Better Auth, an authentication tool by a self-taught Ethiopian dev, raises $5M from Peak XV, YC

Better Auth, an open-source TypeScript authentication framework, has raised $5M seed funding from Peak XV and Y Combinator. Built by self-taught Ethiopian developer Bereket Engida, the tool allows developers to implement authentication directly in their databases rather than relying on external services like Auth0 or Firebase. The framework has gained significant traction with 150,000+ weekly downloads and 15,000+ GitHub stars, particularly among AI startups needing custom authentication flows. Unlike hosted services, Better Auth keeps user data on-premise and offers flexible customization options.