Airbnb

Airbnb is an online marketplace where people rent out homes, rooms and other places to stay. Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia and Nathan Blecharczyk founded it in San Francisco in 2008. The idea began when they rented out air mattresses in their apartment during a design conference.

Hosts list their property, set prices and rules, and guests book through the website or app. Airbnb takes a service fee from both sides. Listings range from single rooms to villas, cabins and unusual stays such as treehouses.

The company later added Experiences, which are activities led by local hosts, and Airbnb Luxe for high-end homes. It went public in December 2020. Some cities limit short-term rentals, and Airbnb has had to follow local registration and tax rules in many places. Hosts must follow local rules, and several cities have introduced limits on short-term rentals. Airbnb pays hosts after guest check-in and offers a program that covers certain damage. Chesky remains chief executive, and the company is based in San Francisco.