2025-12-30 07:23:34

Meta spent billions to acquire Manus, making this deal one of the top three largest mergers in tech history. Behind the seemingly complex process, the logic is actually very clear.

From product launch in March to acquisition in December, Manus took only 9 months. In the pace of AI startups, this speed is truly outrageous.

Founder Xiao Hong is from Jiangxi, graduated from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, and early on developed tools for public account formatting and enterprise WeChat CRM—an operational expert who can build products and understands business.

Frankly, Manus has been criticized as a "shell application," with the underlying model not self-developed but mainly integrated at the application layer. This controversy is a bit painful, but the reality is even more so—

In just 8 months, annualized revenue reached $125 million. The subscription model was successful, users are worldwide, and cash flow closed the loop. This is not just a numbers game; it’s real business validation.

The most critical turning point was in July. Manus moved from China to Singapore and significantly laid off staff, retaining only the core team. This seemingly simple step was actually a prelude to being acquired by a U.S. company, clearing all potential issues in advance.

From Meta’s perspective, this acquisition is also easy to understand. They invested heavily in infrastructure, developed the model, but lacked an application that could generate ongoing revenue. Manus, with its verified user base, clear revenue model, and global layout, was definitely more cost-effective than betting on building a new application from scratch.

As for return on investment—Sequoia China, Tencent, ZhenFund, and other institutions have already seen returns of dozens of times.

This event offers a straightforward lesson for the entire industry: in today’s environment, Chinese entrepreneurs aiming to be acquired by global giants now see relocating their companies as a necessary option rather than an alternative. It may not sound comfortable, but this is the current reality.

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FreeMinter

· 7h ago

9 months, 125 million annualized, really competitive. Even wrapping can earn this much, indicating that application layer integration is the true way to go.

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AirdropHunter007

· 7h ago

In just 9 months, from zero to being acquired by Meta—this pace is truly incredible. But to be honest, earning an annualized revenue of $125 million through shell applications, I have to admit, is impressive. The move to relocate to Singapore has a certain intention behind it, essentially clearing obstacles for the acquisition. Sequoia and Tencent's returns this time are indeed satisfying, but it seems that Chinese entrepreneurs will face increasing competition if they follow this path in the future.

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DeFiVeteran

· 7h ago

In just 9 months, from zero to being acquired by Meta—this speed is truly impressive. But to be honest, generating an annualized revenue of 125 million with a wrapper app really puts those teams that only focus on tweaking models to shame. Running a complete business closed-loop is more important than anything else; that's real skill.

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UncommonNPC

· 7h ago

Nine months from zero to being acquired by Meta, this pace is truly incredible, but frankly, cash flow is still essential. --- Whether it's a shell or self-developed, with $125 million in annualized revenue on the table, who can criticize? That’s real hard currency. --- The move to relocate to Singapore was indeed smart, essentially giving themselves an early screening, and American companies can rest assured. --- Sequoia, Tencent, and ZhenFund have all achieved dozens of times returns; this round of VC investments is exploding. --- Domestic entrepreneurs now must go overseas to be acquired by big companies. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but it’s the current reality... --- It feels like Manus’s story is: don’t worry about shell or no shell, as long as it makes money, it’s a good app. --- From March to December? This speed is truly riding the wave of the AI boom. --- The most crucial part is that the subscription model has been successfully implemented, with users worldwide. That’s what Meta truly values. --- Moving to Singapore and laying off staff, frankly, is paving the way for an acquisition, handling all the domestic risks. --- Money is all in the application layer, not in the model layer. That’s probably the easiest place to make money right now.

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ImpermanentPhilosopher

· 7h ago

9 months from zero to being acquired by Meta, this speed is truly incredible, but to be honest, it's just a shell game, anyway, the annualized cash flow of $125 million is right there. The move to Singapore for layoffs was brilliantly played, filling all the pits in advance, just waiting to be acquired. Savvy entrepreneurs are all using this tactic now. Sequoia made a huge profit this round, dozens of times return, they really know how to play.

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