Sigrid
Have you ever wanted to travel, but couldn’t find someone to go with? Or maybe you do have friends—but they’re dreaming of lazy beach days, while you’re itching to party or explore a dozen new neighborhoods in 24 hours. Well, someone thought about that and said, Hey, I have an idea.

That someone is Theodora. She decided to channel her stress into a solution—and become an entrepreneur. The goal? Help the rest of us travel the world, with or without a buddy.

Theodora
Exactly. Hello, everybody.

Sigrid
So tell us a little bit about Velout.

Theodora
So this idea came from my own experience. I’ve been a solo traveler for almost ten years, and I kept running into the same problem. I tried everything on the market—really, everything—and still felt something was missing.

Everyone focuses on where to go. But no one asks, who are you going with? Or, better said: who are you compatible with when you travel? People can chat endlessly on travel platforms, but they don’t really know who the other person is. And that’s how it all started—as a kind of blurry idea. I just started building it, not knowing exactly where it would go.

Now we have this app—Velout—that matches you with travel buddies around the world. But we don’t just focus on destinations. We look at travel personalities. Because at the end of the day, meaningful human connection is what makes a journey unforgettable.

Sigrid
You’ve touched on something so crucial. Everyone travels differently. Personally, I need slow mornings. I have this great friend who wakes up at 6 a.m., goes jogging, and comes back ready to do all the things—meanwhile I’m still in bed, bargaining with the day. It’s not that we don’t like each other, we just move differently. So matching personalities? Absolutely essential.

To get practical—say I download the app, which is available now on Apple and Android. What happens next?

Theodora
First, we verify your phone number. We chose this over email for security—people can create tons of emails, but phone numbers are usually tied to a real person. Of course, we comply with all the data protection regulations, especially here in Germany. Everything’s anonymized. Our servers are in Frankfurt, by the way!

Sigrid
Germany. Land of data protection.

Theodora
Exactly. Then we take you through an onboarding process. You answer questions like where you want to go next, your interests, upload some travel photos—and you can verify your profile.

What we’re working on now—and it’s a big step—is a more advanced travel personality matchmaking system. We’re building it with a research center. In about two months, we’ll roll out an update that includes traits like “morning person” vs. “slow starter,” whether you plan trips down to the minute or go with the flow, whether you want hostels or boutique hotels, budget-friendly or luxury, and so on.

Because even you can change from trip to trip. Maybe one time you’re all about culture, the next about partying, the next about hiking. The app will let you adjust your profile per trip to reflect that.

It’s free and globally available right now. And if you’re one of the first 500 users—you might even get a lifetime subscription.

Sigrid
Well, that’s it. We’re all downloading it right now.

As the conversation warmed up, producer Marlene—usually behind the scenes—jumped in to share her perspective

Sigrid
Marlene, do you know your travel personality?

Marlene
What I’ve noticed is I’m definitely an early riser. One of my friends, she sleeps until noon—and that mismatch makes everything harder. I also need an afternoon break. I just can’t go nonstop. My family, on the other hand, is go-go-go all day. And I just have to sneak off and recharge. It’s so interesting how differently people travel.

Sigrid
Theodora, what got you into this whole “travel personality” thing in the first place? Didn’t you ever think—this is too much, what if no one likes the idea?

Theodora
Oh, I definitely had no idea what I was getting into. It’s been a rollercoaster. But luckily, during my studies, I had a startup coach—my lecturer, actually. He was building his third company and said, “I see something in you, and I see something in this idea. Just go for it.” We had weekly coaching calls, and that really made a difference.

I had no technical background, I didn’t know how to build a network. But I’ve always loved connecting people. And traveling? That’s in my blood. My parents were wild enough to give birth to me in the U.S. and then fly back to Germany when I was two months old. So, yeah—traveling is in my DNA.

Meeting people from different cultures has changed who I am. I wanted to make that kind of connection accessible, especially for people who are afraid to travel alone. I started asking: What really connects us on a human level?

That’s when a research center of psychologists approached us. They wanted to help analyze the data and build a human-centric platform together. So honestly, it was all about walking the path and letting the dots connect as I moved forward.

If you’re passionate about something—go for it. You don’t need to know the outcome.

Sigrid
We’re definitely putting that out there. Passion can move mountains.

Theodora
Yes—and building the right support system around you is just as important.

As we dug deeper into the meaning of travel and connection, the conversation turns more personal

Sigrid
You’ve got quite the multicultural background—Greek family, raised in Germany, born in the States. How has that shaped how you see yourself? Do you feel German? Greek? American? Or just a global citizen?

Theodora
I love this question. I grew up in a small town where half the town was basically my Greek family. So I was totally immersed in Greek culture—Greek school, Greek dancing, Greek community. We barely spoke German until we got to school.

So for a long time, it was hard to adapt to German culture. I still feel more Greek, honestly. But even when I’m in Greece, I feel a bit out of place. And with my American passport? It’s wild.

So at the end of the day, I just see myself as human. 99% of our DNA is shared anyway. We’re shaped by culture, sure—but underneath, we’re just people trying to understand each other.

Sigrid
That idea of identity is so layered. Especially in Germany right now—there’s this ongoing conversation about integration. How do you see it, especially from your perspective of being raised in Germany but deeply rooted in Greek culture?

Theodora
I have friends from all over the world living here, and it’s hard for many of them. Even my sister moved back to Greece almost ten years ago because she felt like she didn’t fit in.

But here’s the thing: you don’t have to become German. You just need to respect the culture you’re in, stay open and curious. You don’t have to adopt everything, but try to understand why things are the way they are.

I don’t think the goal is full assimilation. It’s cultural awareness—learning how to work together, how to communicate, how to live side by side.

Even now, when I go back to Greece, I have to re-learn so much. But instead of getting frustrated, I try to stay curious.

Sigrid
It’s a tough place to be—between cultures. You’re not fully from the place you live, and not fully from where your family came from. And sometimes, we feel like we have to camouflage, depending on where we are.

Theodora
Totally. But we can’t forget the privilege we have—growing up here, having access to education, the ability to travel. As a kid, I was angry at my parents for not raising me in Greece. But now I realize—I got to study, to live abroad, even spend a year in Mexico.

And yeah, the German passport? It’s powerful. Not everyone has that freedom. Travel is still unequal.

So when we talk about frustration or cultural clashes, we also need to hold onto some gratitude.

Before wrapping up, Marlene jumped in with one more important question—especially for first-time solo travelers.

Marlene
You mentioned solo traveling can be life-changing—but it’s also scary. Do you have any tips on how to start, especially for someone who’s never done it?

Theodora
Definitely. First, don’t go too far or too fast. Pick a place that feels safe and familiar—maybe where you speak the language or where English is widely used. Make it a short trip.

Try a platform like Velout and find someone to meet there so you’re not really alone. That’s why our motto is: “Travel solo, but never feel alone.”

Book your accommodation in advance—maybe a social hostel—figure out the transport ahead of time. Basically, lower the uncertainty. Because I’ve had friends who went all-in on their first solo trip, got overwhelmed, and swore off solo travel forever.

Start small. Build confidence.

Marlene
As a German, that level of planning really speaks to me. And where can we find you, or support the app?

Theodora
I’m active on LinkedIn—feel free to connect, message me (I might be slow but I will reply). Velout is on Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn—and of course, in the app stores. It’s free.

We’re super open to feedback. There’s a support number and email right inside the app. We even hop on calls with our users sometimes—because we want to build something with our community.

Marlene
That sounds amazing. I really hope Velout takes off—it’s such a thoughtful, needed idea. Thanks so much for joining us today and sharing your story.

Theodora:
Thank you for having me. It was such a pleasure to talk with you all.

Check out Velout