Inaugural One Spark Berlin planned for fall 2014

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Mar. 20, 2014 – One Spark, the world’s crowdfunding festival, today announced plans to expand into Berlin, Germany producing One Spark Berlin in mid-September 2014. This will be the first One Spark festival located outside of the U.S.

Since the inaugural One Spark festival in April 2013, numerous international markets have contacted festival organizers expressing interest in partnering with One Spark in order to host festivals in their cities. One Spark Berlin will customize its version to adapt to the Berlin market, anticipating approximately 200 creator projects to participate. More details will be announced about One Spark’s global plans at One Spark Jacksonville’s Closing Ceremony, 5 p.m., April 13, 2014.

“One Spark is a global platform for doers that has the potential to empower ideas anywhere, and One Spark Berlin adds a critical outside market validation component to everything we’ve built in Jacksonville,” said Elton Rivas, co-founder of One Spark. “If you want to launch ideas, generate traction in real-time through crowdfunding and get connected to the funding needed to grow your idea, One Spark is the place to do it no matter where One Spark is.”

The first annual One Spark festival, held April 17 - 21, 2013 in downtown Jacksonville, Fla., hosted 406 projects in art, innovation, music, science and technology and 130,000 attendees. Participating projects received $250,000 in crowdfunding divided out by popular vote and six projects received over $1 million in private capital investment combined on top of private individual contributions from attendees.

This year’s One Spark Jacksonville has attracted 56 percent more creator projects over last year’s festival, with 632 projects from across the country and the world set to showcase in downtown Jacksonville April 9 - 13, 2014. The crowdfunding and awards structure has also grown significantly over year one, with $310,000 in guaranteed crowdfunds and awards, unlimited individual contributions and $3.25 million in potential capital investment for participating projects, a huge increase over year one’s $1 million private capital investment in six creator projects by Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan.

“This news certainly adds a dynamic element as we work to produce an expanded event for 2014 creators in Jacksonville,” said Joe Sampson, One Spark Jacksonville’s executive director. “One Spark provides a real-time crowdfunding platform for creators to truly connect with their backers, and now five creators from One Spark Jacksonville will receive the opportunity to engage a major international market. ”


Top-finishing creators that receive $10,000 juried awards at One Spark Jacksonville, April 9 - 13, 2014, will receive guaranteed participation in One Spark Berlin, plus a plane ticket to get there.

See more photos from the event at: Click Here