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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

  • Ramstein Tech Expo: Collaborating innovative solutions

    Representatives from various companies deliver briefings during a technology exposition at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, July 19, 2022. The Tech Expo provided an opportunity to see new, emerging technologies and network with experts in the industry.

  • Air Force, Space Force begins hackathon at 3 locations

    The BRAVO Hackathon and BRAVO 1 Canary Release began today; the event focuses on innovation and software development commonly employed by technology companies. Teams self-form and urgently develop working prototypes that are later presented to senior leaders.

  • New technologies drive Tyndall’s Installation of the Future rebuild

    JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, has been on a continuous innovation journey to become the Installation of the Future since Hurricane Michael devastated the installation in 2018.The Air Force Civil Engineer Center’s Natural Disaster Recovery Division has been

  • Project Arcwater: Sustaining more than just the warfighter

    The U.S. Air Force's latest Spark Tank winner, Project Arcwater, was put through an extended test phase in Otwock, Poland, by joining nonprofit volunteer educators at a summer camp for Polish children. Without their contributions, this would have been the third year in a row the summer camp would

  • Air Force Spark Tank unleashes AETC's capacity to innovate

    Air Education and Training Command has begun accepting innovative submissions that can significantly impact Air Force missions within the next six-24 months from uniformed and civilian Airmen for the 2023 Air Force Spark Tank competition, now through August 17.

  • 805th CTS changes command

    Lt. Col. John Ohlund became the commander of the 805th Combat Training Squadron on the Shadow Operations Center-Nellis operations floor during a change of command ceremony at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, June 24. 

  • Innovation and Leadership in Aerospace Berlin

    More than 100 different aircraft from 10 nations were on display at the Innovation and Leadership in Aerospace Berlin tradeshow and airshow, commonly known as ILA Berlin, from June 22-26, 2022.

  • Industry Day at Travis’ Phoenix Spark

    The Phoenix Spark lab hosted an industry day at the Gonge Innovation Lab for external companies to pitch ideas to the base populations through presentations June 17, 2022.

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.