Agencies Face Pressure to Move Beyond Timesheets as AI Reshapes How Work Gets Done
Manifest, an AI-powered operational intelligence platform for agencies, launched today with $2 million in pre-seed funding. The company addresses a specific problem: the traditional agency model of tracking hours no longer reflects how work actually happens once AI enters the workflow.
For decades, agencies relied on timesheets and manual reporting to measure performance. Hours worked served as a proxy for effort, cost, and value. But as AI accelerates creative timelines and compresses workflows, that measurement system is breaking down.
"As agencies adopt AI, the gap between how work actually happens and how it's measured is widening," said Freddie McKenzie, CEO and co-founder of Manifest. "You can't price or optimise for outcomes if you're still only measuring self-reported hours."
Manifest captures work across teams, tools, and AI systems in real time. The platform maps time, effort, and workflows automatically, giving agency leaders visibility into where work originates, how it flows between people and systems, and what it costs to deliver.
The Shift From Hours to Outcomes
The core issue is straightforward: when humans and AI co-create, the boundary between thought, effort, and output collapses. A task that once took eight hours might now take two, but not because someone worked faster. The AI handled parts of it. Traditional timesheets can't capture that.
Manifest replaces manual inputs with real-time operational data. This shift enables agencies to move from billing for inputs to pricing for outcomes, and from retrospective reporting to live visibility into operations.
McKenzie co-founded Manifest with Henry Collinson, a product leader, after the pair identified the problem during pandemic-era experiments with remote work. Tom Reid, an ex-Microsoft AI veteran, serves as CTO and led development of the platform's proprietary AI model, with emphasis on privacy and security.
Investor Backing Reflects Industry Pain Point
Brand Fund by Previously Unavailable led the pre-seed round. Investors include Antler, Icehouse Ventures, Techstars, and a group of industry angels from major agencies and creative companies.
Henry Innis, co-founder of Mutinex and a backer of the company, said the problem is well understood across the industry. "The problem of agency return on effort is well known, and one Matt Farrugia and I experienced firsthand at WPP," Innis said. "Getting to know the team has been a thrill."
Other investors include Mark Coad (former CEO of IPG Mediabrands), Jamie Mackay (BWM Dentsu), and Jonathan Isaacs (Taboo Group).
Early Rollout and Expansion Plans
Manifest is currently rolling out with a cohort of agencies across Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland. Customer announcements are planned, with global expansion underway.
For operations leaders, the platform addresses a specific challenge: understanding profitability and utilisation in an environment where AI is now part of the production workflow. Without that visibility, decisions about resource allocation, pricing, and process improvement remain based on incomplete data.
AI Learning Path for Operations Managers covers how to measure and optimise workflows in AI-enabled environments. AI Agents & Automation explores how automated systems are replacing manual processes across operations.
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