One Spark is being delayed until next spring due to Hurricane Irma.
The innovation festival has been rescheduled for Friday, April 6 and Saturday, April 7, 2018, at EverBank Field, according to the organization.
Earlier plans called for the festival to be held in October.
“We have received dozens of requests from applicants who have been impacted for extensions and help,” said One Spark Ventures President Chris Carter. “Right now, we want to be respectful and mindful of our community and the hardships they face by allowing people the time they need to focus on their homes and families first,” Carter added.
“Community and people come first,” said Chad Johnson, Bold Events and Jacksonville Jaguars senior vice president of sales and services. “By postponing this year’s Innovation Festival, we can better serve the needs of the Jacksonville community. We look forward to a bigger and better One Spark at EverBank Field in a few short months.”
One Spark started roughly four years ago as one of the country’s first festivals formed around crowdfunding and startup culture. Hundreds of entrepreneurs or “creators” packed Hemming Park to try and win favor with potential investors.
But costs ballooned and accusations of financial mismanagement flew, resulting in a dramatically shorter event last year.
One Spark chairman and local real estate developer Peter Rummell said earlier this year that partnering with the Jacksonville Jaguars and holding the event at Everbank Field should help the festival break even.
WJCT reporter Ryan Benk contributed to this story.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
