TechCrunch Top 3

What ClickUp's mass layoff tells us about the future of work: The nine-year-old startup is replacing hundreds of employees with thousands of AI agents. Read More

The pope’s AI encyclical isn’t really about AI: Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical uses AI as a lens to diagnose older problems: concentrated power, eroding democracy, and a tech elite that shapes the world to its own advantage. Read More

The pitch trick that helped an eSports startup raise $20M when VCs only wanted AI: Earlier this year, Lucra Sports founder and CEO Dylan Robbins did something that no one else has ever done. And he shared several secrets on how he did it. Read More

A message from NVIDIA and Microsoft

New during Microsoft Build: The NVIDIA Builder’s Arcade

Enter the NVIDIA Builder’s Arcade now to preview interactive challenges, prizes, and NVIDIA happenings during M icrosoft Build. Challenges go live June 1 and run through June 5 with daily activities focused on agentic AI and the chance to score exclusive NVIDIA discounts.

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Afternoon Must-Reads

Startup Battlefield 200 applications close in days: Apply before May 27: The deadline to apply or nominate for Startup Battlefield 200 is May 27. This is your shot at VC access, global visibility, TechCrunch coverage, and $100,000. Apply now. Read More

5 days left: Save up to $410 on TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 passes before prices increase: Early Bird savings for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 in San Francisco end May 29 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Register now to save up to $410 before prices increase. Read More

I tried Amazon's Bee wearable and am both intrigued and slightly creeped out: Like other AI wearables, Amazon's Bee offers an odd combination of convenience and privacy anxiety. Read More

6 kitchen gadgets that make adulting feel easier: From a robot stirring your soup to a bread machine that kneads your dough, here are 6 gadgets that may make you feel like you’ve won adulthood. Read More

Xreal, Google's smartglasses partner, thinks it has finally mastered this notoriously tricky industry: Chi Xu, the founder and CEO of XREAL, thinks the smart glasses business has finally reached a turning point. Read More

A message from Fidelity

Your Pitch Isn’t the Only Thing Investors Are Evaluating.

Investors don’t just listen to what you say - they look at how your company operates. Is ownership clear? Do your numbers match your story? Can you answer follow-up questions without digging through spreadsheets? The Fundraise-Ready Startup Kit equips founders with the materials investors expect to see, before pressure is on. Because confidence in the room doesn’t come from slides. It comes from preparation.

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Last but Not Least

TechCrunch Mobility: Robotaxi reality check: Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Read More