Aerospace to medtech: Seven startups secure Boeing backing in fifth BUILD edition

Seven university and early-stage startup teams emerged victorious in the fifth edition of the Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) programme.

The winning teams — Aerosearch Technologies, Alkamy Carbon, DIASOL, EarthSprint Solutions, Oreejoy MedTech, StelX Dynamics, and SWRN Systems — were selected for their solutions spanning aerospace and defense, deep tech, sustainability, and healthcare.  

The programme specifically targets 2026 engineering graduates, postdocs, and ideation/pre-seed stage startups with proof-of-concept solutions. Each winning team receives a grant of ₹10 lakh alongside a structured year-long incubation journey.

Over the coming months, teams will leverage Boeing's technical library and work closely with engineering mentors at the Boeing India Engineering & Technology Center to refine raw concepts into minimum-viable products and market-ready proposals.  

"India’s startup ecosystem has grown into a vibrant and diverse network of entrepreneurs, incubators, investors, and academia," said Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India and South Asia. "BUILD has helped bring these groups together, creating pathways for promising ideas to move beyond competition and toward real-world opportunities. As we reach our fifth edition, it is encouraging to see the relationships and collaborations fostered through BUILD continue beyond the program. I congratulate this year’s winners and participants and thank our partners for being part of BUILD’s growth journey."  

To execute the initiative across key regional hubs, Boeing collaborates with seven leading incubation centers:  

• FITT, IIT Delhi (covering North India including Delhi NCR, UP, Haryana, and Punjab)  
• SINE, IIT Bombay (covering Maharashtra and Goa)  
• IIEC, IIT Gandhinagar (covering Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh)  
• FSID, IISc Bengaluru (covering Karnataka)  
• IIT Madras Incubation Cell (covering Tamil Nadu and Kerala)  
• T-Hub Hyderabad (covering Telangana and Andhra Pradesh)  
• KIIT-TBI Bhubaneswar (covering East and Northeast India)  

Highlighting the engineering engagement, Stacie Sire, vice president and managing director, Boeing India Engineering & Technology Center, and chief engineer, Boeing India, said, "BUILD creates a unique opportunity for us to engage with the next generation of innovators and share the engineering expertise that Boeing has built over decades. What makes the program meaningful is the journey from an early-stage idea challenged, refined, and strengthened through mentorship and collaboration. We are excited to see how this year's winners build on that foundation and take their ideas forward."  

The selection process for the 2026 cohort began with application submissions through April, followed by team evaluations, regional bootcamp pitch competitions in May–June, and an intensive Boeing immersion and pitch finals in Bengaluru.  

Since its launch, the BUILD programme has attracted over 7,000 applications and incubated more than 35 startups across core verticals including autonomous systems, deep tech AI/ML, sustainable aviation fuels, carbon footprint reduction, and medical devices.

The programme complements Boeing’s broader talent and capability-building ecosystem in India, which includes the HorizonX India Innovation Challenge, Accelerated Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Apprenticeships, and the National Aeromodelling Competition. Boeing currently sources over $1.4 billion annually from India, engaging a local supply network of more than 300 companies.