(n)upgradethe act of improving something (especially machinery) by raising it to a higher grade (as by adding or replacing components)“the power plant received a new upgrade”
(v)promote, upgrade, advance, kick upstairs, raise, elevategive a promotion to or assign to a higher position“John was kicked upstairs when a replacement was hired”, “Women tend not to advance in the major law firms”, “I got promoted after many years of hard work”