For this installment of TechCrunch’s podcast dedicated to entrepreneurs, Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen hosts Sarah Lucena, Mappa’s CEO and co-founder. Mappa is a platform for understanding human conduct that leverages AI voice analysis to interpret human actions in under a minute.
Lucena conceived Mappa following her efforts to assemble a marketing team but consistently feeling she had made unsuitable personnel choices. “I was so exasperated because I was recruiting based on what I perceived as the correct competencies. While impressive on paper, it proved ineffective in practice,” Lucena articulated.
Her direct experience showed her that recruitment often relies on indicators of achievement such as academic qualifications, past employment history, and intuition. However, she was convinced a superior method existed. Thus, she devised Mappa and dedicated years to building a unique data repository, drawn from hundreds of conversations, enabling her team to assess conduct via biological markers evident in vocal patterns. This methodology revealed to the Mappa team that to ensure successful initial recruitment, an applicant needs more than just theoretical excellence; they must also possess compatibility.
“No characteristic is intrinsically positive or negative; rather, it depends on the setting in which an individual is placed, and which positions best suit their inclinations and approaches. This forms the basis of our understanding of compatibility,” Lucena explained during the podcast discussion.
Mappa’s operations are driven by an entirely Latinx team who comprehend the exasperation of being disregarded due to superficial prejudices or an absence of ‘ideal’ backgrounds. She characterizes them as disadvantaged individuals who grasp this issue intimately.
“We all started from a disadvantage. Each of us has, to some extent, been disregarded. This, I believe, underscores the significance of us being the creators of this,” Lucena stated. “The fact that individuals like us are developing this technology, to the extent we are achieving, delivering market-ready quality and serving our clients effectively, also paves the way for others to participate and recognize that numerous approaches to technology development remain viable.”
Lucena’s prime counsel for nascent entrepreneurs engaged in recruitment is to proceed deliberately and confirm initial compatibility. This prevents the arduous cycle of recruiting, dismissing, and re-engaging for identical positions.
TechCrunch gathering
Boston, MA
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June 9, 2026
Isabelle Johannessen serves as our presenter. Maggie Nye handles the production and editing of Build Mode. Morgan Little directs Audience Development. Our particular gratitude goes to the video teams at Foundry and Cheddar.
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