Manus Seeks $500 Million at a Reported $4 Billion Valuation After Meta Split

The proposed round would double the AI-agent startup’s prior valuation, but negotiations remain early and prospective investors are unknown.

By 2 min read
Manus Seeks $500 Million at a Reported $4 Billion Valuation After Meta Split
Manus Seeks $500 Million at a Reported $4 Billion Valuation After Meta Split

Listen to this story

The audio brief

About 1:19
0:001:19
Read transcript
Manus is reportedly seeking five hundred million dollars in fresh funding at a potential valuation of four billion dollars—twice its previous benchmark—just months after its planned acquisition by Meta was unwound in China. The talks are still at an early stage, so no investors have been identified and the final terms could change. The fundraising effort follows an unusual reset. Meta announced the acquisition in December, after Manus had surpassed one hundred million dollars in annualized revenue. But Beijing later ordered the transaction reversed, amid concerns that China could lose valuable technology to a geopolitical rival. Manus and Meta completed their operational separation in May, ending data sharing. Manus now says it is operating independently again, with its founding team still in charge. Its founders and existing backers bought Meta’s shares at the prior two-billion-dollar valuation. Tencent then became Manus’s largest external investor after acquiring Benchmark’s stake. The company says it serves millions of users with general-purpose AI agents that automate desktop tasks. The split has also affected customers: Manus says some accounts could be impacted and certain user data may be deleted for regulatory compliance in some parts of the world, although it has offered data-protection tools. The key constraint is that four billion dollars is still only a target, not a market price established by a completed deal.

Story brief

3 key points

Manus is trying to re-establish itself as a standalone AI-agent company after its planned Meta acquisition was unwound in China. The reported $500 million financing would value it at about $4 billion—twice its last benchmark—but no investors or final terms are set. The company completed its operational separation from Meta in May, ending data sharing, and says its founders remain in charge. The reset has also...

  1. 01

    Manus had exceeded $100 million in annualized revenue when Meta announced the acquisition in December.

  2. 02

    Founders and existing backers bought Meta’s shares at the prior $2 billion valuation.

  3. 03

    Tencent became Manus’s largest external investor after acquiring Benchmark’s stake.

Manus is reportedly seeking $500 million at a potential $4 billion valuation, its first fundraising effort since separating from Meta. The proposed price would double the AI-agent startup’s prior $2 billion valuation, but talks remain early and the final terms may change.

The prospective round follows an unusual reversal. Meta announced its acquisition of Manus in December after the startup exceeded $100 million in annualized revenue. Beijing later ordered the transaction unwound, amid concerns that China could lose valuable technology to a geopolitical rival.

From acquisition plan to independent company

Manus and Meta completed their operational split in May and halted data-sharing, according to Bloomberg News. Earlier this month, Manus said it had resumed independent operations and that its founding team would continue to lead the company. The financing talks put a potential new price on that freshly restored independence.

A transition that also reached customers

The separation has had a user-facing consequence. Manus said some customer accounts could be affected and certain user data could be deleted, while offering data-protection tools. It said the step was required for regulatory compliance in specific parts of the world, without naming the rules or jurisdictions.

Manus develops general-purpose AI agents that automate desktop tasks and says it serves millions of users worldwide. Its existing backers include Tencent, HSG and ZhenFund. Before these reported talks, its founders and existing backers bought Meta’s shares at a $2 billion valuation; Tencent then became Manus’s largest external investor after acquiring Benchmark’s stake.

The valuation is still only a target

The potential new investors have not been identified. Until negotiations produce a completed financing, the $4 billion figure remains a proposed valuation rather than a market price established by a deal.

Sources

  1. moneycontrol.comAI startup Manus eyes $4 billion valuation in first funding round since Meta split- Moneycontrol.com
  2. cnbctv18.comChinese-founded AI startup eyes $4 billion value in first round since Meta breakup - CNBC TV18

Loading discussion...

Manus Seeks $500 Million at a Reported $4 Billion Valuation After Meta Split | Superpower Daily