Co-founder tells RISD grads about the birth of Airbnb

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Airbnb’s co-founder says his own money struggles led to the birth of the popular online home-sharing service.

The Providence Journal reports (https://bit.ly/2qLKDNR ) Brian Chesky told graduates of the Rhode Island School of Design on Saturday that in an attempt to make rent in San Francisco, he and his friends, including co-founder Joe Gebbia, came up with the idea to rent the air mattresses in their apartment to the attendees of an international design conference.

He says the designers stayed at their apartment that weekend and they made enough to pay their rent- and that’s how Airbnb was born.

Chesky delivered the keynote address at RISD’s commencement ceremony at the Rhode Island Convention Center, where he and Gebbia received honorary doctorate degrees.

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Information from: The Providence Journal, https://www.providencejournal.com