May 17th, 2018 | 6 - 8 P.M.
SPARK Hollywood is an event that promotes innovation and entrepreneurship for local startups, entrepreneurs, small businesses and inventors in Hollywood and South Florida. The event has three main objectives:
(1) provide a competition for selected contestants to pitch their idea or invention to a panel of judges to win prizes.
(2) provide an opportunity for start-ups to showcase their ideas, inventions and products during a “trade show” open to the public.
(3) provide an opportunity for early-stage entrepreneurs to learn about resources available in the City of Hollywood and the rest of the South Florida region while networking with potential investors and experts who may help start their ventures or grow existing endeavors.
There are no “typical applicants” for SPARK Hollywood. Entrepreneurs and ideas come from every walk of life, every industry sector, and every age group. Contestants can be individuals or a team developing an idea. Some entrepreneurs may have a new business which is already marketing and selling while others may only have a business concept and are working to get to market. Ideas and innovative products may be at any stage of development from creation of concept to a finished product or business.
SPARK Hollywood will be held on Thursday, May 17th, 2018 from 6 to 8pm in Downtown Hollywood at Circ Hollywood Hotel. Selected contestants will have the opportunity to give a three-minute presentation of their innovative idea/business to a panel of judges comprised of local community leaders, investors, and professionals. The judges will select the contestants whose ideas will be awarded first, second, and third place prizes based on a variety of criteria.
If you have the next great idea or business, click the Apply link below. Applications must be submitted before
April 21st, 2018.
We believe great ideas can be discovered anywhere and so we look for them everywhere. We believe in ideas that create new ways to live productive lives. We believe imagination can work. No one can predict the next smart idea or the next great innovation. But we do know, innovation will move people and strenghthen communities.
purchase ticketsKEYNOTE SPEAKERS / JUDGES
Mayor of Hollywood
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Mayor of Hollywood
Josh Levy grew up in Hollywood and graduated from Hollywood Hills High School in 1992. He attended the University of Florida where, in 1996, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Levy went on to earn a Law Degree from Nova Southeastern University, where in 2000, he graduated with Pro Bono Honors and a Certificate of Concentration in International Legal Practice. Aside from being the Mayor of Hollywood, Levy currently serves as General Counsel and oversees Corporate Development for his family’s Hollywood-based automobile dealership.
Levy first began public service with the City 18 years ago, when he served as a law clerk in the City of Hollywood City Attorney’s Office. Later, he was appointed by the Hollywood City Commission to serve as a member of the City’s Planning & Development Board, a position which Levy held for twelve years. Over the years, Levy also served as President, Director and Education Committee Chairperson of the Hollywood Hills Civic Association. Levy is a graduate of the Greater Hollywood Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Hollywood program, the Hollywood Police Department’s Citizen’s Police Academy and is a recipient of the City of Hollywood’s Great Neighborhoods Challenge Community Spirit Award. Levy is also an active member of the Hollywood Historical Society, the Rotary Club of Hollywood, the Broward County Tourist Development Council, and CareerSource Broward. Levy and his wife, Jacqueline, have two young children, Madeline age seven and Jacob age four. During his term as Mayor, Levy is committed to improving neighborhoods, ensuring public safety, helping to improve public schools and stimulate economic growth and job creation.
Founder and President of Healthy Trbe
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Founder and President of Healthy Trbe
Scott has been an entrepreneur in the Hollywood area for over 25-years and has over $15-million dollars in revenues. He is the founder and president of Healthy Tribe, which was recently re-branded, and was sold in all Whole Foods throughout Florida and all HEB grocery stores throughout Texas and was accepted into Sprouts grocery stores in California, Texas and Colorado, plus many more. His products have won many awards, including the Innovation of the Year Award from Beverage Industry and has attracted attention from all over the world. He is also the founder of the South Florida Food & Beverage Association, which has over 115 active members and meets every month.
Scott is also the author of “The Chimp Diet” and is now working on his 2nd book titled “Perfect Human Food”. His interests are focused on Nutritional Biology and the natural selection of feeding, relating to animals in general, but especially our closest living relatives, African Apes. More specifically, the evolution of the Human Digestive Physiology and Gut Microbiome with respect to our original natural diet in comparative to the current Standard American Diet (SAD) in relationship to modern day “diet-related” illnesses, diseases and longevity - in hopes of solving global health issues.
He is also a public speaker and given over 30 speeches on the subject of diet & nutrition.
A true outdoors person who regularly enjoys scuba diving, wakeboarding, mountain biking, running, tennis, boating, camping, hiking, photography, motorcycling and playing guitar.
Vice President of Research and Technology at NSU
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Vice President of Research and Technology at NSU
Joined NSU as vice president of research and technology transfer in 2008. He has several decades of business experience in technology management, academic technology transfer, strategic planning, corporate ventures, R&D/project management, licensing, regulatory affairs, clinical trials, and product development. Prior to joining NSU, he spent nearly 30 years in research management, including eight years with Cordis Corporation as senior scientist, three years with Pfizer Hospital Products as assistant director of technology development, three years with Senmed Medical Ventures as director, medical technology, and 15 years with the University of Miami as assistant vice provost for technology transfer and industry research. In 2018 he was selected by the USPTO to be a judge for the Patents for Humanity program for the third consecutive year. He earned a B.S.M.E from the University of Miami and a M.S. and Sc.D. in Bioengineering from Columbia University.
5Four Digital Founder
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5Four Digital Founder
John D. Saunders is a Digital Marketing Strategist with 8+ years experience in building brands online. Working with brands like Land Rover, Audi and the NAACP, he has utilized Website Development, Content Marketing and Social Media to create marketing campaigns that resonate with the consumer. His main focus is to provide VALUE to business owners and entrepreneurs through actionable marketing tactics. Launching an online course with more than 1,900 active students, John hopes to continue spreading digital marketing knowledge around the world and providing stellar marketing tactics via his Marketing Agency, 5Four Digital.
CIRC Hollywood
1780 Polk St,
Hollywood, FL 33020
Applications must be received by April 21st, 2018. Besides some basic biographical info, the submission of a written document describing the idea/business is needed. Check out the Event Guidelines for more info.
Nothing. Nada. Zilch. At SPARK Hollywood, FL, we are all about fostering ideas. In fact, we’d like to pay you! If you are one of the top presenters, you can walk away with some nice cash to help you get your idea to market!
SPARK Hollywood, FL loves a good idea… it doesn’t matter whether you’ve gotten it off the ground last year or not. If you’ve got a good idea, we want to know about it and share it with the world to help you. Get your business details together and apply now.
Nope, in fact SPARK Hollywood, FL is working with the local schools to invite students to participate. We believe great ideas are a product of great minds, regardless of age.
Check out the event guidelines.
Once SPARK Hollywood, FL has all the applications (remember, April 21st is the deadline). The entry judges will then determine the Finalists, who will be invited to present their idea in a three minute “fast pitch” to the SPARK judges at the main event, May 11th at Hollywood’s ArtsPark venue. The top three finalists will be awarded a cash prize and serious bragging rights!
