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Welcome!

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What can we do to help you?

  • In-House  
    Assist and collaborate with your Airmen to identify a problem set (generate problem statement) & develop solutions in-house.
     
  • Collaborative Research  
    Connect Airmen with AFWERX, DoD, or consultant to further develop/accelerate project to solutions. 
     
  • Knowledge Exchange   
    Furnish your Airmen with academic opportunities for individual or organizational learning. 
     
  • SIF Management 
    Provide guidance to squadrons to meet CSAF intent and assist with squadron innovation funds supporting projects. 
     
  • SBIR Collaboration  
    Partnering with AFWERX to pair up your pain points with startups who can provide the solutions. 

Elevate Office

Educate explore exploit


INTRO TO 3D PRINTING
Are you interested in 3D printing and looking for a practical and compact entry-level course, but don't feel like reading or searching for information? Then this course is well suited for you! In this workshop you will learn all the basics you need to know in order to operate a 3D printer and create your own 3D printed objects. Start now with this professional, descriptive and step-by-step 3D printing tutorial, made by Elevate’s Chief Maker!  Sign up now!

 

Air Force Innovation ARticles

  • 2025 Spark Tank winner announced

    A team from Barksdale AFB pioneered and prototyped a B-52 avionics pylon loading adapter using existing weapons-loading equipment to win the 2025 Spark Tank competition.

  • AFCENT Battle Lab paves way for drone-on-drone defense

    As technology advances and the battlespace continues to evolve, the U.S. Air Force is finding innovative ways to overcome new and previously unimagined obstacles. Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) Battle Lab at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, is leading the charge, building its own drones

  • B-52 crew comfort seating inbound: 49th TES conducts testing

    AFGSC/A5N – Commercial Capabilities & Integration & Transition Division, the 49th TES, &industry partners completed a flight test Monday, Nov. 3, to evaluate an adaptive seat cushion for the B-52H, designed to reduce fatigue & improve aircrew performance during long-duration missions.

  • 332nd AEW rolls towards modernization with new vehicle fleet

    The 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron received new Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, improving the fleet used for base defense and increasing safety and survivability in challenging terrain, in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Dec. 3, 2025.

  • Combat Forces Command Leaders Spotlight Readiness and Resilience

    At the Space Force Association’s Spacepower Conference 2025, leaders from the U.S. Space Force’s Combat Forces Command (CFC) underscored their mission to build resilient, combat-ready space forces. The fireside chat highlighted how CFC is shaping the future of space warfighting by strengthening

  • 332nd ECES lights the way

    The 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron replaced an older generation expeditionary airfield lighting system with the first-ever, operational expeditionary airfield lighting system in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Nov. 19, 2025.

  • AFRL invention deployed by Maryland State Police

    A mobile medical documentation tool developed by Air Force Research Laboratory researchers is now deployed and being tested on Maryland State Police medevac helicopters. This marks the first time medical providers are using BATDOK to document and transfer civilian patients in the U.S.

  • First stop as Chief of Staff of the Air Force: AFGSC

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach & his wife, Mrs. Wilsbach, visited AFGSC, Nov. 19, for immersions into the command’s mission & modernization programs. This initial immersion, Wilsbach’s 1st official base visit as CSAF, underscored the command's pivotal role in the nation’s security.

Motivation

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)


TED Radio Hour: Failure Is An Option

Difference Between Innovation and Invention

Why Innovation Is Crucial to Your Organization

How to Create a Culture of Innovation 

How Leaders Inspire Innovation

 

Leader's inspiration

"...We have to think about the technology and the innovation that we need 10 to 15 to 20 years from now. We have to start thinking about it and start building it right now." - CMSAF Kaleth O. Wright 

"Innovative Airmen find better ways of doing the mission... Their intrapreneurship makes us more lethal, more efficient — they must be supported by leaders who not only remove unnecessary barriers to success, but who also lift up and champion their ideas... And because we’ve shown them we believe in their ideas, I want them to keep swinging until we find the answer." - Gen David L. Goldfein 

"Innovation doesn’t happen by accident. It is fueled from a spirit of experimentation and driven by Airmen with the best training, the right tools, and a workplace environment that promotes innovation. The threat and environmental challenges presented by our adversaries require that we aggressively investigate mission-focused ideas involving machine learning, artificial intelligence, autonomy, big data analytics... AMC will make bold investments in innovation that increase readiness and posture AMC forces to remain effective in a fast-paced and challenging future." - Gen Maryanne  Miller 

“We are at the beginning of a big culture shift in the government. We woke up and said we are not the only funder or inventor of new technology anymore…we are a partner with those who do.” – Dr. Will Roper, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics 

Take a 3D printing class!

 

Newsletter

Click HERE for Elevate's monthly newsletter

CONTACT US

Chief Innovation Officer
Capt. John Kornahrens

Deputy Chief Innovation Officer
Mike Martinez

SEL/Lead Engineer
Master Sgt. Matthew Sabo

Innovation Officer
1st Lt. Carolyn Spotts

NCOIC
Tech. Sgt. Christopher Signoretti

Innovation Specialist
Staff Sgt. Brad Vickers

Contact Us
Email: 375amw.safb.elevate@us.af.mil
Phone: 618-256-4802

Where are we located?
The lab is located on the second floor of the Warmer Fitness Center.


Elevate is an Airmen-led innovation office focused on connecting our Airmen's problems to those in industry, academia or government. 
We work closely with AFWERX, the Secretary of the Air Force's innovation arm, and the main conduit for executing Small Business Innovation
Research, or SBIR, funds for the Air Force.

Elevate is a grassroots innovation program whose mission is to bring tomorrow’s tools to the warfighter today while inspiring a bottom‐up culture of innovation. We create unique opportunities for external partners to work directly with military on interesting problems, which also allows for rapid fielding solutions. 

Have an idea?

Please send any innovative ideas or service requests to us via our intake form found at the below QR Code & link.