William Lively Drives Real Estate Innovation After the Acquisition of EXtrance

When EXtrance, Inc. was acquired earlier this year, Founder and CEO William Lively called it the most important milestone of his career. For him, the deal confirmed that years of work building a platform that uses artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and blockchain to improve commercial real estate investment had been worth it.

“It validated years of hard work in proving that our platform could reshape an industry,” he said. “It also opened the door for us to apply our technology and vision on a scale I once only imagined.”

Lively’s vision for EXtrance began with simplifying the investment process, and it has grown into a mission to expand opportunities in real estate through greater transparency.

Tackling Real Estate’s Biggest Challenges With Tech

In commercial real estate, deals often rely on manual reporting, insider networks, and outdated systems that can limit efficiency. Lively sees those obstacles as the very reason the industry is ready for change, and he believes the right tools can remove them.

“I’m particularly excited about the convergence of AI-driven predictive analytics and blockchain-based smart contracts in real estate investment management,” he said.

AI can scan huge amounts of data to find opportunities in real time, while blockchain can ensure that contract terms are executed with trust and transparency. Together, they can make investing faster and give investors more confidence.

“Imagine a world where property performance, market trends, and transactional execution are all seamlessly integrated,” Lively said. “This is not science fiction; it’s where the industry is headed, and EXtrance is already laying the groundwork.”

Still, he knows the change isn’t simple. One of the biggest challenges is balancing innovation with regulatory complexity. While fintech can move quickly, commercial real estate is still bound by regulations that were created decades ago.

“Bridging that gap…creating products that are both cutting-edge and compliant…requires not just technology, but deep collaboration between innovators, regulators, and industry leaders,” he said.

He points out that the economy itself can be another hurdle. When markets are uncertain, investors need transparent, up-to-date information, which is exactly why EXtrance was created.

Even with these challenges, Lively remains motivated by the work and by the people around him.

“Since EXtrance’s acquisition earlier this year, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with brilliant minds on a global scale,” he said. “That constant exchange of ideas keeps me energized and ready to tackle the next challenge.”

Lessons Learned From Each Side of the Industry

Lively’s career gave him the chance to see both the financial and technical sides of investing before starting EXtrance. At SyndEX Labs, he worked on building blockchain-based systems that could support alternative investments.

From there, he joined DCI Capital Advisors as a partner. The firm was one of the early U.S. groups to focus on blockchain venture capital. Lively’s work focused on guiding young startups through the challenges of raising money and strategically adopting new technologies. When it came time to build EXtrance, Lively found himself repeating some of those same patterns, like trying to carry too much on his own.

“In the early days, I wore too many hats,” he said. “While that taught me a lot, it also slowed growth.”

If he could go back, he would have invested earlier in systems and people who could grow alongside him, allowing him to spend more time on vision and strategy instead.

The real turning point was realizing that success doesn’t come from being the smartest person in the room. It comes from building a team where everyone’s strengths add up to more than what one person can do alone.

At EXtrance, Lively has combined his experience in finance and technology to create a platform designed to simplify investing and open new opportunities in commercial real estate.

Giving Back Through Education and Access

Even while building companies, William Lively has also focused on creating opportunities in his home state. In 2020, he founded the William M. Lively Foundation to promote equal access to technology, entrepreneurship, and digital literacy in underserved Minnesota communities.

Through educational programs, mentorship opportunities, and partnerships, the foundation helps prepare young people for future careers. Lively believes Minnesota itself is a powerful place to innovate and lead, both in the real estate and fintech industries.

“Minnesota has a unique combination of entrepreneurial spirit, financial expertise, and a collaborative business culture,” he said. “It’s a place where you can pick up the phone and have a meaningful conversation with a decision-maker the same day.”

To him, the state’s diverse economy also creates a strong testing ground for new ideas before they are scaled nationally or internationally.

Advice for the Next Generation of Innovators

William Lively often tells people starting out in finance, technology, and real estate that they don’t need to master everything at once. What matters is being able to understand each area well enough to see how they fit together.

“Understand the language of finance, the logic of technology, and the nuances of real estate,” he said. “Then focus on where they intersect.”

Growth, in his view, has come less from expertise alone and more from working with mentors and peers who challenge assumptions and encourage new ways of thinking.

“Your biggest breakthroughs will come from conversations that push you outside your comfort zone,” he said.

Those conversations and challenges are even more valuable when they lead somewhere. For Lively, that “somewhere” comes back to a guiding principle that has stuck with him over the years: “Clarity of vision comes from consistency of action.”

He sees leadership as less about having every answer and more about taking intentional steps forward, even when the road ahead is uncertain.

“Over time, those consistent steps build the momentum and the clarity that define lasting success,” he said.

Breaking Down Barriers in Commercial Real Estate

Looking ahead, William Lively envisions a future where finance and real estate are fully transformed by technology.

“I see a world where the capital markets and real estate investment processes are fully digitized, transparent, and globally accessible,” he said.

He believes barriers such as geography, insider networks, and manual reporting will fade, replaced by platforms that open opportunities and make investing more efficient. The acquisition of EXtrance gives him and his team the chance to help lead this transformation, developing solutions that are not only scalable but also centered on people.

For Lively, the goal is to create systems that make markets more open, reliable, and inclusive, setting the stage for long-term growth across the industry.

While it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the next five to ten years, Lively also makes it a priority to step back and recharge. Art is one of his biggest passions, both as a collector and as someone who enjoys discovering new and emerging talent.

Travel is another one of his hobbies, not just because it’s relaxing, but because it gives him the chance to explore unique architecture, markets, and communities in different parts of the world. Each of these experiences sparks new perspectives and ideas that often find their way back into his work, helping him stay creative as he builds toward the future.