Boost for aerospace entrepreneurship: Boeing India partners with IITs, IISc
Recently, Boeing India launched the Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) program, and is inviting applications from students, professors and early-stage start-ups in India. BUILD's aim is to provide a platform for budding innovators and help their ideas grow so that it can shape the future of Indian aerospace and defense. Notably, Boeing has partnered with several prestigious Indian institutes for the same.
Partnership with India's academia is the key
Salil Gupte, Boeing India President, believes, "A close partnership with India's academia and growing entrepreneurial ecosystem has the potential to re-imagine the future of aerospace for the world." He added, "With BUILD, we are creating a platform for students and entrepreneurs to not only benefit from our vast experience and partner networks, but also develop their ideas into path-breaking innovations."
Last date to submit the ideas is June 10
The applicants can submit their ideas in the field of advanced manufacturing, aerospace, analytics, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, autonomous vehicles, Internet of Things, materials and robotics by June 10. After assessing all the applications, finalists will be called for the bootcamp, which is scheduled in June-July. Later, they will compete at regional level pitch competition in August before the finals in September.
Winners of the final to receive cash prizes
Moreover, the winners of the initiative will be presented with cash prizes. Boeing has partnered with what they call seven incubators, including, IIT Delhi, IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IISc Bangalore, T-Hub Hyderabad, and KIIT Bhubaneswar to select the finalists.
Team of three members can't have more than one professor
As per the rules, a team of maximum of three members can participate. The team can't have more than one professor. A student can apply if s/he has completed minimum two years of his/her undergraduate course or is enrolled in a Master's or PhD program, or is postdoctoral researcher. Moreover, college professors can also apply if all other members of the team are students.
Know how you can apply for the BUILD program
Meanwhile, an entrepreneur or start-up can apply if it's at the ideation stage, i.e., there is no funding to the idea and no product or customer is associated with it. In order to apply, go to the official website and click one grid out of the seven, depending on your region. Fill out the details in the form at the partner sites and submit.
