This is the story behind why we built MyZip.

MyZip is a Hyper-local Agentic Timeline that shares local information with neighbors. It started from a simple idea.

After the pandemic hit the world, the rising death toll and lockdowns affected everyone in every community. But for some communities, the pandemic wasn’t the only thing that made daily life dangerous. There was a constant stream of news about Asians being randomly targeted by racially motivated hate crimes.

I was one of those targets. One day, walking from work to a Caltrain station, a stranger kicked my knee. I was startled by the sudden attack, but all I could do was shout. He smiled and walked away.

Asian hate crimes had always been a thought in the back of my mind. That night, it became my reality. I wanted to share what happened so the people around me would know, too. If someone would casually assault a grown man like me, I worried about how much more vulnerable my neighbors might be — especially women and the elderly.

That worry turned into a question: what if neighbors had one place to share what they were seeing and experiencing? A place where information traveled fast enough to help people look out for one another, support each other, and build a stronger sense of community. That question was the start of my.zip.