Startups & Funding
Manus in talks to raise $500M at $4B valuation as independent company
Chinese AI startup Manus is in discussions to raise $500 million at a $4 billion valuation now that it has resumed operations independently after its scrapped Meta merger, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing anonymous sources.
Manus, the Chinese AI startup whose $2 billion acquisition deal with Meta collapsed earlier this year, is in discussions to raise $500 million at a $4 billion valuation, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing anonymous sources. Potential investors in the round include IDG Capital, Boyu Capital, and battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology, alongside existing backers Tencent, HSG, and ZhenFund, per the Journal. Manus is also said to be considering a restructuring to prepare for an IPO in Hong Kong.
Manus, which went viral after a demo of its AI agent last year, relocated its staff to Singapore in mid-2025 before announcing the $2 billion acquisition deal with Meta that December; the startup was said to be generating annual recurring revenue of more than $100 million at the time. Intensifying concern in China over losing AI talent and researchers to the West led Beijing to block the deal, citing potential violations of export controls and foreign investment rules.
Manus has since been untangling itself from Meta, and its early investors and backers have reportedly helped the company buy back its shares at a valuation of about $2 billion. As part of the separation, the company told users this August that they would need to export and back up their own data, because it had to delete data generated following the Meta acquisition to “comply with regulatory requirements in specific jurisdictions.” This month, Manus said it has resumed independent operations, with its founding team continuing to lead the company.
Manus makes AI products and agents similar to what companies like OpenAI, Lovable, and Replit offer, including a chatbot and vibe-coding tools that let users build apps and websites, create designs and presentations, generate video, and more. Manus did not immediately return a request for comment.
Why it matters
Manus’s new fundraising target — double its post-buyback valuation from just months ago — shows how quickly investor appetite for AI agent startups can recover even after a deal collapse driven by geopolitical export-control concerns.