Existing and Emerging Partnership Mechanisms

R y a n H e l b a c h

C h i e f I n t r a p r e n e u r

A i r F o r c e R e s e a r c h L a b o r a t o r y

Distribution A: Approved for public release: distribution unlimited 

Predicting the Future

“We started assembly today”-- Orville Wright’s Diary, 9 October 1903

“The flying machine which will really fly might be evolved by the combined and continuous efforts of mathematicians and

mechanicians in from one million to ten million years”

-- The New York Times, 9 October 1903

Evolution of R&D

Future R&D Ecosystem

DIUx and In-Q-Tel• Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx) was started in 2015 by SecDef Carter

• Outposts in Silicon Valley, Boston, DC, and Austin• Serves as bridge between military and cutting edge tech companies• Continuously iterate on how best to identify, contract, and prototype novel innovations through

nontraditional sources

• In-Q-Tel accelerates the development and delivery of cutting-edge technologies to U.S. government agencies that keep our nation safe

• Bridges gap between national security agencies technology, rapidly changing innovations of startup world, and venture community that funds startups

Rapid and Strategic Capability Offices• RCO

• Rapid development and fielding of combat support and weapon systems • Conducts projects on accelerated timelines• Versions in Navy, Army and AF

• SCO• Turn existing weapons systems into new warfighting concepts

MD5• MD5 is accelerating dissemination of innovation knowledge and methods throughout DoD workforce.

• Building new communities of innovators • Help generate and increase number and viability of dual-use ventures that serve needs of warfighters

• Focus on DoD, venture community and academia while exposing those outside the defense establishment to real-world, warfighter needs

• Education, Collaboration and Acceleration programs to help Military Services and DoD customers respond to unmet, operational needs from our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Civil Servants

• Boot Camps

• FedTech

• Accelerators

• Hackathons

AFWERX• Started in 2017 with support from Sec Wilson to act as a catalyst for agile

Air Force engagement across industry, academia, and non-traditional contributors to create transformative opportunities and foster an Air Force culture of innovation.

• Currently locations in Las Vegas, Austin, and Crystal City• Plans for locations in Montgomery (and others?)

AFWERX Innovation ApproachAn Air Force innovation project typically needs 5 types of “nodes” to succeed

Innovate AFRL• Technology Accelerators

• Commercial technology accelerators are proven commercial model for startups and small businesses to secure funding for development

• AFRL i2i Exchange • Embedding S&Es w/ startups and non-defense oriented companies for high intensity short duration collaborative development efforts

• AFRL Entrepreneurial Opportunities Program• Supports AFRL’s tech transfer mission by providing entrepreneurialism as a viable mechanism for maturing promising AFRL technologies into commercial

products

• Partnering w/ Entrepreneurs• Commercialization Academy (RI; Rome, NY)• FedTech (DC, Maryland)• Start-Up Technology Acceleration Project (RQ, RY, 711th, RH, RX; Dayton, OH) • University of New Mexico’s Tech Navigator Challenge (RV, RD; Albuquerque, NM)

• Innovation Hubs• 444 @ Webster Street Station Innovation District (Dayton, Ohio)• UNM Rainforest @ InnovateABQ Campus• Doolittle Innovation Hub

• AFRL Maker Hub (Dayton and Albuquerque)• Rapid prototyping with 3D printers, CNC Mills, Laser Cutters, Embroidering Machine

• SBIR Special Topics• 3 Month $50K Phase I and 15 Month $750K Phase II; C-UAS, Weather, PNT, Human Centered ISR, Logistics, and Open Innovation

• AFRL/SDPE Innovation Pipeline• Innovation fund for new, un-POM’ed efforts: Innovation Incentives

Open Innovation Challenges• AFRL is experimenting with a series of open innovation challenges around adaptive basing to occur over the next 6-9 months

• Open innovation can take several forms, AFRL is pursuing a series of awards based challenges

• An open innovation challenge looks for external ideas to address challenging technical problems• AFRL is working with its PIA network, AFWERX, AF users and InnoCentive to collect ideas for across the world,

demonstrate prototypes and pursue possible acquisition

• AFAFRL and SDPE is looking at “traditional” and “non-traditional” acquisition approaches for the follow on to the challenges

Ideation Challenge

$10K Award for possible technology 

solutions

50‐100 ideas submitted

Submissions from across world

Top 1‐3 receive award

Top 10 selected to go forward

Prototyping Challenge

Top 10 ideas are run through US companies to 

produce prototypes

Prototyping demonstration at NCMR facility

1‐4 $50K awards

AF R&D or Acquisition

Work with AFCEC or AF Special Ops as 

end users

Further refinement of prototypes

Further development, integration for 

customer

Further research and development

Special SBIR Topics•In 18.2 SBIR call (open May 22, 2018) Air Force SBIR/STTR Program office is piloting 6 Special Topics (AF182-001-AF182-006)

• Piloting new processes for accelerating technologies to warfighter and reducing barriers for small business working with the government (ie return on investment)

• Treat SBIRs more as a commercial seed and VC investment, capturing and leveraging the lean start up and business model canvas methodologies

•AF Special Topics are different in several ways from standard AF SBIR/STTR application, award and execution

• Phase I Tech application of 5 pages with 15 page slide/pitch deck• A Phase I 2-month technical duration and a 1-month final reporting period • Slide deck accepted as final report vs ANSI word document report• A Phase I awards not exceed $50,000, up to 8 Phase I awards• A 15 month (12 month technical, 3 month final reporting) up to $750K Phase II

•18.2 SBIR Special Topics• C-UAS, Weather, PNT, Human Centered ISR, Logistics, and Open Innovation• PNT and Human Centered ISR are ties to accelerator model

Special Vs “Traditional” Phase I Technical Volume

Phase I Additional Info (Volume 5)

Phase I Award

Phase I Technical Duration

Phase I Final Reporting Period

Phase II Technical Volume

Phase II Additional Info(Volume 5)

Phase II Technical and Reporting Period

Phase II Initial Award

Topics AF182‐001 thru 006

Not to exceed 5 pages.

Attach a pitch deck not to exceed 15 slides

Not to exceed $50,000

2 months 1 month Not to exceed 15 pages

Attach a pitch deck not to exceed 15 slides. Phone/video interview.

Typically 15 months

Not to exceed $750,000

All Topics Except Topics AF182‐001 thru 006

Not to exceed 20 pages

See requirements below

Not to exceed $150,000

6 months 3 months Not to exceed 50 pages

See requirements below

Typically 27 months

Not to exceed $750,000

Typical Technology/Startup Accelerator

The Accelerator ProgramCurriculum + Resources +Mentorship

Demo Day

Problem Statement

Potentially hundreds of startups

Downselect 5‐10 selected as “the cohort”

$

The accelerator facilitator typically provides a small amount of seed money for the companies to 

participate (and takes equity in return)

$$$

Angel investors or venture capitalists invest in 

promising companies

Facilitated by an “accelerator/incubator.” ~3 months

Technology Accelerator + SBIR

The Accelerator ProgramCurriculum + Resources +Mentorship

Demo Day

Downselect performed by AFRL POCs, potential end adopters, tech accelerator (the facilitator)• Technical Feasibility• Commercial sustainability• Mission Utility

SBIR Phase I5‐10 awards (~$50k)

SBIR Phase IIMultiple awards (~$300‐

$750K)

Non‐SBIR funds cover accelerator facilitation

Created by AFRL and AF UserAddresses a problem area not a potential solution

Potentially integrated with Tech Warrior

Simplified proposals (pitch deck)

SBIR topic 

~3 months

Further development and investment (via VC, SBIR or OTA)

Corporation purchases company or technology

Selling product or service to market or 

DoD 

Other Pathways• Basic Research by small businesses or Universities

• www.grants.gov and search for Air Force or topic area• Basic, Applied and Advanced Research Broad Agency Announcements

• https://defenseinnovationmarketplace.dtic.mil/ and Air Force Resources• Rapid Innovation Fund, $3M for rapid solutions

• https://www.afrapidinnovationfund.com• AFRL Small Business Engagement, AFRL Maker Hubs, Colliders, and AF Small Business Hub

• http://afrlsbhub.com/• http://afrlmakerhub.com/home/• https://www.meetup.com/collider/• http://www.afrlnewmexico.com/about-afrl/

• Open Innovation Challenges:• https://www.challenge.gov/list/• https://www.innocentive.com/

• Air Force (And DoD) Technology Transfer, license AF created IP• https://techlinkcenter.org/

• Small Business Innovation Research, seed and growth funding for small businesses• https://www.afsbirsttr.af.mil/

• Tech Warrior, showcase your technology and get it in the hands of users• https://wsri.wright.edu/tech-warrior/

Questions