HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – The ninth cohort of the Banshee Innovation Training Program wrapped up April 9, comprising of participants from the Cyber and Networks Directorate and the Electronic Systems Directorate.
The program represents a partnership between Hanscom AFB, MassChallenge, and the University of Massachusetts-Lowell Applied Research Corp., and gives participants an opportunity to network with innovation leaders and industry experts.
“This program opened my eyes to acquisition reform ideas,” said 2nd Lt. Ben Steinberg, a program manager with the Force Protection Division, Electronic Systems Directorate. “Getting capabilities out before they are outpaced by technology is critical to our Air Force.”
He added that being in the greater Boston area provides exciting opportunities to collaborate with startups.
“Overall, the Banshee Training Program addresses a gap in acquisitions training,” said Nick Heth, an Air Force Education with Industry Fellow at MassChallenge. “It teaches acquisition professionals to interact with, and benefit from, fast-moving startups.”
Training session topics included helping startups and the Department of Defense understand one another, gleaning insights from industry experts, considering operational security when working with startups, writing proposals, and a Defense Innovation Unit overview.
Following the two-day training, Banshee participants will serve as judges to help select the cohort of companies for the next iteration of the Air Force Labs program.
“The hope is that collectively these experiences grow a connection between Hanscom AFB program offices and startups with ideas that can benefit them,” said Heth.
Through presentations by startups that had previously gone through the Air Force Labs program, Banshee students were able to hear first-hand the importance of this collaboration.
“We [startups] want to develop technology to help the mission, but we need to know what the mission is,” said Stephanie Hutch, CEO and president of Makai, a startup collaborator. “The more information we have, the better tailored our solution can be, so we aren't wasting anyone's time.”
1st Lt. Davis Schiller, a program manager for the Force Protection Division under the Electronic Systems Directorate, expressed how Banshee motivated him as an acquisition officer.
“Even a junior program manager can be an innovation officer,” he said.
Heth added that acquisition officers shouldn’t be afraid to collaborate with other offices.
“Someone from another project might be working on something or know of an organization that that could help,” said Heth. “Cross-collaboration and working to navigate beyond stovepipes is important.”
At the end of the training, Col. William Collins, deputy program executive officer, Electronic Systems Directorate, listened to participants’ observations about the Banshee program and provided his view as a senior leader.
“From my perspective, when people think of innovation or being innovative, they think of big tech and a lot of dollars,” said Collins. “But it's actually more about a mindset. Any of us can be innovation change agents.”
He emphasized the importance of leveraging the talents small businesses can bring to bear.
“As our organizations change, it is going to require us to find creative ways to get things to the warfighter faster,” said Collins. “Don’t be afraid to offer out of the box ideas and creative solutions to your leaders.”
To learn more about the program or apply to participate as a small business, visit the MassChallenge website here: MassChallenge.