Boeing announces winners of incubator programme BUILD

US-based aerospace company Boeing has announced the winners of the Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) programme for student entrepreneurs.

Out of 26 finalists, six students and start-up teams emerged winners including Kanpur-based Pi Drones, Bengaluru-based Terracarb, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras-incubated InfyU Labs, BITS Pilani, Goa-incubated Project Pinaka and IIIT Allahabad-incubated PS-1925, the company said in a statement.

The BUILD programme is Boeing’s aerospace innovation, leadership and talent nurturing initiative for university students, faculty and early stage startups. The programme offers participants opportunities to incubate ideas and access to Boeing’s innovation ecosystem.

“We believe that a close partnership with India’s academia and growing entrepreneurial ecosystem has the potential to nurture innovation and skills development for the aerospace industry. Programs such as BUILD are designed to turn early stage ideas into full business concepts. Students are given learning materials, resources and an opportunity to learn from leading industry experts,” said Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India.

The aerospace giant had rolled out the BUILD programme in collaboration with seven incubators - IIT Delhi, IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, T-Hub, Hyderabad and Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneshwar.