In 2009, Airbnb was close to going bust with revenue flatlining at $200 a week. Since then, over 9 million people have used it to find temporary housing. Etsy was founded almost a decade ago, but doubled its valuation with its last two rounds of funding.
The gradual but ultimately huge success of these entrants to the marketplace space has paved the way for Uber and Lyft’s breakout growth, and the explosion in startups with marketplace models: Postmates, Getaround, Taskrabbit, and more — quickly eclipsing the old guard represented by Craigslist.
Marketplace startups are unique because they aren’t just serving one base of customers. They connect buyers and sellers, service providers and consumers. They have to make sure users are having a good experience with each other as well as their company. As head of product for fashion marketplace Threadflip, it's remarkable to me how much of this is based on our ability to inspire and maintain trust. And while...
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Click through to the First Round Capital Review to read more...
