http://jacksonville.com/breaking-news/2016-01-11/story/one-spark-founder-and-ceo-elton-rivas-resigns
Submissions are down and he was either asked to leave or asked to make more "bold" claims and wasn't going to continue being a charlatan.
Or he saw numbers and ran before board sees them. Thing is, with ER, everything has spin on it and we may never know the truth. I'd be interested to know his real thoughts on the experience, what he wishes he did differently and if he actually believes 320,000 people came to the event last year. What were the unique # of voters?
Maybe 1 of the Epoch guys will come over to put back on track?
From my email this morning:
QuoteGood morning.
Thank you for your support over the years. It has been an honor to lead this journey from idea to reality and I am proud of what the individuals, employees, volunteers, sponsors, and all the supporters of One Spark have done to bring together something that has been called "the most important event in the city of Jacksonville to ever happen."
I have chosen to resign from One Spark and wanted to provide you with the appropriate contact information for future dealings.
To help with any transition items, for any future requests with One Spark, please contact Chris Byers at chris@onespark.com.
If you need to reach me directly for any personal items, you can do so at elton@zeroconfines.com.
Again, thank you for your support of One Spark over the years and I hope that you will continue to do so for many years to come!
Truly,
I'm not sure how to feel. Part of me really liked the idea of one spark, but the last time I went (maybe my timing was bad) it felt like people were mostly excited about the opportunity to be drunk in public. The first one definitely had a different/more optimistic energy to it. Many of the entrants at the last one seemed to just be going through the motions.
This thing seems like it was doomed from the start.
R.I.P David Bowie and One Spark
Quote from: stephendare on January 11, 2016, 12:07:14 PM
After calling around, I think its plain that the original team (who ALL left over the last two years) that actually did all of the work would be willing to step back in and resuscitate the festival.
You mean now that Elton is gone?
Quote from: stephendare on January 11, 2016, 12:11:44 PM
Quote from: Local Artist on January 11, 2016, 12:11:13 PM
Quote from: stephendare on January 11, 2016, 12:07:14 PM
After calling around, I think its plain that the original team (who ALL left over the last two years) that actually did all of the work would be willing to step back in and resuscitate the festival.
You mean now that Elton is gone?
Yes.
Do you think it's actually plausible?
T-U is reporting that he was asked to resign. From what I have heard I think this is for the best. http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2016-01-11/story/board-member-one-spark-founder-and-ceo-elton-rivas-was-asked-resign (http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2016-01-11/story/board-member-one-spark-founder-and-ceo-elton-rivas-was-asked-resign)
Is it worth considering that maybe the festival experience wasn't positive or of value for the majority of "creators" so they aren't willing to come back?
And, basically, we ran out of "creators" because of the actual festival results.
You can blame Elton for the expectations being too high but don't blame him for the fundamental issues. The results of a festival for "wannabees" not actualizing their goal (with a few hundred $ or less) vs the ArtPrize festival of actual "Doers" isn't even in the same realm of possibility.
"Most important thing to happen to the city of Jacksonville ever?" We should be insulted.
It should be possible to save One Spark. It shouldn't be difficult to take the bones and build it into something more like ArtPrize or a music festival that would bring revenue. I always thought the big weakness of One Spark's model was that too much of the prize money went out in too small amounts. At ArtPrize, the prizes total something like $500k - much less than One Spark last year, but $200k of that goes to the top winner. That means they draw some serious talent, which in turn has made their fundraising a lot easier. Alternatively, a ticketed music festival could make its own money if they draw serious acts. Considering how much of a crowd this thing draws, it shouldn't be hard to make it work.
I think OneSpark has been good for the community to help recognize ourselves, but its influence outside Jax in the US is negligible.
In my travels when I bring up OneSpark to people who have an interest in these things, they are like "huh?"
So let it improve itself organically and not worry about how everyone outside Jax thinks it should be. Make it what we want it to be.
Quote from: Murder_me_Rachel on January 11, 2016, 08:33:39 AM
http://jacksonville.com/breaking-news/2016-01-11/story/one-spark-founder-and-ceo-elton-rivas-resigns
One Spark was always smoke and mirrors. This is not surprising at all. That ship is sinking fast.
not saying I disagree....but just curious...what positive contributions do you make to the city MMR?
Chris Byers was the name Elton listed but Chris Carter was the name in the TU.
Why would Elton send this email first thing Monday AM?
Why didn't the organization send it like they did when Joe Sampson or the rest of the crew was released? Were they planning to but this was a "preemptive" move by Rivas? Doubt we'll ever really know and I doubt Elton will ever return to this city.
Hubris. Smugness. Like rain on a welding day.
Can we still have one spark in April with no creators? The beer stands, food trucks, music, and people are the main reasons I go and Mike Field can set those up at a moment's notice.
Quote from: Murder_me_Rachel on January 12, 2016, 07:15:44 AM
Quote from: tufsu1 on January 11, 2016, 10:47:46 PM
Quote from: Murder_me_Rachel on January 11, 2016, 08:33:39 AM
http://jacksonville.com/breaking-news/2016-01-11/story/one-spark-founder-and-ceo-elton-rivas-resigns
One Spark was always smoke and mirrors. This is not surprising at all. That ship is sinking fast.
not saying I disagree....but just curious...what positive contributions do you make to the city MMR?
In my younger years, quite many, actually. I wont divulge which ones, because that would identify me. I know everyone will say I won't divulge which ones because I dont have any and, hey, I don't really care what a bunch of names on a message board think of me.
Plus, this is just the weakest bullshit there is. You can't have a critical opinion of someone or thing unless you have engaged in exactly the same things they have, at an equivalent level? So, no doctor can criticize the mayor, because he has never been a mayor? No successful lawyer can have an opinion on the Jags because he hasn't been a football player? No.
Regardless of my accomplishments, I can credibly say One Spark was a sham. Sorry I didn't buy the snake oil they were always selling.
If you really didn't care "what a bunch of names on a message board" think of you, you wouldn't get so defensive when people ask you this.
You act as if people react to you because you're just expressing a critical opinion. Not really. They react like this because you voice (almost uniformly negative) opinions about everything with an air like you know more about running events, or businesses, or virtually everything, than the people who are actually out there. Maybe you do, but when you haven't said, people don't have a reason to believe you.
QuoteRivas said his resignation from One Spark came in two pieces.
On Thursday, he sent a memo detailing his thoughts for a plan of action for One Spark.
The next day, he said, came a conversation with Rummell and a board member.
Rivas said they "collectively recognized we were not in alignment" and mutually agreed to go in a different direction.
He said he was asked to resign as CEO (which he did), but stay on as a board member.
Rivas said after "a bunch of consideration" over the weekend, he decided to resign as a board member, as well.
Asked if he received a severance from One Spark, Rivas said, "I resigned free and clear of any sort of things along those lines."
He leaves One Spark with a heart full of memories.
One is the launch of the Kickstarter campaign to fund the inaugural festival. He said the team wanted him to be the one to push the button to officially launch the effort, so he did that while on a plane, 35,000 feet in the air.
The Kickstarter campaign exceeded its $90,000 goal, bringing in pledges of $106,689.
Another memory is the annual tradition of walking the festival's footprint the night before opening day. He started doing that in 2013 with his girlfriend, who became his wife almost two months ago.
"It was a little bit of calm before the storm," Rivas said of the annual walk.
He'll be at One Spark this year, too, to continue showing his support for the creators.
Rivas said he appreciates that so many people have reached out the last day or so to show their support.
He has no plans to leave Jacksonville, but is "wide open" to opportunities. He'll begin reaching out to his network in the near future, he said.
But first, he'll celebrate his 35th birthday today, with his new wife and a slice of cake.
Full article: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=546836
^ I was just about to post this article.
It reads like one spark as a festival is mostly gone and they are transforming the organization into some sort of venture capital group.
QuoteThe fallout from the resignation of One Spark co-founder and CEO Elton Rivas continues to unfold as a member of the organization's board of directors has quit the group that runs the annual crowdfunding festival in downtown Jacksonville.
Rena Coughlin resigned from the board of directors Monday, One Spark officials confirmed. She could not be reached for comment.
The development follows the resignations of two One Spark staff members Monday after the announcement Rivas was resigning at the request of the board.
"Rena helped the One Spark board organize and focus our nonprofit governance structure and we are thankful for the time, commitment and service she gave to the organization over the past several months," One Spark board member Michael Munz said in a statement. "She was a great asset and we look forward to continuing to work with her to make Jacksonville great."
Coughlin is active in Jacksonville non-profit activism and management. She also was part of the transition team for Mayor Lenny Curry following the 2015 municipal elections.
She is the CEO of the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida. That organization agreed to join forces with One Spark when the crowfunding group announced major changes for the festival in the summer, including reducing the geographic area and the number of creator projects from about 500 to a scheduled 300 for 2016.
Coughlin was optimistic in September about the future of the One Spark event and organizational structure.
"I was really interested in making sure the organization had the governance and the infrastructure it needed to get it to the next level of development," she said then.
"Organizations that start off organically focused on this terrific mission sometimes escalate ahead of the infrastructure that they need to support it," Coughlin said. "This is the next stage where you stop and put the brakes on. ... We are making investment in the internal workings of the organization as well. ..."
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2016-01-12/story/one-spark-board-member-steps-down-wake-rivas-resignation-ceo (http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2016-01-12/story/one-spark-board-member-steps-down-wake-rivas-resignation-ceo)
Such a shame. I can say, 20-somethings really enjoyed this festival. It had a certain energy that I for one haven't seen in Jax.
Quote from: Murder_me_Rachel on January 11, 2016, 08:33:39 AM
http://jacksonville.com/breaking-news/2016-01-11/story/one-spark-founder-and-ceo-elton-rivas-resigns
One Spark was always smoke and mirrors. This is not surprising at all. That ship is sinking fast.
+1
I've been reading this thread with great interest and maybe my comments belong in a different thread. If that's the case, I apologize up front.
The reason I've found it interesting is, I've been trying to figure out exactly what One Spark is/was. What really got me going, though, was the comparison to Art Prize in Grand Rapids, which is my hometown. I then began to think about all the discussions that this forum has had about DT Jax being what it is. Well...
Thirty years ago, you could walk into DT GR at 6:00 in the evening and hit a golf ball in any direction without too much fear of hitting a human being, at least not one that held a job. Pretty much like much of what has been said of DT Jax, currently. What changed? The $$$ invested by a couple of local billionaires named DeVos and Van Andel. They were tired of seeing the city deteriorate, and they took matters into their own hands. They bought up old hotels and renovated them into 5-star places. They built an arena for sports and concerts. They plowed money into public facilities, allowing the city to have a massive convention center with a wonderful performance hall. No surprise that Art Prize is the vision of one of their lineage! It wasn't designed to be profitable; it was designed to make GR an even more "world class" city, to get people to come and experience it. The transformation of this city has been nothing short of astonishing, and Art Prize is but one small piece of the puzzle.
It seems that Jax is waiting for city hall or Shad Khan or someone to do something. Grand Rapids had the good fortune (no pun intended) of having two LOCAL guys who made it big and loved their city enough to do something about it. Does Jacksonville have anyone with local roots with this kind of vision, with this kind of love for his / her city? It really is going to take someone like this, by the sounds of it.
^Peter Rummell is the guy who finances One Spark, and various other things like The District development. There are others, but I don't know that any city can rely on just a couple of guys with money to revitalize their downtowns. In Grand Rapids, the success has come after years of planning and vision across the spectrum, not so much the DeVos's, Meijers, etc doing it all on their own.
Quote from: TimmyB on January 12, 2016, 09:33:52 PM
The reason I've found it interesting is, I've been trying to figure out exactly what One Spark is/was. What really got me going, though, was the comparison to Art Prize in Grand Rapids, which is my hometown. I then began to think about all the discussions that this forum has had about DT Jax being what it is. Well...
I am pretty sure Art Prize was one of the inspirations behind One Spark. The founder of Art Prize came to speak at the Cultural Council Awards Luncheon in Jax one year (probably 2010 or 2011) and then before long we started hearing rumblings of some world's festival here in Jax.
Quote from: TimmyB on January 12, 2016, 09:33:52 PM
It seems that Jax is waiting for city hall or Shad Khan or someone to do something. Grand Rapids had the good fortune (no pun intended) of having two LOCAL guys who made it big and loved their city enough to do something about it. Does Jacksonville have anyone with local roots with this kind of vision, with this kind of love for his / her city?
Homegrown? We've just got Fred Durst and Tim Tebow. j/k...also Laveranues Coles. We can count on them ;)
Quote from: TimmyB on January 12, 2016, 09:33:52 PM
I've been reading this thread with great interest and maybe my comments belong in a different thread. If that's the case, I apologize up front.
The reason I've found it interesting is, I've been trying to figure out exactly what One Spark is/was. What really got me going, though, was the comparison to Art Prize in Grand Rapids, which is my hometown. I then began to think about all the discussions that this forum has had about DT Jax being what it is. Well...
Thirty years ago, you could walk into DT GR at 6:00 in the evening and hit a golf ball in any direction without too much fear of hitting a human being, at least not one that held a job. Pretty much like much of what has been said of DT Jax, currently. What changed? The $$$ invested by a couple of local billionaires named DeVos and Van Andel. They were tired of seeing the city deteriorate, and they took matters into their own hands. They bought up old hotels and renovated them into 5-star places. They built an arena for sports and concerts. They plowed money into public facilities, allowing the city to have a massive convention center with a wonderful performance hall. No surprise that Art Prize is the vision of one of their lineage! It wasn't designed to be profitable; it was designed to make GR an even more "world class" city, to get people to come and experience it. The transformation of this city has been nothing short of astonishing, and Art Prize is but one small piece of the puzzle.
It seems that Jax is waiting for city hall or Shad Khan or someone to do something. Grand Rapids had the good fortune (no pun intended) of having two LOCAL guys who made it big and loved their city enough to do something about it. Does Jacksonville have anyone with local roots with this kind of vision, with this kind of love for his / her city? It really is going to take someone like this, by the sounds of it.
Great Post. Gives me an idea for Fish Prize. Downtown
Quote from: whyisjohngalt on January 12, 2016, 12:24:29 AM
Chris Byers was the name Elton listed but Chris Carter was the name in the TU.
Why would Elton send this email first thing Monday AM?
Why didn't the organization send it like they did when Joe Sampson or the rest of the crew was released? Were they planning to but this was a "preemptive" move by Rivas? Doubt we'll ever really know and I doubt Elton will ever return to this city.
Hubris. Smugness. Like rain on a welding day.
Chris Byers is the finance guy who's been around since 2014 as a contractor from ICX Group turned (I believe) employee in mid to late 2015. Chris Carter is new, and will be running One Spark Ventures, which was just announced by Peter. Hope that helps...
To clarify, I wasn't released. I decided to resign as executive director in December 2014 (see: https://onespark.com/blog/statement-on-departure-of-joe-sampson), and my resignation was not at their request. Generally unwilling to go much further into it than that as I still care deeply for One Spark and truly hope the organization finds success in its new model, but I thought that was worth clearing up.
Sorry, Joe. I assumed you resigned in a similar fashion as Rivas. i was wrong and I apologize.
Why do you think Elton would send that directly Monday AM instead of through One Spark channels like you did?
Quote from: JoeSampsonFL on January 13, 2016, 07:23:38 AM
Quote from: whyisjohngalt on January 12, 2016, 12:24:29 AM
Chris Byers was the name Elton listed but Chris Carter was the name in the TU.
Why would Elton send this email first thing Monday AM?
Why didn't the organization send it like they did when Joe Sampson or the rest of the crew was released? Were they planning to but this was a "preemptive" move by Rivas? Doubt we'll ever really know and I doubt Elton will ever return to this city.
Hubris. Smugness. Like rain on a welding day.
Chris Byers is the finance guy who's been around since 2014 as a contractor from ICX Group turned (I believe) employee in mid to late 2015. Chris Carter is new, and will be running One Spark Ventures, which was just announced by Peter. Hope that helps...
To clarify, I wasn't released. I decided to resign as executive director in December 2014 (see: https://onespark.com/blog/statement-on-departure-of-joe-sampson), and my resignation was not at their request. Generally unwilling to go much further into it than that as I still care deeply for One Spark and truly hope the organization finds success in its new model, but I thought that was worth clearing up.
What is the new model?
Quote from: Tacachale on January 12, 2016, 10:25:42 PM
^Peter Rummell is the guy who finances One Spark, and various other things like The District development. There are others, but I don't know that any city can rely on just a couple of guys with money to revitalize their downtowns. In Grand Rapids, the success has come after years of planning and vision across the spectrum, not so much the DeVos's, Meijers, etc doing it all on their own.
I don't mean to imply that they did it on their own. What I AM saying is, if they hadn't started the initiative by buying the decrepit Pantlind Hotel and turning it into the Amway Grand Plaza, and then kept plowing money into the DT area, none of the others would have followed. Once people and government realized DT was coming back, it was an easy sell. Trust me, I am not aligned with the DeVos family in any way, especially when they are trying to put me out of a job every chance they get.
^Time will tell if the group of developers/individuals (ex. Coley, Atkins, Rummell, Khan, etc.) trying to get various projects off the ground, will play a similar role.
^What I'm saying is that (for the last 20-30 years, at least), Grand Rapids' efforts have been coordinated (my wife's family is from Battle Creek, and Grand Rapids is easily my favorite part of Michigan). It may have started with some individual projects, but the redevelopment really worked because various interested partners - the big developers, the city, and local groups - worked together to build a common vision. We've had that in interrupted bursts, and it looks like things are going that way again, but we'd be wise not to rely too much on any one project being the thing that puts us over.
^great observation.
Quote from: TimmyB on January 12, 2016, 09:33:52 PM
I've been reading this thread with great interest and maybe my comments belong in a different thread. If that's the case, I apologize up front.
The reason I've found it interesting is, I've been trying to figure out exactly what One Spark is/was. What really got me going, though, was the comparison to Art Prize in Grand Rapids, which is my hometown. I then began to think about all the discussions that this forum has had about DT Jax being what it is. Well...
Thirty years ago, you could walk into DT GR at 6:00 in the evening and hit a golf ball in any direction without too much fear of hitting a human being, at least not one that held a job. Pretty much like much of what has been said of DT Jax, currently. What changed? The $$$ invested by a couple of local billionaires named DeVos and Van Andel. They were tired of seeing the city deteriorate, and they took matters into their own hands. They bought up old hotels and renovated them into 5-star places. They built an arena for sports and concerts. They plowed money into public facilities, allowing the city to have a massive convention center with a wonderful performance hall. No surprise that Art Prize is the vision of one of their lineage! It wasn't designed to be profitable; it was designed to make GR an even more "world class" city, to get people to come and experience it. The transformation of this city has been nothing short of astonishing, and Art Prize is but one small piece of the puzzle.
It seems that Jax is waiting for city hall or Shad Khan or someone to do something. Grand Rapids had the good fortune (no pun intended) of having two LOCAL guys who made it big and loved their city enough to do something about it. Does Jacksonville have anyone with local roots with this kind of vision, with this kind of love for his / her city? It really is going to take someone like this, by the sounds of it.
I am from Kalamazoo and remember the days when both GR and Kzoo were complete ghost downtowns. Now the downtowns are both thriving because of coordinated efforts. Wealthy people/corporations who give a damn about their city combined with city officials that have vision. I have been saying this for a while . . . if these cities (you might want the throw Detroit's revitalizations efforts in the conversation as well) in a Midwestern state that has had a struggling economy for the last 30+ years can get organized and breathe new life into their downtowns then a major city in Florida with a rich and diverse economy should be able to as well.
Quote from: Tacachale on January 13, 2016, 12:13:38 PM
^What I'm saying is that (for the last 20-30 years, at least), Grand Rapids' efforts have been coordinated (my wife's family is from Battle Creek, and Grand Rapids is easily my favorite part of Michigan). It may have started with some individual projects, but the redevelopment really worked because various interested partners - the big developers, the city, and local groups - worked together to build a common vision. We've had that in interrupted bursts, and it looks like things are going that way again, but we'd be wise not to rely too much on any one project being the thing that puts us over.
I've spent the last 29 years of my life working (and living) in Battle Creek, and Grand Rapids is also one of my favorite parts!!! :o :o :o Traverse City, of course, number one in my heart.
I believe we are on the same page, as far as the commitment of all the stakeholders. It does take those monied people to believe in the first place, though. Probably why BC is becoming the next Flint. All the Kellogg's are gone and there is no LOCAL voice with the $$$ AND the commitment to do something about it.
Quote from: TheCat on January 13, 2016, 10:55:20 AM
Quote from: JoeSampsonFL on January 13, 2016, 07:23:38 AM
Quote from: whyisjohngalt on January 12, 2016, 12:24:29 AM
Chris Byers was the name Elton listed but Chris Carter was the name in the TU.
Why would Elton send this email first thing Monday AM?
Why didn't the organization send it like they did when Joe Sampson or the rest of the crew was released? Were they planning to but this was a "preemptive" move by Rivas? Doubt we'll ever really know and I doubt Elton will ever return to this city.
Hubris. Smugness. Like rain on a welding day.
Chris Byers is the finance guy who's been around since 2014 as a contractor from ICX Group turned (I believe) employee in mid to late 2015. Chris Carter is new, and will be running One Spark Ventures, which was just announced by Peter. Hope that helps...
To clarify, I wasn't released. I decided to resign as executive director in December 2014 (see: https://onespark.com/blog/statement-on-departure-of-joe-sampson), and my resignation was not at their request. Generally unwilling to go much further into it than that as I still care deeply for One Spark and truly hope the organization finds success in its new model, but I thought that was worth clearing up.
What is the new model?
In their own words: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/one-spark-ventures-launches-to-propel-festival-to-new-heights-300202310.html
With One Spark festival wavering, Elbow businesses want their own party
QuoteA downtown business group says it is mobilizing to offset the potential loss of the One Spark crowdfunding festival scheduled for April.
Grant Nielsen, founder and administrator of the Elbow Marketing Co-op, said representatives of about a dozen businesses have agreed to formulate some sort of downtown event April 7-9 when the One Spark festival is scheduled to take place.
The group of business owners and entrepreneurs in the Elbow District running along Bay and Ocean streets downtown meets monthly. At Wednesday night's gathering they discussed this week's One Spark developments, which included the resignations of the CEO, two administrative staffers and a member of the board of directors.
"Regardless of what happens with One Spark, in terms of crowd attendance, its footprint or its impact, we're going to continue to do what we always did with that weekend in April," Nielsen said.
"We're going to have great local showcases. Hopefully, most of them will remain free. It's going to be a party like it's always been in The Elbow and we'll continue to do what we do best and that's to highlight local culture," Nielsen said.
The Elbow organization represents some 14 businesses, nightclubs and restaurants in about a six-square-block area of downtown. Nielsen said no one in that district wants the One Spark festival to disappear and he credited One Spark co-founder and former CEO Elton Rivas for generating momentum for entrepreneurial spirit in Jacksonville.
But Rivas agreed to submit his resignation to One Spark Inc. Monday after the board of directors asked him to step down. One Spark Chairman and funding patron Peter Rummell said it was time for the organization to move on and indicated at a meeting with 80 business leaders Tuesday that the days of the festival may be over.
The crowdfunding festival drew an estimated 320,000 people to a 20-square-block area of downtown during the six-day event in April 2015. The event was earlier whittled down to three days and 10 blocks for this year's scheduled festival. Then Rummell said this week there's no guarantee the event will take place at all.
Rummell and his colleagues are instead focusing on developing a new project called One Spark Ventures, which would focus more on networking for startup businesses and entrepreneurs and providing financial support in the way of investments.
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2016-01-14/story/one-spark-festival-wavering-elbow-businesses-want-their-own-party?utm_source=story_footer_recommendations&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=cxense#.VpfR13ZQuR0.twitter (http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2016-01-14/story/one-spark-festival-wavering-elbow-businesses-want-their-own-party?utm_source=story_footer_recommendations&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=cxense#.VpfR13ZQuR0.twitter)
Thanks @joesampsonFL
QuoteOne Spark Ventures Launches to Propel Festival to New Heights
One Spark Ventures Creates Long-Term, Sustainable Strategy for Success
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Jan. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors of One Spark, Inc., announced today the creation of a new social purpose corporation designed to evolve One Spark into a vehicle for long-term success and better connect creators with resources. One Spark Ventures (OSV) is committed to licensing and leveraging the One Spark brand to connect creators, communities and capital.
As a social purpose corporation, OSV is dedicated to making a positive impact on society in the tradition that was first created with the founding of the One Spark crowdfunding festival. OSV will maintain its mission of developing an ecosystem that allows creators and the community to thrive. It will also own, maintain and license the use of the One Spark brand. An evolution of One Spark is necessary to grow a sustainable model that supports creators and demonstrates that Jacksonville is a successful entrepreneurial city.
Peter Rummell, the key patron of One Spark since its premier in Jacksonville in 2013, will serve as the chairman of OSV. Chris Carter has joined the organization and will serve as its president. Carter has served in executive positions of Fortune 500 corporations in the areas of strategic business and corporate development, financial management as well as operations and administration. Following his corporate experience, Carter formed a consulting agency that worked extensively with companies in the interactive media, cable, entertainment, music, technology and consumer electronics industries. In this role, he worked on a number of pioneering initiatives that used emerging technologies to create innovative new ventures, products and services.
"The One Spark festival has created a long-lasting impact on our community, with countless small business owners and the Jacksonville entrepreneurial community as a whole crediting the festival with giving their idea and business life," said One Spark Board Chairman Peter Rummell. "It is time to take our mission one step further, by executing a master plan to ensure that we are an all-encompassing tool that will bring together creators and capital for long-term success."
As a social purpose corporation, OSV is dedicated to the creator networking and support of ideas that was first demonstrated with the founding of the One Spark Crowdfunding Festival. Since its premiere in Jacksonville in 2013 and Berlin in 2014, the One Spark Crowdfunding Festival has hosted more than 1,500 creators, raised nearly $400,000 in crowdfunding, had over 700,000 attendees, seen $7.9 million pledged in venture capital funds, reached nearly 165 million impressions via social media and garnered local, regional and national media attention.
"Since my initial conversations with the core team developing One Spark Ventures, we have discussed how to expand the One Spark crowdfunding platform, which provides talented creators seeking idea validation and capital, to better connect top creators with investment by local capital sources," said Chris Carter, president of OSV. "It will be the mission of One Spark Ventures to develop additional opportunities for creators to come to Jacksonville in very targeted events, to be exposed to the capital and other resources available to entrepreneurs, and to provide angel, venture capital and other investors a platform to engage with these startup opportunities, furthering One Spark's core vision of connecting creators to the community and capital."
OSV will organize a supporting network of venture capital, private and angel investors and provide them with high-level, pre-screened access opportunities to the top creators who have applied to participate in the One Spark 2016 Festival.
Elton Rivas, who has served as the CEO of One Spark, Inc., has tendered his resignation at the request of the board. As such, he will no longer serve in this role or serve on the board and will be pursuing other opportunities. Chris Byers, current One Spark, Inc. chief operating officer will continue to manage the day-to-day activities of the organization working closely with Carter as president of OSV.
"We are excited about the future – about creating a sustainable solution and about making sure that One Spark and Jacksonville remain synonymous with ideas and creativity," said Rummell.
OSV will carry out its mission through key components: core activities, long-term funding vehicles and supporting networks and partners.
Core activities
Ensuring the continuation of the One Spark Festival and One Spark, Inc. as the licensed operator of the festival will also be a major objective for OSV. OSV will maintain a close and collaborative working relationship with One Spark, Inc. and offer support, ideas and strategic input.
Long-term funding vehicles
As the program matures, OSV will evaluate the opportunity to create a traditional venture capital fund to invest in the future development or launch of One Spark creator projects.
Supporting networks and partners
OSV will create an ecosystem to assist One Spark creators in the development and implementation of their ideas. OSV will seek strategic partnerships, alliances and networks for this mission. OSV will also form both an Investment Advisory Board, as well as a Technical Advisory Group, comprised of higher education leaders, industry experts and entrepreneurs, to provide guidance and expertise to One Spark creators.
About One Spark Ventures
One Spark Ventures (OSV) is a social purpose corporation whose commitment is to license and leverage the One Spark brand to connect Creators + Community + Capital. OSV is dedicated to creating a positive impact on society through core activities, such as the One Spark festival, community support and local sponsorships, establishing long-term funding vehicles and developing supporting networks and partners to assist Creators in the development of ideas.
About One Spark
One Spark is a nonprofit committed to fostering environments of creativity and innovation through crowdfunding. The company does this by connecting artists, entrepreneurs and innovators from around the world with the human and capital resources they need to move their ideas forward. The One Spark festival is one of the most efficient ways for individuals, teams and large companies to receive market validation. The event is the world's largest crowdfunding festival that brings together hundreds of thousands of people to support ideas and projects that inspire them via rewards-based crowdfunding.
SOURCE One Spark
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/one-spark-ventures-launches-to-propel-festival-to-new-heights-300202310.html (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/one-spark-ventures-launches-to-propel-festival-to-new-heights-300202310.html)
QuoteOne Spark have done to bring together something that has been called 'the most important event in the city of Jacksonville to ever happen.' "
Wait, weren't the video boards that can be seen from outer space the most important event, I mean they are a game changer so said Mayor Alvin Brown.