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 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 Waymo's skyrocketing ridership in one chart: Waymo's weekly paid robotaxi trips have increased tenfold in less than two years. 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 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 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 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 Whoop's fitness band is cool. Can it stay cool as the company grows?: Whoop founder Will Ahmed has spent 14 years building a health wearable beloved by elite athletes, and is now racing Oura — and the FDA, and the limits of consumer medicine — to turn it into something that could one day save your life. 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 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 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