At just 21 years old, Ethan Thornton, the founder and CEO of Mach Industries, has taken the defense tech world by storm. His company, which began as a high school project and later a startup he bootstrapped while at MIT, has now landed a U.S. Army contract, secured $85 million in funding, and is building its first weapons factory in Huntington Beach, California.
A Game-Changer in Defense Tech
Mach Industries is disrupting the traditional defense industry with innovative, cost-effective military technology. The company focuses on two key products:
- Viper – A super-light, jet-powered, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that doesn’t require a runway. Mach claims Viper is up to 300 times cheaper to build than traditional UAVs and can be mass-produced in decentralized factories.
- Glide – A high-precision bomb deployed from the edge of space. The company claims it has unlimited range and is difficult to intercept, making it a formidable tool in modern warfare.
With the recent U.S. Army Applications Laboratory contract, Mach is also developing a vertical takeoff precision cruise missile called Strategic Strike. This project reached a major milestone when it successfully completed its first flight tests.
The Factory of the Future: “Forge 1”
Mach Industries is taking a unique approach to manufacturing by decentralizing weapons production. Instead of relying on massive, centralized factories, Thornton envisions a network of smaller, more flexible factories.
The first of these, called Forge 1, is a 115,000-square-foot facility in Huntington Beach, CA.
It will be capable of producing 1,000 Viper UAVs and 3,000 Glide bombs per month.
The goal is to expand internationally and ensure production can scale rapidly when needed.
By decentralizing manufacturing, Mach aims to make the U.S. defense industrial base more resilient. In times of conflict, a single centralized facility can be a major vulnerability. With Mach’s approach, multiple smaller factories can keep production running even if one is compromised.
From High School Workshop to Military Contracts
Thornton’s journey to launching one of the most promising defense startups began in high school. He ran a wood and metal workshop to develop early prototypes before dropping out of MIT at 19—without funding or a team.
His bold move paid off when Sequoia Capital made its first-ever investment in a defense startup, leading Mach’s $5.7 million seed round in June 2023. Just months later, Bedrock Capital founder Geoff Lewis led a $79 million Series A round, catapulting Mach into the defense tech spotlight.
The Future of Mach Industries
Mach Industries has quickly gained a reputation as an “it” company in defense tech, attracting top talent, including former Palantir recruiter Peterson Conway. With a growing team and major military contracts, Thornton’s vision for a next-generation defense company is becoming a reality.
As global conflicts and security challenges evolve, Mach’s cost-effective, scalable, and decentralized approach to weapons manufacturing could revolutionize how the U.S. and its allies develop and deploy military technology.