My First Million I built a $50M AI app in high school (and just sold it for...)
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Mar 5, 2026 
Zach Yadegari, 19-year-old founder of Cal AI who scaled a photo-based calorie tracker into tens of millions and sold it to MyFitnessPal. He recounts building the product, navigating the sale and negotiations, and the marketing and growth moves that boosted valuation. He also discusses integration plans and where he plans to put his capital next.
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From Kid Coder To Cal AI Acquisition
- Zach sold Cal AI to MyFitnessPal after finishing 2025 at $30M revenue and hitting $5.7M in January.
- He started programming at seven, sold an earlier gaming site for $100k at 16, then built Cal AI which automated meal photo calorie logging.
Use Warm Intros To Preserve Leverage In M&A
- When selling, warm intros beat cold outreach so get trusted connections to introduce you as if it were their idea.
- Zach made a target list, used warm intros, got mixed initial interest, and politely declined low first offers to preserve leverage.
Decide Sales With Expected Value Not FOMO
- Evaluate acquisition offers vs expected value (EV): compare certain cash now to probabilistic bigger outcomes if you keep building.
- Zach rejected offers about one year of profit, re-evaluated after learning about M&A bankers creating buyer lists that unlock fairer valuations.