Mumbai: Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development – BUILD 2026 – programme has been officially announced as Boeing India deepens its commitment to strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem through strategic collaborations.
Through the BUILD programme, Boeing continues to engage with the entire student-to-startup spectrum, enabling young innovators to develop breakthrough ideas in India, for India, and for the world.
For BUILD 2026, Boeing India has partnered with the Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), IIT Bombay, to provide innovators with access to industry knowledge, structured learning, and mentorship.
The programme is designed to help participants refine ideas, strengthen business models, and transform early-stage concepts into viable products and offerings.
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Eligibility and Participation in BUILD 2026
BUILD 2026 is open to:
- Students graduating in 2026
- Early-stage startup entrepreneurs at the pre-seed or conceptual stage with no external funding
The programme invites individuals and teams who are looking to test business potential, refine solutions, and develop strong investor-ready pitches.
Startups in the pre-seed or pre-revenue stage, especially those led by recently graduated engineering students, are encouraged to apply.
Opportunities Offered Under BUILD 2026
Through BUILD 2026, Boeing and its partners aim to:
- Provide mentorship from industry experts and startup ecosystem leaders
- Enable structured learning and business refinement
- Support development of investor-ready pitches
- Facilitate exposure to incubators and innovation networks
Sector Focus Areas
Applicants to BUILD 2026 can submit ideas aligned with the following sectors:
- Aerospace & Defence
- Technology
- Social Impact
- Sustainability
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Application Details for BUILD 2026
The Society for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (SINE), IIT Bombay, in collaboration with Boeing India, has opened applications for the Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development Program 2026.
- Application Deadline: 5th April 2026
- Application Link: https://www.sineiitb.org/programs/build-2026/
The winning team from the incubation centre will receive a grant worth ₹10,00,000 to support the development of their startup idea.
Programme Structure and Commitment
Selected teams in BUILD 2026 will participate in:
- A regional boot camp spanning three to four days with mandatory in-person participation
- Mentorship sessions with experts from the Indian startup ecosystem
- A final pitch presentation to a jury panel
Top-performing teams may also travel to Bengaluru to participate in Boeing Innovation Day, where final pitches will be presented at the Boeing campus.
Guidance for Applicants
The evaluation process for BUILD 2026 focuses on two key questions:
- What problem is the team trying to solve and how?
- Why should the programme work with the team?
Applicants are encouraged to:
- Be clear, concise, and within the word limit
- Demonstrate strong problem understanding
- Avoid excessive marketing language
- Highlight differentiation and motivation
The programme emphasizes approach and execution over mere idea uniqueness and welcomes multiple teams addressing similar challenges.
Past Success: BUILD 4.0 Highlights
The previous edition, BUILD 4.0, witnessed significant participation, with over 2,000 ideas submitted by more than 2,700 students and startups from Tier 1, 2, and 3 cities across India.
Following a rigorous evaluation process:
- 75 teams were shortlisted for regional boot camps
- Finalists received mentorship from ecosystem experts, incubator partners, and Boeing engineers
Seven teams were declared winners of the Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) 2024–25 programme:
- Thrustworks Dynetics
- Nexus Power
- Extrive Innovations
- Qualivon Technologies
- Rapha Bionics
- HyPrix Aviation
- Trishul Space
Each winning team received a grant of ₹10 lakh to advance their ideas across aerospace and defence, technology, social impact, and sustainability sectors.
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Incubation Ecosystem Partners
BUILD has collaborated with leading incubators across India, including:
- Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), IIT Bombay
- Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), IIT Delhi
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, IIT Gandhinagar
- IIT Madras Incubation Cell
- Foundation for Science Innovation and Development, IISc Bengaluru
- T-Hub Hyderabad
- KIIT Bhubaneswar Technology Business Incubator (TBI)
Participation Details
- Applications are free, with no course fees
- Limited travel support is provided for bootcamp participants
- Multiple applications per team are not permitted
- BUILD is not a recruitment programme but offers strong networking opportunities
- Non-technical teams can also apply, provided their skills align with their idea
