Cassandra Sebastian Pernia, founder and CEO of Zyro One has already established her company as an emerging powerhouse in the vast sector of Agentic AI. She describes this as an approach that fundamentally meets people’s needs. Pernia’s vision extends beyond the data economy. Throughout her work she focuses on the idea of empowering users and addressing the disparities that exist in our current digital world.
In a recent presentation, State Data officer Pernia shared her enthusiastic belief that a “trillion-dollar data economy” is about to break forth. She imagines a day where consumers would be rewarded fairly for their data in meaningful amounts. If enacted, this change would begin to change how the technology industry treats and values personal information.
Pernia largely attributes this energetic teamwork to a collective desire across her teams to change the status quo. In her testimony, she makes a compelling case that right now, the current digital infrastructure mostly works to enrich a few. This group has come to be known as the “1%”. Zyro wants to flip that paradigm on its head, making sure that the user experience is at the very core of its foundation.
Her vision for Zyro is clear: the platform should prioritize consumer usability above all else. This commitment truly sets Zyro apart from competitors and directly reflects Pernia’s greater mission of fostering accessibility and inclusivity within technology.
“Agentic AI is about serving people on a deeper level,” – Cassandra Sebastian Pernia
Pernia, who is a first-generation American, has an extensive background in product leadership across various sectors, including direct-to-consumer, finance, and blockchain. This broad experience informs her big picture approach to creating and crafting Zyro. She leads a predominantly first-generation cohort of professionals and technologists.
Pernia chuckles when he remembers Zyro’s bootstrap days even today. Her team endured tremendous hardships, including crashing on floors as they fought around the clock to establish a business without the backing of generational wealth. Through these challenges, they have stayed true to their goals of building a more inclusive and equitable digital ecosystem.
Right now, Zyro is in the midst of a $3.5 million pre-seed round to make that mission happen. This funding will enhance its technology as a zero-party data platform. This new platform lets users easily share their information in a clear and intentional way.
Pernia highlighted some inefficiencies in today’s advertising strategies. She noted that “a two percent conversion rate is considered excellent in paid advertising,” highlighting the struggles brands face when navigating complex consumer behavior. She wants to free them up from having to invest so many company resources into dark-patterned, opaque marketing strategies simply because they don’t have any other options.
“Brands are throwing millions of dollars at dark funnels because they have no better option,” – Cassandra Sebastian Pernia
Zyro has ambitious plans to change this story. Beyond their contractual and regulatory promises, they offer platforms that enable data sharing on users’ own terms, in the way that’s most helpful or convenient. Pernia stated, “Users tell us, I’ll give all my data away if it benefits me.” This viewpoint marks a radical departure from user-centric technology and sharing of information.
She rightly points out that most users will not have an extensive background in AI or data architecture.
“We don’t expect users to care about AI or data architecture,” – Cassandra Sebastian Pernia
Instead, Zyro’s mission has always been to build an easy-to-use platform that puts your needs first. This dedication to usability and accessibility makes Zyro an innovative, user-focused company looking to disrupt the industry archetype.
