Alex Howland on funding
From What Happens When AI Enters Virtual Reality? with Alex Howland · · Infopro Learning
“We secured almost $2 million in grant funds as a graduate student with no software or business experience. We got off the ground and got started which is pretty cool.”
On , Alex Howland, President of eXp World Technologies at EXP WORLD HOLDINGS INC, spoke about funding during What Happens When AI Enters Virtual Reality? with Alex Howland on Infopro Learning.
About Alex Howland
Alex Howland, president of eXp World Technologies at Exp World Holdings, appeared on the podcast "The Talent Equation" on April 8, 2026, to discuss the integration of artificial intelligence with virtual reality for leadership development. Howland, who also founded Virbela, described how immersive AI-powered simulations can help employees practice skills such as conflict management and decision-making. He noted that while text-based coaching tools exist, his approach focuses on coaching based on "a real behavioral sample" rather than conversation alonevoice. Howland recounted that his company's "previous sister company EXP Realty grew from a thousand agents to 88,000 agents on our platform," with thousands of people attending virtual events as avatars. He acknowledged challenges in the field, stating he "failed to raise funds" initially but "started selling" anyway. On ethical considerations, Howland emphasized "making sure people know that they're talking to an AI and not a real human" and addressing privacy concerns, including ensuring "we're not training models based on what people are saying in these simulations." He expressed optimism about scaling coaching, saying "imagine being able to have a coach for every employee out there... we can do that synchronously, asynchronously now."