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Blake Scholl (founder of Boom Supersonic, YC W16) asserts that while we landed on…

2026-07-28 · 14:02 UTC ·@ycombinator ·1 min read

Brief

Blake Scholl presents Boom Supersonic's origin and engineering arc: from a cardboard mockup to XB-1 (the first independently developed sound-barrier jet) built by ~50 people, arguing 1969 progress stalled and that founders must build for both worst and best days. He also covers financing, changing U.S. law, AI for hardware, and regulator strategy.

Why it matters

Blake Scholl (founder of Boom Supersonic, YC W16) asserts that while we landed on the moon and flew Concorde in 1969, half a century later 'we could do neither,' so he founded Boom to build America’s first supersonic airliner.

Key details

  • Scholl describes turning a cardboard mockup outfitted with Office Depot seats into XB-1 — the first independently developed jet to break the sound barrier — a project completed by a roughly 50-person team.
  • At Startup School 2026 he lays out practical lessons and actions: build for the worst day and the best day; 'design hardware like software'; finance a multi‑billion‑dollar startup; change U.S. law to enable development; apply AI to hardware; and work with regulators.
Source evidence

In 1969, we landed on the moon and flew Concorde. Half a century later, we could do neither.

Blake Scholl (@bscholl) founded @boomsupersonic (YC W16), the startup building America’s first supersonic airliner, to change that.

At Startup School 2026, he shares how a cardboard mockup with Office Depot seats became XB-1, the first independently developed jet to break the sound barrier, and why founders have to build for both the worst day and the best day.

00:08 — Why the Future Stopped Moving Faster
03:14 — Why I Started Boom Supersonic
05:57 — Building a Supersonic Jet From Scratch
08:33 — The Worst Day and the Best Day
10:14 — How We Changed US Law
11:36 — How 50 People Built a Supersonic Jet
15:05 — Designing Hardware Like Software
17:54 — Financing a Multi-Billion-Dollar Startup
19:30 — Great Ideas Are Hiding in Plain Sight
24:05 — How AI Is Changing Hardware
27:16 — Working With Regulators
30:55 — Build Something You Love
36:27 — How to Build Confidence
39:35 — Learning Hard Things From First Principles
44:17 — When Should You Start a Company?

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