When it came to Cal AI’s viral success, a small army of influencers paid off

Key points

• Zach Yadegari, founder of the AI calorie tracking app Cal AI, has said that paying a large number of influencers to promote the brand drove its viral rise. Speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt, the 19-year-old said the company generated over $30 million in revenue in two years.
• MyFitnessPal acquired Cal AI in March for an undisclosed sum. Yadegari said the company negotiated payments with influencers based on reach, and that finding influencers with tight communities was key.
• He also recently launched Persona, an AI assistant startup that has raised $10 million.