Cleared for take-off: NUS Enterprise and Boeing back student-led aerospace innovation

“Aircraft parts that can be recovered and reused. A wearable cooling device that helps outdoor workers manage heat stress. An AI tool that improves the energy efficiency of aerospace ground infrastructure. These were the winning ideas at Singapore’s first Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) Demo Day, where NUS students and start-ups pitched practical solutions to real-world aerospace challenges. Behind the ideas were Maleo, COOLAH and Urbanflow — as the three winning teams selected from 10 finalists and nearly 100 applications for the inaugural Singapore edition of the BUILD programme. Delivered in partnership with NUS, Boeing’s first university partner in Southeast Asia for the initiative, BUILD gave participants direct access to Boeing experts, NUS Enterprise mentors and industry partners, allowing them to test their ideas early and refine them for real-world adoption. The programme culminated on 20 May 2026 at Catapult by CapitaLand, where the finalists pitched their ideas to a judging panel comprising Mr Alan Mui, Managing Director, APAC Commercial Sales, Boeing Global Services; Mr Fitzkhoon Liang, Associate Director, NUS Enterprise; Mr Zequan Wee, Sustainability Manager, Singapore Airlines; Ms Kelly Yang, Advisory Partner, Panther Capital; and Professor Rama Gheerawo, Director, INSTILL. Each winning team received US$10,000 (S$12,770) in funding and three months of incubation support at BLOCK71 , NUS Enterprise’s global ecosystem platform, to further validate and develop its solution. Why BUILD, why now The partnership comes at a pivotal time for aerospace in Asia. Over the next two decades, India, China and Southeast Asia are expected to account for eight of the world’s 10 fastest-growing air travel markets 1 . This growth brings opportunity, and intensifies the need for innovation. Aerospace systems must become more efficient, reliable, sustainable and resilient, while moving from concept to deployment faster than before. Through BUILD, Boeing and NUS Enterprise are giving young innovators early exposure to these industry realities, alongside the mentorship and support needed to develop solutions that can move beyond the pitch stage. Inside the BUILD bootcamp Designed to move teams from early ideas to sharper, industry-ready solutions, the BUILD bootcamp opened at Boeing’s Training Campus in Singapore. Over the course of one week, teams worked through practical questions that shape adoption in aviation and aerospace. These included identifying users of the solution, defining the operational requirements it must meet, assessing how it can integrate into existing systems, and what it would take to scale. Participants gained direct exposure to Boeing’s aviation expertise through sessions with industry specialists and first-hand experience with Boeing’s flight simulation facilities. The bootcamp also covered business and leadership fundamentals needed to bring ideas to market, with mentors from Boeing and NUS Enterprise guiding teams as they refined their solutions and pitches. For the winning teams, the experience shaped their next steps. Maleo described the bootcamp as a “crash course” in start-up and business development, giving the team a stronger runway to turn its material supply chain circularity idea into a “pilot-ready proof of concept”. COOLAH said the programme reinforced that “a good engineering solution is only half the battle”, with market and customer understanding proving equally critical as the team works towards a more refined prototype and expanded pilot trials. Urbanflow said BUILD offered “a rare look inside Boeing’s aerospace facilities” and sustainability efforts, as they explore pilot solutions that can deliver measurable energy reductions. Helping innovators go further, faster Congratulating the winning teams of Singapore's first BUILD programme, Dr Tan Sian Wee, NUS Senior Vice President (Innovation and Enterprise), said, “Their ideas reflect what we set out to achieve, helping students and start-ups test boldly, iterate faster, and to turn innovations into aerospace and defense solutions. Together with Boeing, we are proud to support these teams as they stress-test their ideas and scale them into solutions that can transform industries and change lives." That support will continue over the coming months as the three winning teams work alongside Boeing and NUS Enterprise to further validate, pilot, and develop their solutions. “This milestone highlights the exceptional talent from Singapore and demonstrates the power of industry-academic partnerships to accelerate aviation solutions from concept to impact,” said Ms Penny Burtt, President, Boeing Southeast Asia. “Through our collaboration with NUS Enterprise, we’re committed to supporting these innovators as they scale their ideas.” For Singapore’s first BUILD cohort, Demo Day was not the finish line. It was the start of the next test: taking promising ideas further, faster, and closer to industry impact. By NUS Enterprise

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