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He Dropped Out of MIT at 19 to Build America’s Drone Arsenal. It’s Working | StrictlyVC LA 2026

Ethan Thornton started Mach Industries at 16, dropped out of MIT, and is now running six simultaneous defense programs: jet engines, cruise missiles, a surface-to-air missile system, and a new 40-foot VTOL strike aircraft just contracted by the U.S. Navy. At StrictlyVC Los Angeles 2026, TechCrunch Editor in Chief Connie Loizos sat down with the…

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Ethan Thornton started Mach Industries at 16, dropped out of MIT, and is now running six simultaneous defense programs: jet engines, cruise missiles, a surface-to-air missile system, and a new 40-foot VTOL strike aircraft just contracted by the U.S. Navy.

At StrictlyVC Los Angeles 2026, TechCrunch Editor in Chief Connie Loizos sat down with the Mach Industries founder and CEO for a rare on-stage conversation about what it actually takes to build a serious defense hardware company from scratch — and why the U.S. has no choice but to move faster.

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8 Comments

8 Comments

  1. @WakenBoi

    June 20, 2026 at 12:01 pm

    Nepobaby silverspoon

    • @rangeroverr3874

      June 20, 2026 at 4:17 pm

      I don’t think so what made u say that

    • @Observe411

      June 20, 2026 at 7:54 pm

      You probably majored in gender studies.

  2. @bobbobby1438

    June 20, 2026 at 12:11 pm

    Very smart kid

  3. @BrianDarcy-o1l

    June 20, 2026 at 5:11 pm

    Should ask him about implanting a hardcore profit-before-people ideology into AI robotics???

    • @w.e.b_b

      June 20, 2026 at 5:19 pm

      LOLOLOL so America should focus more on having people sharpening spears instead of developing a new weapon? Gtfo

  4. @viuo-o4p

    June 20, 2026 at 6:40 pm

    This guy raised over 100 million
    And have his employees design the weapons
    His weapons is worse then andril most of his weapons he designed already existed

  5. @ChaitanyaJongra

    June 21, 2026 at 2:55 am

    a great founder.
    moves really fast and gets shit done.

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CNET

I Tried “Smart” Basketball Tech, and Now I Can’t Stop Shooting | STAT

CNET Senior Video Producer, Owen Poole examines consumer-grade basketball technology that is comparable to what the pros use. Can a smart ball and a smart hoop actually help improve your jump shot, and what does widely available smart training mean for the future of basketball? You can find the products mentioned in this video linked…

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CNET Senior Video Producer, Owen Poole examines consumer-grade basketball technology that is comparable to what the pros use. Can a smart ball and a smart hoop actually help improve your jump shot, and what does widely available smart training mean for the future of basketball?

You can find the products mentioned in this video linked below
Spalding TF1000 Smart Basketball – Shot Tracking App & 1 Year Subscription
huupe Arena Basketball Hoop Upgrade Kit Shot Tracker and LED Light System
*CNET may get a commission on these offers

Timecode Chapters:
0:00 Intro: The Evolution of Basketball Tech1
0:20 Spalding TF-1000 Smart Basketball Overview
0:58 Testing the Smart Basketball & Live Audio Feedback
1:50 Analyzing Shot Data, Metrics & App Features
3:06 Price, Subscription & Battery Life
4:35 Testing the Huupe Arena Smart Hoop
6:01 Reviewing Huupe IQ Data & Sensor Tech
7:30 Social Features, Remote Challenges & Team Mode
8:33 Final Thoughts on Smart Basketball Products
8:48 Testing Free AI Analysis Options
10:43 The Impact of Tech on the Future of Basketball

Video Credits:
Host: Owen Poole
Scripted by: Owen Poole
Producer: Owen Poole & Dillon Lopez
Camera: Dillon Lopez & Owen Poole
Video Editor: Owen Poole
Thumbnail Designer: Zooey Liao

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#training #technologies

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Why Application-Level Permissions Won’t Secure AI Agents With Okta’s & NanoCo | Disrupt 2026

Enterprises are learning to rebuild the basics of cybersecurity from scratch for agentic AI. Okta’s President of Products and Technology Ric Smith and NanoCo Co-Founder and CEO Gavriel Cohen explain what agent security takes at the infrastructure level and which architectural choices matter most. #TechCrunchDisrupt2026 Follow us across… Read more:

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Enterprises are learning to rebuild the basics of cybersecurity from scratch for agentic AI. Okta’s President of Products and Technology Ric Smith and NanoCo Co-Founder and CEO Gavriel Cohen explain what agent security takes at the infrastructure level and which architectural choices matter most.

#TechCrunchDisrupt2026

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So You’ve Got a Hit Product. How Does Your Company Do It Again? | Disrupt 2026

Most startups stall because they build one great product instead of a repeatable multi-product engine. Daring Ventures’ Maddi Holman, Verkada’s Filip Kaliszan, and Atlassian’s Tamar Yehoshua discuss the operational playbook for capital allocation, systemizing internal innovation, and engineering a compounding “Second Act” before the core product’s growth curve flattens. #TechCrunchDisrupt2026 Follow us across… Read more:

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Most startups stall because they build one great product instead of a repeatable multi-product engine. Daring Ventures’ Maddi Holman, Verkada’s Filip Kaliszan, and Atlassian’s Tamar Yehoshua discuss the operational playbook for capital allocation, systemizing internal innovation, and engineering a compounding “Second Act” before the core product’s growth curve flattens.

#TechCrunchDisrupt2026

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