Early Life
Trae Stephens was born in November 1983 and grew up in Ohio. Stephens attended Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, where he focused on Arabic and Security Studies and earned a degree in Regional and Comparative Studies (Middle East) in 2005. During his college years, he gained early experience in government and international affairs, interning in the office of Republican congressman Rob Portman and at the Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington, D.C..
Rise to Success
After graduating from Georgetown, Stephens began his career at Palantir Technologies in 2008. He later became a partner at Peter Thiel's Founders Fund. In 2017, Stephens co-founded Anduril Industries with Palmer Luckey, aiming to create advanced autonomous systems for defense technology. Anduril's mission is to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities through advancements in software engineering and computing. By early 2024, Anduril was valued at approximately $8.4 billion. In June 2025, Anduril's valuation doubled to over $30 billion.
Key Business Strategies
Stephens's key strategy involves leveraging venture capital to advance defense technology. He focuses on companies that haven't been touched by modern technology in decades, specifically in legacy industries with high-pricing power. Anduril Industries developed a "virtual border wall" to detect unauthorized crossings on the U.S.–Mexico border. Anduril is expanding its operations with a new $1-billion complex in Long Beach, California, developing new defense technologies, including drones, missiles, robotic submarines, and autonomous fighter jets.
Philanthropy
Stephens is a devout Christian and his wife founded ACTS17 (Acknowledging Christ within Technology and Society), a Christian nonprofit to minister to elites.
