11 results found

Microsoft's gaming division is undergoing a major strategic shift, rebranding as "Xbox" and adopting "daily active players" as its core metric. Under new CEO Asha Sharma, the company aims to tackle player frustrations, reevaluate game exclusivity, and pursue acquisitions, reflecting a renewed challenger mindset amidst recent financial pressures.

Amazon's acquisition of Globalstar, securing its Apple partnership and valuable assets, marks a significant escalation in the satellite internet race against Starlink and promises expanded satellite features for iPhone users.

Slack has announced over 30 new AI capabilities for Slackbot, marking its most significant update since the Salesforce acquisition. This transformation positions Slackbot as a full-spectrum enterprise agent capable of cross-platform meeting summaries, desktop operation, and third-party tool integration, aiming for substantial productivity gains. The update also introduces a native CRM and leverages Anthropic's Claude model, navigating competitive pressures and privacy concerns with a user-initiated, opt-in approach.

All eleven co-founders of Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company, xAI, have reportedly departed, culminating in a complete overhaul of its founding team. This exodus follows Musk's admission that xAI's products were "not built right" and comes amidst a $250 billion acquisition by SpaceX and a highly competitive AI talent market.
In a surprising revelation, tech giant Apple considered acquiring Lux Optics, the company behind the highly regarded Halide camera app. This potential deal, which ultimately fell through, sheds light on Apple's strategy
China is escalating scrutiny over Meta's $2 billion acquisition of Manus, a Singaporean AI startup with Chinese origins. Officials from China's National Development and Reform Commission have met with executives and are reportedly restricting Manus personnel from leaving China, aiming to deter Chinese AI talent from moving offshore.

New York-based financial operations giant Ramp has acquired Stockholm fintech Billhop, gaining crucial regulatory licenses to launch its corporate spend management platform in the UK and European markets this summer. This strategic move, announced March 13, 2026, allows Ramp to directly serve businesses across the European Economic Area and the UK. The acquisition comes as Ramp's US rival, Brex, is being acquired by Capital One, positioning Ramp for significant global expansion.

The TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 in Boston offers a high-leverage opportunity for developer-led startups to accelerate growth. Exhibiting provides direct access to over 1,000 founders, investors, and decision-makers, enabling rapid customer acquisition, capital raising, and strategic partnership formation. Leverage multi-channel ROI and strategic team deployment to convert three concentrated days into months of pipeline.

The creator economy is rapidly evolving beyond ad revenue, with digital entrepreneurs like MrBeast building business empires through product lines and startup acquisitions. This shift highlights how influence is becoming infrastructure, though its scalability beyond top creators remains a key question. TechCrunch's Equity podcast unpacks this trend alongside developments in AI, fintech, and global tech infrastructure.
Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, is retiring after a long tenure marked by the creation of Game Pass and major studio acquisitions. Asha Sharma, from Microsoft's CoreAI division, will succeed him as Executive VP and CEO, Microsoft Gaming. Sarah Bond is also leaving, while Matt Booty receives a promotion amidst challenges for the Xbox division.

Gartner's latest SEC filing reveals the sale of its Digital Markets division, including Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice, for $110 million. This disclosure provides crucial financial specifics for a transaction initially announced in early 2026 without monetary details, signaling a strategic shift for Gartner and impacting the B2B software review market.