Tim Smith

🚫 Do businesses need AGI? Two voices from the Bee Partners network say: not really. While frontier labs race toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), David Pitman—Venture Partner at Bee Partners—argues the hype is distracting founders from what actually creates value. 📖 Read more: edave.substack.com/p/escape-veloc… In a sharp companion podcast, @nlw, founder of Bee Partners portfolio company @BeSuper_AI, unpacks why AGI is “the most irrelevant and distracting concept” for business leaders. 🎧 Listen here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why… Key takeaways: ✅ AGI isn't required for transformative AI products ✅ Most companies need agents, not general intelligence ✅ Focus should be on actionable, business-aligned AI—right now At Bee Partners, we back founders who stay grounded, cut through hype, and build toward what matters. #AI #AGI #StartupStrategy #DeepTech #VentureCapital #Superintelligent #BeePartners #ArtificialIntelligence #ProductivityAI

🚀 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗱-𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗔𝗜-𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲 In the latest episode of Pathfinders, @KiraNoodleman sits down with @henrythe9ths, co-founder of Super.com and an experienced operator at the intersection of AI and entrepreneurship, to explore the rise of AI-native startups and the power of "seed-strapping." 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘆𝘀: • 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗱-𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲: How founders can maximize early traction and capital efficiency. • 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜-𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲: Why AI-native startups are uniquely positioned to disrupt traditional industries. • 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗘𝗱𝗴𝗲: Balancing product, timing, and funding in a fast-moving AI landscape. 🎧 Dive into Henry's insights on building resilient, AI-powered companies here: beepartners.vc/pathfinders-ep… #AI #Pathfinders #Innovation #SeedStrapping #Entrepreneurship

🎉 Today’s the day: @tari has launched its L1 mainnet after over 2,800 days of development. Tari is not just another protocol. It’s a new category in blockchain—an attention machine where users act as operators, not just passive participants. Highlights from today’s launch: 🔹 Sub-2-minute onboarding 🔹 Designed to scale to 1M+ concurrent miners 🔹 Operators invest real time and capital (5+ hours daily, on average) 🔹 Strong existing user base—30% run $2.5K+ rigs Bee Partners backed Tari for its deep understanding of UX, economic incentives, and systems design. Today, the network goes live and the ecosystem begins. 👏 Congrats to @NaveenSpark and @fluffypony for driving this vision forward. See it in action → universe.tari.com #Blockchain #CryptoLaunch #Web3Ecosystem #Tari #BeePartners #DecentralizedTech #Startups #MainnetLaunch

🚨 Google Just Changed SEO Forever: What Founders Need to Know About the Rise of AI Overviews @Google’s AI Overviews are reshaping how content is surfaced and summarized. Startups can't afford to treat SEO as an afterthought — this isn’t just another algorithm update. It’s a paradigm shift in how information is found, interpreted, and ranked. 📊 In a new piece from @BeePartners' @_austingrisham, he breaks down how AI-generated summaries are changing the game and what founders and operators can do to keep their content visible and competitive. 🔍 From schema markup to language specificity, this guide outlines actionable strategies to optimize for AI-first search results. If you're building in a digital-first world, this is a must-read. 👉 Full article: beepartners.vc/optimizing-you… #GoogleAI #AIOverviews #SEO #StartupGrowth #SearchEngineOptimization #ContentStrategy #Founders #BeePartners #VentureCapital #AI

📊 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝟰𝟬 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 — 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘄. @SourcetableApp just launched the world’s first self-driving spreadsheet and raised $4.3M to scale it. Modern operators are drowning in dashboards, tabs, and disconnected tools. Sourcetable is changing that — with an AI-native spreadsheet that connects data automatically, runs live reports, and eliminates manual workflows. No SQL. No copy-paste. Just faster decisions. Bee Partners is proud to back Sourcetable as they reimagine the future of business data. 🔗 Read more in @Forbes by @CharlieFink: forbes.com/sites/charlief… #AI #Startups #SeedFunding #FutureOfWork #NoCode #SaaS #DataAutomation #TechInnovation #BeePartners #PortfolioNews

💡 The best companies aren’t just adopting AI—they’re mastering the art of human-AI collaboration. A compelling @FortuneMagazine article explores AI’s impact on work. As Tatyana Mamut, CEO of Wayfound.ai, explains, history has shown that technology doesn’t just replace jobs—it creates new ones. The key? Managing AI effectively. That’s where Wayfound is leading the charge, helping businesses: ✔️ Automate what should be automated ✔️ Optimize workflows to increase human-AI synergy ✔️ Ensure AI decisions align with business goals At Bee Partners, we invest in founders who understand AI’s true potential. What role do you see AI playing in your business? Let’s discuss. ⬇️ 📖 Read more: fortune.com/2025/03/20/ai-… #AI #Startups #FutureOfWork #Innovation #BeePartners

🚀 To achieve robust and reliable agent deployments, we need a lot more than agent-building frameworks. This is the opportunity for Founders to build what's missing: • Advances in reasoning & memory • AI-native CI/CD, agent authentication & performance monitoring • System-level design for multi-agent collaboration • Standard protocols for AI Agent interoperability • Traceability for actions & decisions 🔗beepartners.vc/bridging-the-g… In this piece, Alejandra Vergara and Paritosh Kulkarni explore the key gaps in achieving intelligent deployments inside organizations. #AI #AIAgents #Tech #Innovation #FutureOfWork #BeePartners

💡 Early-stage founders need more than capital—they need investors who truly show up. @nlw, founder of @BeSuper_AI, highlights what’s missing from many VC relationships—real, unfiltered, and fast feedback. At Bee Partners, we work closely with founders to provide: ✅ Unfiltered feedback—so they don’t have to sugarcoat reality ✅ Real-time strategic input—beyond just quarterly meetings ✅ Deep sector knowledge in AI and frontier tech Because the best investors don’t just fund startups—they help build them. 🎯 If you're building the next generation of AI, automation, or deep tech, we want to hear from you: beepartners.vc/get-funded #FounderSupport #AI #VentureCapital #Startups #BeePartners

💡 Biomanufacturing is evolving—AI, automation, and continuous fermentation are unlocking new possibilities. With the launch of its 25,000 sq ft continuous fermentation facility,@powbio is leading the way in scalable, cost-efficient biomanufacturing. This milestone enables faster commercialization of bio-based innovations, reducing costs and improving sustainability for industries like food, agriculture, and medicine. For companies looking to scale biomanufacturing sustainably, this is a game-changer. We’re excited to see a Bee Partners portfolio company driving this transformation in the industry. 🔥 What’s the biggest challenge in scaling biotech today? Let’s discuss in the comments! Learn more: pow.bio #Biotech #AI #Biomanufacturing #DeepTech #Sustainability #FutureOfFood #SyntheticBiology #Startups

DeepSeek’s AI launch is making waves, but the real story isn’t just about scale—it’s about capability. Alexander Puutio's Forbes article breaks down how DeepSeek’s: 📌 Multilingual reasoning could redefine global AI applications 📌 Unique training approach challenges existing LLM norms 📌 China’s AI strategy could influence the next phase of AI adoption At Bee Partners, we invest in founders solving AI’s biggest challenges. Our portfolio company Wayfound.ai is tackling one of the most critical—managing and optimizing AI agents for enterprise success. 📖 This is a must-read: forbes.com/sites/alexande… #AI #DeepSeek #Wayfound #TechInnovation #BeePartners

🚀 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲—𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗔𝗜. In Pathfinders Ep. 4, @kiranoodleman connects with @durable_ai CEO Nima Keivan to discuss how their platform is pioneering autonomous software creation through natural language. This innovation allows anyone, regardless of technical background, to turn ideas into functional tools. 🎙 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: • How Durable makes no-code more accessible than ever. • The technical breakthroughs behind solving AI hallucination for more reliable outputs. • Lessons for aligning vision and technical rigor in deep tech investing. 🎧 Don’t miss this fascinating episode! beepartners.vc/pathfinders-ep… #Innovation #AI #Pathfinders #NoCode #BeePartners

🚀 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀! 𝗕𝗲𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗝𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 🎉 With an impressive background in AI, biotech, and early-stage ventures, Jed’s contributions will drive innovation and scale for our portfolio companies. Jed’s career spans founding and scaling Zymergen to IPO and advancing technologies at Amyris. His expertise will be instrumental as we explore opportunities in our Biological Machines Vector, bridging the gap between AI and synthetic biology. Read more about Jed’s impressive journey and his role at Bee Partners: beepartners.vc/bee-partners-w… Welcome to the Bee Partners team, Jed—let’s create something extraordinary! ✨ #VC #Innovation #Biotech #ArtificialIntelligence #BiologicalMachines #BeePartners

🚀 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲? 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝗦𝗼—𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝘁 In this week’s Pathfinders episode, @kiranoodleman and @durable_ai CEO @n_keivan break down what it really takes to bring deep tech to the masses. Durable’s mission? An autonomous software agent that empowers anyone, coding skills or not, to develop custom applications. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀: • 𝗨𝗻𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: In deep tech, changing course can be risky; staying committed is key. • 𝗔𝗻 𝗠𝗩𝗣 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀: Durable’s MVP isn’t just a prototype—it’s proof users can actually build autonomously. • 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: Achieving product-market fit means growing without increasing the support load. 🎧 Catch the full episode for insights on how Durable is making tech usable: beepartners.vc/pathfinders-ep… #DeepTech #Innovation #Pathfinders #AI #ProductMarketFit

We’re thrilled to see @alejandravl13 highlighted in the @joinEVCA November Newsletter’s Investor Spotlight! 🌟 Her work at Bee Partners with transformative early-stage companies is making waves in the VC world. Check out Alejandra’s story, plus insights, job openings, and events in the latest newsletter: evca.substack.com/p/evca-newslet… #VentureCapital #InvestorSpotlight #BeePartners #Innovation

🚀 We’re thrilled to announce the promotion of @_austingrisham to Principal, Portfolio & Firm Operations at Bee Partners! beepartners.vc/bee-partners-p… Austin joined Bee Partners in 2022, bringing with him a wealth of experience from private equity and his journey as a founder. His impact on our portfolio support and firm operations has been transformative—from automating 50% of our marketing processes to collaborating with @TimDrakeSmith , Partner, Portfolio Operations, on go-to-market strategies for our companies. In his new role, Austin will continue to drive operational excellence across Bee Partners, strengthening our ecosystem of investors, portfolio companies, and deal flow partners. His ability to navigate complex challenges and support our portfolio from inception to Series A makes him an invaluable asset to our mission. Please join us in celebrating Austin’s well-deserved promotion! 🎉 Learn more about Austin’s journey and vision for Bee Partners in the full announcement below ⬇️ 🔗 beepartners.vc/bee-partners-p… #VentureCapital #Leadership #PortfolioManagement #BeePartners #DeepTech #StartupSuccess

We’re excited to see @infactory_ai , co-founded by @PipeAbellos, @kocienda, and @MoyBrooke, secure $4M in funding at a $25M valuation! 🚀 InFactory is redefining enterprise search with an AI-powered platform that focuses on delivering fact-based, transparent, and explainable results. Their mission? To help industries like SaaS, healthcare, and media make smarter, data-driven decisions. Bee Partners is proud to back this exceptional team as they lead the charge in transforming how enterprises access and trust their data. InFactory’s commitment to accuracy and transparency is a game changer in today’s rapidly evolving AI landscape. Looking forward to seeing what they accomplish next! cnbc.com/2024/10/08/for… #AI #Startups #EnterpriseTech #VentureCapital #Innovation #BeePartners

🎉 Congratulations to Juan and Carlos and the team at @ReshapeAutomate , for raising $5M in seed funding! This marks a major milestone in their mission to make industrial automation smarter and more accessible for manufacturers. With their Reshape Industrial Automation Hub, they’re helping businesses streamline operations and achieve measurable ROI with ease. We’re proud to be supporting their journey as they continue to drive innovation in the industrial space! 🚀 #SeedFunding #Automation #AI #Growth #BeePartners

Who else is attending the biennial @IMTSchicago next month? Our own @kiranoodleman and @alejandravl13 are presenting and want to see you! 👇 Register Here: xpressreg.net/register/imts0… As part of 'Shop of our Future,' join us on Tuesday, September 10, from 1:50-2:30 PM for Re-industrializing US Manufacturing and the Art of the Possible, powered by @amtonline and brought to you by @ZollerInc. 🤔 Primary Discussion Topic: How do U.S. manufacturing customers want to engage with startup innovation amidst labor shortages and geopolitical tensions? 💭 Truthfully, the companies that are going to create the biggest impact on U.S. small and mid-sized manufacturers don't yet exist or are nascent in operation. 🏭 Our team members will align us on what "industrial innovation" really is and then paint the picture of the massively exciting industrial automation opportunity at hand, covering key advances in domains like foundational hardware, software maturity, optimal hardware-software design, and speech-to-text!

🎙️ Guess what? Our new Pathfinders podcast is here! Deep dive into the journeys of visionary founders reshaping industries through innovative technology with your host, @kiranoodleman. Learn more below ⬇ 🌾 How is technology reshaping agriculture? Find out in this premiere episode! 👉 Tune In: beepartners.vc/pathfinders-ep… Join us this month as we explore the future of farming with @ShelyAronov, CEO & Co-Founder of @Inner_Plant, as she shares her inspiring story of revolutionizing the agriculture sector. The company recently raised its Series B, so listen in to learn how it leverages strategic partnerships and market trends to pioneer plant-by-plant treatment solutions!

Focusing on True Use is essential for AI startups to avoid the pitfalls of under-ambition or misguided applications. Curious about how to identify and harness the real value of AI, read our latest blog below! 👇 Why True Use Is The Test for Building a Truly Great AI Startup: beepartners.vc/why-true-use-i… @TimDrakeSmith and @Hladecek, who founded Red Sky Interactive, offer historical examples and lessons from Red Sky's journey, highlighting how these principles can guide today's AI innovators.