By Caren Burmeister
Contributing Writer
After a one-year hiatus, One Spark is back with what it hopes is a financially sustainable model focused on a tightly curated group of entrepreneurs at a new location, Daily’s Place.
One Spark 2018 is scheduled Friday and Saturday at the amphitheater next to TIAA Bank Field, formerly called EverBank Field.
A Thursday night preview event from 6-8:30 p.m. is free but requires registration at onespark.com.
Billing itself as the “World’s Largest Idea Fest,” entrepreneurs can present their ideas for feedback, seek funding and network. Organizers call them creators.
Creators also can win cash prizes by earning the votes of festival attendees.
About 70 creator teams were selected from 330 applications, said Chris Carter, president of One Spark Ventures, which runs the program.
Creators will participate in five innovatiwon zones: technology, health care, education, consumer solutions and social-cause initiatives.
Also returning is Spark Tank, where creators can present their ideas to a panel of industry experts and investors for feedback and guidance.
One Spark is bringing back voting, but only for festival attendees using a smartphone app to determine the top teams and provide feedback.
Creators who receive the most votes in each zone will receive a $5,000 cash prize and compete for Top Creator of the Year.
Competitors will advance to the Spark Tank final Saturday, with the winner awarded another $20,000.
One Spark began in 2013 as a five-day crowdfunding festival with as many as 600 creators spread out over 20 square blocks Downtown.
“The concept (for One Spark 2018) is quality over quantity,” Carter said. “It’s a comfortable range that fits under the bowl of the stadium with good quality teams and great ideas.”
One Spark also plans to break even and become self-sustaining.
From 2013 to 2015, developer Peter Rummell personally covered more than half the event’s $6 million tab. He announced in 2016 that he would no longer do so.
In 2016, the event became the First Wednesday SparkWalk Downtown, followed the next day with a Creator Innovation Day conference at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront.
“One of the differentiators this year is doing this in an economically viable way,” Carter said.
For the first time, One Spark is charging for admission, along with food, beverage and product sales and sponsorships, to cover operating expenses, prize money and voting awards.
Admission is $12.50 a day for adults and $7.50 for students. Children 10 and under can enter for free with a paid adult.
By staging One Spark at Daily’s Place, it’s working within a self-contained footprint and turnkey operation with food providers, restrooms, staff, Wi-Fi, security and plenty of parking, Carter said.
“It’s going to be different, Carter said. “It’s a new venue. What we’re doing in Daily’s Place has never been done before by anyone. I can’t tell you the level of detail we’ve been through to sort this out. This is version 1.0 of the new footprint.”
While One Spark still stresses community engagement, this year there will be fewer distractions.
The creators will engage attendees and potential investors from noon to 8 p.m. on both days.
Some music will start at 6 p.m. and run until 8 p.m., when a One Spark After Dark kicks off with live music, craft beer and food vendors.
One Spark also is offering educational and experiential activities, including a stage and LED video wall showing TEDx talks and skill-share presentations on the challenges encountered by startups.
Sponsors, such as Tesla and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, will host exhibits showcasing their technology.
