build on vs depend upon

build on and depend upon both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
build on	No	No	Yes	No
depend upon	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, depend upon is a hypernym of build on; that is, depend upon is a word with a broader meaning than build on:

Other hypernyms of build on include depend on, devolve on, hinge on, hinge upon, ride, turn on.

build on (verb)	depend upon (verb)
use as a basis for theories and claims	be contingent on
	put trust in with confidence