In this episode of Breakthrough Innovation, we’re joined by Khalia Padilla—a 20-year-old quantum physicist, visionary entrepreneur, and co-founder of Imagine Engine Studios. From starting a fashion line at 14 to pioneering AI-driven VR platforms and now turning her sights toward space commerce, Khalia brings a bold, systems-thinking mindset to every frontier she touches.

Khalia shares how she blends deep scientific principles with practical startup grit to design immersive, scalable experiences that are redefining how we shop, communicate, and connect. Whether it’s building a fully agentic AI call center or prototyping logistics systems for orbit, she’s charting a path for the next generation of innovation.

Key Lessons Covered in This Episode:

From Fashion to Founders’ Grit: A Teen Entrepreneur’s Origin Story

Khalia recounts how her entrepreneurial journey began at 14, selling handmade designs—and how that early hustle led to her first tech startup.

Designing the VR Future: Product over Hype

Why user experience, real-world feedback, and systems thinking matter more than flashy tech when building in the virtual and immersive commerce space.

Agentic AI in the Wild: Automating Customer Experience with Purpose

How Khalia’s startup created a fully autonomous AI call center—out of sheer necessity—and what that taught her about scalable support systems.

Physics Meets Product Design: Building with Quantum Thinking

Learn how Khalia’s background in quantum physics fuels her unique approach to solving business challenges and designing elegant, efficient systems.

VR as a Path to Mass Affordability & Accessibility:

Discover how Imagine Engine Studios is making VR e-commerce more accessible to communities who’ve been left behind by traditional tech platforms.

Space Commerce as a Logistics Platform:

Khalia shares her ambitious vision for creating an Earth-orbit-based commerce layer—and what it could mean for global delivery and storage systems.

The Power of Simplicity in Tech:

Complex solutions don’t always win. Khalia explains how her team prioritizes frictionless design and iterative testing over bloated builds.

Rebuilding After Burnout: The Human Side of Innovation:

Hear how Khalia walked away from a successful company to protect her energy—and how that reset sparked her most aligned and impactful work yet.

Key Takeaways:

✅ Systems thinking, not hype, should drive your innovation strategy

✅ Agentic AI can solve real business problems when grounded in user needs

✅ VR and space commerce aren’t just futuristic—they’re already in play

✅ Simplicity and iteration lead to better products and stronger businesses

✅ Building in alignment with your values prevents burnout and drives long-term impact

Links And Resources:

• Connect with Khalia Padilla on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/khaliapadilla

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