Boeing (NYSE: BA) has announced the winners of its third edition of the Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) program for 2023-24. Seven teams, comprised of university students and early-stage startup entrepreneurs, were recognized for their innovative ideas. The winning teams include Abyom SpaceTech, 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.
These winning teams will receive support from Boeing and their respective incubator partners to further develop their ideas into market-ready and viable business solutions. The announcement was made during a finale event at the new Boeing India Engineering & Technology Center (BIETC) campus in Bengaluru.
The winners, selected from a record number of entrants with over 1200 ideas, will receive financial grants of INR 10 lakh each. The winning ideas span various sectors, including community development, defense and space industry, and sustainability.
Boeing collaborated with seven incubators for the BUILD program, including SINE – IIT Mumbai, FIIT – IIT Delhi, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center – IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Madras Incubation Cell, Society for Innovation and Development – IISC Bengaluru, T-Hub Hyderabad, and TBI – KIIT Bhubaneshwar.
Boeing India President, Salil Gupte, expressed the company’s commitment to fostering innovation through industry-academia collaborations and partnerships. Ahmed Elsherbini, Vice President and Managing Director of Boeing India Engineering & Technology Center, emphasized the importance of mentoring and resources in pivoting growth for startups and entrepreneurs.
Boeing India has been actively contributing to skill development and capability building in the country through various programs, including the HorizonX India Innovation Challenge, Accelerated Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Apprenticeship, and National Aeromodelling Competition with IIT.