Matthew, I think at this point it will be about out-executing the second movers. Of which innovation will play somewhat of a part. The second mover advantage can be strong... especially well funded. But a better group of executors with the same business model should win in the end. I hope your startup founders have got the experience to take it big fast.
I wish you all the best and god-speed on that execution. Patrick. On 14 June 2011 21:30, Matthew Ho <matt.h...@gmail.com> wrote: > We'll just keep innovating and changing the game. > > Cheers, > Matt "All I do is win" Ho > > On Jun 15, 9:06 am, Rob James <james....@gmail.com> wrote: > > Seem to be a hot topic right now - more on the same.... $90M injection > for a clone?! Whoa! > > > > http://techcrunch.com/2011/06/14/investors-pump-90-million-into-airbn... > > > > Regards > > > > Rob James > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Wednesday, 15 June 2011 at 6:29 AM, Matthew Ho wrote: > > > Two weeks ago, Rachel Botsman (author of What's Mine Is Yours) > > > appeared on Sunrise Channel 7 and stated that "You can't copy Airbnb, > > > it is a community". > > > > > While I'm not an official spokesperson, I can share this response from > > > our team. The founders of Airbnb brought the idea of a community > > > marketplace for sharing spaces/properties to the world. Airbnb changed > > > the way people travel and share experiences on a global scale. > > > > > Airbnb is not just a website, and its not a product. Airbnb is a > > > community. Other sites may borrow our concept or copy our design, but > > > the genuine, trusted relationships our community fosters cannot be > > > replicated through a few lines of code. Airbnb has become a movement. > > > > > Personally, what also interests me is seeing people that get inspired > > > by what we do. Those that have extended the concept of Airbnb to new > > > innovation. I've been following Techcrunch Disrupt NYC, and Uber > > > shared the same stage as Airbnb with a concept of shared private cabs. > > > The winner of the hackathon challenge was GoGetCars (shared cars). > > > > > There are exciting websites like Vayable (unique travel experiences) > > > which just got accepted into Y Combinator and met through Airbnb. Look > > > at Housefed, get a homecooked meal whereever you are (the Airbnb for > > > meals). I've seen another one for sharing private jets. > > > > > You see so many startups now calling themselves "The Airbnb of X", > > > which is really cool. I wake up everyday excited about working for > > > Airbnb cause I know that it is going to be a very special company. I'm > > > energised by the people that I interact with in our Airbnb community > > > and also my Airbnb colleagues overseas. > > > > > I'll also share this with you all - when I met with Airbnb in the US, > > > I knew who they were but I didn't fully comprehend the impact they > > > were going to have (I don't think anyone could have!). I met the > > > founders Brian and Joe, and most of the team in San Francisco and I > > > thought that they were really down to earth, and also very cool > > > people. Later that day, I met Elias Bizannes and he helped convince me > > > that Airbnb was THE company I had to join (I owe him for this piece of > > > advice!). A few weeks later, I became their first hire in Australia. > > > > > I'm occassionally at Silicon Beach, so if you see me around I'll talk > > > your ear off about Airbnb!! > > > > > Cheers, > > > > > Matt Ho > > > Airbnb > > > @inspiredworlds > > > > > On Jun 14, 12:41 pm, Kate Kendall <kendall.k...@gmail.com ( > http://gmail.com)> wrote: > > > > I was recently at Aibnb HQ chatting about their "competition" and > have just > > > > read this TechCrunch piece from last week, which brought the issue to > mind > > > > again. > > > > > >http://techcrunch.com/2011/06/09/airbnb/< > http://techcrunch.com/2011/06/09/airbnb/> > > > > > > I find the whole thing pretty fascinating. Basically, people like the > German > > > > Samwer brothers, build clones of popular North American sites, grow a > user > > > > base and then try to sell the company back to the original. Often > > > > successfully. > > > > > > Obviously we don't see it to this extent in Australia but a lot of > what we > > > > have is certainly inspired. > > > > > > It also makes me think of the following quote: > > > > > > "It is better to *fail* in originality than to succeed in > *imitation*." > > > > Herman Melville > > > > > > Just wanted to gauge your opinion... > > > > > > Cheers, > > > > > > Kate > > > > > > @katekendall <http://twitter.com/katekendall>http:/ > /thefetch.orghttp://katekendall.com > > > > > -- > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon > Beach Australia mailing list. > > > > > Guidelines on discussion: > http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia/msg/351e183e13... > > > > > No lurkers! It is expected that you introduce yourself. > > > > > To post to this group, send email to > > > silicon-beach-australia@googlegroups.com (mailto: > silicon-beach-australia@googlegroups.com) > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > silicon-beach-australia+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com (mailto: > silicon-beach-australia+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com) > > > For more options, visit this group at > > >http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia?hl=en?hl=en > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon Beach > Australia mailing list. > > Guidelines on discussion: > http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia/msg/351e183e1303508d?hl=en%3Fhl%3Den > > No lurkers! It is expected that you introduce yourself. > > To post to this group, send email to > silicon-beach-australia@googlegroups.com > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > silicon-beach-australia+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia?hl=en?hl=en > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Silicon Beach Australia mailing list. Guidelines on discussion: http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia/msg/351e183e1303508d?hl=en%3Fhl%3Den No lurkers! It is expected that you introduce yourself. To post to this group, send email to silicon-beach-australia@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to silicon-beach-australia+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/silicon-beach-australia?hl=en?hl=en
