Max Chafkin

Max Chafkin is a contributing writer with Fast Company, and the author of Design Crazy: Good Looks, Hot Tempers, and True Genius at Apple. His work has appeared in The Best American Magazine Writing 2014 and The Best Business Writing 2012.

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Fast Company Magazine

Can Airbnb Unite The World?

After the attacks in Paris, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky is redoubling his efforts to expand his business—and close the cultural gaps between us.

Technology

Why Walking Tours, Snacks, And, Yes, Sex Tourism, Are Key To Airbnb’s Future

Inside CEO Brian Chesky’s plans to transform Airbnb into a company that offers more than just cheap rooms.

Fast Company Magazine

Elon Musk Powers Up: Inside Tesla’s $5 Billion Gigafactory

Elon Musk is venturing headfirst into the battery business. Here’s why it might be his boldest bet yet.

Entertainment

Shark Tank S7, Ep 5: Five Jerks And A Drone

Things look dark and then the sharks team up to save the day.

Fast Company Magazine

How Failed JC Penney CEO Ron Johnson Is Redeeming Himself With Enjoy

The former Apple retail guru was severely humbled after flaming out at JC Penney. Only a startup could save him.

Technology

SolarCity’s Rooftop Panels Are About To Get Way, Way Better

SolarCity has a big announcement that may help reshape the economics of renewables.

Fast Company Magazine

What Makes Uber Run

The transportation service has become a global brand, an economic force, and a cultural lightning rod.

Technology

Admit It, You Love Uber

We’ve gotten it into our heads that in order to be a socially conscious, 21st-century citizen, we should shun Uber. That’s crazy. Here’s why.

Fast Company Magazine

Y Combinator President Sam Altman Is Dreaming Big

The Silicon Valley startup factory that birthed Airbnb and Dropbox has grown even more ambitious under its new leader.

Technology

Here’s What It Looks Like When A Startup Wins Big at Y Combinator

The first stage of YC success is fundraising. How Mashgin went from a pitch to more than $1 million in seed funding in four business days.

Technology

What Happens After Y Combinator: The Marathon After The Sprint

Startup founders obsess about “winning” Demo Day. But even the winners will struggle to build sustainable businesses.

Technology

Ebola Drugs, Prison Inmates, Real, Live Rockets: Y Combinator’s New Launchpad

This year’s Demo Day showcases a bold new Y Combinator.

Technology

The Y Combinator Chronicles

Catch up on Fast Company ‘s series following the startup factory Y Combinator ahead of Demo Day (happening now in Mountain View).

Technology

How Y Combinator Startups Manufacture FOMO

In the run-up to the all-important Demo Day, entrepreneurs do whatever it takes to create momentum while staying cool.

Technology

Why Y Combinator Funded a Radical Political Party in Argentina

Silicon Valley investors are betting that the ideas that turned Airbnb and Dropbox into megahits can work for social enterprises.

Technology

Legendary Angel Investor Ron Conway Isn’t Looking At Your Idea, He’s Looking At You

With Demo Day fast approaching for the current batch of YC founders, we check in with legendary angel investor Ron Conway.

Technology

The Secret Million That Y Combinator Invests In All Its Startups

How Transcriptic, an on-demand life sciences lab, benefits from the startup factory’s growing array of free services.

Technology

How, and Why, Y Combinator Got Serious About Diversity

This weekend YC hosts its second annual Female Founders Conference, the women-in-tech showcase. It’s a worthy cause. And good business.

Fast Company Magazine

Warby Parker Sees the Future of Retail

For building the first great made-on-the-Internet brand.

Technology

“Guys, Let’s Grow The Hell Out Of This Company”: How Y Combinator Startups Go Big

The startup factory’s philosophy can be summed up simply: Grow fast! A look at how startups figure out what that means.

Ideas

Corporations’ green promises are often undermined by their lobbying

Ideas

The four-day work week is good for business

Ideas

Why Bill Gates backed a $30 million fight against Alzheimer’s

Entertainment

Daveed Diggs wants to represent “as many aspects of blackness as possible”

Entertainment

Mamma Mia! ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus reveals how the band keeps growing its empire

Entertainment

How everything–everything–changed for Netflix this week

Co.Design

Watch the future of manufacturing emerge from a giant vat of gel

Co.Design

Yes, Nike’s $250 Vaporfly shoes really can make you faster

Cities & Spaces

This is the world’s most beautiful TV news set

Fast Company

News

How to watch Shark Week 2018 live without cable

Leadership

Three hacks to help your brain learn stuff faster

Leadership

Max Chafkin

Can Airbnb Unite The World?

After the attacks in Paris, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky is redoubling his efforts to expand his business—and close the cultural gaps between us.

Why Walking Tours, Snacks, And, Yes, Sex Tourism, Are Key To Airbnb’s Future

Inside CEO Brian Chesky’s plans to transform Airbnb into a company that offers more than just cheap rooms.

Elon Musk Powers Up: Inside Tesla’s $5 Billion Gigafactory

Elon Musk is venturing headfirst into the battery business. Here’s why it might be his boldest bet yet.

Shark Tank S7, Ep 5: Five Jerks And A Drone

Things look dark and then the sharks team up to save the day.

How Failed JC Penney CEO Ron Johnson Is Redeeming Himself With Enjoy

The former Apple retail guru was severely humbled after flaming out at JC Penney. Only a startup could save him.

SolarCity’s Rooftop Panels Are About To Get Way, Way Better

SolarCity has a big announcement that may help reshape the economics of renewables.

What Makes Uber Run

The transportation service has become a global brand, an economic force, and a cultural lightning rod.

Admit It, You Love Uber

We’ve gotten it into our heads that in order to be a socially conscious, 21st-century citizen, we should shun Uber. That’s crazy. Here’s why.

Y Combinator President Sam Altman Is Dreaming Big

The Silicon Valley startup factory that birthed Airbnb and Dropbox has grown even more ambitious under its new leader.

Here’s What It Looks Like When A Startup Wins Big at Y Combinator

The first stage of YC success is fundraising. How Mashgin went from a pitch to more than $1 million in seed funding in four business days.

What Happens After Y Combinator: The Marathon After The Sprint

Startup founders obsess about “winning” Demo Day. But even the winners will struggle to build sustainable businesses.

Ebola Drugs, Prison Inmates, Real, Live Rockets: Y Combinator’s New Launchpad

This year’s Demo Day showcases a bold new Y Combinator.

The Y Combinator Chronicles

Catch up on Fast Company ‘s series following the startup factory Y Combinator ahead of Demo Day (happening now in Mountain View).

How Y Combinator Startups Manufacture FOMO

In the run-up to the all-important Demo Day, entrepreneurs do whatever it takes to create momentum while staying cool.

Why Y Combinator Funded a Radical Political Party in Argentina

Silicon Valley investors are betting that the ideas that turned Airbnb and Dropbox into megahits can work for social enterprises.

Legendary Angel Investor Ron Conway Isn’t Looking At Your Idea, He’s Looking At You

With Demo Day fast approaching for the current batch of YC founders, we check in with legendary angel investor Ron Conway.

The Secret Million That Y Combinator Invests In All Its Startups

How Transcriptic, an on-demand life sciences lab, benefits from the startup factory’s growing array of free services.

How, and Why, Y Combinator Got Serious About Diversity

This weekend YC hosts its second annual Female Founders Conference, the women-in-tech showcase. It’s a worthy cause. And good business.

Warby Parker Sees the Future of Retail

For building the first great made-on-the-Internet brand.

“Guys, Let’s Grow The Hell Out Of This Company”: How Y Combinator Startups Go Big

The startup factory’s philosophy can be summed up simply: Grow fast! A look at how startups figure out what that means.

Ideas

Corporations’ green promises are often undermined by their lobbying

The four-day work week is good for business

Why Bill Gates backed a $30 million fight against Alzheimer’s

Entertainment

Daveed Diggs wants to represent “as many aspects of blackness as possible”

Mamma Mia! ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus reveals how the band keeps growing its empire

How everything–everything–changed for Netflix this week

Co.Design

Watch the future of manufacturing emerge from a giant vat of gel

Yes, Nike’s $250 Vaporfly shoes really can make you faster

This is the world’s most beautiful TV news set

Fast Company

How to watch Shark Week 2018 live without cable

Three hacks to help your brain learn stuff faster

How a small worker-controlled farm collective could transform labor for decades