Zach Yadegari's new AI startup Persona raises $10M for personal AI assistant with wearable

New AI Venture Launched

Zach Yadegari, co-founder of the calorie tracking app Cal AI, has launched a new AI agent startup named Persona. This new venture has already secured $10 million in funding. The investment round was led by Vine Ventures, with participation from Z Fellows founder Cory Levy and Collective Global.

Background and Previous Success

Yadegari's previous company, Cal AI, was acquired by MyFitnessPal in March for an undisclosed sum. Cal AI had achieved over $30 million in annual revenue within two years. After the acquisition, Yadegari initially worked for MyFitnessPal but left in June to pursue his new idea, Persona.

Persona's Product and Features

Persona is developing a personal AI assistant, which will include a $179 wearable band. Unlike some ambient AI devices, Persona's wearable will not be always-on; it will activate via a button or wrist flick. The company states that user privacy is a core design principle, with data encrypted in transit and at rest, and users able to delete their data. The AI model runs in Persona's cloud, not on the device.

The assistant is designed with safeguards against phishing and prompt-injection attempts. Persona also ensures that the agent cannot access credit card details directly, requiring user approval for purchases and processing payments through external providers like Stripe Link.

Business Model

Persona's current business model includes showing advertised products during shopping research. The company states that user data will not be sold to advertisers or data brokers.