Where Stamplo came from

Hello,

I'm Liam, the person behind Stamplo.

I'm also a father of two, and for nearly twenty years I've worked in user experience — designing secure digital systems for major UK banks and technology companies.

The idea for Stamplo didn't come from a business plan.

It started during family holidays.

My daughters often make friends with other children we meet while travelling. Sometimes they promise to stay in touch as pen pals.

But in reality it rarely works. Addresses get lost. Stamps need buying. Letters take effort to send. Slowly the connection fades.

It always felt like a shame, because those friendships started so naturally.

Around the same time, I was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the kind of internet children are growing up in.

Many platforms are built around engagement — notifications, streaks, feeds, and algorithms constantly trying to pull you back in.

The faster things move, the more attention they capture.

But meaningful friendships don’t usually grow like that.

So I started wondering if there was a way to keep the spirit of pen pals alive — but make it easier for families to stay in touch.

That's how Stamplo began.

The idea is simple. Children write letters to pen pals around the world, and conversations unfold over days rather than seconds.

Parents stay involved. Families approve connections before letters are delivered. And there are no feeds, follower counts, likes, or algorithms trying to keep kids glued to a screen.

Just letters.

From the beginning, safety mattered more than growth. Parents verify their identity before children can use Stamplo, and everything is designed around the UK’s Age Appropriate Design Code — one of the strictest standards for children's online safety.

Today families across dozens of countries use Stamplo. Children write letters, collect stamps from around the world, and slowly build friendships that can last months or years.

I’ve always believed technology should make life better, not noisier.

Stamplo is my small attempt to design something for good — a quieter corner of the internet where children can communicate thoughtfully and learn about the world.

I’m continuing to improve Stamplo carefully — adding new stamps, kindness campaigns, and tools for schools and organisations that want children to connect safely across cultures.

But the core idea won’t change.

A slower, kinder space where kids can simply write to each other.

If you're curious about how pen pals work for children today, you can read our guide to pen pals for kids.

Thanks for reading.