Photo calorie app Cal AI, downloaded over a million times, was built by two teenagers

Cal AI app, created by teens Yadegari and Langmack, gained 5M downloads, $2M revenue, using image models for calorie counting.

: Cal AI, a photo calorie app developed by teenagers Zach Yadegari and Henry Langmack, achieved over 5 million downloads since its May launch, with a retention rate exceeding 30% and $2 million in revenue last month. The app utilizes models from Anthropic, OpenAI, and RAG, boasting a 90% accuracy rate. Yadegari previously sold a business for $100K and built Cal AI in a hacker house before deciding to pursue college. Their team includes Blake Anderson and Jake Castillo, along with eight employees.

Photo calorie app Cal AI, developed by teens Zach Yadegari and Henry Langmack, has become a remarkable success since its launch in May. The app has amassed over 5 million downloads, generating more than $2 million in revenue last month alone. It boasts a customer retention rate of over 30% and enjoys a 4.8-star rating with 66,000 reviews on the Apple App Store and a similar rating from nearly 75,000 reviews on Google Play. Users can log calories and macros by taking a picture of their food, aiming for convenience in dietary tracking.

Cal AI distinguishes itself from competitors like MyFitnessPal's Meal Scan and SnapCalorie, a 2023 release from the founder of Google Lens, through its use of advanced image models. The app employs tech from Anthropic and OpenAI and utilizes Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) to enhance accuracy. By training on open-source databases from platforms like GitHub, Cal AI achieves a claimed 90% accuracy in calorie estimation, providing users with a reliable tool for dieting.

Yadegari's journey into app development is noteworthy. Despite his young age, he has cultivated skills from mastering programming languages like Python and C# in middle school to building and selling a business in the ninth grade. At 16, he sold his website, "Totally Science," to FreezeNova for $100,000, a clever venture that provided unblocked games for students using school Chromebooks. This successful exit marked his early entrepreneurial spirit.

In crafting Cal AI, Yadegari and Langmack faced challenges like ingredient recognition and managing complex food compositions. Their solution involved coding in a hacker house in San Francisco, a decision influenced by a desire to immerse themselves in tech innovation akin to Silicon Valley legends. This experience solidified Yadegari's resolve to pursue further education, opting to attend college rather than conform to the typical tech dropout narrative.

The team behind Cal AI further includes Blake Anderson, noted for his work with ChatGPT-related apps like RizzGPT, and Jake Castillo, who directs influencer marketing as COO. The company comprises eight full-time employees, spanning developers, designers, and social media managers, showcasing a robust structure for continued success.

Sources: TechCrunch, Apple App Store, Google Play.

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