The billionaires made a promise — now some want out

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

View this email online in your browser  March 16, 2026 TechCrunch Top 3 The billionaires made a promise — now some want out: An increasing number of billionaires are turning away from Bill Gates and Warren Buffett's Giving Pledge as wealth once again concentrates at the top. Read More TechCrunch Mobility: Travis Kalanick's return proves it really is 2016 again: Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation.   Read More Apple quietly launches AirPods Max 2: The successor to its premium headphones cost $549 and are launching with enhanced active noise cancellation, the H2 chip, live translation, better sound quality, and more. 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 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. Download the Kit Morning Must-Reads Honda is killing its EVs — and any chance of competing in the future: Honda's decision to kill its three EVs for the U.S. market will reverberate far beyond North America. Read More Google, Accel India accelerator chooses 5 startups and none are 'AI wrappers': Google and Accel say about 70% of AI startup pitches tied to India were "wrappers" as they reviewed more than 4,000 applications for their Atoms cohort. Read More US Army announces contract with Anduril worth up to $20B: The Army described this as a single enterprise contract consolidating more than 120 separate "procurement actions." Read More Rivian's RJ Scaringe thinks we're doing robots all wrong: Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe shares his thoughts and plans for his newest startup, Mind Robotics. Read More Wiz investor unpacks Google's $32B acquisition: Shardul Shah of Index Ventures walks us through Google's biggest acquisition ever. 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 Netflix's 'Frankenstein' wins three Oscars, 'KPop Demon Hunters' wins two: "Frankenstein" won for Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Makeup and Hairstyling, while "KPop Demon Hunters" won for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song. 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