Joe Gebbia
Joe Gebbia is the co-founder of Airbnb and served as its first Chief Design Officer. A Rhode Island School of Design graduate, he led Airbnb's design ethos from a startup to a $85 billion company. In 2025, he was appointed U.S. Chief Design Officer to lead the National Design Studio.
Joe Gebbia's Bio
Joe Gebbia is the co-founder of Airbnb and served as its first Chief Design Officer, defining the company's brand and user experience from startup to $85 billion global platform. A Rhode Island School of Design graduate, Gebbia brought an artist's eye to business, believing design could solve human problems—starting with air mattresses for travelers during a 2007 design conference.
Before Airbnb, Gebbia's design background gave him a user-centric philosophy. The idea sparked when he and Brian Chesky rented air mattresses to afford rent, birthing a platform that would revolutionize travel by enabling people to "belong anywhere."
Gebbia's leadership gave Airbnb its iconic identity—from the Bélo symbol to photography standards that transformed listings. He championed that design wasn't just aesthetics but about building trust between strangers, essential to scaling across millions of hosts and guests.
Beyond Airbnb, Gebbia co-founded Samara (sustainable prefab homes) and joined Tesla's board in 2022. In 2025, he became the first U.S. Chief Design Officer, leading the National Design Studio within the Department of Government Efficiency, applying design thinking to public services.
Gebbia remains on Airbnb's board while pioneering design in government. His journey from RISD student to tech co-founder to government design leader shows how creative thinking reshapes industries and public problem-solving.
Career Timeline
2003 — Graduated from Rhode Island School of Design
Earned dual degrees in Graphic Design and Industrial Design from RISD
2007 — Co-founded Airbnb (concept)
Started with air mattresses for design conference attendees; born from need to pay rent
2008 — Airbnb, Inc. incorporated
Formally incorporated the company with Brian Chesky and Nathan Blecharczyk
2009 — Joined Airbnb Board of Directors
Began serving on the company's board, a role he continues to hold
2014 — Appointed Airbnb's first Chief Design Officer
Led design, brand, and user experience as the company scaled globally
2016 — Co-founded Samara
Launched venture focused on sustainable prefabricated homes and renewable energy
2022 — Joined Tesla Board of Directors
Appointed to Tesla's board, bringing design expertise to the automotive and energy company
2025 — Appointed U.S. Chief Design Officer at U.S. Government
Joined Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as first Chief Design Officer, leading the National Design Studio
2025 — Stepped down from Airbnb.org
Exited Airbnb.org role while remaining on Airbnb's main board
Episodes
Advice Line: Playing to Your Strengths
Guy Raz guides six founders through a masterclass in leveraging unique strengths. Honor Elliott reveals how creative intuition built Dosey into a viral pill organizer brand, while Sadie Lincoln scaled her fitness expertise into barre3's nationwide community. Joe Gebbia shares the superpower behind Airbnb, and Troy Carter discusses how talent-spotting built Atom Factory. RV Shongwe and Genevieve Evans contribute insights on technical mastery and strategic partnership. The episode's message is clear: sustainable success comes not from fixing weaknesses, but from doubling down on what you do best.
Advice Line with Joe Gebbia of Airbnb
Joe Gebbia returns to the Advice Line to help three early founders turn real-world constraints into growth moves. Marina Litto needs a defensible DTC brand beyond Amazon, Ray Ricky Rivera is hunting for capital to scale a Mexican-American beer brand, and Jael Thorpe wants to grow a women’s collegiate sports apparel company without losing what makes it distinctive. Gebbia’s advice is less about copying Airbnb and more about protecting product soul, finding the right investors, and building a brand people recognize before worrying about platform independence.
