He is turning Grocapitus into a proving ground for AI-driven investing and redefining what leadership looks like in commercial real estate

Business executive Neal Bawa likes to remind people that he does not run a traditional real estate company. “I don’t run a real estate company that uses tech,” he said. “I run a tech company that is in the real estate business.”

That distinction is more than semantics. As founder and CEO of Grocapitus and Mission 10K, Bawa oversees a $660 million portfolio spanning 11 states and more than 4,400 units. However, the metric he talks about most is not assets under management or doors acquired. It is iteration, the ability to test, refine and improve the way technology reshapes investing.

Neal Bawa’s career began in Silicon Valley, and he has carried that mentality into an industry often dominated by gut instinct and legacy practices. His approach has attracted over 1,200 investors who have collectively placed $200 million in equity into Grocapitus projects. Across nine exits, the company has delivered average returns topping 30 percent internal rates of return.

What has made Bawa stand out is not only performance, but philosophy. He argues that the next wave of commercial real estate leaders will abandon intuition-led investing in favor of deep analytics and artificial intelligence. “AI is going to be the ultimate co-pilot for real estate investors,” he said. “What used to take weeks such as underwriting, land selection and rent forecasting AI now does in hours. The future is fast, transparent and liquid. Real estate will start to look like the stock market.”

It is a bold prediction, but one that has resonated.

More than 10,000 people have taken his free Real Estate Data Analytics course. Thousands attend his webinars and meetups each year. His Grocapitus community on Facebook and Meetup counts tens of thousands of members. The following reflects a broader movement he is trying to lead: one where commercial real estate becomes radically transparent, data-driven, and built for scale.

Spotting Risks Others Overlook

Neal Bawa is quick to acknowledge that data is not a cure-all. Instead, it helps identify where risk really lies.

“Everyone obsesses over location,” he said. “But the real killers are construction timing, demographic shifts and competitor moves. A pro forma that looked bulletproof two years ago can collapse with a supply chain hiccup or a Fed rate hike.”

To avoid being blindsided, Grocapitus runs AI scoring on 6,500 parcels a year. The system eliminates most deals before they ever reach the table. “AI isn’t magic, it’s math,” he said. “It doesn’t replace human judgment, it supercharges it.”

This method has allowed Grocapitus to pursue opportunities others dismissed. “When others said certain secondary markets were too risky, our AI-driven analysis of migration patterns and job growth revealed hidden demand,” Bawa said. “We moved forward, and those markets went on to outperform expectations.”

Skeptics who once doubted the premise of AI-driven investing have been swayed by the firm’s track record and Bawa’s insistence on transparency. Grocapitus reviews frequently cite consistent communication, detailed reporting and clear ethics. One longtime investor described his market insight as “near oracle-like.”

With nine successful exits and equity multiples above 2x on some projects in under three years, the numbers have reinforced the narrative. Investors know Bawa is not selling hype, but systems.

Profit and Purpose Aligned

Business visionary Neal Bawa believes the next chapter of real estate will be defined not only by returns, but by accessibility. He sees build-to-rent housing as a model that can deliver attainable options for families and attractive yields for investors at the same time.

“I don’t see profit and impact as enemies,” he said. “With build-to-rent, we can deliver affordability and investor returns. The trick is efficiency. AI lets us cut waste in land selection and construction. Those savings mean tenants get fair rents, investors get strong cash flow. That’s not charity, that’s smart capitalism.”

His forward-looking view extends to asset classes most investors have only started to consider. He is bullish on data centers, which he sees as critical infrastructure in an AI-first world. “AI is exploding, and someone has to power it, literally,” he said. “Data centers are becoming as fundamental as highways and airports.”

He also points to tokenized ownership as a breakthrough that could transform the asset class.

“Combine build-to-rent with fractional ownership, and you have a future where real estate is not only profitable, but liquid and flexible,” he said. “That is when real estate will finally rival the stock market in scale.”

For Bawa, the convergence of Proptech, Fintech and commercial real estate is not optional. It is inevitable. “We are at a turning point,” he said. “The combination will create a tradable, highly liquid asset class that rivals and eventually beats the stock market in scope.” Listen to Neal Bawa discuss this vision on the GowerCrowd Podcast.

Relentless Learning, Relentless Teaching

Behind Neal Bawa’s public persona is a leadership style built on daily discipline. He devotes at least an hour every day to exploring new AI applications. He runs four 15-minute stand-up meetings with department heads, all focused on one question: how can AI not only save time, but cut costs?

“That daily cadence forces innovation,” he said. “It keeps me curious, keeps my team sharp, and makes sure we are not just talking about AI, we are living it.”

It is the same philosophy that led him to give away his Real Estate Data Analytics course for free. More than 10,000 students have enrolled, with over 1,000 leaving five-star reviews. For Bawa, that choice is not a marketing gimmick but a lesson borrowed from technology. “In Silicon Valley, you give away value first,” he said. “That builds trust and credibility. It is the same in real estate.”

His definition of success has shifted over time. “At first, success was about returns,” he said. “We have delivered that, with a 33 percent IRR across nine exits. But today, success means leading a movement. We have investors who believe what I believe: that real estate should be data-driven, AI-powered and radically transparent. That is what drives me now.”

For first-time investors, his advice is simple but pointed. “Ignore the headlines,” he said.

“Follow the fundamentals such as job growth, income growth and migration. And ask every operator one hard question: ‘How are you using data to reduce risk?’ If they cannot give you a straight answer, walk away.”

That bluntness is part of what makes his leadership compelling. Bawa is not positioning himself as a futurist so much as a realist. He sees markets punishing rigidity and rewarding adaptability. “Leaders need to stress-test assumptions, pivot fast and let data, not ego, drive decisions,” he said.

It is a philosophy that has made Bawa one of the most closely watched voices in real estate. His companies continue to scale, his investor base continues to grow, and his message continues to resonate across an industry that is learning to think more like technology.

“Tech taught me the power of iteration,” he shared. “In Silicon Valley, failure is just data. You test, you tweak, you get better. Real estate still clings to tradition. Too many operators treat the way it’s always been done as gospel. That’s dangerous. Markets punish rigidity. Leaders need to learn to pivot fast and let data, not ego, drive decisions.”

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or an offer to sell or solicit an offer to buy any security. Investments involve risk, including loss of capital. All figures are company-reported. Offers, if any, are made only through official offering documents to accredited investors under Rule 506(c) of Reg D.