Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia launched Airbnb in 2008 after renting out air mattresses in their San Francisco apartment.
The idea emerged during a design conference in San Francisco when local hotels were full. Chesky and Gebbia created a simple website offering sleeping space and breakfast, initially calling the service AirBed & Breakfast.
Nathan Blecharczyk later joined the founding team as the technical co-founder. The company expanded from air mattresses and short-term room listings into a global platform for homes, apartments, and other stays.
A common mix-up is confusing Airbnb with Couchsurfing. Couchsurfing focused on hospitality and free stays, while Airbnb developed a commercial booking marketplace. Airbnb shortened its name in 2009.