Today, I led a coalition letter to the U.S. Senate in support of the confirmation of Ethan Klein's nomination as Chief Technology Officer and Associate Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy for Tech.
Re: Nomination Endorsement for Chief Technology Officer and Associate Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy for Tech
Dear Majority Leader Thune and Chairman Cruz,
We, the undersigned founders, technologists, and builders, write to express our strong support for the nomination of Dr. Ethan Klein as Chief Technology Officer and Associate Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) for Tech.
At a time when American leadership in science and technology is being challenged by both geopolitical competitors and outdated regulatory systems, Dr. Klein brings the rare combination of technical depth, public sector experience, and entrepreneurial fluency we need to keep the U.S. at the forefront of global innovation.
With a PhD in nuclear engineering from MIT, prior service at OSTP during the first Trump Administration, and an MBA from Stanford, Dr. Klein understands not just the science, but the systems. He knows how to work across government, industry, and academia to translate cutting-edge research into real-world impact. He’s lived in the lab, worked inside the policy machine, and understands the challenges facing startups trying to bring transformative technologies to market.
Dr. Klein has been a consistent advocate for reducing regulatory friction, accelerating tech transfer, and making it easier for American entrepreneurs to build, test, and scale here in the U.S. — not overseas. Whether it’s AI, nuclear energy, advanced manufacturing, or quantum technologies, he understands that the United States must remain the best place in the world to invent the future.
Importantly, Dr. Klein recognizes that real innovation doesn’t happen in silos. It requires an ecosystem, from national labs and research universities to scrappy startups and growth-stage companies, working together with aligned incentives and minimal bureaucratic drag. He has the credibility, vision, and policy know-how to bring those pieces together and drive outcomes that matter.
In short, Dr. Klein is exactly the kind of leader OSTP needs: technically fluent, operationally savvy, and fiercely committed to keeping America competitive. We urge the Administration and relevant decision-makers to move forward with his appointment.
Sincerely,
Zachary Graves, Executive Director, Foundation for American Innovation
Alia Abbas, CEO, Hylo
Austin Bishop, CEO, New American Industrial Alliance
Jordan Bramble, CEO, Antares Nuclear, Inc.
Ian Cinnamon, CEO, Apex
Jeff Fraser, Co-Founder, Throng Industries
Bob Gourley, CTO, OODA
Nathan Leamer, Executive Director, Digital First Project
Zachary Long, CEO, ConductorAI
Joseph Malchow, Founding Partner, Hanover Technology Investment Management
Andy Markoff, CEO, Smack Technologies
Nathan Mintz, CEO, CX2
AJ Piplica, CEO and Co-Founder, Hermeus Corporation
Shervin Pishevar, CEO, Edison
Ash Shrivastav, Managing Partner, Uma Ventures
Achal Upadhyaya, Founder and General Partner, Interlagos
Adam Warmoth, CEO, Chariot Defense
Kempton White, CEO, The WhiteBox CO2 Capture Company Ltd.
Bilal Zuberi, Founder and Managing Partner, Red Glass Ventures
