Investors provided $85 million to a 19-year-old named Ethan Thornton to develop hydrogen weapons through his company, Mack Industries.
Thornton, who dropped out of MIT to pursue his vision, attracted significant funding, including $5 million from Sequoia’s Sean Maguire and $79 million from Bedrock’s Geoff Lewis, valuing the startup at $335 million.
Despite the substantial investment, Mack Industries encountered numerous obstacles, including technical difficulties, security threats, and Thornton’s inexperience as a leader.
Former employees described the work environment as chaotic, citing rapid funding without tangible products.
Eric McManus, a former program manager, voiced concerns to Forbes about the lack of concrete results and the haste in receiving funding.
The company’s “move fast and break things” mentality nearly resulted in a fatal incident when a hydrogen-powered gun exploded during a test, injuring an employee.
Thornton’s ambitious projects included hydrogen-powered firearms and “Prometheus” hydrogen generators intended for battlefield use.