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US-Based Meta Acquires Singapore-Based AI Startup Manus to Strengthen Advanced AI Capabilities Across Platforms

The acquisition targets general-purpose AI agents as Meta accelerates its push to embed autonomous systems across consumer and enterprise products.

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Meta has agreed to acquire Manus, a Singapore-based artificial intelligence startup, as the company steps up efforts to deepen its advanced AI capabilities across its ecosystem.

Announced on Monday, the deal signals Meta’s growing focus on autonomous AI agents—software systems designed to operate with minimal human input—at a time when global technology companies are racing to secure both talent and intellectual property in artificial intelligence. Meta did not disclose the financial terms of the transaction.

A Strategic Push Into AI Agents

Manus develops general-purpose AI agents that function as digital workers, capable of independently carrying out tasks such as research, workflow automation, and data-driven decision-making with limited instruction. Meta said it plans to operate and commercialise the Manus service, while also integrating its technology into both consumer-facing and business products, including Meta AI.

The acquisition fits squarely into Meta’s broader strategy of embedding AI more deeply across its platforms, from productivity tools to social and messaging services. Rather than focusing solely on large language models, Meta has increasingly signalled interest in applied AI systems that can execute multi-step tasks autonomously.

Earlier this year, Manus launched its flagship AI agent and claimed it outperformed OpenAI’s DeepResearch tool on certain benchmarks, positioning itself as a challenger in the fast-evolving AI agent category.

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Building Through Acquisitions and Talent

The Manus deal follows a series of high-profile AI moves by Meta. Earlier in the year, the company invested in Scale AI in a transaction that valued the data-labeling firm at $29 billion. That investment also brought Scale AI’s 28-year-old founder and CEO, Alexandr Wang, into Meta, underscoring how talent acquisition has become as strategic as technology itself.

Across the industry, large technology firms are increasingly opting to acquire startups rather than build everything in-house, particularly in areas where speed and specialised expertise are critical. AI agents, which sit at the intersection of large models, orchestration, and real-world task execution, have emerged as one of the most competitive frontiers.

From Beijing Roots to Singapore Base

Manus operates as part of Beijing Butterfly Effect Technology Ltd Co but is headquartered in Singapore, reflecting a broader trend among Chinese AI companies. In recent years, a growing number of startups have relocated their headquarters to Singapore in an effort to mitigate regulatory and geopolitical risks linked to rising tensions between China and the United States.

Singapore has positioned itself as a neutral hub for global technology companies, offering regulatory stability, access to international talent, and proximity to Asian markets. For firms like Manus, the move has also helped facilitate partnerships with Western technology giants.

Manus has actively promoted its product by completing free tasks for users on the social media platform X, using public demonstrations to showcase the capabilities of its AI agents and drive early adoption.

Implications for Meta’s AI Roadmap

By acquiring Manus, Meta gains not only a working AI agent platform but also practical experience in deploying autonomous systems at scale. Integrating such agents into Meta’s existing products could expand the role of AI beyond chat and content generation, toward task execution and automation for both individuals and businesses.

The deal also highlights how competition in AI is increasingly shifting from raw model performance to usability, autonomy, and integration into everyday workflows. As AI agents become more capable, their ability to operate reliably with minimal oversight will be a key differentiator.

While Meta has yet to outline a detailed integration timeline, the acquisition suggests that AI agents will play a central role in its next phase of product development. In a market where speed matters, securing a ready-built platform like Manus may give Meta an edge as it races to define how autonomous AI fits into daily digital life.

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North America

US-Based AI Insurance Startup Klaimee Raises $5.5 Million to Protect Businesses from Autonomous AI Agent Failures

Y Combinator-backed insurtech startup Klaimee has raised $5.5 million in seed funding to build insurance-backed warranties and liability coverage for autonomous AI agents, addressing one of the biggest unanswered questions in enterprise AI: who pays when AI makes a costly mistake?

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US-based insurtech Klaimee has raised $5.5 million in seed funding to develop insurance products specifically designed for autonomous AI systems, offering businesses protection when AI agents make mistakes that result in financial losses or operational failures.

The round was led by FundersClub’s Alexander Mittal, with participation from ex/ante, Pioneer Fund, Multimodal Ventures, Kima Ventures, Rebel Fund, Robinhood Ventures, Y Combinator, and several angel investors.

Building Insurance for the AI Agent Era

Unlike traditional software, autonomous AI agents can independently execute financial transactions, send emails, modify sensitive data, make business decisions, and interact directly with customers.

According to Klaimee, these new capabilities expose enterprises to risks that conventional Technology Errors & Omissions (E&O) and Cyber Insurance policies were never designed to cover.

Rather than treating AI failures as standard software bugs or cybersecurity incidents, Klaimee has built a platform that evaluates, certifies, and insures AI agents based on the unique risks associated with autonomous decision-making.

Its offering combines technical audits, operational risk assessments, AI-specific liability insurance, and certification into a single framework that enterprises can use during procurement and vendor approval processes.

Solving a Growing Enterprise Problem

The startup argues that one question is increasingly slowing enterprise AI adoption:

Who pays if an autonomous AI agent causes damage?

As AI systems gain greater autonomy, procurement, legal, and risk management teams are beginning to require software vendors to demonstrate that their AI products are backed by dedicated liability coverage before contracts are signed.

Klaimee says several enterprise customers have already encountered procurement requests asking for proof of AI liability insurance worth at least $5 million per occurrence before large commercial agreements could proceed.

The issue is becoming more pressing as regulations evolve. The company points to legislation such as California’s AB 316 and the EU AI Act, alongside insurers increasingly excluding AI-related claims from traditional liability policies.

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Backing AI with Financial Guarantees

Founded by Ines Boutemadja and Julien Catonnet, Klaimee aims to bridge the gap between AI deployment and enterprise risk management.

The company’s platform audits AI agents, evaluates their operational reliability, certifies approved systems, and backs them with insurance specifically designed for autonomous AI failures.

According to CEO Ines Boutemadja, enterprises increasingly need more than technical assurances—they also require financial guarantees that AI-related failures will be covered.

The founders compare today’s AI insurance market to the early days of cyber insurance two decades ago, arguing that AI liability is becoming a new category of enterprise risk that will require dedicated insurance products rather than extensions of existing policies.

Riding the Next Wave of AI Infrastructure

The funding will be used to expand Klaimee’s operations and further develop its certification and insurance platform as demand for enterprise AI governance continues to grow.

As organizations move beyond AI copilots toward fully autonomous systems capable of making decisions and executing actions independently, startups like Klaimee are emerging as part of a broader ecosystem building the infrastructure needed for widespread AI adoption.

Instead of focusing solely on improving AI capabilities, the company is addressing the trust, accountability, and financial safeguards enterprises increasingly require before allowing autonomous AI agents to operate inside mission-critical business workflows.

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North America

US-Based AI Startup Hang Ten Systems Raises $32M to Scale AI-Driven Enterprise Transformation Globally

The funding will support global expansion, talent acquisition, and the development of AI-powered enterprise transformation solutions.

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Hang Ten Systems, the AI startup founded by former Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka, has raised $32 million (approximately ₹302 crore) in a seed funding round led by Mayfield Ventures.

The round also attracted participation from Aramco Ventures, the venture capital arm of Aramco, alongside several angel investors.

The fresh capital will be used to expand the company’s workforce and accelerate the deployment of its AI-powered enterprise solutions for large organizations worldwide.

Founded by Vishal Sikka, Hang Ten Systems helps enterprises adopt artificial intelligence to improve operations, accelerate digital transformation, and modernize software development.

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Accelerating Enterprise AI Adoption

Hang Ten Systems plans to use the newly raised funding to expand its engineering and enterprise teams while increasing its presence among large global organizations.

The company has already begun working with major enterprise customers, including Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and Fresenius, delivering AI-powered project execution and enterprise transformation solutions.

Its platform combines artificial intelligence with industry expertise to help organizations improve operational efficiency, streamline software development, and accelerate digital initiatives.

According to Vishal Sikka, the company aims to help businesses unlock tangible value from AI as enterprises move beyond experimentation toward large-scale deployment.

AI-Powered Software Development Platform

Hang Ten Systems is developing an AI-native operating model designed to reduce the time and cost required to build, modify, and manage enterprise software.

The platform incorporates AI-powered code generation, a reusable skills library, and a network of Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) who work closely with enterprise customers on complex transformation projects.

Its solutions support a wide range of business functions, including enterprise transformation, finance, human resources, and new product development.

By combining automation with human expertise, the company aims to help organizations develop and scale SaaS applications more efficiently while reducing implementation complexity.

Experienced Leadership Team

Hang Ten Systems currently employs a team of 16 professionals with experience across enterprise software, artificial intelligence, and industrial technology.

In addition to founder Vishal Sikka, the leadership team includes former ANSYS executive Navin Budhiraja, alongside Sanjay Rajagopalan, Tao Liu, Frank Yu, Pradeep Panicker, and Yusuf Safdari.

Explaining the company’s name, Sikka compared the rapid rise of artificial intelligence to surfing a powerful wave, saying businesses must not only embrace AI but master it to fully realize its potential.

With fresh funding, early enterprise customers, and an experienced leadership team, Hang Ten Systems is positioning itself as a provider of AI-powered enterprise transformation solutions. The investment will enable the company to expand globally while helping organizations integrate artificial intelligence into core business operations at scale.

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U.S.-Based Fintech Startup Mercury Raises $200M at $5.2B Valuation to Expand AI-Powered Banking Platform

The company plans to deepen its banking infrastructure, AI capabilities, and payroll services after securing preliminary approval to launch Mercury Bank.

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Mercury, the US-based financial technology company focused on banking services for startups and businesses, has raised $200 million in a Series D funding round that values the company at $5.2 billion.

The round was led by TCV, with participation from existing investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Coatue, CRV, Sapphire Ventures, Sequoia Capital, and Spark Capital.

The latest financing brings Mercury’s total primary and secondary funding to approximately $700 million.

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Scaling an AI-Driven Banking Platform for Businesses

Mercury currently serves more than 300,000 business customers through a digital banking platform designed for startups, founders, and growing companies.

The company said it reached an annualised revenue run rate of $650 million during the third quarter of 2025, while applications during the first quarter of 2026 increased 2.5 times compared with the same period a year earlier.

Over the past year, Mercury expanded its product suite with several AI-driven and developer-focused tools aimed at modernising business banking infrastructure.

Expanding AI and Developer Banking Tools

Among the newly launched products is “Mercury Insights,” the company’s first AI-powered financial intelligence feature designed to provide customers with real-time financial analysis and operational insights.

Mercury also expanded its developer infrastructure offerings by introducing secure bank account access APIs and a command-line interface that allows businesses to execute banking operations directly from developer terminals.

Later this year, the company plans to launch “Mercury Command,” an AI-powered interface that enables users to execute financial workflows using natural language prompts.

Moving Into AI-Powered Payroll and Full Banking Services

Following its acquisition of Central, Mercury plans to integrate AI-powered payroll services into its broader banking ecosystem.

The company also expanded “Mercury Personal,” its consumer-focused banking service, to all eligible applicants across the United States.

The funding announcement comes shortly after Mercury received preliminary approval from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to establish Mercury Bank, a move that would allow the company to offer integrated banking services directly through its own regulated institution.

Growing Investor Interest in AI-Native Financial Infrastructure

The raise reflects continued investor appetite for AI-native fintech infrastructure providers building integrated platforms across banking, payments, developer tools, payroll, and financial automation.

As financial institutions increasingly adopt AI-driven workflows and embedded financial services, Mercury is positioning itself as a unified operating platform for modern businesses seeking programmable and automated banking infrastructure.

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