RT team
Boeing announced on Tuesday that it is now accepting applications for the 2024-25 session of its Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) program, aimed at university graduates and entrepreneurs at the beginning of their startup journey. This year’s launch event for BUILD marked a significant expansion, featuring 40 angel investors and venture capitalists who evaluated the startup ideas of former BUILD winners, offering them critical exposure and potential funding to support their innovations throughout their development.
Dr. G Satheesh Reddy, President of the Aeronautical Society of India, praised Boeing and its partners for the BUILD program’s role in fostering India’s young innovative talent. He noted that the initiative is driving necessary advancements that will shape the future of the aerospace and defense industries in India and globally.
Chris Raymond, Executive Vice President of the Boeing Company and CEO of Boeing Global Services, highlighted the unique opportunities for growth and innovation within India’s vibrant startup ecosystem. He emphasized that the BUILD program is key to tapping into the nation’s youthful talent and supporting India’s aspirations to become a leading global hub for startups and innovation.
The program collaborates with seven incubators across India to facilitate BUILD, including prestigious institutions like IIT Mumbai, IIT Delhi, IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Madras, IISC Bengaluru, T-Hub Hyderabad, and KIIT Bhubaneswar. Interested applicants can propose ideas in aerospace, defense, technology, social impact, and sustainability.
Salil Gupte, President of Boeing India and South Asia, remarked on the growth and new avenues BUILD has opened for innovators over the past four years. With the backing of investors and incubators, promising projects are expected to receive the essential funding and support to flourish. This cooperative approach aims to propel the progress of India’s innovation landscape.
This cycle’s participants will undergo evaluations, participate in regional boot camps, and eventually present their proposals on Boeing Immersion Day and the BUILD finals scheduled for January 2025. Winners will be awarded a grant of INR 10 lakh each to further their innovative ideas. Industry experts and Boeing mentors will provide guidance to finalists to help transform their concepts into marketable solutions.
The submission deadline is set for October 15. Last year, BUILD received a record-breaking 1,200 submissions from over 2,200 students and startup enthusiasts across India, underscoring the program’s impact on skill development and its initiatives like the HorizonX India Innovation Challenge and the Accelerated Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Apprenticeship.
