Photo calorie app Cal AI, downloaded over a million times, was built by two teenagers | TechCrunch
Apr 04, 2025 - techcrunch.com
Zach Yadegari and Henry Langmack, both 18-year-old high school students, co-founded Cal AI, an app that logs calories and macros by analyzing pictures of food. Despite their young age, they have achieved significant success, with over 5 million downloads in eight months and $2 million in revenue last month, according to Yadegari. While TechCrunch couldn't verify these claims, the app boasts high ratings on both the Apple App Store and Google Play. Cal AI leverages large image models from Anthropic and OpenAI, and is trained on open-source databases, achieving 90% accuracy in food recognition. The app's development involved overcoming technical challenges, such as recognizing ingredients in complex dishes.
Yadegari, who previously sold a gaming website for $100,000, met co-founder Blake Anderson through social media. The team, including COO Jake Castillo, operates out of a hacker house in San Francisco. Despite the intense startup environment, Yadegari plans to attend college, valuing the experience over the typical Silicon Valley dropout path. Cal AI now employs eight full-time staff, including developers, a designer, and social media managers, as they continue to grow their business.
Key takeaways:
Cal AI, founded by teenagers Zach Yadegari and Henry Langmack, has achieved over 5 million downloads and $2 million in revenue in eight months.
The app, which logs calories and macros from food photos, boasts a 4.8-star rating on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Yadegari previously built and sold a successful gaming website called "Totally Science" for $100,000 at age 16.
The founders, while still in high school, have expanded their team to include co-founder Jake Castillo and eight full-time employees.
