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§ Private Profile · Stanford, CA, USA
Praxis Labs is a technology company.
Praxis Labs builds AI-powered immersive learning simulations designed to enhance key human skills within organizations. Its platform leverages mixed reality technology to deliver on-demand, practice-based experiences, providing personalized coaching and feedback. This approach allows employees and leaders to practice complex workplace scenarios, fostering behavioral change and measurable improvements in inclusive leadership.
Praxis Labs was co-founded by Elise Smith and Heather Shen in 2018, emerging from their insights as graduate students at Stanford. They recognized immersive technology's potential to address professional development gaps, particularly in fostering human skills and inclusive workplaces. Smith's AI education background and Shen's technical vision drove their creation of an impactful learning solution.
The company primarily serves enterprise clients, offering scalable solutions for leadership development and HR initiatives. Praxis Labs aims to democratize access to high-quality, personalized learning, extending these experiences to all people leaders. It envisions a future where immersive practice and AI-driven feedback empower individuals to navigate challenging workplace dynamics, fostering more equitable and effective organizational cultures.
Praxis Labs has raised $19.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Praxis Labs has raised $19.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Praxis Labs has raised $19.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $16.0M Series A in October 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2021 | $16M Series A | Emerson Collective, Norwest Venture Partners | DSG Consumer Partners, Ensemble VC, EVE Atlas, Greatergoodsociety, Moderne Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners, V3 Ventures, Concrete Rose Capital, Firework Ventures, Stephen Curry, Precursor Ventures, Softbank, ULU Ventures | Announced |
| Feb 1, 2021 | $3M Seed | — | Gold House Ventures, Kapor Capital, ULU Ventures, Julie Mcdermott, 20|20 Fund, Emerson Collective, Firework Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners, Precursor Ventures, Stacy Brown Philpot | Announced |
Praxis Labs is an immersive learning technology company that builds AI-powered virtual reality (VR) simulations and courses to drive behavior change in workplaces, particularly around diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), leadership skills, and human performance.[1][2][3] It serves enterprises and organizations by offering bite-sized, on-demand experiences that combine immersive tech with evidence-based curricula, personalized AI coaching, and measurable outcomes like learner application data.[1][3] The platform solves critical gaps in traditional training—such as low engagement and unproven ROI—by enabling safe practice of high-stakes scenarios like navigating conflicts or bias reduction, fostering inclusive cultures and higher retention.[1][2][3] With $18.7M in total funding, including a recent Accenture Ventures investment, the company has strong growth momentum, evidenced by SOC-2 certification, integrations with tools like Workday, and adoption by leading enterprises.[2][3]
Praxis Labs was founded in 2019 in Brooklyn, New York, by a team focused on revolutionizing workplace DEI training through VR.[1][2] The founders drew from expertise in immersive tech and organizational psychology to address how traditional methods fail to create lasting behavior change, emerging amid rising demand for inclusive cultures post-2010s social movements.[1][3] Early traction came from its end-to-end platform delivering VR experiences with actionable insights, leading to investments like $15.5M in recent rounds and partnerships such as Accenture's Project Spotlight for co-innovation with enterprise clients.[2] Pivotal moments include launching GenAI-driven simulations for polarizing topics and cross-cultural conflicts, solidifying its position in AI-enhanced learning.[3][5]
Praxis Labs stands out in the edtech and HR tech space through these key strengths:
Praxis Labs rides the convergence of AI, VR/AR, and workplace upskilling trends, capitalizing on post-pandemic remote work demands for human-centered skills amid DEI mandates and talent retention crises.[1][3] Timing is ideal as GenAI matures for ethical applications like bias simulation, while market forces—rising employee disengagement (e.g., Gallup reports) and regulatory DEI pressures—favor immersive solutions over outdated e-learning.[3][5] It influences the ecosystem by setting standards for measurable L&D impact, enabling enterprises to scale inclusive training, and bridging HR tech with spatial computing, much like how Strivr expanded to logistics but with Praxis's sharper DEI edge.[1]
Praxis Labs is poised for accelerated growth through AI-VR expansions, potentially targeting global enterprises with multilingual simulations and deeper analytics. Trends like agentic AI for coaching and metaverse training will amplify its edge, while economic pressures on DEI budgets could challenge but also differentiate its ROI focus. As it evolves, expect deeper integrations and acquisitions, solidifying its role in powering resilient, inclusive teams—echoing its mission to unlock human skills at scale from day one.[2][3]
Praxis Labs has raised $19.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Praxis Labs's investors include Emerson Collective, Norwest Venture Partners, DSG Consumer Partners, Ensemble VC, EVE Atlas, GreaterGoodSociety, Moderne Ventures, V3 Ventures, Concrete Rose Capital, Firework Ventures, Stephen Curry, Precursor Ventures.