COMPANY INFO
Mach Industries is a defense technology company founded in 2023 by Ethan Thornton, who started the company as a teenager and dropped out of MIT to focus on it. Headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, Mach Industries specializes in building next-generation unmanned defense systems and manufacturing infrastructure, including products like the Viper VTOL strike aircraft and the Glide high-altitude glider. The company employs around 125 to 152 people and is focused on creating a decentralized industrial base for defense manufacturing to maintain an allied American edge. Their official website is https://www.machindustries.com.
Mach Industries, Inc. is a groundbreaking defense technology company developing next-generation unmanned defense systems and decentralized manufacturing infrastructure. Founded in 2023 by Ethan Thornton and headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, Mach Industries’ flagship products include the Viper VTOL UAV and the Glide high-altitude glider, aiming to modernize the American industrial defense base.
Mach Industries’ executive team brings together deep technical expertise, entrepreneurial drive, and extensive experience in defense and manufacturing. With a leadership structure that spans innovation, engineering, business strategy, and operations, the Mach Industries management team is distinguished by its commitment to rapid product development, scaling advanced manufacturing, and fostering strong partnerships in both the public and private sectors. The company’s founders and executives collectively contribute to its growth through hands-on engineering, government advisory experience, and strategic vision, ensuring sustained leadership in the evolving field of defense technology.
As Founder & CEO, Ethan Thornton leads Mach Industries’ strategic vision and execution. He has been instrumental in driving the development of Forge 1, Mach’s 115,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, and conceptualizing a national network of micro-factories to decentralize U.S. defense manufacturing. Thornton’s leadership has positioned Mach Industries at the forefront of unmanned defense systems innovation, empowering the company to rapidly prototype and deploy new technologies.
Thornton began his entrepreneurial journey in his teenage years, leaving MIT to focus entirely on Mach Industries. Prior to founding Mach, he launched Blue Oak Ironworks, where he bootstrapped initial prototypes and built his expertise in hands-on engineering, particularly in metal and wood fabrication. Thornton’s career is defined by bold innovation, technical proficiency, and a drive to transform the defense technology landscape—qualities that have shaped his role as Mach Industries CEO and founder.
As President & CSO, Kevin Capozzoli leads corporate strategy, long-term planning, and organizational development. He is responsible for aligning research and development priorities with market demands and coordinating cross-functional execution across Mach Industries’ manufacturing network. Capozzoli’s guidance ensures Mach maintains agility and forward-thinking approaches in a complex defense market.
Capozzoli’s background features senior strategy roles within the aerospace sector, where he developed deep expertise in engineering management and business operations. He holds advanced degrees in engineering management and business, though public details on specifics are limited. His insight and strategic mindset strengthen Mach Industries’ leadership and management team.
As CIO, Erik Limpaecher oversees Mach Industries' technology strategy and R&D programs. He guides the innovation roadmap, driving development of advanced oxyhydrogen platforms, unmanned systems like the Viper and Glide, and integration of artificial intelligence for novel defense applications. Limpaecher’s vision has been fundamental in shaping Mach’s high-velocity product cycles and establishing its edge in defense-tech innovation.
Limpaecher previously served on the U.S. Department of Defense Science Board, providing advisory expertise on emerging military technology. With advanced degrees in engineering and decades of experience in government and defense research roles, Limpaecher brings crucial insight and technical acumen to Mach Industries’ leadership team.
Devan Plantamura leads business innovation, partnership development, and strategic planning at Mach Industries. Notably, Plantamura spearheaded the Forge 1 facilities partnership with Heven Drones and has overseen commercialization strategies across the defense and manufacturing sectors.
Before joining Mach, Plantamura was Director of Partnerships at the Texas Defense Innovation Forum, managing collaborations across industry and government. With a background in business administration and strategy, Plantamura’s expertise in building cross-sector networks is central to Mach’s expansion goals and operational success.
Brendan O'Donoghue oversees all customer relationships, global public sector sales, and market expansion activities for Mach Industries. By leveraging previous experience in business development and public sector engagement, O’Donoghue has significantly expanded Mach’s defense contracts pipeline and supported international growth strategies.
O'Donoghue’s earlier roles include VP, Global Public Sector at ICON, and International Business Development Executive at Zipline International Inc. He holds a Master’s degree from Johns Hopkins SAIS in international relations and business, contributing a strategic global perspective to the Mach Industries management team.
Ana Saldana, an Owner with over 35 years of experience, provides governance oversight and strategic guidance on operations and financial planning at Mach Industries. Her seasoned perspective supports organizational resilience and long-term financial health.
Saldana has extensive leadership experience in manufacturing and defense hardware enterprises. She holds advanced certifications in industrial management and has led multiple companies through periods of growth and operational transformation.
Long Nguyen heads the electrical engineering team for Mach’s UAV portfolio, responsible for the design and integration of power and avionics systems. Nguyen’s leadership has been critical to the successful development of next-gen avionics and to building robust, scalable electrical infrastructure for Mach’s unmanned platforms.
Nguyen was previously Head of Avionics at AstroForge and Principal Electrical Engineer at Broadcom. He earned his B.A.Sc. in Applied Science from the University of Ottawa and brings comprehensive electrical and aerospace engineering expertise to Mach Industries’ management team.
Stephen Kent leads the design and production of the Viper VTOL UAV, overseeing propulsion, aerodynamics, and the scaling of manufacturing operations. Kent’s management has driven significant performance improvements and cost efficiencies for Mach’s flagship aircraft.
Kent previously served as Head of Propulsion at Mach Industries and as Principal R&D Engineer at ABL Space Systems. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New Orleans, bringing innovative engineering solutions to Mach Industries’ leadership team.
As VP of Engineering, Mark Donahue leads the technical, mechanical, and production engineering functions for Mach’s manufacturing platforms, including Forge 1 and future micro-factories. He ensures quality and integration across all engineering domains to support Mach’s rapid development and scaling objectives.
Donahue has more than 15 years of experience in defense engineering management and holds an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering. His prior roles include positions of increasing responsibility at major defense contractors, strengthening the capabilities of the Mach Industries management team.
Chad Reckard drives mission-critical engineering projects, spearheading new product prototyping and optimizing manufacturing processes for rapid development cycles. Reckard’s contributions have enabled Mach Industries to consistently deliver innovative solutions in a high-tempo defense market.
Reckard previously founded ThermMaker and brings extensive experience in the design and development of thermal management systems. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (institution not publicly disclosed) and is a key technical leader within the Mach Industries executive team.
The Mach Industries leadership team brings broad and complementary expertise in engineering, innovation, strategic operations, and business development. With the founder-CEO still guiding the company’s vision, and a structure encompassing both technical and business-focused executives, the team is well-poised to drive continued growth and expansion. Their collaborative management approach and depth of industry experience ensure Mach Industries remains at the forefront of the defense technology sector.
Websets is a powerful natural language search and data enrichment tool that helps you research executive teams for any company. Whether you're analyzing the Mach Industries leadership team or exploring management structures at other organizations, Websets provides comprehensive insights into executive backgrounds, roles, and team dynamics.
With Websets, you can access detailed executive team profiles, management structures, and leadership insights through intuitive natural language queries. Sign up now to enhance your executive team research capabilities.