Winter Haven · Lakeland · Polk County
Where Polk County ideas start.
Polk Starts is a free, county-wide community for entrepreneurs, startup founders, small business owners and anyone ready to turn an idea into something real — from Lakeland to Lake Wales.
Founded by Jason Wade, founder of BackTier.
- Free
- Always free to attend
- 0
- Pitches or presentations
- 2 hrs
- Of real conversation
- Polk
- County, Florida
All of Polk County
- Lakeland
- Winter Haven
- Lake Wales
- Bartow
- Auburndale
- Haines City
- Davenport
- Mulberry
- Fort Meade
- Frostproof
- Lake Alfred
- Dundee
- Eagle Lake
- Polk City
How it works
Meet. Share. Start.
Meet
Show up, grab a drink and introduce yourself to founders, owners and the curious.
Share
Talk about what you're building, what's stuck, and what you're thinking about next.
Start
Leave with new connections, collaborators and the push to make your idea real.
Who it's for
A room for wherever you are right now
Founders & Startups
Building something new in AI, tech, food or retail? Find people who get it.
Small Business Owners
Running a shop or service in Polk? Swap lessons with neighbors doing the same.
Students, Retirees & Dreamers
Just curious or holding an idea? This is the easiest room to start in.
Next meetup
Intros & Ideas
No presentations. No pitches. No formal agenda. Come introduce yourself, share what you're working on, exchange ideas and see where the conversations lead.
RSVP on Eventbrite- When
- Wed, Jan 13, 2027 6:00 – 8:00 PM
- Doors
- 5:30 PM
- Where
- Old Man Frank's 1005 Lake Howard Dr SW Winter Haven, FL 33880
- Cost
- Free · All ages Free parking
Resources
Central Florida startup index
Free Help3
Spaces & Hubs2
Regional Networks3
Founder & founding sponsor
Built by a Polk founder, for Polk founders
Polk Starts was started by Jason Wade, founder of BackTier, to give every first-time founder in the county a real front door: people to meet, free help to call, and a next step.
BackTier is the founding sponsor, keeping every Polk Starts meetup free to attend.