10 Airbnb alumni who founded companies
The ten Airbnb alumni who founded companies on this page worked at Airbnb in design, product, engineering, data, partnerships and regional leadership before starting the company each now runs. A reader can learn how people who worked at Airbnb went on to build companies, from the founders themselves.
Professionals to explore
Alex Schleifer
LinkedInExperience: Creative Director and Co-Founder · Human Computer
Alex Schleifer was Chief Design Officer at Airbnb from 2019 to 2020, and has been Creative Director and Co-Founder of Human Computer since 2024. The profile describes Human Computer as a video game studio.
Bill Ulammandakh
LinkedInExperience: Co-Founder & CEO · ProhostAI
Bill Ulammandakh was Staff Data Scientist, Algorithms at Airbnb from 2018 to 2024, and has been Co-Founder & CEO of ProhostAI since 2024.
Bola Akinsanya
LinkedInExperience: Founder & CEO · Unlevered
Bola Akinsanya was Global Director Revenue (GTM), Airbnb Services at Airbnb from 2025 to 2026, and has been Founder & CEO of Unlevered since 2026.
Brent Boone
LinkedInExperience: Co-founder, CEO · Walkway
Brent Boone was Head of North America (West) at Airbnb from 2016 to 2024, and has been Co-founder, CEO of Walkway since 2024.
Colin Frolich
LinkedInExperience: Co-Founder and CEO · Placemate
Colin Frolich was Head of Product Marketing (Interim) at Airbnb from 2016 to 2017, and has been Co-Founder and CEO of Placemate since 2018.
Edouard Tabet
LinkedInExperience: Co-founder · Monogram
Edouard Tabet was VP Product, AI at Airbnb from 2023 to 2025, and has been Co-founder of Monogram since 2025. A profile highlight says Edouard Tabet led design and development of new AI products in the Airbnb role.
Jean-Nicolas Vollmer
LinkedInExperience: CEO & Co-founder · Tioga
Jean-Nicolas Vollmer was Head of Client Foundation Engineering at Airbnb from 2019 to 2024, and has been CEO & Co-founder of Tioga since 2025.
Jonathan Sukhia
LinkedInExperience: Co-Founder and CEO · Topkey
Jonathan Sukhia was Head of Management Partnerships, Hotels at Airbnb from 2019 to 2020, and has been Co-Founder and CEO of Topkey since 2020.
Sam Edelson
LinkedInExperience: Founder & CEO · Rivermill
Sam Edelson was Director of Product Management at Airbnb from 2018 to 2022, and has been Founder & CEO of Rivermill since 2023.
Swaroop Jgadish
LinkedInExperience: CEO and Co-Founder · DataHub
Swaroop Jgadish was Head of Data Platform and Search Infrastructure at Airbnb from 2014 to 2020, and has been CEO and Co-Founder of DataHub since 2021.
Choose the right perspective
Look first at the title each person held at Airbnb, because a senior leader and an individual engineer usually describe the move to founding very differently. Then weigh how long each has run the current company against the stage you are at.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you learn at Airbnb about building products or serving customers that you still rely on?
- 02How did you choose between starting alone and starting with co-founders?
- 03What would you do differently if you were leaving a large employer to start a company today?
Reaching Airbnb alumni who founded companies
How can I contact one of these Airbnb alumni who founded companies?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 10 companies, including Human Computer, ProhostAI and Unlevered, based on profile data retrieved on October 25, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach Airbnb alumni who founded companies?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. The offer is what the person receives, and Instant Expert's fee is added on top, so a $100 offer costs you $125. The fee is 20% of what you pay. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these Airbnb alumni who founded companies a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.