Subject: Airbnb

#1

Post by anateus » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 5:42 PM UTC

Subject: Airbnb
paulgraham.com

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#2

Post by zck » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 5:47 PM UTC

>(Fred Wilson): I am also talking to my friend Mark Pincus who had an idea like this a few years ago.

Mark Pincus is better known as the founder of Zynga, unless this is another Mark Pincus.

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#3

Post by wensing » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:01 PM UTC

Very encouraging to see that AirBnB struggled to prove market size. I know the pain.

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#4

Post by jedc » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:03 PM UTC

Wow, thanks PG (and Fred and AirBnB team). This is an awesome insight into angel/VC investment decisions. It's hugely valuable.

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#5

Post by siddhant » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:04 PM UTC

I think this is the post that best gives an idea of "Why should you do YC".

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#6

Post by Hovertruck » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:04 PM UTC

I have to say, it's pretty inspiring to see that PG went to bat that hard for the Airbnb guys.

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#7

Post by joshbert » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:04 PM UTC

Was I the only one that kind of smiled when reading the emails from PG to Fred pitching these guys? I loved that!

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#8

Post by jedc » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:06 PM UTC

zck wrote: post #2

>(Fred Wilson): I am also talking to my friend Mark Pincus who had an idea like this a few years ago. Mark Pincus is better known as the founder of Zynga, unless this is another Mark Pincus.

Nope, same guy. Fred has written a fair bit about him before.

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#9

Post by vaksel » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:07 PM UTC

interesting stuff

I was under the impression that YC introductions were pretty much the equivalent of "hey, here are some guys...invest in them"...but here you can see that there is a lot more pressure....bordering on begging

Re: Subject: Airbnb

#10

Post by chr15 » Thu, Mar 17, 2011, 6:08 PM UTC

I've told this story before on HN, but it's worth telling again.

I rented a room in L.A. using Airbnb. The owner of the room said he made $4000 in 3 months on two rooms that would have otherwise been vacant. If you're making this much money for people you've tapped into one helluva market.