Our story

10 nationalities and counting, unknown kilometers covered between us and enough crazy travel tales to keep us entertained for years of Friday night beers yet to come… Introducing the Polarsteps dream team.

​

Other very important facts and figures

10

The number of times we have teleported colleagues around the world

47

Grammy-worthy karaoke performances

7000

KM travelled with the Polarsteps jeep (so far)

Our team

Koen Droste

CEO

Enjoys backpacking, road trips, and going wherever the next sunset takes him. From experience knows that “not all who wander are lost” but if they’re traveling around Mexico in a vintage VW they may spend a lot of time broken down...

Niek Bokkers

Creative Director

Loves the freedom of the open road and the even-more-open ocean – find him riding old (and often unreliable) bikes to lesser-traveled spots or paddling his way around the Dutch waterways.

Maximiliano Neustadt

CTO

Argentinian driven by wanderlust to live in the Netherlands – exploring the world on the way. Once had a roaring lion as his alarm clock when sleeping in a tent on the Serengeti. Backpacker at heart but now a flashpacker by obligation (having two small kids).

Sascha Vloet

People & Operations Manager

Got bitten by the travel bug (but thankfully no spiders) while in Australia and has been in search of the best places to hike, eat and drink ever since. Doesn’t do rice, which can be a slight problem when in Asia...

Chantal Botana

Product Manager

Adventurous foodie from the US of A. Always in for meeting new people. Craziest thing she ever ate? Eating a baby octopus alive!

Martin Marrese

Backend Engineer

Passions include getting lost in cities on purpose and making pit stops at small nondescript towns that get overlooked by the crowds. Also does well in nature, particularly when it’s cold.

Rosalie Struijkenkamp

Community & Support Specialist

Addicted to Asian food with a particular passion for Pho Ga. Mom to 2 cats, living in Amsterdam. Loves planning new travels and itineraries for herself, friends & family (whether they ask or not). Coming up next: Central America!

Jasper Pranger

Product Designer

City-tripper with a penchant for photography-driven strolls and local cuisines (even fermented breakfast beans in Japan). New Zealand and Argentina are on the wishlist but now needs a strong baby carrier before they can be ticked off.

Kitty van Muiswinkel

Communications & PR Manager

Just crossed off a major item on her bucket list: traveling from Amsterdam to Singapore by car, train, boat, bus, (motor)bike, horse, and tuk-tuk. Inspired most by the life stories of people she meets when roaming the planet.

Job Harmsen

UI/UX Designer

Lover of food, dogs, and user interfaces as clear as the water he dives in. Has taken his trusty backpack through South America on multiple adventures, bringing back a taste for empanadas (and a few bottles of his favorite Colombian booze, Aguardiente).

Paco Gómez Granados

Frontend Web Developer

Traveling musician with a passion for code and cooking. Invented an instrument called “The Pacophone” in his spare time. Next move: taking his traveling band (consisting of him, his girlfriend, and their baby) to the rugged shores of Iceland.

Florian Grashäftl

Android Developer

Born in a small town in the Austrian Alps, giving him a head for altitude that he intends to push to the limit with his future travels! Balances the time spent inside sharpening his coding skills with a love for the outdoors.

Alex Culeva

iOS developer

Loves to explore the world on foot, whether it’s the Camino de Santiago or the streets of Amsterdam (trying all the local food he finds on his way). Once spent 6 hours trying to get the perfect shot of the Hollywood sign. Next destination on his list? Singapore!

Steffany Hernandez

Community & Support Specialist

From Colombia to Amsterdam (via Aruba). A dog mom of two rescues who is always on the lookout for the best places to take her pack! Loves to recreate dishes from places she's been, with Bibimbap holding a special place in her heart (and kitchen).

Sara van Geloven

Editor-in-chief a.i.

Loves searching the corners of the globe for inspiring travel stories, with curiosity leading her into wondrous (and sometimes strange) situations – from sailing the high seas to climbing frozen waterfalls and even trying out a Hobbit-hole for size.

Willem Vooijs

Product Manager

Likes to build and fix all kinds of weird and wonderful vehicles to travel in (or on) – conquests so far include a DIY electric skateboard and an oldtimer motorcycle. Ultimate travel destination: space.

Lottie Coltman

Copywriter

Runaway Brit, refusing to let Brexit hold her back. Travels solo, specializing in adventures of the chaotic and haphazard variety. Ran out of money 3 months into a 1-year trip. Expect stories as wild as her hair!

Teddy Dimitrova

Recruiter

Supports her travel (and shoe) addiction with public speaking appearances. Believes road trips are the best way to go, with her eye on Italy for the next one. Favorite travel memory so far? A hot air balloon ride.

Ozan Sener

Frontend Developer

Turkish guy letting his tastebuds set a course around the world (with spicy food spots going straight to the top of the list). Collects hobbies and new skills – from conquering motorbike riding in Thailand to the (much safer) pastime of teaching himself piano

Claire Bissel

Travel Editor

From wild camping on the beaches of South Korea to cycling around Denmark in the rain, she’s happiest in the great outdoors. Travel philosophy is to go with the flow, but with a toddler now along for the ride she’s had to become a little more organized.

Peter voor de Wind

Head of Community and Support

Can be found blasting beats most of the day – from Hip-Hop to Hazes and everything in-between. When he's not watching Motorsports he's hitting the tarmac himself (albeit on a motorbike and as a learner). The aim? A bumper Balkans road-trip.

Matthew Bainbridge

Travel Editor

Suggestible Geordie native, new to Amsterdam by way of Montréal, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. Artist, word-tinkerer, and ramen-enthusiast, struggling to pronounce anything correctly through a bizarre mix of collected accents. Easily distracted by anything shiny.