MAY 12, 2022 – Innovators need to take steps now to prepare to submit their game-changing ideas to compete in the 2023 Air Force Spark Tank competition, opening June 1.
“The Air Force will be using their latest application, the Guardians and Airmen Innovation Network, or GAIN app, hosted on the Department of Defense Platform One, to track all submissions into this year’s competition,” said Bethany Weiser, AFMC Spark Tank lead.
“We will open the AFMC competition on June 1, so we want to make sure that our Airmen and civilians have the opportunity to create Platform One and GAIN accounts ahead of time so that they are ready on day one of the competition.”
To create a Platform One account, individuals should visit https://login.dso.mil/ using a Common Access Card-enabled device.
Users will need to associate their CAC card with the Platform One application. After this action is complete, the application will be accessible via username and password.
After creating a Platform One account, individuals can create a GAIN account at https://gain.apps.dso.mil/. The GAIN application will be used for all levels of the Spark Tank competition.
“The GAIN app also has some great resources that can help Airmen prepare winning packages ahead of competition launch. We particularly encourage all to check out the challenge statement guidance, which is a great resource for writing winning submissions,” said Weiser.
For additional information on the 2023 Spark Tank competition, individuals can email afmc.cdx.workflow@us.af.mil.
The AFMC Spark Tank competition will launch on June 1.
Story by Marisa Alia-Novobilski
Air Force Materiel Command