HYDERABAD. Boeing India conducted the regional finals for the Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) program 2023-24 at Wings India 2024, for participants from T-Hub, India’s largest incubation center. The event, supported by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, India, featured selected startup entrepreneurs and students from T-Hub presenting breakthrough ideas in aerospace and defense, technology, social impact, and sustainability.
Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India, said, “We are deeply grateful to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, India, for their tremendous support in helping provide a platform to nurture innovation and ideas from the thriving startup communities in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Boeing remains committed to helping support startup communities in their critical journey from early to maturity stages through strategic industry-academia partnerships and collaborations.”
In its third edition, 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 shortlisted teams from the initial application stage are currently competing at regional-level boot camps in the country. The finalists from the regional selections will pitch their ideas to subject-matter experts on Boeing Immersion Day in Q1, 2024. 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.
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.
