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Polarsteps

Consumer Services · Amsterdam, Netherlands · Founded 2015

Polarsteps provides an all-in-one travel application designed to let users plan, track, and relive their journeys. The company was founded in Amsterdam in 2014 by Niek Bokkers, Koen Droste, Job Harmsen, and Maximiliano Neustadt. The initial concept originated from co-founder Niek Bokkers, who, during a transatlantic sailing trip, developed a basic system to share his location and daily logs with family and friends. This personal project evolved into a business with a mission to serve travelers at every stage of their trip. The company's primary product is a mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. The app automatically tracks a user's route via GPS, even when offline, and plots it on a digital world map. Users can enrich this travel log by adding photos, videos, and notes to specific locations, creating a detailed digital journal. Key features include an AI-powered itinerary planner, transport planning, destination guides, and detailed travel statistics. Privacy controls allow users to decide whether their trips are public, shared only with followers, or kept private. The app fosters a community by allowing users to follow each other and share tips. Polarsteps' business model is centered on user-aligned revenue streams, avoiding advertisements and the sale of user data. The main source of income is the sale of physical 'Travel Books,' which are high-quality, printed photo albums that users can order directly through the app, turning their digital memories into tangible keepsakes. The company also generates revenue through affiliate partnerships for accommodation bookings. This model has proven sustainable, allowing the company to grow profitably. Since its official launch in 2015, Polarsteps has seen significant growth, largely driven by word-of-mouth rather than paid marketing. The company secured a seed round in 2017 and a Series A round of €3 million in January 2019, bringing its total funding to approximately $5.05 million. By early 2019, the platform had reached one million users and has since grown to a community of over 20 million travelers. Clare Jones currently serves as the CEO, with the founders remaining involved in the company. Keywords: travel tracking app, automated travel journal, trip planner, digital travel map, photo book creation, travel itinerary, mobile travel diary, GPS travel log, adventure tracking, travel statistics, offline tracking, travel sharing, personalized travel books, travel community, Amsterdam startup, Niek Bokkers, Koen Droste, Maximiliano Neustadt, Job Harmsen, travel technology, AI itinerary planner