Joe Gebbia

Joe Gebbia is the co-founder of Airbnb and Samara. An entrepreneur from an early age, he is obsessed with igniting new ideas. Most people don’t know that Gebbia began his life as an artist eventually double majoring in graphic design and industrial design. While studying in the Northeast, Gebbia complimented his creative pursuits and studies at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) with business coursework at Brown University and MIT. He credits Charles and Ray Eames and the Bauhaus movement for his approach to design.

After moving to San Francisco from Providence, Rhode Island, Gebbia worked as a designer for Chronicle Books where he experienced first-hand how a design-led business worked, department by department. His favorite spot is at the intersection of business and design.

Airbnb started out of the necessity to pay rent wIth his co-founders, Brian Chesky and Nathan Blecharczyk in 2008. What started as three airbeds, a bagel breakfast, welcoming hosts and an insider’s guide to the city, is now a global phenomenon of hospitality, human connectivity and economic stimulation. Today Airbnb has spread to nearly 5 million listings in more than 220 countries and regions changing how people trust each other.

His latest venture, Samara, started as an innovation team inside Airbnb and is now a privately funded start-up. Their first product is Backyard, a little home designed for the next phase of life. Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs, have become culturally popular as people’s values towards housing flexibility shift. The fully customized, factory made home is designed for rental income, a place to house family, work from home, or pursue an interest. However life evolves, Backyard was designed to change in purpose with the owner. The business is currently shipping homes in California and will expand to other states based on where consumers request on Samara.com.

Gebbia has spoken globally about both entrepreneurship and design, and received numerous distinctions such as the Inc 30 under 30. Airbnb was selected as one of the ‘Top 50 Innovative Companies’ by Fast Company and ‘Company of the Year’ by Inc. Gebbia loves to find opportunities to give back on the local and global level and has joined the Giving Pledge to commit more than half of his wealth to philanthropy. He contributes his time via other board seats at Airbnb, Airbnb.org, and Tesla. One of his favorite projects has been refurbishing a basketball court with Kevin Durant.