Subject: Airbnb • Hacker News Board

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#21

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:18 PM UTC

pclark wrote: post #12

It's interesting that in the end Airbnb raised from Sequoia, I wonder if lots of other VCs passed. It possibly shows why Sequoia are the best.

[deleted]

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#22

Post by alienreborn » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:18 PM UTC

It seems PG has utmost belief in AirBnB guys from the beginning by the way he repeatedly tries to convince Fred to invest it.

Thanks for sharing the inside story. :)

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#23

Post by olivercameron » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:18 PM UTC

Not that I doubted it, but this shows that YC are really prepared to fight and defend your corner to help you advance. Great to read.

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#24

Post by chrismanfrank » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:18 PM UTC

pclark wrote: post #12

It's interesting that in the end Airbnb raised from Sequoia, I wonder if lots of other VCs passed. It possibly shows why Sequoia are the best.

i THINK that by the time sequoia invested, airbnb was obviously on a roll. i could be wrong though.

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#25

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:18 PM UTC

pclark wrote: post #12

It's interesting that in the end Airbnb raised from Sequoia, I wonder if lots of other VCs passed. It possibly shows why Sequoia are the best.

[deleted]

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#26

Post by alienreborn » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:19 PM UTC

It seems PG has utmost belief in AirBnB guys from the beginning by the way he repeatedly tries to convince Fred to invest it.

Thanks for sharing the inside story. :)

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#27

Post by luckystrike » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:19 PM UTC

thesis wrote: post #14

luckystrike wrote: post #11

If someone still has any doubts about the value of YC, they should read this email exchange. PG is pushing for the startup as if it was his own. He genuinely wanted them (and also the VC firm) to succeed. Great stuff.

What? He was invested in them. Do you think he wants to see them crash and burn?

You still really think he did all of that only because of YC's ~6% stake in them?

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#28

Post by DevX101 » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:22 PM UTC

You won me over PG. I'm applying to YC tomorrow.

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#29

Post by alain94040 » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:23 PM UTC

evanjacobs wrote: post #17

VCs often say they invest in team first and idea second but USV decided not to invest in AirBnb despite having no (obvious) reservations about the team or their ability to execute. Does this mean that ideas are more important than investors really let on?

Markets are the most important. Great team in a small market: no hope. Bad team anywhere: no hope. Great team in a great market, bad idea: there is hope (changing the idea is easy, just pour more money - changing the team is close to impossible)

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#30

Post by lurker19 » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:23 PM UTC

Wow. I did not get the pun in AirBnB until I saw it spellers out widhelm he lowercase b in airbed.

The capital B is either a branding miss or an intentional branding effort to look more upscale than Airbed.