Even after reviewing resumes, cover letters, and interviews, choosing the right candidate for a job can be a mysterious process. Hiring managers often rely on their biases about the world or gut feelings to inform their decision, making the process far from an exact science.
That’s why Sarah Lucena built Mappa, an AI-powered behavioral intelligence platform that aims to take some of the guesswork out of hiring. Mappa trained an AI model to detect voice patterns that correlate with certain traits, such as communication style, empathy, and confidence. Applicants simply answer some questions from Mappa’s AI agent, and then the platform sends hiring managers a shortlist of candidates with traits that are compatible with the role.
Mappa is a Startup Battlefield Top 20 finalist at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 in San Francisco.
“Mappa comes to the market with the goal of really, truly understanding people,” Lucena said in an interview with TechCrunch. “We don’t really categorize traits as good or bad. We understand traits as compatible or not.”
Lucena founded Mappa in 2023 with her two co-founders, Pablo Bergolo and Daniel Moretti, and has raised $3.4 million in a seed round led by Tim Draper’s investment firm, Draper Associates. In less than three years, the startup has scaled to more than 130 customers in the U.S. and more than $4 million in annualized recurring revenue.
Mappa claims one of its biggest advantages is data. The startup built highly curated datasets specifically for understanding human behavior. Mappa originally attempted to assess candidates based on video submissions and their online presence, however, they’ve found voice analysis to be the most effective method.
Mappa’s platform has already helped companies find employees that stick around for longer, according to Lucena. While the standard annual turnover rate for companies is around 30%, she says employees hired through Mappa have a turnover rate of just 2%.
Techcrunch event 2-FOR-1 DISCOUNT: Bring a +1 and save 60% Google Cloud, Netflix, Microsoft, Box, Phia, a16z, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Hugging Face, Elad Gil, Vinod Khosla — some of the 250+ heavy hitters leading 200+ sessions designed to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. And don’t miss 300+ showcasing startups in all sectors.
Bring a +1 and save 60% on their pass, or get your pass by Oct 27 to save up to $444. 2-FOR-1 DISCOUNT: Bring a +1 and save 60% Google Cloud, Netflix, Microsoft, Box, Phia, a16z, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Hugging Face, Elad Gil, Vinod Khosla — some of the 250+ heavy hitters leading 200+ sessions designed to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. And don’t miss 300+ showcasing startups in all sectors. Bring a +1 and save 60% on their pass, or get your pass by Oct 27 to save up to $444. San Francisco | REGISTER NOW
... continue reading