In this episode of Founders’ Tales, Chris Hopkins from Evolution Recruitment speaks with Daniela Cuellar Zapata, founder and CEO of Wipp.ai, an AI driven civic intelligence platform designed to map networks of influence across government decision making.
Daniela shares her journey from studying economics and working at PepsiCo to becoming an AI developer during her time at Harvard Business School and MIT. Wipp.ai was created to address the lack of transparency in how policy decisions are shaped, helping organizations better understand how influence flows between lawmakers, stakeholders, and industries.
The conversation explores the realities of committing fully to entrepreneurship, the importance of choosing the right co founders, and why shared values and long term commitment are essential when building a startup. Daniela also discusses how early investors often back founders before metrics exist, highlighting the importance of trust, relationships, and belief in a long term vision.
She also reflects on the advantages of building in Boston’s academic ecosystem, while acknowledging the challenges of building an AI company outside of traditional biotech focus areas. Daniela shares honest advice for founders about resilience, willpower, and the emotional highs and lows that come with startup life.
