The Upstarts

The Upstarts How Uber, Airbnb, and the Killer Companies of the New Silicon Valley Are Changing the World

Brad Stone2017
Ten years ago, the idea of getting into a stranger's car, or walking into a stranger's home, would have seemed bizarre and dangerous, but today it's as common as ordering a book online. Uber and Airbnb are household names- redefining neighbourhoods, challenging the way governments regulate business and changing the way we travel. In the spirit of iconic Silicon Valley renegades like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, a new generation of entrepreneurs is sparking yet another cultural upheaval through technology. They are among the Upstarts, idiosyncratic founders with limitless drive and an abundance of self-confidence. Young, hungry and brilliant, they are rewriting the traditional rules of business, changing our day-to-day lives and often sidestepping serious ethical and legal obstacles in the process. The Upstarts is the definitive account of a dawning age of tenacity, creativity, conflict and wealth. In Brad Stone's highly anticipated and riveting account of the most radical companies of the new Silicon Valley, we find out how it all started, and how the world is wildly different than it was ten years ago.
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Reviews

Photo of Chris Lim
Chris Lim@icednitrocoldbrew
4.5 stars
Mar 5, 2023

Very interest read, difficult to put down.

I finished it in a week. Brad Stone did an amazing job at compiling these well-researched stories of how AirBnb and Uber 'changed the rules' to win over their competitors and become the household brands.

This review contains a spoiler
Photo of Bouke van der Bijl
Bouke van der Bijl@bouk
2 stars
Mar 1, 2023

Incredibly lukewarm book, most of the information could fit on two sheets of paper. Not really worth the time

Photo of Nicholas Hanemann
Nicholas Hanemann@nick_h
1 star
Dec 20, 2021

After the introductory chapter, this book starts off talking about criticism of Airbnb as "Some of them [housing activists] are looking to to score political points by vilifying a high-profile target." Oh, no, the horror, those dastardly *checks paper* activists fighting for *checks paper again* affordable housing. Not feeling like slogging through ten hours of fawning adoration for these chumps.

Photo of Harry Butcher
Harry Butcher@Hbutcher
4 stars
Jul 3, 2022
Photo of Mat Connor
Mat Connor@mconnor
4 stars
Jun 25, 2024
Photo of Niels Andersen
Niels Andersen@nielsandersen
4 stars
Apr 30, 2024
Photo of Willie Richter
Willie Richter@willie
3 stars
Apr 3, 2024
Photo of Furculita Alexandru
Furculita Alexandru@furculita
5 stars
Dec 20, 2023
Photo of Fernando Gouveia
Fernando Gouveia@fernxyz
5 stars
Dec 18, 2023
Photo of Mert
Mert@mertb
4 stars
Sep 10, 2023
Photo of Coleman McCormick
Coleman McCormick@coleman
4 stars
Aug 13, 2023
Photo of Gabriel Ayuso
Gabriel Ayuso@gabrielayuso
4 stars
Jun 30, 2023
Photo of tanushree
tanushree@tan
5 stars
Apr 8, 2023
Photo of Daniel Tao
Daniel Tao@chirality
4 stars
Oct 24, 2022
Photo of Alfredo santos
Alfredo santos@alf
4 stars
Aug 26, 2022
Photo of Nimish
Nimish@nimsaw
4 stars
Aug 13, 2022
Photo of Alexander Lobov
Alexander Lobov@alexlobov
4 stars
Jun 10, 2022
Photo of Jaime
Jaime@jb2
4 stars
Mar 9, 2022
Photo of Abhishek Singh
Abhishek Singh@databhishek
4 stars
Jan 15, 2022
Photo of James Maskell
James Maskell@jmaskell
5 stars
Nov 19, 2021
Photo of M J
M J@mjhere
5 stars
Oct 25, 2021
Photo of Adam French
Adam French@adamfrench
5 stars
Oct 5, 2021
Photo of Howard Lo
Howard Lo@talk19
5 stars
Sep 25, 2021
Photo of Casper Oppenhuis de Jong
Casper Oppenhuis de Jong@casperodj
4 stars
Aug 12, 2021

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