United StatesEthan Thornton
Founder & CEO
Grew up on a West Texas farm and taught himself machining and manufacturing through a high school wood and metal workshop where he sold handmade knives and cutting boards. He dropped out of MIT at 19 to co-found Mach Industries in 2023, backed by Sequoia Capital with $85 million raised. Mach is developing hydrogen-powered munitions platforms — including vertical takeoff cruise missiles and high-altitude systems — and secured a U.S. Army contract while building its first weapons factory, making Thornton one of the youngest founders in defense-tech history.
