In March, key stakeholders from government, industry, and academia in Central Luzon launched a local innovation program dubbed the “Technological Hive of Regional Innovation for a Vibrant Ecosystem,” or THRIVE Central Luzon. THRIVE is the latest addition to the Philippine government’s growing network of Regional Inclusive Innovation Centers (RIIC), implemented in partnership with USAID. USAID assistance is enabling these centers to collaborate on innovation activities that drive business recovery and resiliency, while providing micro, small, and medium enterprises better access to technology and resources. During the event, the Philippine Department of Science and Technology announced a seed funding of over Php2 million to establish a business innovation unit at a local university to support THRIVE Central Luzon.