NEXTTECH 2020: Air Force Research Laboratory

Brandy Nagel•September 22, 2020
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We partnered with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to search for Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) with market-ready tech that can address the needs below:

  • Enable smartphones to function in subzero conditions for hours and days.
  • Sensors to detect small molecules in real-time at varying altitudes.
  • A flexible and rugged device with the ability to remove salt ions and provide real-time analysis of sweat.


This was our third NEXTTECH event, and the second one with a federal agency. The participating MBES were from all over the U.S. including California and Puerto Rico. Following an explanation of the challenges by Dr. David Stargel, Deputy Chief Scientist of AFRL, the companies asked technical questions and questions about how an MBE manufacturer can work with AFRL.

To learn more about the Air Force Research Laboratory initiative, view the video below.