ScaleOps raises $130M to improve computing efficiency amid AI demand

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories to start your morning

View this email online in your browser  March 30, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 ScaleOps raises $130M to improve computing efficiency amid AI demand: ScaleOps just raised $130M to tackle GPU shortages and soaring AI cloud costs by automating infrastructure in real time. Read More AI chip startup Rebellions raises $400 million at $2.3B valuation in pre-IPO round: The startup, which is planning to go public later this year, designs chips specifically for AI inference, another challenger to Nvidia's dominance. Read More Why OpenAI really shut down Sora: OpenAI's decision last week to shut down Sora, its AI video-generation tool, just six months after releasing it to the public raised immediate suspicions. The app had invited users to upload their own faces — so was this some kind of elaborate data grab? Read More Disrupt 2026: Where deals and ideas ignite Oct 13–15 at San Francisco's Moscone West, 10,000 founders, investors, and operators gather for high-signal insights, curated connections, and real momentum. Sign up! A message from Stripe Complimentary pass to Sessions with code s26techcrunch100 Join Stripe at Sessions 2026—the internet economy conference—happening April 29–30 in San Francisco. Join fellow business leaders, founders, and developers to explore the latest in financial technology, global commerce, and strategies for growth. Register with code s26techcrunch100 for a complimentary pass. Register Now Morning Must-Reads SXSW rebounds as a top networking, ideas festival for founders and VCs: SXSW made some changes this year, but some founders loved it all the same. Read More 'Project Hail Mary' becomes Amazon MGM's biggest box office hit: Amazon's bet on "Project Hail Mary" has paid off handsomely. Read More Starcloud raises $170 million Series A to build data centers in space: Starcloud becomes the fastest Y Combinator startup to reach unicorn status, just 17 months after demo day. Read More Sora's shutdown could be a reality check moment for AI video: Is this just normal corporate strategy, or are we about to see a broader pullback on AI-generated video? Read More Mark Zuckerberg texted Elon Musk to offer help with DOGE: While the relationship was once thorny enough that Musk challenged Zuckerberg to a cagefight, things seem to have warmed up by the early days of the second Trump administration. Read More A message from Stripe Complimentary pass to Sessions with code s26techcrunch100 Join Stripe at Sessions 2026—the internet economy conference—happening April 29–30 in San Francisco. Join fellow business leaders, founders, and developers to explore the latest in financial technology, global commerce, and strategies for growth. Register with code s26techcrunch100 for a complimentary pass. Register Now Last but Not Least The Pixel 10a doesn't have a camera bump, and it's great: The Google Pixel 10a can lay flat on a table, but otherwise the company hasn't brought a ton of upgrades to its newest budget smartphone. Read More Check out some of our other newsletters: StrictlyVC TechCrunch Events TechCrunch Mobility Want to adjust your daily newsletter schedule? You can do it right here Got a tip? Get in touch securely. Want to advertise on TechCrunch? advertise@techcrunch.com Has this been forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. Unsubscribe Member Center Privacy Policy Copyright © 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107

SXSW rebounds as a top networking, ideas festival for founders and VCs

Plus more of TechCrunch's top stories this weekend

View this email online in your browser  March 29, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 SXSW rebounds as a top networking, ideas festival for founders and VCs: SXSW made some changes this year, but some founders loved it all the same. Read More Waymo's skyrocketing ridership in one chart: Waymo's weekly paid robotaxi trips have increased tenfold in less than two years. Read More Let's take a look at the retro tech making a comeback: Boomboxes, instant cameras, and even landlines are making a comeback. Here are the coolest retro-inspired devices available. Read More A message from TechCrunch Events Limited tickets available: StrictlyVC San Francisco StrictlyVC kicks off the series in SF on April 30. Be in the room for unfiltered fireside chats with industry leaders, insider VC insights, and high-value connections that actually move the needle. Past speakers include Jay Graber, Max Hodak, and more. Tickets are limited. Register Now Sunday Must-Reads Mark Zuckerberg texted Elon Musk to offer help with DOGE: While the relationship was once thorny enough that Musk challenged Zuckerberg to a cagefight, things seem to have warmed up by the early days of the second Trump administration. Read More Anthropic's Claude popularity with paying consumers is skyrocketing: Estimates for total Claude consumer users are all over the map (we've seen figures ranging from 18 million to 30 million). Anthropic hasn't disclosed this data, but a spokesperson did tell TechCrunch that Claude paid subscriptions have more than doubled this year. Read More Elon Musk's last co-founder reportedly leaves xAI: All but two of Musk's 11 xAI co-founders departed before this week. Read More Bluesky leans into AI with Attie, an app for building custom feeds: Bluesky's new app Attie uses AI to help people build custom feeds the open social networking protocol atproto. Read More Stanford study outlines dangers of asking AI chatbots for personal advice: While there's been plenty of debate about AI sycophancy, a new study by Stanford computer scientists attempts to measure how harmful that tendency might be. Read More A message from TechCrunch Events Momentum and deals start at Disrupt — Save up to $400 now At Disrupt, founders find momentum, VCs discover their next investment, and operators take their next leap. October 13–15 in San Francisco, 10,000 tech leaders converge at San Francisco's Moscone West to connect and hear from 250+ industry-defining voices across 200+ sessions. Save up to $400 on your pass. Or save up to 30% when you bring your community. Register Now Disrupt 2026: Where deals and ideas ignite Oct 13–15 at San Francisco's Moscone West, 10,000 founders, investors, and operators gather for high-signal insights, curated connections, and real momentum. Sign up! Last but Not Least These iPad apps will make you wish you had more free time: We've compiled a list of some of the best iPad apps for creativity that are available on the App Store.  Read More Check out some of our other newsletters: StrictlyVC TechCrunch Events TechCrunch Mobility Want to adjust your daily newsletter schedule? You can do it right here Got a tip? Get in touch securely. Want to advertise on TechCrunch? advertise@techcrunch.com Has this been forwarded to you? Click here to subscribe to this newsletter. Unsubscribe Member Center Privacy Policy Copyright © 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC 501 2nd Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94107