AI Leadership Platform Praxis Labs Acquired by Torch to Strengthen Workforce Development Solutions
Praxis Founders Join Torch to Drive AI Coaching and Organizational Transformation
Praxis Labs Joins Forces With Torch
Praxis Labs, an AI-powered leadership development platform known for its work with major companies like Amazon, eBay, and Google, has been acquired by leadership and coaching enterprise Torch for an undisclosed amount.
- The acquisition brings together Praxis Labs’ AI coaching, skills assessment, and practice tools with Torch’s contextual coaching and organizational insights, creating a powerful new suite for enterprise leadership development.
Strategic Move for Scale and Impact
Praxis Labs co-founder and CEO Elise Smith explained that as a small team serving massive clients, the company needed robust partnerships to expand its reach.
- “We were immediately struck, not just by our shared values and mission, but also by how we aligned on what was needed to really future-proof the next general workforce,” Smith shared, highlighting the synergy with Torch CEO Heather Conklin.
- The acquisition aims to future-proof companies as they navigate the integration of humans and AI in the workplace, ensuring both productivity and meaningful human connection.
Team Integration and Leadership Roles
Both Smith and co-founder Heather Shen will take on leadership roles at Torch—head of AI growth and head of AI product, respectively.
- The rest of the Praxis team will also transition to Torch, strengthening its product, engineering, and AI capabilities.
Praxis Labs: A Track Record of Equity and Innovation
Launched in 2019, Praxis Labs built a reputation for helping companies foster inclusive, equitable workplaces through targeted leadership training and real-time skill assessments.
- The startup previously raised a $15 million Series A round in 2021, with backers such as Emerson Collective, Steph Curry’s Penny Jar Capital, Precursor Ventures, and Ulu Ventures.
- At the time, Smith was one of the few Black women founders to raise over $1 million in VC funding.
The Future of Leadership in an AI-Driven Workforce
The acquisition comes at a critical moment as companies grapple with the evolving relationship between AI and the human workforce.
- “Every company and executive team is facing this pivotal question: How will they prepare and manage this next generation of work with humans and AI, while maintaining the human connection that’s essential for real workforce and company transformation?” Smith said.
The Bottom Line
By joining Torch, Praxis Labs is positioned to help more organizations tackle the challenges and opportunities of the next era of work—blending AI innovation with a deep focus on leadership, inclusion, and people-centric transformation.
