Slovakia doesn't have a coastline, but it does have Boataround. Here's what the company achieved in 2026

Slovak travel-tech platform Boataround, founded by former Booking.com executives Jana Escher and Pavel Pribiš, has reached a major milestone. After years of global expansion, the company has successfully turned profitable in the highly competitive boat rental market. Its success across Europe's most demanding markets confirms that a global player is emerging from landlocked Slovakia – one that investors can still back through private debt financing.

You can read the full interview with the founders online in Denníku N.

Slovakia may not have a coastline, but it is home to a technology company that makes it easy to charter yachts, catamarans and motorboats. Boataround is more than just a booking platform – it is a critical piece of infrastructure connecting boat owners with customers looking to rent them.

Boataround's story is a textbook example of how global experience can be transformed into a successful entrepreneurial venture. When its founders left their corporate careers at Booking.com, they had a clear vision: to modernise the fragmented, opaque and highly inefficient boat charter market by building a seamless, user-friendly platform.

The company's latest financial results show that this strategy is paying off. In the first quarter of 2026, Boataround strengthened its position across key Western European markets while delivering important financial milestones that mark the company's transition into its next stage of growth.

"These results confirm that Boataround has built a stable and sustainable business model that enables us to grow successfully even in the highly competitive Western European markets. From our headquarters in Bratislava, we operate a global technology platform trusted by customers across Europe," says Pavel Pribiš, Founder of Boataround.

Foto: Jana Escher a Pavel Pribiš. Foto N – Šimon Kern

The Key to Success: strong market position in Germany and Italy

Western Europe is among the world's most demanding markets. Customers expect transparent pricing, outstanding customer support and absolute reliability. It is precisely in this highly competitive environment that the Slovak team has succeeded in outperforming well-established competitors.

• Germany: Germany has long been one of Boataround's most important strategic markets. In the first quarter of 2026, the company recorded a 49% year-on-year increase in revenue.
• Italy: With 42% year-on-year revenue growth, Italy became the platform's second-largest market. In terms of customer volume, it also surpassed Boataround's traditionally strong markets, including Poland and Austria.

The fact that a company from landlocked Slovakia has built a leading position in countries with a long-standing yachting tradition highlights the strength of its technology platform and the quality of its direct partnerships with boat owners.

The decision to reject an acquisition offer

As Boataround continues to grow, it has naturally attracted the attention of investors. Over the years, several prominent Central European investment groups – including leading Czech billionaires – have expressed interest in acquiring the company. Boataround has received highly attractive offers for both a full acquisition (exit) and the purchase of a majority stake. The founders, however, chose to decline them.

Their decision was both strategic and pragmatic. Boataround's ambitions extend far beyond regional success. Selling the company at a time when it has reached profitability and is delivering strong organic growth across Western Europe would have meant giving up significant long-term value creation. By rejecting these offers, the founders sent a clear signal to the market and future partners: they believe in the company's long-term potential and are committed to building a market leader.

At the same time, Boataround continues to invest in innovation. Its latest strategic initiative is the integration of insurance services through its partner Boatsafe. This will enable customers to purchase insurance seamlessly during the checkout process, providing enhanced protection against security deposit losses, improving conversion rates and creating a new, high-margin ancillary revenue stream for the business.

You can read more about the acquisition offers in the full interview with Denník N.

Investment Opportunity: private debt offering with a 16.2% p.a.

Boataround is at a pivotal stage in its growth journey, combining an ambitious expansion strategy with a proven business model. Unlike early-stage start-ups, Boataround represents a mature, fast-growing company with a clear trajectory:

• Proven business model: More than 24,000 boats available across hundreds of destinations worldwide, a well-established customer support operation and multi-million-euro revenues.
• Clear path to profitability: Positive EBITDA and net profit in Q1 2026 demonstrate the company's ability to scale while creating sustainable value.
• Founder-led independence: By rejecting acquisition offers from major investment groups, the founders have retained control of the business. Their long-term vision remains aligned with investors backing the company through platforms such as Crowdberry.

Boataround represents one of the most compelling private market investment opportunities available today. Learn more about investing in Boataround through its private debt offering.