring internationally, and is reportedly considering a Hong Kong IPO.
KEY POINTS
- Manus, the AI lab under parent Butterfly Effect, said it raised more than $500 million in a funding round led by Boyu Capital and IDG Capital, with participation from existing investors including Tencent, HSG and ZhenFund.
- This is the company’s first financing since the collapse of a planned $2 billion acquisition by Meta; Manus has launched Manus 2.0 and the Cue app, is hiring internationally, and is reportedly considering a Hong Kong IPO.
- The round shows strong investor support for a high-profile Chinese AI agent startup after a forced unwind of a major foreign acquisition, impacting talent flows, domestic capital formation, and potential IPO plans.
WHY IT MATTERS
The round shows strong investor support for a high-profile Chinese AI agent startup after a forced unwind of a major foreign acquisition, impacting talent flows, domestic capital formation, and potential IPO plans.