Airbnb has bought Crashpadder, essentially a smaller, UK version of itself. Both companies run online marketplaces in which residences can be rented for short durations. Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
The move has perfect timing ahead of the Summer Olympic Games in London, as plenty of football fans will need couches to crash.
Crashpadder announced the acquisition by rerouting visitors to an Airbnb page explaining the deal.
“We’ve known the founders of Airbnb almost since we started, and beyond being great guys, they share a common vision that aligned perfectly with ours,” Crashpadder’s cofounders Stephen Rapoport and Dan Hill explained on the page. “We felt the best way to continue to improve the experience for you – our community – was to join with Airbnb. The team at Airbnb is passionate about what they do, have the highest standards of care and love for their community, and have a drive to innovative continually in order to improve the safety, security, and experience for all their members. We’re excited to welcome you into the Airbnb community.”
The changing of the guard happens immediately. Crashpadder accounts have been automatically moved to Airbnb, with account and listing information preserved though users will have to create new passwords for security reasons. The Crashpadder site can still be accessed to download messages or past bookings, though any new activity will take place at the Airbnb site. Any outstanding bookings on Crashpadder remain valid. An email sent to users will explain the details.
Airbnb threw a launch party in London to celebrate its expansion into Europe with wine and DJs last February. The company also has plans to open offices in Spain, Denmark, Italy, Russia, France and Brazil in the next year.