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Boeing is committed to investing in the future of innovation by contributing to the robust startup ecosystem in India through collaborations and partnerships. With Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD), Boeing works with the entire spectrum of the student-to-start-up community to help young minds of today to develop breakthrough ideas in India, for India, and for the world.

In 2026, continuing our partnership into the 5th edition of BUILD, Boeing India is partnering with the IITM Incubation Cell to engage with innovators, such as you, to offer the necessary knowledge and expertise, helping refine and shape your ideas and pitches into products.

Who Can Apply to BUILD 2026?
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Students

who are graduating in 2026 or have already graduated in 2026.

Entrepreneurs Icon

Early-Stage Entrepreneurs

Pre-seed startup founders at the idea or concept stage with no external funding.

Map

Boeing and its partners
bring you an opportunity to

learning

Learn in a
structured environment

Receive coaching by incubators and get exposed to the ecosystem.

ideation

Practice building ideas into business propositions

Use industry proven tools and practice essential skills.

share

Share what
you learn

Network with your peers & ecosystem to interact with expert entrepreneurs.

learning

Compete with peers
from across the country
ideation

Receive mentorship from Boeing experts and startup ecosystem leaders
share

Travel to Boeing office to present to an eminent jury


Compete for a ₹10 lakh as grant! to support further development of your idea.

Do you have an idea you want to test for business potential? Are you looking to refine your solution and develop a strong investor pitch?

If your idea aligns with one of the BUILD themes, this program is designed for you.


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Aerospace & Defense

  • Aviation
  • Defense Technology
  • Space Technology
  • Satellite & Communication System
  • Autonomous Vehicles & Technologies
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Technology Startup

  • IoT and Connectivity
  • Future Factories - Robotics and Automation
  • Deep tech - AI and Machine Learning
  • Digital Aviation Solution
  • Supply Chain Intelligence
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Social Impact

  • Community and Public Welfare
  • Medical Aid/Devices
  • Education & Skill Development
  • Urban/Rural Development
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Sustainability

  • Sustainable Fuel
  • Sustainable & Advance Materials
  • Carbon Footprint Reduction
  • Energy Optimization

Program Timeline

Program Timeline

FAQs

If you are a student graduating in 2026, select the region in which your college is located. If your team includes students from multiple colleges or regions, please choose a region where most of your team attends college.

If you are a start-up, choose the region where you live and work. 

Yes! We encourage you to apply. Applying is simple and we are looking for teams that are passionate about solving real-life problems. Problems that can be solved in innovative ways that may be related to one of our themes.

We focus on two key questions:
  • What problem are you trying to solve and how?
  • Why should we work with your team?
To help your application stand out:
  • Respect the word limit for the application.
  • Be clear and concise.
  • Avoid the marketing language; Demonstrate a strong understanding of the problem.
  • Explain why you chose this problem, how you plan to address itm and what differentiates your team.
  • Tell us what motivates you to solve the problem.
Uniqueness of the idea is not as important as your approach. We are open to working with multiple teams addressing similar problems.

Yes. Links to videos or demo websites that substantiate your application/entry are permitted. However, links that are added just to fill more space and have no correlation with the application will not be counted.

No. Applying to BUILD is free, there are no fees for the program coursework. Limited travel support will be provided for teams selected for workshop. Day-to-day expenses may be borne by participants.

Yes. We are looking to work with pre-seed / early-stage startups to develop their business skills. Typically, such startups are in the conceptual stage and have no funding, no revenue, no Minimum Viable Product (or only the outlines of one), and limited customer validation.

Selected teams will receive learning opportunities and access to experienced professionals from the Indian startup ecosystem. Resources will be provided to help refine business propositions and strengthen investor pitches. Teams will also compete with peers.

While BUILD does not guarantee funding or a fixed number of winners, high-performing teams will have the opportunity to win ₹10 lakh in grant funding, to be used at the team’s discretion.

The regional boot camp will run for three to four days (details may vary by region). Full in-person participation is required. The program will conclude with a pitch presentation to a jury, which may require a full day.

Selected teams may also travel to Bengaluru for one to two days to participate in Boeing Innovation Day, where final pitches will be presented at the Boeing campus. Teams are expected to take full ownership of refining their pitches ahead of the competition.

No. We are looking to work with you, and the team, and not on the idea itself. Submitting more than one application is counterproductive.

No. BUILD is not a recruitment program. However, it offers valuable networking opportunities and a platform to demonstrate your team’s passion, innovation and business acumen.

Some dates will be finalized closer to program milestones. Please refer to the published timeline for the most up-to-date information.

Of course! We are looking to work with a diverse range of teams. But we do look for how well your team’s qualifications fit your idea.

For more information on the program and for any queries – reach out pitch2win@incubation.iitm.ac.in


Past Success with BUILD

BUILD 4.0 BUILD 4.0
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Building on the success of previous editions, BUILD 4.0 recorded its highest participation to date, receiving over 2,000 ideas from more than 2,700 students and start-up participants across tier 1, 2, and 3 cities in India. Following a rigorous evaluation process, 75 shortlisted teams advanced to the regional boot camps, where regional and national finalists received structured mentorship from start-up ecosystem experts, incubator partners, and Boeing engineers to refine and incubate their ideas.

Seven outstanding teams comprising university students and early-stage entrepreneurs were announced as winners of the Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) Program 2024–25. The winning teams — Thrustworks Dynetics, Nexus Power, Extrive Innovations, Qualivon Technologies, Rapha Bionics, HyPrix Aviation, and Trishul Space — were selected for the innovation, relevance, and scalability of their solutions. Each team received a financial grant of INR 10 lakh, supporting ideas across aerospace and defence, technology, social impact, and sustainability sectors.

Regional Finalists Speaks Regional Finalists Speaks
Testimonials Testimonials
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Riding on the success of the past editions, the Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development Program (BUILD) in its third edition attracted a record number of entries with more than 1200 ideas submitted by over 2200 students and start-up participants from all over the country.

Following a stringent evaluation process, 75 shortlisted teams entered the regional boot camp, of which regional and national finalists received guidance from start-up ecosystem experts, incubator partners, and Boeing engineers to incubate ideas. Participants further received access to Boeing's innovation ecosystem.

The seven winning teams are Abyom SpaceTech and Defence Pvt. Ltd. and Green Aero Propulsion Pvt. Ltd. from Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FIIT) - IIT Delhi, Glovatrix Pvt. Ltd. from Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE) - IIT Mumbai, dVerse Technologies Pvt. Ltd. from IIT Madras Incubation Cell, Backyard Creators Pvt. Ltd., BONV Technology Private Limited and Coratia Technologies Pvt. Ltd. from Technology Business Incubator (TBI) - KIIT, Bhubaneswar. Each of these seven teams received INR 10 lakh as a financial grant, and their ideas covered solutions for community development, the defence and space industry, and sustainability.

Talks Playlist Talks - Playlist
Event Summary Event Summary
Build 2.0 Short Build 2.0 - Short
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Testimonials Testimonials

The seven winning teams are SpaceFields Pvt. Ltd. from the Society for Innovation and Development (SID) – IISC Bengaluru; HEM Dimensions Pvt. Ltd. from SID – IISC Bengaluru; Scavengex from IIT Madras Incubation Cell; CeraTattvaInnoTech Pvt. LTD. from IIT Madras Incubation Cell; Modulo EV from the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT) – IIT Delhi; SAP AEROSPACE from FIIT – IIT Delhi; and Galanto Innovations Pvt Ltd. Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (IIEC) – IIT Gandhinagar. The program offered opportunities to applicants to incubate ideas and access Boeing’s innovation ecosystem. applying from tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 cities across India.

Boeing launched BUILD with an aim to nurture and support the start-up ecosystem in the country. Over the years, Boeing has strategically invested in developing talent for the Indian aerospace sector and inspiring the next generation of engineering talent in India. Through its programs such as the HorizonX India Innovation Challenge, the Accelerated Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Apprenticeship, and the National Aeromodelling Competition with IIT, Boeing has made a significant impact in creating a skilled frontline workforce and empowered entrepreneurs in India.

Read more about BUILD 2.0 in the news here: The Times of India, Techcircle, News18

Event Summary Event Summary
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Riding on the success of the first edition of the Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development Program (BUILD) in 2019, the second edition in 2022 attracted a record number of entries with more than 750 innovator teams from over 1,600 student and start-up participants from all over the country.

Following a stringent evaluation process, 70 shortlisted teams entered the regional boot camp, of which seven teams comprising university students and early-stage start-up entrepreneurs were announced as the winners of the second annual Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) program 2022-23.

Winners were further supported by Boeing and the respective incubator partner for over six months, to help develop ideas into market-ready and viable business solutions.

Watch Boeing BUILD 1.0 Regional Bootcamp - Talks & Workshops

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