Some start-ups begin in offices. Others, like Mapo Tapo, are born on a cliffside. We spoke with Daniele Calvo Pollino, TEF Ignition mentor and co-founder & CEO, about turning a personal passion into a scalable outdoor tourism business.
In the world of innovation, not all start-ups are born in laboratories. Some, like Mapo Tapo, take shape on a rock face, among ropes and carabiners. We met Daniele Calvo Pollino, TEF Ignition mentor and co-founder and CEO of one of the most compelling platforms in outdoor tourism, to explore how a personal passion can be transformed into a scalable, impactful company.
At 33, Turin-born Daniele brings together a background at Amazon and the mindset of a founder building at the intersection of technology, nature, and experience.
Who are you and where does your entrepreneurial story come from?
I began my career in Indonesia with Zalora (Rocket Internet), where I learned what it means to do e-commerce in a huge market with fragile financial infrastructure. After completing a Master’s degree in International Management at Fudan University and Bocconi University, I returned to Italy and joined Amazon, first as an intern and Brand Specialist, then as Product Manager in Luxembourg.
In 2020, I left everything behind to found Mapo Tapo, with the aim of building a project linked to the outdoor world. Since then, we have taken over 2,400 people from 40 countries (40% of whom are from the US and Canada) on trips, built a global community of 100,000 enthusiasts, collaborated with hundreds of guides and raised €1.5 million. Today, we are a growing team of 12 people, and we are currently covering hiking, backcountry skiing, rock climbing, mountaineering, ice climbing, as well as via ferrata”.
What is Mapo Tapo and what problem does it solve?
“Mapo Tapo is a platform where outdoor sports enthusiasts can book trips with certified guides and find adventure companions. At the same time, we offer guides a digital and commercial infrastructure that did not exist before.”
The first vertical launched was sport climbing: “We realized that enthusiasts had two main problems: finding reliable guides and finding companions with whom to share the experience. Then we discovered the opposite challenge: guides did not have the tools to manage customers and requests. So, we built a platform that solved both sides of the coin.”
What makes your approach unique?
“Compared to competitors, Mapo Tapo combines two rare elements: traveler aggregation and a scalable growth model based on referrals. Our unique value proposition stems from the social dimension of outdoor sports: no one practices them alone. By organising group experiences, we are able to reduce prices for customers and increase margins. What’s more, instead of relying solely on ads or SEO, we grow through structured collaborations with tens of thousands of content creators. It’s a decentralized, authentic and cost-effective model.”
What are the obstacles to doing business, and how did you overcome them?
“Doing business in Italy is complicated. Bureaucracy, limited access to capital, a still-young ecosystem…But the biggest challenges were related to my role: understanding how to evolve from builder to leader, from product-focused to people-focused. The key was mentorship: talking to those who had already been through certain stages, reading, observing. I surrounded myself with people smarter than me, capable of offering me new perspectives.”
How did Mapo Tapo come about?
“I liked my job with Amazon in Luxembourg, but it wasn’t ‘the job of a lifetime’. Together with Alessia Fontanari, my co-founder and partner, we started thinking about sectors that needed revolutionizing. The initial idea was a chain of hostels for outdoor sports enthusiasts, but the model required too much capital. So, we studied the community, understood the real problems and built a curated marketplace where enthusiasts and guides could meet. Today, together with our third co-founder Antonio Cambise, Mapo Tapo has become a true ecosystem: customers, ambassadors, guides, trip designers and accommodation facilities – in an ecosystem that combines the reach of a B2C brand with the distribution efficiency of B2B. All powered by a creative go-to-market engine based on referrals and AI.”
What impact do you want to have on the real world?
“I would like millions of people to be able to enjoy safe, accessible and authentic adventures with certified guides, while supporting local economies. Mapo Tapo can promote more sustainable tourism and a culture of conscious exploration.”
How important is TEF’s support on entrepreneurship and innovation?
“It’s essential. TEF provides expertise, tools and connections that accelerate the transition from idea to market. Those involved in research or innovation often have vision and content, but not always experience in execution. A partner like TEF bridges that gap and increases the likelihood of real impact.”
A tip for those who have an idea but too many doubts?
“Doubts are part of the game. You don’t need to have everything figured out: the only way to understand if an idea works is to take the first step. Be ready to fail: failure is not the end, it is the training ground where good ideas are honed. And, in reality, the consequences of a mistake are often much smaller than we imagine”.
What’s next for Mapo Tapo?
“In the coming years, we want to expand the platform to new sports and new markets, while maintaining the community-driven approach that has made us unique. It’s a journey that combines business, technology and a passion for adventure.”
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