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About Us

afwerx:

The innovation Arm of the
Department of the Air Force

AFWERX brings cutting edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the Department of the Air Force.

Teaming internationally across academia, industry and government, AFWERX is focused on developing technology, expanding talent, and transitioning dual-use capabilities to directly address the DAF’s Operational Imperatives.

View Our FY23 Annual Report

What drives us

2022 National Security Strategy

Outlines how The Biden Administration will advance America’s vital interests, outmaneuver geopolitical competitors, tackle shared challenges, and set our world on a path toward a brighter and more hopeful tomorrow.

Full National Security Strategy

2022 National Defense Strategy

Sets forth how the U.S. Military will meet growing threats to vital national security interests and to a stable and open international system.

Full National Defense Strategy

OSD Critical Technology Areas

Identifies critical technologies to address vital national security challenges and accelerate the transition of key capabilities in order to make the right technology investments for our comparative advantages.

Full Technology List

DAF Science and Technology Strategy

Guides Air Force in operating at an unrivaled speed, achieving unparalleled global awareness, reach, and effect, and harnessing the power of complexity, presenting the adversary with an ever-growing number of challenges.

Full DAF Strategy

DAF Operational Imperatives

Critical operational capabilities and functions the Department of the Air Force must invest in to protect the United States’ ability to deter conflict and project power against pacing challenges, control the air and space, maintain our competitive advantages, accelerate, and win.

Full OI List

How we're accelerating change

The four core arms of AFWERX – AFVentures, Spark, Prime and SpaceWERX – serve to expand the defense industrial base for advanced technologies, empower Airmen and Guardian talent, and drive faster technology transition to operational capability.

Valley of Death Graphic, Expanded Technology, Expanded Talent, Expanded Transition

AFWERX Leadership

AFWERX Director

Colonel Elliott Leigh

AFWERX Director

Col. Elliott J. Leigh is the Director of AFWERX and the Chief Commercialization Officer for the Department of the Air Force. He leads the strategy and execution of approximately $1.4 billion per year across the Air Force and Space Force through AFVentures, Spark, Prime, SpaceWERX, the Small Business Innovation Research and the Small Business Technology Transfer programs. He most recently served as a Materiel Leader for the Special Programs Directorate in the U.S. Space Force, where he led the execution of a critical $2 billion space control program.

Read Full Biography
Col Leigh

AFWERX Deputies

Photo of Karen Roth, AFWERX

Karen Roth

AFWERX Deputy Director

Aids in strategy and execution of $1.4B to bring cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing DAF challenges. She is an experienced technologist in cyber, AI and digital engineering with a passion for advocating for women in STEM.

Division Directors

Photo of Daniel Carroll, AFVentrues Director

Daniel Carroll

AFVentures Director

Leads the management for the $1.3B U.S. Air Force and Space Force SBIR/STTR programs. He held previous roles at USAF Kessel Run, USSOCOM and Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, and degrees from Stanford Graduate School of Business and Johns Hopkins University.

More About AFVentures
Photo of Lt Col Jonathan Spades Gilbert, Prime Division Director

Lt Col Jonathan "Spades" Gilbert

Prime Division Director

Manages the three branches tasked with identifying and transitioning innovative technology to the warfighter. He is a Command Pilot and Experimental Test Pilot with over 2000 hours in more than 30 different aircraft.

More About Prime
Photo of Col Jennifer Warren, AFWERX Military Deputy

Colonel Jennifer Warren

Spark Division Chief

Focuses on AFWERX employee experience and building relationships in the Washington, DC area. Previous roles include Harvard National Security Fellow, Kessel Run Materiel Leader, and Military Personnel Exchange Program – Americas Squadron Commander. She’s earned master’s degrees from Boston University and the Naval Postgraduate School.

More About Spark
Photo of Arthur Grijalva, SpaceWERX Director

Arthur Grijalva

SpaceWERX Director

Leads the strategy and execution of $460M across the Space Force through SpaceWERX Ventures and the SBIR/STTR programs, Spark, and Prime.

More About SpaceWERX