JUNE 26, 2023 – Air Force Materiel Command uniformed and civilian Airmen are invited to submit their game-changing ideas now to compete in the 2024 Air Force Spark Tank competition, with the submission window open from July 1 to July 30, 2023.
The top five most innovative ideas will be “pitched” to a panel of AFMC senior leaders in Oct. 2023. The panel will select the top two ideas as the major command nominees for the 2024 Air Force-wide Spark Tank competition.
The Air Force Spark Tank is an annual competition that leverages the inherent innovation of Airmen and Guardians, and it empowers them to use their problem-solving skills and creativity to solve the service’s most critical needs.
Winning ideas are provided with the resources and funding to drive them to implementation and success. AFMC’s Project FoX, a finalist in the 2022 competition, is one example of Spark Tank success, and it is now part of the Air Force vice chief of staff’s Innovation Portfolio where it continues to revolutionize software development and fielding.
Ideas must be submitted via the Guardians and Airmen Innovation Network, or GAIN app, hosted on the Department of Defense’s Platform One, and they should have the potential to make significant impacts on Air Force missions within a six-month to two-year time frame.
The GAIN application will be used for all levels of the Spark Tank competition.
All submissions must be accompanied by a three-minute video. AFMC submitters should work with their local public affairs office for clearance and posting of videos to the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, or DVIDs.
A minimum of 10 working days is required for video review.
To create a Platform One account, individuals should visit https://login.dso.mil/ using a Common Access Card-enabled device. After creating a Platform One account, individuals can create a GAIN account at https://gain.apps.dso.mil.
For additional information and questions on the AFMC competition, contact the AFMC Commanders Accelerated Initiatives team at afmc.cdx.workflow@us.af.mil.
Story by Marisa Alia-Novobilski
Air Force Materiel Command