.@VitalLyfe is tackling the clean water crisis. Half the world's population experiences severe water scarcity, but traditional solutions cost billions and require infrastructure that doesn't exist where it's needed most. That’s why we’re co-leading their seed round. Co-founders @jcriss_1 and Andrew Harner are bringing their SpaceX experience in solving seemingly impossible problems with elegant engineering to reimagine access to one of humanity's most fundamental needs: clean water. Vital Lyfe's first product is battery-powered, uses a modular membrane system, and fits in a form factor anyone can use. No infrastructure required. Their vision extends beyond a single device to build a decentralized ecosystem of water systems that gives individuals and communities true water autonomy. More from @AlexaLiautaud, Paul, and @neerajarora →

.@robrombach and the @bfl_ml team built one of the most globally downloaded open source AI models from their hometown in Germany. After his PhD, Robin could have gone anywhere, but he chose Freiburg (the sunniest town in Germany, for what it's worth) to build with focus over hype. They recently released their next model family, Flux 2, capable of image synthesis, text-based editing, and for the first time, multi-reference image editing. This allows users to combine images from multiple sources and modify them with a single text prompt. @AlexandreMomeni caught up with Robin at @SlushHQ to talk about training runs at 2am, why unconventional choices matter, and building outside the noise.

.@nilamg and @divyahansg are modernizing Main Street through @beaconsoftwarex. Their thesis: acquire the trusted, mission-critical platforms that already serve essential businesses like school exam scheduling, youth sports registration, fire department staffing, and campground reservations, then embed world-class AI and engineering.  That’s why we led Beacon's Series A and are now co-leading their $250M Series B. To date, they have expanded acquired companies’ Rule of 40 metric by an average of 1000 basis points after just one year of acquisition. We believe this is applied AI with a clear path to revenue, resilience, and real-world impact.  "We're excited to back Beacon as they transform real-world industries with AI. Beacon is at the center of General Catalyst's AI-enabled roll-up strategy: acquiring durable businesses and embedding leading technology talent directly into them. This model doesn't just create better software, it builds stronger companies delivering real impact to the communities they serve." -GC’s @marcbhargava More on why we're doubling down on Beacon by Marc, Chris, and Sarah → Source: Beacon