FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 1, 2023

Gobekli Showcases Early Prototype of the Universal Talent Passport at U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Experience You Project

Washington, D.C. — Gobekli Inc. participated in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s mid-year Experience You meeting in Washington, D.C., presenting a ten-minute briefing on its prototype of the Universal Talent Passport (TalentPass) and the results of its early field testing. The session highlighted Gobekli’s collaboration with the University of Phoenix and the City of Boston to conduct live focus groups with both students and community participants.

These sessions invited people to explore a simple question: If you had a Universal Talent Passport, what would you use it for? The goal was to understand how a verifiable, portable record of learning, work, and experience could empower individuals to better navigate opportunity.

Real People, Real Feedback

The focus groups offered a rare chance to test early design concepts with real users — including students, career changers, and job seekers from a range of backgrounds. Participants were encouraged to reflect on what would make such a tool meaningful, how it should look and feel, and how it could fit into their everyday lives.

“The feedback was honest, detailed, and deeply human,” said Danny Done, Co-Founder of Gobekli. “People told us they wanted something that would help them see themselves — not just as workers or students, but as whole people. They wanted a way to make their skills and stories visible and to connect those stories to new opportunities.”

The feedback sessions provided Gobekli with clear design direction, informing how TalentPass would organize information, display context, and guide users through reflection and presentation. The team is now implementing these insights into the next iteration of the product and continuing to engage the original focus group participants to deepen understanding of their needs.

Positive Reception from Leaders in Learning and Work

Gobekli’s presentation was well-received by an audience of education, workforce, and industry leaders focused on Learning and Employment Record (LER) innovation — including representatives from major institutions, foundations, and technology partners. The session drew particular interest from supporters of the Experience U initiative, which is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and managed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to accelerate the adoption of interoperable, learner-owned digital credentials.

“Being able to test our ideas with real people and then share those findings directly with the national leaders shaping this movement was invaluable,” said Done. “It reminded everyone in the room that this work isn’t just about data standards or infrastructure — it’s about people’s lives, their growth, and their ability to be seen.”

About Gobekli

Gobekli Inc. is an independent company dedicated to helping people make their talent visible, portable, and meaningful. Through its development of TalentPass, Gobekli is building a user-centered platform that connects verified skills, experiences, and credentials into living, personal profiles.

The company partners with schools, employers, and workforce organizations to ensure the tools it builds work for real people in real contexts — supporting lifelong growth, learning, and opportunity.

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