Mach Industries, the brainchild of 22-year-old Ethan Thornton, has raised $300 million at a valuation of $1.8 billion, marking a fourfold increase in just one year.

The company, based in Huntington Beach, California, is rapidly developing a range of autonomous vehicles including Viper and Glide, while also securing a lucrative contract with the Department of Defense for a new aircraft.

Mach's recent acquisition of Exquadrum has secured its supply chain, enabling it to launch a new commercial business, Mach Energetics. Thornton remains focused on rapid development, stating that from no team to a jet engine firing took about eight months.

The speed and scale of growth have been impressive, with the company expanding from 12 employees to 350 in just three years and opening four new production facilities by year-end 2026.

As Mach continues to push boundaries in defense tech, it raises questions about innovation versus ethical considerations in military technology.