Former DOGE Engineer, 22, Launches Defense Startup Positioned for Pentagon Contracts

Ethan Shaotran, who left federal government service in January 2025 after early tenure at the Department of Government Efficiency, has registered Blitz Industries in Delaware and listed it on the SAM procurement system. The startup, based in Hawthorne near SpaceX, was incorporated February 12, 2026. Shaotran, a Harvard dropout with AI and autonomous systems research background, describes the venture as "backed by big names." SAM registration typically precedes government contract awards. Venture capital invested $49.1 billion in defense tech startups in 2025.