build (up)on something

7. VERB

If you build on the success of something, you take advantage of this success in order to make further progress.     

• The new regime has no successful economic reforms on which to build.
  

.... Cobuild

build (up)on something :

1. to construct something on a particular space. (Upon is more formal and less commonly used than on.) 

• Are you going to build upon this land? Yes, we will build on it.
  

2. to start with something and add to it. (Upon is more formal and less commonly used than on.) 

• Our progress has been good so far. Let's build on it. 
• We will build upon the success of our forebears.
  

build (up)on something:

to add another thing to something that already exists 

• In his new book he builds on his own discoveries, and he builds on current theory. 
• The president is building upon the extraordinary commitment to volunteerism Americans have.
  

.. http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/build+on