19-Year-Old Zach Yadegari Raises $10 Million for AI Startup After 15 University Rejections

The Cal AI co-founder has launched Persona after building and selling businesses as a teenager, despite facing rejection from several prestigious US universities.

American entrepreneur Zach Yadegari, 19, has raised $10 million for his latest artificial intelligence venture, Persona, months after revealing that 15 of the 18 universities he applied to had rejected him.

Yadegari, best known as the co-founder of calorie-tracking app Cal AI, has built multiple businesses while still in school. His latest fundraising comes after fitness platform MyFitnessPal acquired Cal AI in March 2026.

According to TechCrunch, Persona’s $10 million funding round was led by Vine Ventures, with participation from Cory Levy, founder of Z Fellows, and Collective Global.

From University Rejections to Entrepreneurship

Growing up on Long Island, New York, Yadegari developed an interest in technology at an early age. He reportedly began learning computer programming when he was seven and started experimenting with business ideas while still at school.

One of his early ventures was a gaming website that allowed students to access games blocked on school networks. He reportedly sold the platform for approximately $100,000 at the age of 16.

Yadegari attracted widespread attention in April 2025 after sharing his university application experience. Despite reportedly having a 4.0 grade point average (GPA), an American College Testing (ACT) score of 34 and an established business, he was rejected by 15 of the 18 institutions he applied to, including Harvard, Yale and Stanford.

He eventually enrolled at the University of Miami.

His experience sparked discussions about university admissions, academic achievement and entrepreneurship, particularly whether traditional educational credentials necessarily determine a person’s ability to build a successful business.

Cal AI Grew Rapidly Before MyFitnessPal Acquisition

Yadegari’s entrepreneurial journey gained momentum with Cal AI, an application launched in 2024 that uses artificial intelligence to estimate the calorie content of meals.

The app allows users to upload photographs of their food, which its AI system analyses to generate nutritional estimates. The product gained popularity among users seeking a convenient way to track their eating habits.

MyFitnessPal announced its acquisition of Cal AI in March 2026. According to figures shared with TechCrunch, the application had recorded more than 15 million downloads and generated over $30 million in annual revenue within two years. The acquisition price was not disclosed.

Yadegari left MyFitnessPal in June 2026 and subsequently turned his attention to Persona.

A New Venture in Artificial Intelligence

Persona represents Yadegari’s latest effort to build a business in the expanding AI sector. The $10 million funding round provides the startup with capital to develop its product and pursue its business plans.

While his university rejections brought him public attention, his subsequent ventures have made his entrepreneurial journey a subject of interest beyond the college admissions debate.

At 19, Yadegari’s path has included early programming, a teenage business sale, a successful consumer application and a new AI startup backed by investors. His latest venture adds another chapter to a career that began well before he reached university age.