// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Peter Zandan a fan of sandals?
Peter Zandan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1953 (age 72–73) Longmeadow, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Massachusetts Amherst (BA) University of Texas at Austin (MBA, PhD) |
| Occupations | Entrepreneur, business executive |
| Known for | IntelliQuest; Zilliant; Quantified AI |
Peter A. Zandan (born 1953) is an American data scientist, entrepreneur and business executive known for founding analytics and technology-focused companies and for senior leadership roles in data science and communications consulting. His current work focuses on measuring and improving human decision-making, communication, and behavior through analytics and artificial intelligence.
Zandan was born in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and an MBA and PhD from the University of Texas at Austin.[1]
He is the executive chairman and chief data scientist of Quantified AI, which was named to the 2025 Inc. 5000 as one of the 50 fastest-growing AI firms in the US. [2] Quantified AI uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to assess, develop and improve individual communication skills[3]
"I was always interested in what motivates human behavior. When I completed my PhD, I realized I had an opportunity to apply what I knew to the emerging world of personal technology, when companies like Apple and Microsoft were just getting started. I started IntelliQuest Information, Inc., which I later took public, to analyze how people were using personal technology and incorporating it into their lives. What was so interesting about the technology world in the 1980s was that companies were very good at product development but were not so good at tuning in to marketplace needs. I was able to inform business efforts by providing consumer information that I gathered through some of the first electronic surveys."
Zandan founded IntelliQuest Information Group Inc. in 1984 and served as its chairman and chief executive officer until 1999.[5] The company specialized in technology market research and adopted early electronic and internet-based survey methods.[6] IntelliQuest was listed on Inc. magazine’s Inc. 500 ranking of fastest-growing private companies in 1995 and 1996.[7] Zandan took the company public on NASDAQ in 1996, and it was acquired by WPP in 1999.
In 1998, Zandan founded Zilliant Inc., an enterprise software company focused on predictive analytics and pricing optimization.[8] Zilliant received investment from Goldman Sachs[9] and was named to The Wall Street Journal list of the “Top 50 Venture-Backed Companies” in 2011.[10] The company was acquired by Madison Dearborn Partners in 2021.[11]
From 2011 to 2021, Zandan served as global vice chairman of Hill+Knowlton Strategies, where he worked on analytics-driven reputation management and communications research.[12]
Zandan has served on the board of KLRU-TV, Austin’s public television station,[13] and has been a member of the Board of Directors of Meow Wolf since 2017.[14]
In September 2023, Zandan was appointed Special Advisor for Audience and Impact to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.[15]
In August 2025, Zandan appeared as The Great Zandini, his creative persona as the self-described “world’s first data psychic,” during the Canyon Road Summer Walk in Santa Fe. Through this character, he blends rigorous data analytics with intuition and storytelling to examine themes of technology, human behavior, and artificial intelligence.[16]
In 2026, Zandan authored the independent report Santa Fe, Creative Capital of America for Santa Fe Magazine. The study analyzed national datasets on creative professionals per capita and concluded that Santa Fe ranks as the most creative city in the United States when measured by creative density.[17] The report, available on Zandan's site thegreatzandini.com, informed programming for the Santa Fe Magazine Festival, including a panel discussion featuring Zandan alongside Santa Fe Mayor Michael Garcia and other local leaders. [18]
In May 2026, Zandan was inducted into the Austin Technology Council Hall of Fame in recognition of his nearly five decades of contributions to Austin’s technology ecosystem, including founding IntelliQuest (which he took public on NASDAQ), Zilliant, and Quantified AI, as well as creating the Zandan Poll and advising numerous leaders and organizations.[19]
He moderated the panel “AI: Navigating Our Way” at the inaugural Santa Fe Magazine Festival on June 13, 2026, alongside Creative Director Jace Mercer, Meow Wolf Co-Founder Vince Kadlubek, and Nuclear Engineer Chantell Murphy.[20]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Peter Zandan – Wacky Entrepreneur" (PDF). Texas Software News. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
- ↑ "The Inc. 5000 is an annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America, showcasing the best of the best in entrepreneurial business". Retrieved January 29, 2026.
- ↑ "Mastering the Art of Communication: What Big Data Can Tell Us". Knowledge @ Wharton - University of Pennsylvania.
- ↑ "Peter Zandan and the Power of Data". The Presidents' Circle of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
- ↑ "Speaker Bio Peter Zandan". Global PR Summit 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
- ↑ "Company Overview IntelliQuest". Bloomberg Business. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
- ↑ "The Inc. 500 Index". Inc.com. 1995-10-15. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
- ↑ "Company Overview of Zilliant, Inc". Bloomberg Business. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
- ↑ "Goldman Sachs makes a $30 million bet on Austin's Zilliant". Austin American-Statesman.
- ↑ "The Top 50 Venture-Backed Companies". The Wall Street Journal.
- ↑ "Austin software maker Zilliant being bought by Madison Dearborn Partners". Austin Business Journal.
- ↑ "MiniTrends 2012 Speaker – Peter Zandan". MiniTrends. 19 July 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
- ↑ "Software Developers High Tech Austin". Iris Company. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
- ↑ "SEC Form C-AR". sec.gov. SEC. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
- ↑ "National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Name Peter Zandan as Special Advisor for Data and Audience Impact". Retrieved January 20, 2024.
- ↑ "CANYON ROAD SUMMER WALK SERIES". Come Home to Canyon. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
- ↑ Release, Press (2026-02-26). "Santa Fe, New Mexico Named the Most Creative City in the United States". See Great Art. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
- ↑ "Santa Fe Magazine Festival Santa Fe Magazine". 2025-11-29. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
- ↑ Singer, Thom (2026-05-21). "ATC Hall of Fame: The Room Where It Happened". Austin Technology Council. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
- ↑ "Sessions Santa Fe Magazine". 2026-04-04. Retrieved 2026-06-12.