This week, One Spark announced it has extended the registration deadline for this year’s festival. According to The Florida Times Union, the company’s spokesperson, Kristen Sell, revealed that only 150 out of 300 creator projects have registered.
The media outlet confirmed that One Spark was extending the registration by a month from the original cut-off date of this Friday to February 29th. It was also revealed that officials have set a new date for the crowdfunding event, which will now be held on April 6th to the 8th. The festival’s organizers also stated in order to provide more quality displays they wish to fewer creators in this year’s event than in the previous years (which were around 600).
As previously reported, the event was rocked with the announcement that One Spark is making some several new changes, including the creation of its new social purpose corporation and the resignation of CEO Elton Rivas. Chairman of the company, Peter Rummell discussed One Spark’s decisions:
“I think we’re at a turning point. I think things are about to get really interesting. 2016 can’t be like 2015. And 2015 can’t be like 2014. We lost a lot of money in 2015 and we lost a lot of money in 2014. And we can’t keep doing that. As we reach out in the Ventures arm and we go from a one-week festival to a year-round event. I think that’s going to breed a different set of products and a different environment.”