Boeing India calls on startups and students to innovate the next great idea

BENGALURU, India, September 13, 2023 – Boeing India is now inviting applications for the Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) program for 2023-24 from university students and early-stage startups in India. In its third edition now, the program encourages young entrepreneurial minds to incubate innovative ideas and create new market opportunities and global trends across industry verticals.

“Every year, BUILD brings people, ideas, technologies, and processes together to nurture solutions that are viable and critical for the country. At Boeing, we are committed to contributing to the fast-growing startup ecosystem in India, and helping it harness many possibilities through the bright young minds of today,” said Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India. “I would like to thank our incubator partners for their continued partnership and contribution to BUILD,” he added.

Boeing continues to partner with seven incubators, namely, Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship – IIT Mumbai, Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer – IIT Delhi, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center – IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Madras Incubation Cell, Society for Innovation and Development – IISC Bengaluru, T-Hub Hyderabad, and Technology Business Incubator – KIIT Bhubaneshwar, to organize BUILD in India. The applicants will be invited to submit ideas in the fields of aerospace and defense, technology, social impact, and sustainability.

The shortlisted teams will compete at a regional-level boot camp, and finalists will pitch their ideas to subject-matter experts on Boeing Immersion Day, to be held in Q1, 2024. The winners stand a chance to win cash prizes worth INR 10 lakh for each of the seven winning ideas from across the incubators. Boeing mentors and industry experts will interact and closely work with the finalists to refine and suggest ways to convert ideas into viable business offerings.

Ahmed Elsherbini, managing director, Boeing India Engineering & Technology Center, and chief engineer, Boeing India said, “BUILD has become a leading platform in the country’s startup ecosystem for creating and redefining solutions across key industries in the country. I am excited to see how ideas from ground up are nurtured, built, and sustained here, and the valuable results of enhanced interaction between our engineers, technologists, and the student and start-up community.”

Interested students and entrepreneurs can apply to the BUILD program at https://www.boeing.co.in/boeing-in-india/build.page. The deadline for idea submissions is November 10, 2023.

Application eligibility: University graduates of 2023, faculty, and budding entrepreneurs   Boeing and incubator support: Boeing and seven incubators partner to invite participation from across India Shortlisted teams to be mentored by Boeing experts and incubator mentors to refine and convert ideas to viable business offerings Each of the seven winning teams to receive a cash prize worth INR 10,00,000/-   Last date of idea submission: November 10, 2023

In 2022, BUILD attracted a record number of entrants with 800+ ideas submitted by more than 1,600 students and start-up participants applying from tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 cities across India. Boeing India has been helping contribute to skill development and capability building in the country over the years with other programs such as the HorizonX India Innovation Challenge and Accelerated Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Apprenticeship as well.