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.

Tech

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.

Creativity

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.

Tech

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.

Tech

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.

Tech

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.

Tech

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.

Tech

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

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

Tech

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).

Tech

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.

Tech

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.

Tech

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.

Tech

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.

Tech

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.

Tech

“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.

Tech

How excited should anyone get over Meta’s VR headset prototypes?

Tech

An anthropologist explains why we need a universal language when talking about the metaverse

Tech

How a tech startup is using AI to find better treatments for autism

News

Celsius ‘pauses’ social media communications and warns liquidity stabilization ‘will take time’

News

Snap is tired of being misunderstood—and it just hired one of the world’s best storytellers

News

They lost thousands of dollars to scammers on LinkedIn. The platform is fighting back

Co.Design

The sneaky way that corsets have reemerged in modern life

Co.Design

The 2,000-foot bridge was constructed without a single drawing

Co.Design

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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.

Tech

How excited should anyone get over Meta’s VR headset prototypes?

An anthropologist explains why we need a universal language when talking about the metaverse

How a tech startup is using AI to find better treatments for autism

News

Celsius ‘pauses’ social media communications and warns liquidity stabilization ‘will take time’

Snap is tired of being misunderstood—and it just hired one of the world’s best storytellers

They lost thousands of dollars to scammers on LinkedIn. The platform is fighting back

Co.Design

The sneaky way that corsets have reemerged in modern life

The 2,000-foot bridge was constructed without a single drawing

How the travel industry uses scents to improve your vacation—and entice you to return

Work Life