Some see this latest development as exemplifying a lucrative "cash-out" route for China's AI entrepreneurs beyond the traditional initial public offering (IPO) playbook and the pursuit of multiple funding rounds. “The overall sentiment has been positive and optimistic,” said Niu Zhangming, CEO at AI-driven biotech firm MindRank. The deal, he added, could be a “significant boon for the ecosystem” by lifting confidence among entrepreneurs, investors and scientists. Bruce Yang, founder of general-purpose AI agent firm Agnes AI, told Caijing AI Pai, an outlet affiliated with financial magazine Caijing, that being acquired by a leading US tech company had become a viable target for Chinese founders – particularly those building for overseas markets and aiming for global product leadership. Launched in Wuhan, the capital of central Hubei province, Manus severed its China links and moved its headquarters to Singapore in July in line with efforts to tap overseas capital and markets. Manus vaulted into the global spotlight after launching in March, when its namesake product was billed as the first “general-purpose” AI agent. It later hit US$100 million in annual recurring revenue within nine months. According to announcements from both sides, Manus would integrate its technology into Meta’s platforms. Meta said in a statement that it was taking in Manus “to bring a leading agent to billions of people and unlock opportunities for businesses across our products”. It said Manus was already serving the daily needs of “millions of users and businesses worldwide”. In the deal's announcement, Manus founder and CEO Xiao Hong said he will take on a vice-president role at Meta after the transaction's close. “Joining Meta allows us to build on a stronger and more sustainable foundation without changing how Manus works or how decisions are made,” he said. scmp.com/business/article.. #🇨🇳 ChinA.I. 🤖🧠🦾🤖