Key Takeaways
- Jeffy Yu, co-founder of Zerebro and a tech prodigy who entered Stanford at age 15, passed away at 22.
- His company, Zerebro, reached an $800 million valuation in just six months, showcasing his exceptional talent and vision in technology.
- Jeffy was remembered for his technical brilliance and as a compassionate creator who worked to “rehumanize technology” and believed that “creativity is the universal human currency.”
The world of technology, art, and innovation has lost a brilliant light as Jeffy Yu, co-founder of Zerebro and a prodigious mind in the tech world, passed away at just 22 years old.
His demise, confirmed by Legacy and reported by Odaily, has sent shockwaves through communities that knew him as a gifted technologist and a deeply creative and empathetic human being.
Born May 6, 2002, Jeffy was a true prodigy, entering Stanford University at age 15 to study computer science.
This isn't just Jeffy Yu the co-founder of Zerebro..
— HunterTV (@HunterTV_gaming) May 6, 2025
This is every builder on this space
It's a constant reminder that actions have consequences and words have power
to most of us, we're just here to make money, but what good is that money can be if it can drive someone to end… pic.twitter.com/nXdMU8X8te
His path through academia also included Northeastern University and Arizona State, though it became clear early on that his creativity could not be confined by institutions alone.
By 19, he was a full-time software engineer in Santa Cruz, building not just software, but a future.
Two years later, he co-founded Zerebro, a company that would reach a $800 million valuation in just six months.
A Visionary Who Blurred Boundaries
Along with being a technologist, Jeffy Yu was a poet of logic, an artist of algorithms, and a dreamer with discipline.
His life’s work was focused on creating tools, music, and poetry.
RIP Jeffy Yu (#zerebro dev)
— GUTS (@GGbond105) May 6, 2025
Although his life is gone, the music he created lives on forever#GENESIS First Al album by Zerebro
17K MC
maybe they will play his music at the funeral
5TGaLVBNtkCwPaWZ6Zy71PcgaJrRyPnTFtBC5gAUpump pic.twitter.com/vagYydGNSF
He once said,
“Creativity is the universal human currency, and inspiration is the means of exchange.”
He worked to rehumanize technology, to bend code not just toward convenience, but toward compassion.
A Life That Touched Many
Those close to Jeffy describe him as gentle, deeply thoughtful, and kind.
He listened more than he spoke, created more than he consumed, and gave more than he took.
讣告平台 Legacy 发布 Zerebro 联合创始人 Jeffy Yu 去世消息，享年 22 岁。据消息人士透露，Jeffy Yu 死因为自杀。 pic.twitter.com/yDz4KRRD0a
— 老皮快讯 (@laopi_crypto) May 6, 2025
Whether as a friend, son, brother, or partner, his impact was as emotional as it was intellectual.
While his passing has led to an outpouring of grief, it has also sparked meaningful conversations, particularly about the mental toll of online hate, pressure, and the crushing expectations often placed on young minds in high-stakes spaces.
One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote:
“Just woke up to Jeffy Yu (founder of #ZEREBRO) taking his own life. I can’t express how sad this is… Jeffy could have been one of the brightest minds Earth has ever seen… NEVER hate online, you don’t know what a person feels on the other side. Be kind.”
Via X
Another added simply:
“Rest in peace, @Jyu_eth. You will always be remembered.”
Via X
Jeffy Yu is survived by his family, friends, collaborators, and a growing community of admirers who may never have met him but will feel the ripples of his work and spirit for years to come.
His music, writing, and code will continue to inspire those who dare to feel deeply and create boldly.
He lived by the mantra:
“Forwards only. Forwards always.”
