Babington Technology's Expandable Single Pallet Expeditionary Kitchen (E-SPEK) awarded a Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) by the AFWERX

AFWERX Challenge is a fast and efficient way to engage with the government, and also to collaborate with other companies, academia and investors. Led by the Department of the Air Force, the primary objective of a Challenge is to solve a mission-critical problem and create positive impacts for the Department of Defense. Companies and academia can quickly and easily submit ideas, concepts, technologies, products, and full solutions.

Through the phases of a Challenge, industry, and academia engage with a Challenge Sponsor to help define the problem and the desired outcome, explore solution components and ideas to solve the problem, submit solutions, and ultimately receive a contract to implement the solution. Through design thinking workshops, interactive networking and webinars, transparent crowdsourcing, and open showcases, the AFWERX Challenge approach to solving mission-critical problems is unparalleled and supports different streamlined contracting methods.

Along the way, meaningful connections and collaboration opportunities are fostered between private sector companies, academia, and the Government through workshops, webinars, networking events, and private pitches. This means more face-to-face interactions with government decision-makers, investors, and other companies focused on driving innovation. Many of our collaborators describe this aspect as something that’s never been possible before! Challenges are open to anyone with a solution, so garage tinkerers, start-ups, small businesses, large companies, defense contractors, and academics. Challenges are open to the US and any allied country.

AFWERX Challenge is all about accelerating change. The timeline can span from the initial scoping of the Challenge through contracting for solutions in as little as 20 weeks.