Airbnb rebounds to $112 billion market value after pandemic loss

Airbnb’s market capitalisation has risen to $112 billion following the COVID‑19 pandemic, despite an 80 % drop in bookings during the early months of the crisis. The company was founded in 2008 by Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia and Nathan Blecharczyk after Chesky hosted three inflatable air beds in his San Francisco home during a design conference. Chesky’s decision to attend art school instead of a higher‑paying career, encouraged by his social‑worker parents, set the stage for the platform’s growth.