The Academic Partnership Engagement Experiment technology transition service enables genuine connections across acquisition communities through matchmaking powered by APEX data analytics that can reason across a disparate set of needs and requirements.
APEX technology transition changes the current paradigm of vertically oriented transitions; a single need is matched to a single technology based upon who-knows-who, to a horizontal orientation where data analytics assists in matchmaking of many technology developers with many technology consumers. Through this horizontal orientation, technology can be paired with multiple needs. This approach enables technology developers with a better understanding of Department of the Air Force's needs and enables technology consumers with a better understanding of relevant technology development.
Matching technology requires both an understanding of the technology development base and technology consumer base. APEX does this with personal engagement, data analytics and the creation of a middleware that can translate system requirements into technology concepts.
While the generation of great ideas and inventions is the start to the technology pipeline, it is not the end goal. The end goal is to increase Department of the Air Force and Joint Warfighter capabilities, enabling war-winning strategies, tactics and equipment.
Technology Providers include, but are not limited to:
- Government Laboratories – Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Energy and other government laboratories. This includes a special emphasis on the Air Force Research Laboratory due to their relationship with Department of the Air Force missions
- Small Businesses – U.S. Air Force Small Business Innovative Research / Small business Technology Transfer Research and other great ideas from startup companies not in the traditional DoD development pipeline
- Academia – researchers developing cutting edge technology who are motivated to work with the U.S. Air Force
- Commercial Research and Development – large business research and development that fills gaps in DoD systems
Technology Consumers include, but are not limited to:
- Program Executive Offices – Department of the Air Force acquisition programs that maintain and update existing weapon systems, build new weapon systems and envision the future of Air Power
- U.S. Air Force Major Commands and Joint Component Commands – warfighters that will rely on technology to win future wars
- Prime Contractors and Tier 1 Suppliers – the DoD industrial basis responsible for delivering most integrated technologies to the warfighter
APEX’s technology transition service is an experiment to better match technology in development with the needs of warfighters, thus creating viable transition pathways for the science and technology community and creating new capabilities for the DoD and Department of the Air Force.
