Tech meets purpose: Ateneo BUILD and Co-Develop launch TRL Experience Center to explore digital public infrastructure

Ateneo de Manila University’s Business Insights Laboratory for Development (BUILD), in partnership with global nonprofit Co-Develop, officially launched the Technical Resource Lab (TRL) Experience Center on 12 April 2025 — a new initiative that explores how Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) can be made accessible and meaningful in the Philippine context.

Located at Ateneo’s John Gokongwei School of Management, the TRL Experience Center is a hands-on learning environment where students, technologists, policymakers, and entrepreneurs can engage with DPI-based services such as the PhilSys National ID system. The space includes working demonstrations, biometric devices, and coding workshops that help visitors connect technical systems with real-world public service delivery.

Featured Partners

The TRL Experience Center brings together diverse collaborators from government, industry, and the open-source community. Below are some of the organizations currently featured in the lab’s demonstrations and use cases:

Initial public sector partners in this effort include the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), who are supporting the development and contextualization of DPI in areas such as identity, data exchange, and financial inclusion.

Through the Ateneo Integrated Open Library (AIOLI) repository, BUILD aims to develop reusable software assets and a set of information and learning materials that make it easier for students, enterprises, and government units to integrate—supporting seamless and inclusive services. The TRL is one of its key platforms for prototyping, testing, and sharing these digital public tools in context.

More information about the TRL Experience Center, ongoing projects, and learning resources can be found at https://trl.ph.

About BUILD

The Business Insights Laboratory for Development (BUILD) is a university-based initiative under Ateneo de Manila’s John Gokongwei School of Management (JGSOM). BUILD supports students, startups, and institutions in developing and deploying data-informed, inclusive, and ethical technology solutions. It combines analytics, financial modeling, digital platforms, and generative AI expertise to advance local innovation and digital transformation. Learn more at https://www.ateneo.edu/jgsom/build.

About Co-Develop

Co-Develop is a global nonprofit fund working to accelerate the adoption of safe, inclusive, and scalable DPI. In the next five years, it aims to help governments and local partners in at least 50 countries build and govern core digital systems that serve the public interest. The organization provides strategic support to overcome adoption bottlenecks and contributes to the global evidence base on the impact of DPI in development.

For more information, visit https://trl.ph, https://www.ateneo.edu/jgsom/build, or email build.jgsom@ateneo.edu.