Polarsteps started with a simple motivation. "The entire team at Polarsteps loves to travel," says de Rond. "We want to create something that helps everyone travel better."

Polarsteps is an all-in-one travel app. Travellers use it to plan trips, track their route automatically on a world map as they go, and turn the journey into a printed travel book afterwards. The company began as an after-work project between four friends and is now based in Amsterdam, with a team of around 100.

From 10 million to 20 million

The growth has been fast. Polarsteps passed 10 million users in 2024. In spring 2026 it reached 20 million.

"We've grown a lot in the last two years," says de Rond. The app is widely used across the Netherlands and Europe and is now spreading through the US and Canada. The Financial Times and Sifted have both named Polarsteps among Europe's fastest-growing tech companies.

Building for the user

For de Rond, the growth comes from a close relationship with the people using the app. "We're getting so much great feedback about our app, and that inspires us every day to continue building for our users."

A European success story

Asked what she has learned at Polarsteps, de Rond's answer goes beyond travel. "We can build amazing tech companies here in Europe. As long as you're passionate about the product and you listen to your users, you can build a product that everyone loves."

Being shortlisted alongside companies from across Europe, she says, was a moment the whole team was excited about.

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Consumer tech at GP Bullhound

Consumer technology is one of GP Bullhound's three core sectors. The firm works with founders building products people use every day, from travel and fitness to commerce and entertainment, and advises them at the moments that define their companies. A Dutch app doubling its global user base in two years and expanding into North America is exactly the kind of story the team tracks.

About the GP Bullhound Allstars Awards

Now in its 24th year, the GP Bullhound Allstars Awards recognise the founders, entrepreneurs, operators and investors building Europe's technology companies. The 2026 awards ran across 15 categories, from Deep Tech and Sports Tech to Exit of the Year and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and brought the ecosystem together in London on 15 October.

GP Bullhound hosts the Allstars for the same reason it advises founders every day: it is bullish on European tech and the people building what comes next. The awards give that work a stage, and put the people behind it in a room with the investors, operators and peers who can help it go further.

Stay connected

• Find out more about Polarsteps at polarsteps.com
• Explore GP Bullhound's sector expertise at gpbullhound.com
• Stay updated on all things Allstars on our LinkedIn page

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