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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

  • Operation BOLO innovation lab grand opening

    The 8th Fighter Wing officially opened the Operation BOLO innovation lab to Wolf Pack members at Kunsan Air Base, June 23.The lab is located at the Community Activity Center and is open 24/7 for anyone with an innovative idea to improve their work centers and career fields by making processes more

  • ABMS moves ahead with second round of contract awards

    The goal of ABMS is to enable the Air Force and Space Force to operate together and as part of a joint team – connecting sensors, decision makers and weapons through a secure data network enabling rapid decision making and all-domain command and control

  • AFMC launches Spark Tank competition

    Air Force Materiel Command Airmen are invited to submit innovative, game-changing ideas to compete in the AFMC Spark Tank competition.The submitters of the top five, most innovative, game-changing ideas will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges during the AFMC Senior Leader Conference this

  • Wing names chief innovation officer to keep up with modernization demand

    In an effort to keep up with the demand for innovation, leadership at the 621st Contingency Response Wing recently created a new position to assist the development of innovative ideas and continued process improvement.“Innovation is not a nicety. It’s a necessity,” said Lt. Col. Lindsey Bauer, the

  • Air Force collaboration leads to new method of triggering shape change

    WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – The saying “form follows function” speaks to the obvious relationship between an object’s shape and its purpose, that is, how it will be used. It seems reasonable, then, if an object can change its shape, it can be used for a broader range of purposes.

  • AFWERX Fusion 2020 registration announced

    In response to the current global health crisis, the annual Fusion event goes virtual this year as a highly engaging and interactive online event packed with unique experiences.

  • Metals tech training the foundation for NCO's innovative success

    Tech. Sgt. Ryan McBride, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the 19th Maintenance Squadron’s metals technology shop at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, was on the right side of a success story when his idea to have a C-130J Super Hercules hydraulic pump bracket fabricated using 3D printing technology

  • 919th innovating with 3D-printing

    The 919th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron is already finding ways to innovate in their day to day operations with 3D-printing technology. The unit will soon have even more innovative possibilities. Air Force Reserve Command recently selected the squadron to receive innovation funds for a new

  • BLUE: The AI Advantage

    The Air Force aims to harness and wield the most optimal forms of artificial intelligence to accomplish all mission-sets of the service with greater speed and accuracy. One way to accomplish this effort is by embedding innovative Airmen of all ranks and backgrounds into academia and industry across

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.