Boeing India Ignites Innovation: Calling All Entrepreneurs and Students to Shape the Future with BUILD 2023-24 – Defence News

Boeing India is extending an invitation to both budding entrepreneurs and university students across India, beckoning them to be part of the Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) program for the 2023-24 period. This initiative, now in its third successful year, serves as a beacon for creative minds, encouraging them to incubate groundbreaking ideas that could potentially set new trends and create fresh market opportunities spanning various industry verticals.

Salil Gupte, President of Boeing India, emphasized the significance of BUILD, stating, “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.” He also expressed his gratitude towards the incubator partners whose steadfast support has been pivotal in the success of BUILD.

To orchestrate BUILD in India, Boeing has continued its partnership with seven esteemed incubators. These include the 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. Aspiring participants are encouraged to submit their innovative ideas in fields ranging from aerospace and defence to technology, social impact, and sustainability.

The journey for applicants selected to participate in BUILD doesn’t stop here. They will have the opportunity to engage in a regional-level boot camp where they will hone their concepts. The most promising concepts will advance to Boeing Immersion Day, scheduled for Q1, 2024, where finalists will present their ideas to subject-matter experts. What’s more, the seven winning ideas, chosen from across the incubators, stand to win cash prizes worth INR 10 lakh each. Boeing mentors and industry experts will be on hand to closely collaborate with the finalists, providing valuable insights to refine their ideas and transform them into viable business offerings.

Ahmed Elsherbini, Managing Director of Boeing India Engineering & Technology Center, and Chief Engineer of Boeing India, shared his excitement about BUILD, stating, “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 the 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.”

The application process for BUILD is now open, and both university graduates of 2023, faculty members, and aspiring entrepreneurs are eligible to apply. The deadline for submitting your ideas is November 10, 2023.

Boeing’s commitment to fostering innovation doesn’t stop with BUILD. In 2022, the program attracted a remarkable 800+ ideas submitted by over 1,600 students and startup enthusiasts hailing from various cities across India, including tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 cities. Boeing India’s engagement in skill development and capability enhancement extends beyond BUILD to other initiatives like the HorizonX India Innovation Challenge and Accelerated Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Apprenticeship.