Michael Goldstein is a 14-year-old entrepreneur from Toronto, Canada, and the founder and CEO of Kodo, an AI-powered design platform. He is known for his early ventures in hardware, weather balloon launches that reached CNN, and his transition into software entrepreneurship.
Early Life and Education
Goldstein was born in 2011 in Toronto, Canada. From a young age, he demonstrated an interest in building and creating. At age 8, he attempted to construct a drone using DC motors. In grade 5, he built a solar panel charger capable of powering a phone through a power bank.
Early Business Ventures
At age 10, Goldstein started a slime company that successfully placed products in two retail stores. The following year, at age 11, he ventured into dropshipping, generating $86 in revenue while building a YouTube channel that reached 7,000 subscribers.
Weather Balloon Projects
In 2024, Goldstein began launching weather balloons with the goal of reaching space. After five failed attempts, he successfully launched a balloon during the April 2024 solar eclipse that reached 50,000 feet, which was covered by CNN. A month later, he launched another balloon that reached 100,000 feet. He later turned this into a business with a friend, offering near-space product launch services.
Transition to Software
Recognizing that software could scale faster than hardware businesses, Goldstein shifted focus to technology. In February 2025, he conceived the idea for Flowe AI, an all-purpose AI agent designed to perform tasks autonomously. Despite having no prior coding experience - he didn't even know how to create a new folder - Goldstein taught himself to code in April 2025 by watching YouTube tutorials and learning to use Cursor, dedicating 8-hour days to the effort.
Flowe AI
Goldstein launched Flowe AI in 2025. Prior to launch, he applied to Y Combinator (rejected), ODF, and Founders Inc (accepted). His launch video garnered over 200,000 views and 1,000 likes, and the product quickly reached its first 1,000 users. Founders Inc co-founder Ruslan reached out via direct message, and Hubert called him, leading to his acceptance into the program.
Founders Inc and Industry Connections
During the summer of 2025, Goldstein participated in Founders Inc's off-season program after pausing for camp. At the Demo Day event, he was the youngest attendee. He visited Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), met with the Cluely team, and connected with industry figures he had previously looked up to. Goldstein set a goal to meet OpenAI CEO Sam Altman; after a video went viral and he cold-emailed 75 OpenAI engineers, he secured a 15-minute meeting with Altman at OpenAI's headquarters.
Kodo
In September 2025, Goldstein pivoted from Flowe AI to found Kodo, an AI-powered design platform that combines professional vector editing tools with AI design generation. Kodo serves as a free alternative to Figma and Canva, making professional design accessible through AI assistance.
Media Coverage
Goldstein's weather balloon launch during the 2024 solar eclipse was covered by CNN. In October 2025, he was featured in The San Francisco Standard in an article titled "Meet the 14-year-old looking to cash in on the AI boom" by journalist Ezra Wallach.
"It's fun to make things people use." - Michael Goldstein