Bluesky hits 15M + ChatGPT joins your desktop

Hey SaaS Sentinel reader. Welcome back. A Bulgaria-based startup is building an enterprise AI platform for mid-to-large companies, Bluesky continues to see rapid growth as users leave Elon Musk’s X, and Chat-GPT just released a feature that lets devs integrate the chatbot directly into their coding environment. Here’s what’s happening in SaaS this week.

• Team-GPT secures $4.5M to offer a suite of customizable AI tools for enterprises

• The X alternative, Bluesky, attracts 15M users with its community-focused platform

• ChatGPT’s newest feature lets developers integrate the chatbot directly into coding environments

Team-GPT Bags $4.5M to Simplify Enterprise AI Adoption

For companies scrambling to integrate AI but overwhelmed by piecemeal solutions, Team-GPT is stepping in with a promise: one suite to rule them all.

The Bulgaria-based startup, launched in 2023 by Iliya Valchanov and his co-founders, has created a software suite that packages AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude into one enterprise-friendly platform. The kicker? It can be deployed on-premises, letting businesses retain full control over their data—no snooping from OpenAI or Anthropic.

Making waves in enterprise AI
Valchanov’s pitch is resonating. Big names like Salesforce and Johns Hopkins are already onboard, and Team-GPT counts 45,000 clients to date. The company also offers perks like online AI training courses and enterprise features like platform administration.

On Tuesday, Team-GPT announced a $4.5M seed round led by True Ventures, with contributions from angel investors, including ex-OpenAI employees.

The edge
Unlike competitors (OpenAI, Dust, and Langdock), Team-GPT caters specifically to mid-to-large companies that want AI customized to their needs, with no data retention worries.

Roadblocks
The fundraising journey wasn’t easy. As a non-Silicon Valley team, Valchanov clocked two months in San Francisco and pitched 85 VCs to close the deal. But the persistence paid off, setting Team-GPT up to expand its enterprise offerings in a booming AI market.

The bigger picture
With enterprises increasingly focused on privacy and operational efficiency, Team-GPT is banking on its suite approach to become a go-to for AI adoption. Whether it can maintain its momentum in the competitive landscape remains to be seen.

Read more.

What is Bluesky, the fast-growing social platform welcoming X users?

As Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) continues to stir controversy, disillusioned users are taking flight—straight to Bluesky.

The Jack Dorsey-backed platform saw a surge in users this fall, climbing from 13 million in late October to 15 million by mid-November. The influx followed frustrations with X's policies, including changes that allowed blocked accounts to view public posts. 

Bluesky's ad-free, community-driven ethos has made it a haven for journalists, politicians, and celebrities craving a less toxic, nostalgia-tinged social media experience.

Why Bluesky?
Think of it as Twitter’s kinder cousin:

• Chronological feeds.

• Curated “starter packs” for easy onboarding.

• A focus on community and moderation over viral outrage.

Its early invite-only period helped the platform fine-tune its moderation tools and cultivate a lighter, friendlier vibe.

Beyond the platform
Bluesky has bigger ambitions than replacing X. The team is building an interoperability protocol to enable seamless communication across platforms. In a world where social networks are siloed ecosystems, this could revolutionize how we interact online.

The road ahead
Despite its growth, Bluesky is still small compared to X. And while X touts record-breaking engagement during events like the U.S. election, Bluesky’s focus on user experience and technical innovation could make it a serious contender for social media’s future.

Read more.

ChatGPT Wants to Be Your Coding Buddy—Directly on macOS

Developers, rejoice: OpenAI’s ChatGPT just got a major upgrade on macOS. The chatbot’s new Work with Apps feature lets it read code directly from your favorite coding tools like VS Code, Xcode, and Terminal.

Instead of copying and pasting code into the chatbot (we’ve all been there), developers can now send sections of code as context with their prompts. This is a time-saver for debugging, refactoring, or just brainstorming the next big thing in your app.

What’s the catch?

• It’s not writing code directly into your app—yet. You’ll still need to paste its suggestions manually.

• Compatibility depends on macOS’s accessibility API, meaning it can read text but not visual elements.

• Token usage is likely to go up since the feature sends 200 lines of code or the entire active window for processing.

A step toward agentic AI
OpenAI is clear: this isn’t a full-fledged AI agent. But it’s a foundational step toward a future where ChatGPT can seamlessly collaborate with apps across your computer.

Who’s it for?
Currently available to Plus and Teams users, with Enterprise and Edu getting access soon, Work with Apps targets developers who are heavy users of AI coding assistants. OpenAI plans to expand the feature to writing and other text-based apps in the future.

The competition
While OpenAI builds its app-reading chops, competitors like Anthropic are exploring broader AI agent capabilities, including desktop-wide screen analysis. For now, though, OpenAI is focused on delivering a reliable coding assistant.

Looking ahead
With Apple preparing to launch ChatGPT integrations in December and OpenAI reportedly working on a general-purpose AI agent called Operator for 2025, the race to redefine how AI works with your desktop is heating up.

Read more.

Parting Thoughts

Well, that’s the tech news for this week. Hit reply and let us know—did you learn something from today’s newsletter?

Until next time!