DOGE’s Ethan Shaotran Launches Defense Tech Startup

One of the earliest members of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is already shifting gears into the private sector, launching a new defense tech startup that appears poised to pursue federal contracts. Ethan Shaotran, a young engineer who helped form DOGE’s initial strike team, is the founder of Blitz Industries, a company whose website currently offers no details. However, in an email viewed by WIRED, Shaotran describes Blitz as “a defense company backed by big names.”

During his time at DOGE, Shaotran was instrumental in setting up a makeshift headquarters inside the General Services Administration (GSA) before fanning out across multiple federal agencies. He dropped out of Harvard University during his senior year to join the group and subsequently appeared at the GSA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Social Security Administration, the US Postal Service, the US African Development Foundation, and the Inter-American Foundation. While at the SSA, DOGE moved thousands of immigrants into the agency’s “Master Death File,” effectively terminating their Social Security numbers and stripping them of the right to work or access government benefits.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Shaotran left the federal government in January and is now based in Los Angeles. He describes himself as a “Harvard engineer, 4x patent inventor, and published researcher on autonomous systems,” adding the note “Rapidly hiring!” to his bio.

The System for Award Management (SAM), the US government’s procurement website where most contractors and grantees must register, now lists a company called “Blitz Industries, Inc.” as recently registered. It is categorized under “Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (Except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology).” A former SAM employee, speaking to WIRED on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, says registration on the system is generally a precursor to receiving government contracts.

The address listed in the registration is in Hawthorne, California, directly across the street from SpaceX headquarters. WIRED identified a company called “Blitz Industries, Inc.” registered in Delaware on February 12, 2026, roughly a month after Shaotran left the federal government. Delaware registration documents indicate an annual tax assessment of $176,986 and 25,000,000 authorized shares. No registered California business entity appears to exist, though the physical office address is in that state.

It remains unclear whether Shaotran has already secured government contracts, and he did not respond to a phone call requesting an interview.

Recent reporting from The Wall Street Journal indicates the Pentagon is expanding the pool of contractors it works with, opening the door for smaller, newer companies to tap into the hundreds of billions of dollars available in the defense budget. Venture funds poured over $49.1 billion into defense tech startups in 2025 alone. The influential venture firm a16z, through its American Dynamism practice, has heavily invested in defense startups and posted a primer on securing Pentagon contracts in March 2025. Meanwhile, Gavin Kliger, another young DOGE engineer, now serves as chief data officer at the Department of Defense, overseeing the agency’s AI strategy.

Don Moynihan, a professor of public policy at the University of Michigan, acknowledges that the US government can innovate as quickly and broadly as private businesses, especially in weapons and military technology. Still, he expresses skepticism about a company led by a former DOGE member.