Chinese AI startup Manus has raised more than $500 million in new funding as it resumes life as an independent company, months after Beijing ordered Meta to unwind its acquisition of the startup for more than $2 billion, Reuters reported on Thursday.A round led by Beijing-friendly investors
The funding round was co-led by Boyu Capital and IDG Capital, with existing investors Tencent, Sequoia China and ZhenFund also participating, according to Reuters. The company did not disclose its valuation, though media reports have said it was targeting around $4 billion — a figure that should be treated as a report, not a fact. The round makes Manus one of the best-capitalised independent AI agent companies in the world.
How the Meta deal fell apart
Meta had announced plans to acquire Manus for roughly $2 billion in December 2025. In April 2026, Beijing ordered the deal unwound amid tightening scrutiny of US investment in Chinese startups working on advanced AI, and China's National Development and Reform Commission said it would "prohibit foreign investment in the Manus project." Manus said in August it would resume operating as an independent company and delete some user data as part of its separation from Meta. Media reports said travel restrictions were placed on two co-founders during the process.
A startup on the rise — and a rival
Manus develops general-purpose AI agents that can autonomously carry out tasks such as research and automation with minimal human input. The Information reported in June that its annualised revenue run rate had surged to about $500 million, up from about $100 million when Meta acquired it. Since separating, Manus has launched Manus 2.0, built around its Cascade execution system, and Cue, a standalone personal AI agent app, and is building teams for the domestic Chinese market.
Notably, Meta launched its own personal AI agent tool, Muse, in September — putting Manus in direct competition with its former acquirer. "The fundraising shows that the short-term fallout of the Meta case has been contained and investors are willing to back Manus as an independent company," Dan Wang, China director at Eurasia Group, told CNBC, according to TechStartups.
Sources: Reuters: Manus raises more than $500 million after Meta exit | TechStartups: AI startup Manus raises $500 million after China blocks Meta's $2 billion acquisition