Some argue that genuine contenders for game-changing brands in the travel industry are actually few and far between.
There are numerous examples of innovation around product design, marketing or implementation of services in travel, tourism and hospitality, but many would admit there are perhaps only a handful of companies that have launched in the past decade or so that have truly disrupted the industry at a fundamental level.
Step forward Uber and Airbnb - two brands that, despite what their competitors say or brands that were already dabbling in those spaces (yes, Vrbo, et al., point well made), came into the market and turned their respective sectors on their heads.
Uber captured the smartphone and mobility zeitgeist at a key moment in the evolution of digital travel, pushing forward the idea that the sharing economy could allow for individuals to become ground transportation providers in their own right, avoiding the traditional taxi structure.
Airbnb took the "couchsurfing" model one step further, turning homeowners into home-sharers and then second home-owners into short-term home leasers.
Both brands led the charge in the revolutions in their respective sectors, forcing incumbents to rethink how they do business and inspire the launch of copycat brands across the world.
Uber has since gone public and has a market capitalization of $60 billion.
Airbnb is on that road, too, having announced its intention to list on the public markets last month.
But, like every other travel startup, Airbnb and Uber in 2008 and 2009, respectively, had to persuade partners and investors to support their ideas with finance and agreements.
Uber eventually raised $25 billion over the course of 11 rounds, before its IPO in 2019; Airbnb has taken in $5.4 billion.
Their respective first pitch decks to investors are obviously nostalgic and, some might say, now legendary given what they led to.
But they are also an indication of how to put a bright idea and details together in a way that many travel startups today still struggle to do.
First up, Uber...
And then, Airbnb...