JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Feb. 12, 2015 – During this year’s One Spark, The World’s Largest Crowdfunding Festival, creators participating in the festival will have the chance to compete for up to $3.5 million in potential investment funding. The private investment opportunities offered to festival participants, called creators, will be just one of the ways in which a creator can receive the resources they seek to move their ideas, inventions and startups forward. One Spark 2015’s registration deadline has been extended to Feb. 25, 2015 to give interested creators the opportunity to register and apply for the additional potential capital investment. One Spark 2015 takes place in downtown Jacksonville, Fla. April 7-12, 2015.
This year’s private investors list has expanded to include some returning venture partners as well new participants. The 2015 list includes: Arsenal Ventures Partners, based in Orlando, Fla., GuideWell, based in Jacksonville, Fla., MountainStar Capital, based in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., PS27 Ventures, based in Jacksonville, and Swamp Rabbit Angels, based in Greenville, S.C. One Spark 2015 creator projects are independently selected for investment by participating angel investors and venture capitalists. For more information, visit onespark.com.
“As a returning capital partner, we know first-hand the opportunities One Spark offers investors to connect live and in-person with quality investment opportunities,” said Jim Stallings, managing partner at PS27 Ventures. “That’s why we’re proud to be a venture partner again this year, and excited to see what the creators present during the festival. The human validation One Spark gives to creators is something that investors look closely at when making an investment determination.”
One Spark 2015 also offers participating projects access to private individual contributions from the public and $350,000 in guaranteed crowdfunds and awards, increased from last year’s $310,000. Another source of funding for creator projects is in-person or online crowdfunding from anyone, anywhere in the world. A big change for this year is the creators’ ability to offer “rewards” for different levels of contributions, such as art, music or t-shirts, similar to other popular online crowdfunding platforms.
“One Spark is designed to connect creators with the resources they need to bring their ideas to life and from the start I have continued to be amazed at the response we have received from the creative world, the investor world and the Jacksonville community,” said Peter Rummell, One Spark’s Board chair and leading patron. “I have met people who are ready for market, have an interesting prototype or even a design on a napkin – and the thing that binds them all is the desire to have their idea presented and validated so that they can move to the next stage. Great creations come from interesting places and in April Jacksonville is the place to be to see them all in one festival style event – a party with a purpose.”
The $3.5 million in pledges by private investors is an increase from $3.25 million that was made available during One Spark 2014. One Spark 2015 creator projects are independently selected for investment by participating angel investors and venture capitalists.
“At GuideWell, we’re looking for innovative solutions that lower total cost of care or aid in the effective management of care. Within our insurance business we are particularly interested in these topics for our Medicare and individual under 65 populations,” said Renee Finley, vice president of Enterprise Innovation at GuideWell. “With our focus on consumerism, in both health and health care, we are also looking for One Spark projects that have meaningful health solutions that would be beneficial in a direct-to-consumer marketplace, as well as innovative models that can be leveraged in our direct care delivery facilities.”
For more information about registering projects for One Spark 2015 visit onespark.com.
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About One Spark:
One Spark, The World’s Largest Crowdfunding Festival, is committed to fostering environments of creativity and innovation by connecting artists, entrepreneurs and innovators from around the world with the human and capital resources they need to launch ideas. The One Spark festival is an interactive experience that allows attendees to support ideas and projects that inspire them via voting and direct contributions and decide on the next big thing.One Spark Jacksonville 2015 takes place April 7 – 12, 2015 in downtown Jacksonville, Fla.
About Arsenal Venture Partners:
Arsenal Venture Partners is a multi-stage venture capital firm that focuses on the intersection of the Government, large corporations, and emerging technology companies. We partner with visionary entrepreneurs to build exceptional businesses in the healthcare, commerce/logistics, enterprise, and resource efficiency sectors. We add value by fostering relationships from our unique network and experience working with the Department of Defense, United States Post Office, Department of Energy, and the Veterans Administration, among others. Arsenal Venture Partners’ core leadership team has been together for nearly 15 years and has 18 investment professionals spread across offices throughout the United States. Please visit the AVP website, http://www.arsenalvp.com, for additional information.
About GuideWell:
GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation is a not-for-profit mutual holding company that is the parent to a family of forward-thinking companies focused on transforming health care. The GuideWell companies include: Florida Blue (Florida’s Blue Cross and Blue Shield plan), GuideWell Health (a health care delivery company), GuideWell Connect (a health care consumer marketing company), and Diversified Service Options (an administrative and claims processing company for state and federal health care programs). For more information, visit http://www.guidewell.com.
About MountainStar Capital:
MountainStar Capital is a private equity group with its primary offices in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and Vail, Colorado. We are a specialized team of entrepreneurs, attorneys, finance and accounting professionals, researchers, and operations experts. We emphasize the importance of mutually beneficial partnerships and have a long-term investment horizon in a broad range of asset classes. MountainStar capital is privately funded and does not provide investment advisory services to persons other than its affiliates and partners.
About PS27 Ventures:
PS27 Ventures is a Florida based boutique investment and consulting firm that is focused on the healthy living and wellness solutions segment of the market. We work with founders and inventors of new ideas and breakthrough products and help bring them to market. We advise as well as invest in selected situations. We utilize the Lean Start Up methodology to accelerate our companies to success.
About Swamp Rabbit Angels:
Swamp Rabbit Angels, based in Greenville, South Carolina, was formed in 2014 to provide a “stealth” investment vehicle for startup seed investments where would-be angel investors wish to remain private while also helping address the access to capital bottleneck for entrepreneurs in very early stage formation. Swamp Rabbit Angels seek to invest in technology companies that include manufacturing or engineering requirement. For additional information, visit swamprabbitagels.com.
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