May 13, 2026
This week on Electrifying Growth, Managing Partner Chris Sugden sits down with Mappedin Co-founder and CEO Hongwei Liu to discuss how indoor mapping is transforming the way people navigate complex spaces, from airports and stadiums to hospitals, universities, and shopping centers. What started as a side project at the University of Waterloo has evolved into the technology powering indoor experiences for thousands of venues worldwide, including recent Super Bowls.
In episode 72, Hongwei shares the unexpected journey behind building Mappedin, lessons learned from his early days at BlackBerry, and the realities of scaling a company over a 15-year “overnight success” story. The episode also dives into the operational side of growth: hiring for potential over pedigree, building a culture that develops future leaders, and navigating the challenges that come with scaling from a small startup into a category-defining software company.
Hongwei also offers a candid look at how Mappedin is using AI internally to accelerate product development, rethink workflows, and challenge assumptions about the future of software itself.
If you're starting to wonder about what's next for AI, this episode delivers practical insights from someone building at the frontier. Tune in below to hear how Mappedin is reshaping the indoors.
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