An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Welcome!

Elevate Ad

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

  • Pocket-sized innovation

    The first few moments are vital when it comes to administering life-saving emergency medical care. Refresher training for Basic Life Support (BLS) is required every two years to maintain certification, but anyone could be thrust into a difficult situation with someone’s life in their hands at any

  • 649th MUNS tests wearables to detect COVID-19

    Airmen from the 649th Munitions Squadron at Hill Air Force Base are sporting a new smart watch and soon will add a smart ring that will alert them when they may be coming down with illnesses such as COVID-19 or other viral infections.

  • SpaceWERX launches during day one of AFWERX Accelerate

    WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFRL) – Today AFWERX kicked-off its inaugural Accelerate event with an exciting announcement on the formation of SpaceWERX, a new entity that will focus on technologies for the United States Space Force. “As we approach the first anniversary of our newest

  • Drones on Goodfellow

    The 17th Security Forces Squadron and the 17th Civil Engineering Squadron fire and emergency services flight, have the newest bird of prey flying overhead: drones.

  • Banshee lessons enhance operational mission

    The third iteration of the Banshee training program culminated in a Dec. 4 virtual wrap up event focused on how trainees will turn what they’ve learned into actionable ideas within their units. The program, a partnership between Hanscom, MassChallenge and the Air Force Research Lab, is part of a two

  • AFRL-small business partnership offers help in tight situations

    WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – As nearly every homeowner or backyard mechanic knows, performing repairs in tight spaces can be tricky at best, and potentially dangerous at worst. For aircraft maintainers, the hazards can be much more complex. To help address these issues, the Air Force

  • Innovation from the ground up

    U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Trevor Zucker, 1st Combat Communications Squadron radio frequency transmissions technician, innovated a replacement part for the quad-band large aperture antenna system by 3D printing a nylon mounting bracket, preventing the satellite communications system from

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

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

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.