Top Concepts Move Forward in Air Force Challenge

The Spark Tank 2025 semifinals took place on Jan. 28 at the Pentagon, with the top 15 ideas presented to a panel co-chaired by the vice chief of staff of the Air Force and the vice chief of space operations. These ideas were selected through nearly 35,000 votes from Airmen and Guardians, along with evaluations by subject matter experts.

From a record 441 submissions, six finalists were chosen: Advanced Tactical Micro-Grid, ALE-25 Pylon Loading Adapter, Project Star Forge, Satellite Dispensers for Responsive Launch, Signal Sentinel, and Virtual In-Processing. Finalist teams will refine their concepts with support from AFWERX Refinery and Project Holodeck as they prepare for the final round in September 2025.

Several semifinalists will also move forward under Project Holodeck, including CounselBOT, Kit for Rapid Aerial Treatment of Hemorrhage, Metal Guard Polymer, Project Deathstalker, Project OKAMI, Resilient Net, Self-Decontaminating Paints to Prevent Mold Growth, Stealth Identification with Radar and Lasers, and Transforming USAF Maintenance and Readiness.

Additionally, 21 Spark Lite ideas were recognized, with concepts from various teams and organizations aimed at improving operations and training.

Brou Gautier, Spark Tank director, praised the initiative, stating, “It’s simply awe-inspiring to see Airmen and Guardians’ passion for making us better across such a wide-ranging set of topics and programs.”

Spark Tank remains the Department of the Air Force's premier campaign, providing Airmen and Guardians a platform to showcase their innovations and gain leadership support.