As one of the fastest-growing digital companies in the world, Real Business wanted to find out how Airbnb was growing operations in the UK and Europe. After securing an invitation to its Shoreditch base, we found out just what the team and new country manager James McClure were up to.
In seven years, the sharing economy has achieved a global value of $15bn – according to Compare and Share’s report, its growth rate is outstripping that of Facebook, Google and Yahoo combined.
The sharing economy is one of those industry phrases that has many different interpretations, one that will likely secure a firmer definition thanks to the 6 March launch of the Sharing Economy UK trade body. To find out more, Real Business has spoken to Alexandra Depledge, SEUK board member and CEO of Hassle.com, who opened up on what it’s like to be a woman in the tech business.
In late 2014, Love Home Swap founder Debbie Wosskow wrote a sharing economy report for the government and detailed 30 key recommendations to help the British industry grow and achieve success. One of those was to introduce a trade body to regulate and support the sector, thus the Sharing Economy UK has officially launched in Westminster as of 6 March, with Airbnb, Tech City and other organisations signed up as partners.
Controversial taxi booking app Uber has big plans for 2015, including creating 50,000 jobs in Europe.
