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March 9, 2023

2022 VA Tech Sprint Winners Revealed at Golden Envelope Ceremony

The VA 2022 AI Tech Sprint winners were named at the National Artificial Intelligence Institute's Golden Envelope Ceremony in Washington, D.C., on February 22, 2023. (Photo for illustrative purposes only. ©iStock/gorodenkoff)

The VA 2022 AI Tech Sprint winners were named at the National Artificial Intelligence Institute’s Golden Envelope Ceremony in Washington, D.C., on February 22, 2023. ( Photo for illustrative purposes only. ©iStock/gorodenkoff)

Contributed by the National Artificial Intelligence Institute 

The VA National Artificial Intelligence Institute (NAII) named the 2022 AI Tech Sprint winners at the competition’s Golden Envelope Ceremony held on February 22, 2023, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

The 2022 competition invited teams from industry, academia, and non-governmental organizations to create prototypes of a computer-adaptive skill assessment platform capable of assessing the VA workforce’s skills and knowledge pertaining to artificial intelligence (AI).

The prototypes can help VA understand employee proficiencies in highly technical fields and ensure proficiencies meet necessary standards for the safe, ethical, and accurate use of AI. This work helps pave the way for advancing the VA workforce and increases AI research and development capacity, which will enable VA to better serve Veterans. 

“We continue to strive to find new ways to improve Veteran lives through AI, which gives us the ability to help in ways we were not able to in the past,” said VA NAII director Dr. Gil Alterovitz.

Out of 12 competing teams, six finalists—Booz Allen Hamilton, Coursera, Groundswell, QuantHub, Rixel and Scaled Entelechy—demonstrated their prototypes during the VA NAII 2022 AI Tech Sprint Golden Envelope Ceremony . The winners include the following: 

  • First place and $55,000 to Groundswell
  • Second place and $40,000 to Scaled Entelechy
  • Third place and $25,000 to QuantHub

Competition supports cross-agency workforce advancement 

The 2022 competition supports the U.S. government in addressing its data science skill gaps and need for uniform training across the U.S. that will result in a scalable network of individuals with expertise and experience.

AI Tech Sprint teams created prototypes for the All Services Personnel and Institutional Readiness Engine (ASPIRE) program, which is a cross-agency effort to assess, educate, and streamline federal government talent, thereby advancing an agile government workforce skilled in AI, data science, and cybersecurity. ASPIRE partners include VA, the Department of the Navy, the Department of the Air Force, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Teams created ASPIRE demonstrators based on the following framework: 

  • Rapid diagnostic computer assessments of an individual’s knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs)
  • AI-powered systems analyzed individual KSAs and agency standards to identify gaps
  • Intelligent systems mapped learning pathways
  • Progress and results were analyzed and shared with the individual and agency leadership
  • Leadership was empowered to target and optimize hiring and staff development

The next competition will be announced on the NAII website soon. Join the AI@VA Community to receive news on VA’s AI work and VA NAII’s upcoming AI Summit Series event in September 2023. 



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