Build 5.0
Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) is a joint initiative by Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT-IIT Delhi) & Boeing, that aims to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the high-impact domains of Aerospace, Spacetech, Electric Vehicles (EV), E-mobility, Green Energy, Sustainability & Social Impact.
The 5th Edition of BUILD 2026 at FITT envisions providing a collaborative & supportive ecosystem that seeks to transform groundbreaking ideas into successful startups, addressing critical challenges & opportunities in these industries.
Boeing's goal is to empower entrepreneurs to turn their visions into reality, driving technological advancements and contributing to a sustainable future.
What is in it for you
Boeing and its partners bring you an opportunity to
- Compete with peers from across the country
- Receive mentorship from Boeing experts and startup ecosystem leaders
- Travel to Boeing office to present to an eminent jury
- Compete for a $10L grant to support further development of your idea
Who Can Apply
The BUILD program is open for students who have either graduated or will be graduating in 2026.
Early – Stage Startups in the domains of Aerospace, Spacetech, E-Mobility, Green Energy, Sustainability & Social Impact.
Entrepreneurs at Pre- Revenue or Idea/Conceptualization stage are encouraged to apply
Compete with Fellow Innovators & Get an Opportunity to travel to a Boeing site, present your Idea to an Eminent Jury, and win ₹10 lakh worth in prize money!
Program OFFERINGS
Mentorship Support from Industry-Academia Network of IIT Delhi & Boeing India
Funding & Investment Opportunities through FITT’s Pool of VC Firms & Angel Networks
Access to FITT’s Advanced Tech Labs, Prototyping Facilities & State of Art Infrastructure supporting Product Development & Testing.
Themes for BUILD 5.0
Program Timeline
If you are an Early Stage / MVP Ready Startup or a recently Graduated Engineering student you are the right fit for the BUILD program.
For more information on the program or any queries, download the FAQs here or reach out to Ms. Shambhavi Singh +91 9140279594; shambhavisingh@fitt-iitd.in
Past Success with FITT-IIT Delhi <> Boeing BUILD
Over the past few years, the BUILD – Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development Program has established itself as a high-impact national platform for nurturing innovation-driven startups across India. Implemented in partnership with FITT–IIT Delhi as the Partner Incubator for the Northern Region, the program has consistently attracted strong participation from innovators and entrepreneurs across Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 cities, reflecting its growing reach and credibility.
The BUILD 2.0 and BUILD 3.0 cohorts witnessed significant traction, collectively receiving over 1,500 applications. Startups were shortlisted through a rigorous, multi-stage evaluation process, with the Top 10 teams from each cohort advancing to the Regional Finale. From these, the Top 4 Regional Winners progressed to the National Finale held at Boeing University, Bengaluru, where startups supported by FITT–IIT Delhi demonstrated strong performance, with multiple teams emerging as National Finale Winners—a testament to the robustness of the ecosystem and mentoring support.
This momentum continued with BUILD 4.0, which marked the most successful edition to date, attracting over 2,000 ideas from more than 2,700 students and early-stage startups nationwide. Following an intensive evaluation process, 75 shortlisted teams participated in regional boot camps and received structured mentoring from startup ecosystem experts, incubator partners, and Boeing engineers. The program culminated in the selection of seven winning teams, which were supported further to develop their innovations into market-ready and commercially viable solutions, each receiving a financial grant of INR 10 lakh.
Collectively, the program has enabled several high-potential startups—Modulo EV Pvt. Ltd., SAP Aerospace Pvt. Ltd., Abyom SpaceTech Pvt. Ltd., Green Aero Propulsion Pvt. Ltd., Trishulopulsion Pvt. Ltd. Trishul Space—to gain national recognition, access strategic mentorship, and accelerate their journey from innovation to impact. These outcomes underscore BUILD’s growing role in strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem and advancing entrepreneurship in strategic technology and sustainability domains.
FAQ'S
If you are a student graduating this year, choose the region in which your college is located. If your team has a group of graduating students from more than one college in more than a region, please choose a region where most of your team attends college
If you are a start-up, choose the region where you live and work.
Yes! We encourage you to apply. Applying is simple and we are looking for teams that are passionate about solving real-life problems. Problems that can be solved in innovative ways that may be related to one of our themes.
We are interested in two things – What problem are you trying to solve and how? Why should we work with your team?
Since we will process a large number of applications, here are some tips to make your application stand out:
- Respect the word limit for the application.
- Be clear and concise.
- Avoid the marketing speak, instead sell how well you understand the problem.
- Tell us why you picked this problem, what needs to be done to solve the problem, and how your team members stand out.
- Tell us what motivates you to solve the problem.
Don’t worry about how unique your idea is – we are interested more in your approach to solving a problem and are open to working with teams who are trying to solve the same problem or develop the same idea.
Sure. Links to videos or demo websites that substantiate your application/entry are permitted. However, links that are added just to fill more space and have no correlation with the application will not be counted.
No. Application is free of cost and no fees will be charged for the BUILD coursework. We will arrange for limited travel for teams selected for the workshop but you may have to pay for day-to-day expenses.
We are looking to work with pre-seed / early-stage startups to develop their business skills. Typically, such startups are in the conceptual stage and have no funding, no revenue, no Minimum Viable Product (or only the outlines of one), and limited customer validation.
If your team is selected, we offer learning opportunities and a chance to connect with experienced professionals in the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem. We will provide you with learning resources to help you refine your business proposition and sharpen your investor pitches. We offer a chance for you to compete with your peers.
We don’t offer a guaranteed number of winners nationally and we don’t offer any funding. However, if your team is good enough, you will have a chance to win INR 10,00,000 in prize money that you are free to use as your team decides.
The boot camp will be scheduled for a duration of 3-4 days (exact details may vary by region). You are expected to attend the full duration of the boot camp in person. At the end of the boot camp, you will be invited to deliver your pitch to a jury in a process that may require a full day on campus.
If selected, some teams will travel to Bangalore for 1-2 days to participate in the Boeing Innovation Day for the final pitch competition at the Boeing campus in Bangalore.
The teams are expected to take complete ownership in refining their pitches in time to compete effectively.
No. We are looking to work with you, and the team, and not on the idea itself. Submitting more than one application is counterproductive.
No – BUILD is not associated with recruitment at Boeing or at any of our partners. However, BUILD offers you a chance to build your network and showcase your and your team’s passion, enthusiasm, and business acumen.
Some of the dates will be specified as we get closer to the milestones. Refer to the timeline for the latest information.
Of course! We are looking to work with a diverse range of teams. But we do look for how well your team’s qualifications fit your idea.