Brian Chesky was born on August 29, 1981, in Niskayuna, New York. In 1999, Chesky started attending the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in industrial design in 2004. He came up with the idea for Airbnb alongside Joe Gabbia after renting their apartment to guests. Chesky became CEO of Airbnb when it was founded in 2008. He and his co-founders were able to secure funding through Y Combinator, and the company grew rapidly in the coming years. On June 11, 2016, Chesky joined Warren Buffett and Bill Gates' 'The Giving Pledge', a group of billionaires who have committed to give the majority of their wealth away.