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Behind Locamii are Anna‑Maria Polkowski and Toni Polkowski, who founded the project together in December 2025 – driven by the idea of bringing people in the Mecklenburg Lake District closer together again.
What began as a personal impulse rooted in their own region has evolved into a platform that connects knowledge, experiences, and local actors. Locamii is currently in a crowdfunding phase and is receiving noticeable support both locally and online.
Locamii sees itself as a start-up because the platform follows an innovative digital business model, is still in its development phase, and is scalable both regionally and beyond – all typical characteristics of young, growth‑oriented companies.
The idea behind Locamii: Turning a moment of frustration into a regional vision
The founding of Locamii began with a feeling that many people in the Lake District know well: the strong dependence on the tourist season and the sense that “nothing is happening” during the quieter months. It was precisely this frustration that sparked Anna‑Maria’s thought that so much hidden talent remains invisible – and that knowledge should be passed on from person to person rather than through digital apps.
In recent years, Anna‑Maria kept searching for new hobbies to make the off‑season more varied – a personal indication of just how pronounced the seasonal gap in the region is.
“Last winter, while I was trying to start a sourdough culture, I thought: There must be someone who can show me this in person,” Anna recalls, adding: “That was the moment the idea for Locamii started to take shape.”
Her goal is to make the Lake District more experience‑rich beyond peak season and to foster direct exchange between people.
“We want to make the Lake District a year‑round experience and let the knowledge of our region flow from person to person.”
– Anna‑Maria Polkowski, founder of Locamii
Why the Lake District is the ideal location
The Mecklenburg and Brandenburg Lake Districts are rich in tradition, creativity, and hidden know‑how. This is exactly what Anna‑Maria Polkowski aims to make visible.
“The decentralisation here is both a curse and a blessing. Locamii creates digital closeness where geographical distance exists,” she says.
The response underscores the platform’s potential: Within just a few weeks, 40 locals had already joined, and on Instagram, Locamii recently recorded 80,000 visitors. At the same time, the project benefits from exchanges with other founders who face similar challenges and share valuable experiences.
What makes Locamii special: Curated experiences instead of a traditional platform
Locamii is not a classic tourism or event platform, but a curated landscape of experiences that creates new forms of cooperation. Anna‑Maria Polkowski and her team connect people who would otherwise never have met – for example at a sushi workshop in a garden café or at intergenerational craft courses.
At launch, the platform offers:
- Visibility for places, people, and micro‑businesses
- A central event calendar
- An exclusive selection of experiences
- The first “Locamii Landpartie” from May 29–31
Those who become Locamii Locals are selected based on authenticity, passion, and hospitality – regardless of whether they work professionally or simply share a heartfelt hobby.
From idea to implementation: the founder’s journey
The decisive step was moving from the thought “Someone should really do this” to concrete prototyping. Polkowski, who works as a trained tourism specialist and event manager and lives in Wesenberg, district of Strasen, is building Locamii together with her husband Toni.
While Anna‑Maria focuses on content development, regional networking, and crafting the experience offerings, Toni is responsible for the platform’s technical implementation and design.
The founding team received support from partners such as Gasthaus Canow, Maxluzi, and Gut Boltenhof. Another key factor was the exchange with regional actors like Judith Kenk, who plays an important role in shaping the startup community in the region.
Among the initial challenges were designing technical processes in the background so that they remain as simple as possible for the Locals later on, as well as consistently pursuing the vision despite skeptical voices.
Crowdfunding: Why Locamii relies on the crowd
For the project initiator, crowdfunding is a deliberate choice to remain independent of bureaucratic requirements and to involve the community at an early stage. At the same time, it serves as a marketing tool to build reach and visibility even before the platform officially launches.
Insights from the economy for the common good – particularly through Elizabeth Baumann – supported the decision to choose the crowd as the financial foundation.
If the minimum goal is not reached, Locamii plans a modular start – initially limited to a sub‑region and with more manual processes.
In the long term, the platform aims to be financially sustained through shared experiences, service fees, partnership models, and content productions such as photo shoots and video shoots for the Locals.
“Just do it – but plan smart.
– Anna‑Maria Polkowski, project initiator
Networking is the most valuable currency in MV.”
Perspectives and impulses for founders
In the coming months, Locamii plans to launch its event calendar, introduce new seasonal experiences, and build a network of 200 Locals. Initial inquiries from Greifswald, Schwerin, and southern Brandenburg also show that the concept is scalable and has potential beyond the Lake District.
For the founding couple, Locamii is also a contribution to the future viability of their home region. As parents, it is important to Anna‑Maria and Toni to create perspectives that will benefit their children in the long term. Their overarching goal is to reduce the region’s strong dependence on the tourist season and to give people better opportunities to make their skills visible throughout the entire year.
Their message to other founders is to use digital tools, uncover analog treasures, build networks, and see resistance as valuable feedback – while always staying true to their own vision.
Contact:
Locamii
Anna-Maria Polkowski
Am Pälitzblick 3
17255 Wesenberg OT Strasen
telephone: 0173 9736366
e-mail: hello@locamii.de
Instagram
Facebook
The journey of Anna‑Maria and Toni shows how much courage, creativity, and regional connectedness lie within start‑ups from Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern – and what potential emerges when people pursue their ideas with determination.
You can find more inspiring founding stories on GründerMV – discover uplifting success stories, innovative start‑ups, and dedicated founders from across the region.
