Gebbia was in the fourth year of a five-year dual degree in industrial and graphic design, and Chesky had just graduated—were part of a RISD-sponsored research project with the Conair Corporation, the company best known for its hair dryers and other personal-care products. Companies would often partner with RISD for access to its industrial-design students. Under this particular program, Conair had hired the school, which assigned a group of students to essentially work solely on designing products for the company over the course of six weeks. Most of the work would take place on the RISD
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