China’s Manus raises over $500M in first funding round since split with Meta

According to TechCrunch, Chinese AI startup Manus has successfully completed its first independent funding round after spinning off from Meta, raising more than $500 million. The round was co-led by Boyu Capital and IDG Capital, with existing shareholders Tencent, HSG (formerly Sequoia China) and ZhenFund all participating. The news has drawn widespread attention in AI venture circles and is regarded as one of the largest single funding rounds in China's AI Agent sector to date.

Spinning Off from Meta: Manus's Path to Independence

Manus previously had capital or business ties with Meta, but the two sides ultimately chose to separate. Although the specific details of the spin-off have not been fully disclosed, industry observers widely believe the decision was tied to Manus's desire to maintain an independent development path and respond more flexibly to both the Chinese and global markets. After the split, Manus was able to build its product roadmap and business strategy independently, and this round of more than $500 million marks its first large-scale capital move as a standalone operation.

Some analysts suggest that Manus's decision to separate from Meta may have stemmed from multiple considerations: on one hand, AI Agent products require deep localized operations, and an independent structure is better suited to rapid iteration in the Chinese market; on the other, as the global AI regulatory environment grows increasingly complex, independent company status helps avoid potential geopolitical risks. The fact that this round was led by Chinese-backed Boyu Capital and IDG Capital further confirms Manus's strategic intent to focus on the Chinese and Asia-Pacific markets.

The AI Agent Sector Heats Up as Capital Bets on the Next-Generation Interaction Portal

Manus positions itself as a general-purpose AI Agent platform capable of autonomously executing complex tasks, covering scenarios such as information retrieval, data analysis and process automation. Since the product first debuted in 2025, Manus has quickly gained popularity for its "end-to-end task execution" capability and is seen as an important breakthrough direction for the AI application layer following large language models.

At present, global tech giants and startups alike are ramping up their bets on AI Agents. OpenAI, Anthropic and Google continue to iterate on agent capabilities, while domestic players such as ByteDance, Alibaba and Baidu have also launched related products. On the capital side, AI Agents are viewed as the next-generation human-computer interaction portal, with enormous room for market imagination. The larger-than-expected scale of Manus's round reflects investors' strong recognition of its technological barriers and commercialization prospects.

"AI Agents are moving from concept to implementation. Whoever is first to achieve scalable commercial scenarios will seize the advantage in the next stage of competition." — A partner at a leading VC firm

A Star-Studded Investor Lineup as Tencent and HSG Keep Doubling Down

The round's lead investors, Boyu Capital and IDG Capital, are both leading Chinese investment institutions. Boyu Capital has deep positions in technology, consumer and healthcare, while IDG Capital is one of the earliest drivers of China's internet industry. Existing shareholders Tencent, HSG (formerly Sequoia China) and ZhenFund continued to follow on, demonstrating longstanding shareholders' firm confidence in Manus's long-term value.

Tencent's investment strategy in AI has always centered on "connection" and "ecosystem." Its continued backing of Manus may be intended to strengthen its AI Agent portfolio and create synergies with super apps such as WeChat and WeCom. As the former Sequoia China, HSG has extensive experience in early-stage technology investment, and its continued bet on Manus also represents top-tier funds' judgment on the long-term trajectory of the AI application layer.

Editor's Note: Manus's Opportunities and Challenges

This funding round undoubtedly gives Manus ample ammunition for its future development. But it should be noted that competition in the AI Agent sector has become white-hot. On the technical front, improving the accuracy and reliability of task execution remains a common industry challenge; on the commercial front, how to move from "showing off" to sustainable, scalable revenue is a question Manus must answer.

In addition, after separating from Meta, Manus may face more challenges in its global expansion. Conversely, however, its independent status also grants it greater strategic freedom. Against the backdrop of Chinese AI applications accelerating their overseas expansion, whether Manus can leverage capital backing and its first-mover technological advantage to grow into a benchmark company in the AI Agent field is worth watching closely.

This article was compiled from TechCrunch.