Home / Technology / Teen Founder's AI App Nets $30M, Acquired by MyFitness
Teen Founder's AI App Nets $30M, Acquired by MyFitness
16 Oct
Summary
- Zach Yadegari founded AI calorie tracker Cal AI at 17.
- Influencer marketing drove Cal AI's viral growth and revenue.
- Acquired by MyFitness for an undisclosed sum in March 2026.
Zach Yadegari, a recent high school graduate, achieved significant success with his AI-powered calorie tracking application, Cal AI. Founded in 2024, the company experienced rapid viral growth, largely propelled by a strategic influencer marketing campaign. This approach generated over $30 million in revenue within two years.
Cal AI's rise was notably fueled by Yadegari's calculated use of social media influencers. An early indicator of success came from a single influencer post that attracted about a thousand new users within two days. This prompted an aggressive recruitment of influencers, who were paid to promote the app.
The company's acquisition by MyFitness was finalized in March 2026 for an undisclosed amount. Yadegari, recognized on Forbes 30 Under 30, detailed his influencer negotiation tactics, focusing on reach-based payouts. He emphasized the importance of selecting influencers with highly engaged communities for effective user acquisition.
Beyond Cal AI, Yadegari has also launched Persona, a new AI agent startup that has already secured $10 million in funding. The mission for Persona is to create a seamless integration of computing into daily life, with an AI assistant accessible across various platforms and supported by a hardware ecosystem.
