# WIRED: Airbnb's surprising path to Y Combinator

- Canonical HTML: https://growth.iangoh.com/sources/wired-airbnb-s-surprising-path-to-y-combinator-wired-com/
- Original source: https://www.wired.com/2017/02/airbnbs-surprising-path-to-y-combinator/
- Domain: wired.com
- Latest check: 2026-06-07
- Channels: Brand, Founder-led sales, PR

## Cited GrowthDex tactics

- [Airbnb cereal PR stunt as runway](/growth-ideas/airbnb-cereal-pr-stunt-as-runway/) - Use a weird but relevant stunt to buy time, create founder proof, and earn a story only when the core product still gets the focus afterward.

## Related reading

- [GrowthDex Blog](/blog/)
- [All growth ideas](/growth-ideas/index.md)