Eighteen-year-old coding prodigy Zach Yadegari from Long Island has developed Cal AI, an innovative calorie-tracking app that uses AI to deliver precise nutritional information. Despite facing numerous university rejections, Yadegari’s app has topped five million downloads and is set to generate $30 million in 2024.
Zach Yadegari, an 18-year-old coding prodigy from Long Island, has developed a groundbreaking calorie-tracking app called Cal AI that is making waves in the tech and health industries. The application, which leverages artificial intelligence to provide users with detailed nutritional information, has surpassed five million downloads and is projected to generate $30 million in revenue in 2024.
Yadegari’s passion for coding began at a young age. “I would binge-watch YouTube videos,” he explained, reflecting on how he self-taught his skills. His early ventures into technology include selling his first website to an international gaming company for a six-figure sum at just 16 years old.
Cal AI was born out of Yadegari’s frustration with existing nutrition apps. Unlike traditional calorie counters, the app allows users to scan food items, with the AI analysing images to estimate calories, as well as protein, carbohydrates, and fat content. “It will be much more accurate than you estimating by yourself just visually,” Yadegari stated. He believes that the future lies in a harmonious balance between human input and AI capabilities, remarking, “I think this balance between a human and AI interaction is really where the future is headed.”
Alongside managing a team of 17 full-time employees, many older than himself, Yadegari is simultaneously completing his senior year at Roslyn High School, maintaining an impressive 4.0 GPA. Despite achieving a strong 34 ACT score, Yadegari faced disappointment during his college application process. He was rejected by 15 out of the 18 universities he applied to, including several Ivy League institutions.
Reflecting on this experience, Yadegari expressed his thoughts on social media platform X, where his post quickly gained viral attention, amassing over 28 million views. “I wanted to cultivate a community. I guess it is their loss. I’ll find somewhere else to do it,” he said, indicating a resolve to pursue his goals irrespective of the rejections.
Yadegari also offered advice to aspiring coders: “My advice is always to get started now.” His story highlights a young entrepreneur’s rise in the tech world alongside the challenges of navigating traditional academic pathways. The FOX 5 New York report notes the widespread interest in his journey and the ongoing conversation about how elite universities assess unconventional accomplishments like entrepreneurial success.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/03/teen-with-4-0-gpa-who-built-the-viral-cal-ai-app-was-rejected-by-15-top-universities/ – Confirms Zach Yadegari’s 4.0 GPA, Cal AI’s viral success, and rejection by 15 universities including Ivy League schools.
- https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/16/photo-calorie-app-cal-ai-downloaded-over-a-million-times-was-built-by-two-teenagers/ – Corroborates Cal AI’s over 5 million downloads in 8 months, $2 million monthly revenue claims, and the app’s core AI-powered food scanning functionality.
- https://www.longislandpress.com/2025/04/07/zachary-yadegari-cal-ai/ – Details Yadegari’s background including early app development (Grind Clock), Cal AI’s $30 million annual revenue claim, and planned body scanner feature.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0U3UREdjmo – Documents Yadegari’s entrepreneurial journey through video format, though specific revenue figures should be cross-referenced with newer sources.
- https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/teen-builds-30-million-app-gets-rejected-by-15-colleges/489644 – Verifies 18-year-old founder status, $30 million annual revenue projection, 34 ACT score, and college rejection details.
- https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/teen-builds-30-million-app-gets-rejected-by-15-colleges/489644 – Reiterates the viral social media response (28M+ views mentioned in source article’s claim) through its coverage of public reaction to college rejections.
- https://news.google.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?oc=5&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en – Please view link – unable to able to access data
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
6
Notes:
The narrative mentions a prediction for revenue in 2024, which suggests it might be using somewhat outdated projections. However, there is no clear indication that the content is out of date regarding the current status of Cal AI or Zach Yadegari’s current activities.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
While the direct quotes from Zach Yadegari appear original, there is no external validation of their earliest source. Given the context, they likely represent recent statements, but without further online evidence, it’s difficult to confirm their origins.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The information seems to originate from a news summary passed through Google News, which typically aggregates content from reputable sources. However, without a specific known publication or author, reliability cannot be fully assured.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about Cal AI’s success and Zach Yadegari’s achievements appear plausible, given his described background and entrepreneurial activities. The details about his academic challenges and viral social media post suggest a genuine narrative, though some elements lack external verification.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative presents a compelling story with plausible achievements, though it lacks specific verification for some quotes and predictive financial figures. The source reliability is moderate due to the aggregated nature of the content. Overall, the story seems credible but requires further confirmation on certain details.
