October 10, 2026 - Kivo Daily

Keith Leitner Is a Business Professor Who Co-Wrote a Children’s Book About Homophones

Kivo Daily Staff on October 10, 2026

By: Sienna Whitmore

There is something refreshing about a children’s book written by someone who does not come from a children’s publishing background, who brings to the project the specific enthusiasm of a person who decided to make something because they wanted to make it rather than because it was their professional territory. Keith A. Leitner is a faculty member at the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee, and the children’s book he co-authored with his wife about homophones represents a creative departure that he clearly enjoyed making enormously. That enjoyment is present throughout The Unknown Gnome from Nome in the specific way that genuine enthusiasm communicates itself through a text, giving the wordplay a liveliness and a warmth that more formulaic educational children’s books rarely achieve.

Homophones are among the most fertile sources of genuine comedy in the English language, and the Leitners have built their book around that comedic potential with a central premise that is genuinely inspired. A gnome from Nome, Alaska, whose name nobody knows, is the perfect protagonist for a story about words that sound the same but mean different things, because the character himself is a living example of the phenomenon, his gnome-ness rhyming with his home, his unnamed status making the know-no distinction both personal and playful.

The approach they have taken to vocabulary education reflects a genuine understanding of how children actually learn language, which is through encounter and repetition and the specific pleasure of recognizing a pattern rather than through the explicit memorization of rules. Each homophone pair the book introduces arrives in a narrative context that makes the distinction between the two words feel like a discovery rather than a lesson, which is the difference between vocabulary instruction that sticks and vocabulary instruction that evaporates the moment the test is over.

The book is available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Books-A-Million, as well as through the authors’ own website at leitnerpublishing.com, reflecting the genuine investment the Leitners have made in getting this book into the hands of the young readers who will enjoy it most. The trailer they created for it captures the charm and the humor of the book itself, and the enthusiasm of the academic turned children’s author is entirely winning throughout.

If you are looking for a children’s book about homophones that earns its educational credentials through genuine humor and genuine storytelling rather than through earnest instruction, The Unknown Gnome from Nome by Keith A. Leitner is the book that makes vocabulary learning genuinely fun. Head over to Amazon today and get your copy for every young reader in your life who is ready to discover the funniest things about the English language.

Cal AI Co-Founder Zach Yadegari Launches Persona AI Startup

Kivo Daily Staff 2 on October 10, 2026

Zach Yadegari, co-founder of the AI-powered calorie-tracking app Cal AI, has launched Persona, a personal AI assistant startup backed by $10 million in funding. The venture follows Cal AI’s acquisition by MyFitnessPal and Yadegari’s departure from the company. Persona initially introduced its assistant through a free iMessage beta, with additional software and wearable hardware in development.

Key Takeaways

Persona raised $10 million in funding led by Vine Ventures
Yadegari launched the startup after leaving Cal AI following its acquisition by MyFitnessPal
The AI assistant is designed to manage everyday digital tasks, including email, travel bookings and food orders
Persona initially became available through a free iMessage beta
The company is developing a wearable band targeted for release in December 2026

Zach Yadegari Launches Persona After Cal AI Acquisition

Cal AI co-founder Zach Yadegari has entered the personal AI assistant market with Persona, a startup developing software to coordinate routine digital activities. The launch marks his first new venture following the acquisition of Cal AI by MyFitnessPal.

Yadegari helped establish Cal AI as a mobile application that uses artificial intelligence to simplify calorie tracking. MyFitnessPal acquired the company in March 2026 after a period of reported commercial growth. The acquisition price was not disclosed.

Following the transaction, Yadegari initially continued working with Cal AI under MyFitnessPal. He left in June 2026 to pursue another business, eventually establishing Persona around a broader range of AI-assisted activities.

The new venture moves beyond Cal AI’s specialized focus on nutrition tracking. Persona is being developed to coordinate tasks across different services through a single assistant rather than concentrating on one category of consumer activity.

The launch comes as startups explore different formats for personal AI, including hardware built for AI agents and dedicated computing devices. Persona’s initial offering instead uses an existing messaging platform, with a wearable product planned as an additional access point.

Persona Secures $10 Million in Startup Funding

Persona raised $10 million in a funding round led by Vine Ventures, with participation from Cory Levy, founder of startup community Z Fellows, and Collective Global.

The financing will support the company’s software development and planned expansion into wearable hardware. Persona is building an assistant intended to operate across everyday digital services while preparing additional interfaces for users.

The funding follows Yadegari’s experience building Cal AI, which reportedly generated more than $30 million in annual revenue before its acquisition by MyFitnessPal. That figure reflects Cal AI’s previous commercial activity rather than revenue generated by Persona.

Unlike his previous venture, Persona remains in an early product-development stage. Its initial release has focused on free beta access, with broader capabilities and commercial arrangements still taking shape.

The company is also pursuing both software and hardware development. This includes improving the assistant’s functionality, preparing a companion application and developing a wearable device intended to work with the underlying AI service.

AI Assistant Targets Everyday Digital Tasks

Persona is designed to help users complete activities that typically require switching between applications. Its intended functions include managing email, ordering food or rides, booking travel, taking notes and answering questions.

The assistant focuses on coordinating actions rather than providing conversational responses alone. For example, users could request assistance with transportation or reservations through a messaging interface instead of navigating each service individually.

This approach requires the software to interpret instructions and interact with external services. Activities involving bookings, orders or account information may also require user permissions and confirmation before a request can be completed.

Persona’s announced capabilities encompass several categories, although the availability of individual functions may vary during development. The company’s broader product plans should therefore be distinguished from features already supported in its initial beta.

Yadegari’s shift from Cal AI to Persona also reflects a change in product scope. While Cal AI addresses a defined activity through a specialized mobile application, Persona is being developed to manage requests involving multiple services and types of information.

iMessage Beta Introduces Persona to Early Users

Persona initially launched as a free beta service through iMessage, allowing users to submit requests through Apple’s existing messaging platform.

The release provides an accessible starting point for the assistant without requiring users to learn a separate application. It also gives the company an opportunity to examine how people interact with its software before expanding its availability.

At the time of the reported launch, Persona had attracted a few thousand beta users, according to Yadegari. The figure represents early participation rather than an established measure of long-term retention or paying customers.

During this phase, customer feedback on early features can help identify recurring requests, usability concerns and areas requiring further development. For an assistant handling different activities, testing may also reveal where additional confirmations or service connections are needed.

Persona has yet to establish a publicly confirmed long-term pricing structure beyond its initial free beta. The company is developing a companion application alongside its existing messaging-based service.

Wearable Device Expands Persona’s Product Development Plans

Persona is developing a wearable band intended to extend access to its AI assistant beyond iMessage. The hardware would provide another method of interacting with the service as the company expands its product offering.

The planned device introduces a separate development effort involving hardware design, software integration and manufacturing. Its functionality will depend on how the band connects with Persona’s assistant and which interactions the company makes available through the device.

According to the reported launch plans, Persona is targeting December 2026 for the wearable band’s availability. An accompanying application is also being developed, although additional release details have not been confirmed.

The device would complement Persona’s existing messaging interface rather than replace the company’s underlying AI service. The iMessage beta remains its initial access channel, while the planned band and companion application would provide additional options.

The December target represents a planned product milestone, with the wearable’s commercial availability and supported features still subject to development.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Zach Yadegari?

Zach Yadegari is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Cal AI, an AI-powered calorie-tracking application acquired by MyFitnessPal in March 2026. He later left the company and launched Persona.

What is Persona?

Persona is a personal AI assistant startup developing software intended to coordinate everyday digital activities, including communication, travel arrangements and service bookings.

How much funding has Persona raised?

Persona raised $10 million in a funding round led by Vine Ventures, with Cory Levy and Collective Global also participating.

What tasks can Persona’s AI assistant perform?

Persona is designed to assist with email management, note-taking, travel bookings, food orders, ride requests and answering questions. Specific capabilities depend on the product’s development and availability.

Is Persona available to the public?

Persona initially became available through a free iMessage beta and had attracted a few thousand early users at the time of its reported launch. The company is also developing a wearable band targeted for December 2026.

Day: October 10, 2026

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