Amy Saper

We raised $10M led by @uncorkcap to make on-device AI inference accessible to developers building on Apple Silicon. We're using the funds to expand model coverage across text, voice, and vision, working directly with model makers to bring their models on-device where latency, cost, and privacy favor local execution over cloud. Our proprietary inference engine is up to 37% faster than Apple's MLX with up to 59% faster prefill. Developers integrate it in a few lines of code without needing specialized systems expertise. The runtime supports hybrid deployments, routing inference between device and cloud seamlessly. Models running on-device are becoming a new capability layer where developers can build system-level experiences independently. We're building the infrastructure that enables that future. The round includes participation from an incredible group of angels including @dps @FrancoisChauba1 @marcinzukowski @matiii @gokulr @scooterbraun @krishnanvijay @benparr @MattPRD @adityajami and others. More on it at our blog trymirai.com/blog/mirai-rai…

We are thrilled to share that @jaltma is joining Benchmark as our newest General Partner. The Benchmark partnership is built on a shared commitment to the craft of venture capital, where our work is defined by the depth of service and commitment to the founders we work with. We believe this work does not scale and is best practiced where we win as a team of partners. By operating as a true partnership rather than a collection of individual franchises, we ensure that every founder we back benefits from our combined experience and a singular, shared commitment to their success. We first met Jack as a founder of Lattice over a decade ago. We followed Jack as he built Lattice into a leader in its category and navigated the turbulence that every software company faced in 2020. We admired Jack’s character and the way he prioritized transparency and authenticity to build a great team. That same value system defined his transition to founding a venture capital firm, Alt Cap, where he has made a familiar commitment to craft and service over capital. As an investor, Jack has partnered with some of the most ambitious founders of the generation with his investments in Legora, Rogo, Owner, Avoca, Rippling, and many others. Founders told us “I call Jack first to work through the toughest problems,” “He is my most trusted partner on the board,” and “Jack provides steady and grounded support that is rooted in having been a founder himself.” He combines relentless energy, deep intellectual curiosity, and a competitiveness to see founders win, all anchored by high integrity. We have always believed that our firm’s strength lies in its equal partnership: a small, focused group of individuals who operate with the same authority, responsibility, and singular mission to support entrepreneurs from the earliest stages. By joining our partnership, Jack brings a fresh perspective that will help us continue this mission. Welcome to Benchmark, Jack. – Ev, Chetan, Eric, Peter

Our run-rate revenue is $14 billion, and has grown over 10x in each of the past 3 years. This growth has been driven by our position as the intelligence platform of choice for enterprises and developers. Read more: anthropic.com/news/anthropic…

🕊️ Catherine O'Hara has died at 71. What we know: tmz.me/aWlLKlg

@curiosityonx Matteo please apply to work at NASA and I will personally throw in a fighter jet ride as a signing bonus

How do you spot a top 1% startup before it's obvious? @tmrohan and I were curious about a quiet class of employees who seem just as good as—if not better than—the most famous VCs at spotting generational companies before they blow up. How do these rare folks keep joining world-changing companies before most of the world even notices them? To find out, Terrence and I interviewed 5 people whose resumes include some of Silicon Valley’s most remarkable companies: @PalantirTech, @OpenAI, @Facebook, @Stripe, @Linear, @Figma, @NotionHQ, @SlackHQ, @Box, @Spotify, and @Dropbox. Each joined at least two of these companies early—an extraordinary feat, especially since they committed as full-time employees, not diversified investors. Their “hit rate” is phenomenal. We were curious: What did they see? How did they choose? Are there lessons to take from their experiences? Across their stories, we saw three distinct factors that mattered most: 1. Ambition bordering on “ludicrous” 3. Judging today’s product is a trap 3. Founders, above everything Though originally written for job seekers, these insights apply much more broadly—for founders, investors, or anyone trying to recognize greatness early. Here’s what to look for: lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-spot-… Huge thank you to @cjc @bobmcgrewai @soleio @rsms @seanrose for sharing your incredible insights with us 🙏

Gamma is wild: - Just 50 people - Generating $100M ARR - Valued at over $2B - Profitable for 15+ consecutive months - With more cash in the bank than they raised - In a category that most VCs dismissed In fact, one investor told @thisisgrantlee his idea was “the dumbest idea he had ever heard.” Today, @GammaApp is one of the hottest AI startups in the world, and unlike most fast-growing AI startups, they're a model for how to build a sustainable, profitable, and durable AI product and brand. In my conversation with @thisisgrantlee, we discuss: 🔸 How Gamma discovered product-market fit 🔸 Their process for building a “word-of-mouth growth machine” 🔸 How they leveraged more than 1,000 micro-influencers (instead of a few big names) 🔸 Why focusing on the “first 30 seconds” transformed their business 🔸 Their pricing strategy that led to profitability within months 🔸 How Grant thinks about building a durable “GPT wrapper” business Listen now 👇 • YouTube: youtu.be/3H0ngGU5pbM • Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/2yLY46… • Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dum… Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for supporting the podcast: 🏆 @TrustVanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security: vanta.com/lenny 🏆 @justworks—The all-in-one HR solution for managing your small business with confidence: justworks.com 🏆 @MiroHQ—A collaborative visual platform where your best work comes to life: miro.com/lenny