Why did AI take off so quickly, while XR, despite years of promise and investment, never quite caught the same fire? And where have all the community led VR/XR Developer communities gone?

In this episode, I chat with Neilda Pacquing Gagné, former XR founder turned AI ecosystem builder, she shares her experience growing Ottawa’s AI community from just 3 to over 1,500 in two years.

And what becomes clear is this: strong builder communities act like fire starters for scaling new tech

If new tech is the spark, developers and creators keep the fire going--helping it catch, spread, and burn long enough to turn into something real.

We talk about what helped AI catch that fire, easy ways to get started, tools people could actually use, and a culture of learning together (and why XR, in many ways, struggled to build that same kind of shared momentum despite the hype.)

This conversation is also a reflection on something many tech platforms still overlook: ensuring communities have ease to developing together is vital part of the roadmap strategy.

We discuss:
• Why XR felt more fragmented and harder to build within
• Why AI feels more open and easier to experiment with
• What it takes to build a healthy, active builder community
• What platform leaders can learn from these differences
• Why community isn’t just support (Hint: it’s what drives growth)

If you’re thinking about where technology is headed, this is really a conversation about the invisible forces that decide whether something grows...or fades out.

Host:
Clorama
www.linkedin.com/in/clorama

Special Guest:
Neilda Gagne, AGI Ventures: Ecosystem Architect
•⁠ ⁠https://www.neilda.com/
•⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/neildapacquing/
•⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.agiventures.ca/

00:00 Hook: Why AI Is Scaling Faster Than XR

*Part 1: Neilda's Journey into Architecting an Ecosystem*

04:10 Intro to Neilda
11:09 From Silicon Valley to Ottawa
12:54 How Tech Meetups Led to a Career Breakthrough
16:12 Why Real Connection Beats "Networking"

18:36 The Unexpected Start of a Community Builder
19:56 Biggest Mistakes When Starting a Community
23:34: Building a Thriving AI Ecosystem
28:18 From 'Community' to Company'
28:41 How a Community Grows From 3 to 1500 People

33:01 Struggles with Building Communities in Silicon Valley
33:17 Tech Ecosystem vs Builder Community
35:25 The Problem With Leader-Centered Communities

37:08 The 8 Values That Keep Growing AGI's Community Health
42:41 How Leaving Silicon Valley can be advantageous for innovation
43:26 Building In Isolation vs In Community
47:28 The Hidden Link Bt Diversity and Community Values

49:42 Creating a Hacker House
52:56 Turning Community Into a Sustainable Ecosystem
54:03 Real Success Stories From the Community
55:43 How to Select the Right Builders for Your Ecosystem

*Part 2: Why XR Struggles to Maintain Momentum? What is Big Tech Platforms missing?*

58:09 Structural Challenges of XR Communities
01:03:39 Why XR Communities Fragment

01:07:41 The Role Big Tech Plays (and Often Misses)
01:08:46 Managing Conflict in High-Performance Communities
01:11:25 If Communities Drive Innovation… What Must Big Tech Change?

01:20:44 What keeps Builders consistent?
01:21:28 Creating Spaces Where Everyone Can Contribute
01:23:06 Claude vs ChatGPT?