Fed Supernova Watch: AFWERX Ignite
AFWERX, an initiative of the U.S. Air Force, has introduced a new platform named IGNITE. This platform allows defense users to search and engage with numerous small businesses that have previously received awards from the Department of the Air Force Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR). The primary goal of IGNITE is to enhance communication between technology developers and end users, fostering better integration and adoption of these technologies. This will lead to heightened collaboration between the government and the industry.
Col. Elliott Leigh, AFWERX director, emphasized the significance of IGNITE in connecting the broader Department of Defense ecosystem. The platform builds upon the existing VISION platform, which was launched in October 2021. VISION was a pioneering ecosystem that utilized centralized data to connect government users, enabling them to view their organization holistically and innovate more efficiently. The AFWERX Spark division played a pivotal role in the creation of VISION, and currently, over 5,200 defense users from all branches of the DoD benefit from this platform.
The inception of IGNITE was driven by AFWERX's desire to involve the small business community. This led to a collaboration with Mobilize, a Colorado-based data analytics and AI company, to create IGNITE. Businesses that have received DAF SBIR and STTR awards in the past five years will be automatically integrated into IGNITE. Since its launch in July, IGNITE has offered defense users secure access to a plethora of pre-screened companies within a protected environment.
The platform is designed with communication guardrails, allowing defense users to modify small business access based on current defense requirements. This ensures that businesses can establish meaningful connections with potential future clients and end users. Kathy Reid, from the 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, praised VISION for its ability to manage a vast portfolio of companies and ideas. She believes that tools like IGNITE and VISION can foster collaboration within the DoD and extend it to industry partners and academia.
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