Source link : https://las-vegas-news.com/from-garage-to-global-the-biggest-tech-startups-that-took-over-the-world/
Airbnb: Renting Air Mattresses to Revolutionizing Travel
Airbnb started in 2008 when founders Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia, and Nathan Blecharczyk rented out air mattresses in their San Francisco apartment as a way to pay rent. What began as a quirky idea has transformed into one of the most influential travel platforms on the planet. The founders initially sold Barack Obama and John McCain cereal to sustain the business before receiving $20,000 in seed funding from Y Combinator and Sequoia Capital.
Fast forward to 2024, and the numbers tell a truly remarkable story. Airbnb saw its revenues increase by 12.1% in 2024 to $11.1 billion. Hosts booked 492 million Nights and Experiences in 2024, up 9.82% from 2023. The platform now connects travelers with over eight million active listings across more than 220 countries.
The company went public in December 2020, and by 2023, Airbnb’s global market capitalization was valued at over 73 billion U.S. dollars. This expansion didn’t come without challenges, though. Airbnb has faced persistent opposition from several major cities, due to a perceived increase in the cost of rent for locals, with Barcelona, Amsterdam, Paris, Venice and San Francisco enacting regulations specifically targeted at the short-term rental market.
Stripe: From Irish Brothers to Payment Processing Giant
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Author : Matthias Binder
Publish date : 2026-01-20 11:36:00
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