Polarsteps is an all-in-one travel app that helps users plan, track, and relive their journeys through smart digital tools and personalized travel books. StartupValley spoke with CEO Clare Jones about the vision of the scale-up.
How would you introduce Polarsteps to someone who doesn’t know the app yet, and what role does your physical product, the Travel Books, play?
Polarsteps is an all-in-one travel app that makes it easy to plan, track, and relive your trips. Even before departure, it helps you discover new destinations, plan custom routes, and find accommodations – with the support of our AI-powered travel planner (if desired). While traveling, the app automatically tracks your route and displays it on an interactive world map. Each leg of the journey can be enhanced with text, photos, and videos, creating a vibrant digital travel journal that can be shared privately with family and friends, or publicly if you choose.
Upon returning from your trip, you can relive the adventure with a Travel Reel or a printed Travel Book, a beautiful keepsake of your travels. Since our Series A round in 2019, these photo books have played a key role in enabling Polarsteps to grow sustainably from our own revenue.
You took over the CEO role after the company was founded by four men. How has the culture and direction changed since then?
Many companies look for new leadership when things go wrong or a cultural shift is needed. Polarsteps was different: I joined a growing scale-up that was already massively expanding, but with a clear value compass – a focus on transparency, appreciation, and with a team of passionate, exceptionally talented employees. That convinced me to take on the role.
My job is to keep these values alive in an internationally growing team while building structures that allow for rapid scaling. Today, over 17 million people worldwide use Polarsteps. This summer, the app was number one in the travel category in the Netherlands and France for weeks, ahead of major players like Uber and Airbnb. The DACH region will soon be our largest growth market, and the US is on our radar as well.
Our North Star target that we talk about internally is 100 million users. We hope to reach this with a small team of dedicated and determined people. We encourage everyone to think big, stay authentic and human, and enjoy the successes as much as the journey itself.
What vision do you have for Polarsteps when you say the app should become the all-in-one “Made in Europe” travel app for adventurers worldwide?
Many people use a wide range of tools while traveling – from Google Sheets to booking platforms to Instagram. Polarsteps brings it all together in a single app. Our goal is to be the all-in-one app for the entire travel funnel, assisting in every phase of the journey. There is currently no app worldwide that offers this – and we’re on our way to becoming it. We’re proud that this vision comes from Amsterdam, not Silicon Valley, because we believe in building big global companies right here in Europe.
Many users discover Polarsteps through recommendations. How do you explain this exceptionally high referral rate without classic marketing?
It’s amazing to see the app grow so quickly through word of mouth alone. Travelers everywhere take out their phones, show their routes, share experiences, and inspire others. Of course, those at home who follow virtually often become Polarsteps fans themselves. This is because the app was designed from day one by travelers for travelers, reflected in the user-friendly and beautiful design – all without advertising.
How do you handle the challenges of positioning a European travel-tech company globally?
We want to be an app for all travelers, but there are big cultural differences in how people travel and what matters to them. Germans often plan further ahead and care deeply about privacy, while Dutch travelers are a little more spontaneous, and Americans want to collect not just countries, but also individual states and ‘scratch’ them on a map. We pay close attention to what users in each market want and how Polarsteps can meet those needs.
On the business side, we are working to raise awareness and find the right strategy in fragmented markets like the US. Some people ask whether a European app can succeed globally, but I’d say our growing numbers speak for themselves.
Polarsteps finances growth through a physical product. Why does this business model work so well in a digital environment?
Travelers love our Travel Books as a keepsake. It works seamlessly: with just a few clicks, their digital travel journal becomes a beautiful, printed book – complete with photos, stories, maps, and even stats like the weather. All content is created during the trip, unlike classic photo books where you have to gather everything afterwards, which can be very time-intensive.
The interesting thing is that we seem to be tapping into a market in a new way – many young people and millennials would never usually spend the time to create a photo book, but because it’s done automatically for them with our app, they’re excited to buy one for the first time.
Travel Books aren’t our only business model. Since this summer, travelers can also search for accommodations via Booking.com, Airbnb, and Hostelworld, and integrate them directly into their travel plan. We earn a margin per booking – with no extra cost for users. This way, we combine digital services with physical experiences and fund sustainable growth.
Who is your target audience, and what needs do you focus on for these travelers?
Our audience is broad, spanning all kinds of travelers – from backpackers to weekend adventurers. What unites them is their digital savviness: they are “connected travelers” who use apps to plan, share, and document their journeys. We do see that many of our travelers are young – Gen Z and millennials. They often start adventures on the platform to share with friends and family back home – who may one day use it for travels of their own.
At the same time, the demand for digital detox is growing. Many want to enjoy technology while staying present. Polarsteps runs in the background, reduces effort, and makes it easy to capture real memories – without being online all the time. Our users value authenticity over “Instagram perfection.”
One of the founders had a burnout. How important are New Work and a healthy work culture today?
Very important. We aim to build not just a travel app but also a company where a healthy work-life balance is stimulated. This includes flexibility in working from home and avoiding an overtime culture. Employees can also work remotely for up to eight weeks a year, from anywhere. There are personal learning budgets and a thorough onboarding process to help new colleagues settle in.
A highlight is our Teleporter program: once a year, each team member is “teleported” to a random location they’ve never been to, to test the app in real life and provide feedback. We cover the tickets – because we believe Polarsteps remains relevant only if developed by travelers for travelers.
What makes Polarsteps unique compared to other travel apps?
We combine many functions – inspiration, planning, booking, tracking, and documentation – in one app. Travelers don’t have to switch between apps, emails, or guides: everything is in one place and can be shared with travel companions or loved ones back home.
Unlike traditional social media, Polarsteps focuses on mindful travel and personal sharing. The app works like a digital travel journal – with selected people invited to follow along. Only invited users can read and comment, resulting in real, authentic stories – including the mishaps and unpolished photos that make each journey unforgettable and real.
How do you plan to use AI in travel planning, and what opportunities do you see?
We recently launched our AI-powered planning tool. The smart assistant provides tailored route suggestions based on ten years of Polarsteps experience, personal preferences, past trips, and recommendations from our travel experts. We see great potential to continuously improve this feature, simplify planning, and make trips more personal.
We take responsibility: we don’t want to contribute to overtourism but instead promote sustainable travel and inspire adventures off the beaten path that foster personal growth and deeper connections to the world. Data privacy is a top priority – everything works on an opt-in basis, data is private by default, securely stored, and never sold to third parties.
Looking ahead five years, where do you want Polarsteps to be?
In five years, the app will offer many more groundbreaking features, helping inspire people from the first thought about a trip to the trip itself and remembering it upon coming home. Polarsteps will have grown strongly and sustainably in France, the Netherlands, the DACH region, the UK, and the US, making us the leading all-in-one travel app worldwide. We will maintain European values and remain a company that cares about its employees and builds a business that has a positive impact on the world.
What three pieces of advice would you give to other founders building a tech company in Europe?
Surround yourself with people who inspire you and give you energy – they help you stay motivated, especially in tough times. If they can make you laugh, even better.
Build a diverse team that shares your values. Only together can a company succeed long-term.
Have perseverance – founding a tech start-up in Europe is a marathon, not a sprint. Success doesn’t happen overnight, but persistence pays off.
Picture Credit Polarsteps
Thank you Clare Jones for the Interview
Statements of the author and the interviewee do not necessarily represent the editors and the publisher opinion again.
