The funding round was co-led by Boyu Capital and IDG Capital, with existing investors including Tencent, Sequoia China and ZhenFund also participating.
The latest investment marks a significant development for Manus as it seeks to strengthen its position in the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence market after separating from Meta.
Manus develops general-purpose AI agents designed to perform tasks with limited human intervention. Its technology can be used for activities including research, data analysis and automation, allowing users to delegate complex tasks to AI systems rather than carrying them out manually.
The company’s return to independent operations follows regulatory scrutiny surrounding Meta’s acquisition of the startup.
In April, Beijing ordered Meta to unwind its more than $2 billion acquisition of Manus amid increased scrutiny of US investment in Chinese startups developing advanced artificial intelligence technologies.
Meta had agreed to acquire Manus in a deal valued at more than $2 billion, making it one of the major transactions involving a Chinese-founded AI startup. The deal subsequently came under regulatory pressure as authorities intensified oversight of investments involving sensitive artificial intelligence technologies.
In August, Manus announced plans to resume operations as an independent company as part of the separation process from Meta. The company also said it would delete some user data in connection with the transition.
The latest funding comes as Manus continues to expand its commercial operations and build demand for its AI agents.
The Information reported in June that Manus’ annualised revenue run rate had climbed to approximately $500 million, compared with about $100 million when Meta acquired the company.
The report also said Manus was considering a joint-venture structure incorporated in China, a move that could potentially pave the way for a future listing in Hong Kong.
The new capital could provide Butterfly Effect with additional resources to expand Manus’ technology, develop its AI-agent capabilities and compete in an increasingly crowded global market.
The funding also underscores continued investor interest in companies developing AI systems capable of performing increasingly complex tasks autonomously, as businesses look beyond traditional chatbot applications towards AI agents that can execute multi-step workflows with minimal human input.