Spark-Seed-Spread

Our Goal

The Spark-Seed-Spread Innovation Investment Program seeks to identify and accelerate employee-inspired innovations that improve health experiences for Veterans, families, caregivers, and employees. This program invests in both employees themselves and their innovative solutions through iNET’s Accelerator Program, which is the immersive learning and professional development component that comes along with the Spark-Seed-Spread investment.

See a Full List of FY2024 Investees
Investing in Employees and Innovations

Fiscal Year 2024 saw a number of new ideas and innovations from across VA. You can see a full list of the Spark, Seed, and Spread Investees and their projects here.

Discover more

Investee Spotlight
Smart White Cane

Smart White Cane for the Blind is a cane designed for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The current prototype incorporates various sensors and processors to aid in navigation and safety while walking.

Discover more

Innovation Spotlight
Veterans Rideshare Program

The Veterans Rideshare Program began at the VA Boston Healthcare System and is now live at over 60 sites throughout the country. Rideshare was created to support homeless Veterans by helping them get to job interviews and find housing opportunities.

Discover more

Alumni Spotlight
Caitlin Rawlins

As Innovation Specialist at Western North Carolina VA Health Care System Caitlin consults with over 70 sites across the country in their journey to develop their own use cases for VR and other XR technology in health care.

Discover more

Changing how employees identify and solve problems through training and accelerated operationalized innovation

Our Goal

Spark

Encourages creativity and inspires permission-less innovation on a very small scale

Seed

Testing a prototype for user experience feedback

Spread

Continuing iterative user testing at multiple VA facilities to finalize a prototype