Bold claim first: a teenage tech prodigy who built a $50M app is eyeing college with a shade of doubt and contemplating a leap into his next passion project. But here’s where it gets controversial: does college still matter when you’ve already created a multimillion-dollar business? That question sits at the heart of this update from Zach Yadegari, the 19-year-old behind a calorie-counting app that turned into a substantial success.
Zach recently joined TMZ Live to share new details about his life after selling his company, which he started at age 16. Now midway through his freshman year at the University of Miami, he’s opted for a gap semester to explore options and see where his interests truly lie. The University of Miami is notable here because it’s one of the few schools that admitted him despite his remarkable track record, highlighting how unusual his path already is.
During the interview, Zach revealed that he’s been following a strategy inspired by Steve Jobs: take courses tied to his current curiosities rather than sticking strictly to a fixed curriculum. He describes his time so far as an ongoing experiment—learning in real time by pursuing topics that genuinely captivate him, rather than simply ticking off required credits.
On the business side, Zach gave a revenue update for Cal AI: projected to reach about $50 million in revenue this year, up from roughly $30 million the year prior. While he didn’t share the contract’s granular details, the trajectory clearly points to strong momentum and satisfaction with how things have unfolded.
Ultimately, whether Zach finishes his degree or pivots to other ventures seems almost secondary to the broader takeaway: you can build a high-growth business and still rethink the traditional path of higher education if your work and instincts point elsewhere. This raises a provocative question for aspiring entrepreneurs and students alike: should real-world results ever supersede formal credentials, and how should young creators balance education with the urgent demands of their rapidly evolving ventures?
What do you think—should success like Zach’s redefine the value of college for young founders, or is there still essential merit in completing a degree before chasing big ambitions? Share your thoughts in the comments.
