Manus AI is likely one of the hottest AI agent startups round, lately elevating $75 million at a half-billion greenback valuation in a spherical led by Benchmark.
However two unnamed sources told Semafor that the funding is now below evaluation by the U.S. Treasury Division over its compliance with 2023 restrictions on investing in Chinese language firms.
Benchmark’s attorneys cleared the funding as a result of Manus isn’t technically growing its personal AI fashions, however is as an alternative a “wrapper” round present ones, Semafor reported.
These attorneys additionally concluded Manus shouldn’t be China-based because it’s included within the Cayman Islands. (That’s a typical construction utilized by Chinese language firms, like Alibaba, to entry international capital.)
Benchmark has attracted criticism for its Manus funding from Founders Fund associate Delian Asparouhov, who posted on X “wow, actions have penalties”?
Benchmark, Manus, and Treasury didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.