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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

  • Donovan: Readiness, force lethality begins with training

    Under Secretary of the Air Force Matthew P. Donovan, the second highest ranking civilian in the Department of the Air Force, visited Sheppard on Feb. 14, 2019, to see how the Air Force’s largest and most diverse technical and undergraduate pilot training base is employing technology to train today’s

  • AETC deputy commander visits 58th SOW

    From left, Staff Sgt. Mark Birrenkott, 58th Aircrew Maintenance Squadron CV-22 Osprey avionics craftsman, and Tech. Sgt. Derek Scott, 58th AMXS CV-22 Osprey crew chief speaks with U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Mark E. Weatherington, Air Education and Training Command deputy commander, at Kirtland Air

  • Creech innovators soak in Silicon Valley

    Twenty-four 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing and affiliated Airmen travelled to San Jose, California (Silicon Valley), for the wing’s Innovative Leadership Immersion and Development trip, Jan. 27, 2019.

  • AFRL Senior Scientist Emeritus elected to National Academy

    WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – Election to the National Academy of Engineering is among the highest professional distinctions afforded to an engineer. For one Air Force engineer, it’s the culmination of a long and storied career. Dr. Sheldon (Lee) Semiatin, from the Air Force Research

  • Defenders repurpose assets to ensure nuclear surety

    Missile security forces defenders are charged with protecting our nation’s assets against all enemies, foreign and domestic. One way they maintain readiness is through training. Recently, the 841st Missile Security Forces Squadron innovated the way they conduct recapture and recovery training.

  • Pegasus Wings its Way to 97 AMW

    Today, the 97th Air Mobility Wing welcomed its newest weapon system, the KC-46A Pegasus to the official training unit of the Air Force’s state-of-the-art tanker aircraft, Feb. 8, 2019.

  • Could 'smart' tools be the future of maintenance?

    Airmen from the 100th Maintenance Squadron attended a technology demonstration to learn about the latest digital tools at RAF Mildenhall, Jan. 31, 2019. A Snap-on Industrial representative showcased a digital tool box and digital inspection kit, which could help streamline the 100th MXS mission and

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

What Really Makes Something Innovative?

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

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CONTACT US

Chief Innovation Officer
(vacant) 

Deputy Chief Innovation Officer
Mike Martinez

SEL/Lead Engineer
Master Sgt. Matthew Sabo

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.