Earlier this month, President-elect Donald Trump selected Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
DOGE’s mission is to identify opportunities for cost-cutting, aiming to reduce the federal budget by up to $2 trillion.
Musk and Ramaswamy are now reportedly tapping into the expertise of Silicon Valley's brightest minds. Here's a closer look at the leaders shaping this new initiative:
Vivek Ramaswamy
Ramaswamy is positioned at the helm of DOGE. After his run for the presidency in 2023, Ramaswamy shifted his focus to supporting Trump.
As co-leader of DOGE, he has highlighted “crowdsourcing” examples of waste and inefficiency, promising that Americans will have a voice in shaping the future of federal spending.
Ramaswamy’s story is captivating: the son of Indian immigrants, he transformed a bold biotech venture into a billion-dollar success by the time he was just 38. You can read about it here.
Travis Kalanick
Kalanick, the former CEO of Uber Technologies, is no stranger to transforming industries. Known for his controversial leadership at Uber, Kalanick's reputation as a disruptor aligns with DOGE's mission to shake up Washington's status quo.
He stepped down as Uber’s CEO in 2017 and resigned from its Board of Directors in 2019. He is now the CEO of City Storage Systems and leads the 10100 Fund.
Kalanick has reportedly been consulted by Musk and Ramaswamy on strategies to make federal government operations more efficient and responsive, reported Business Insider.
Earlier this year, there were rumors about Kalanick heading Tesla's robotaxi division, however, Musk denied them.
Marc Andreessen
Co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, Andreessen is one of the most influential figures in tech today. Established in 2009, Andreessen Horowitz has supported a range of companies, including OpenAI, Facebook, Airbnb, Anduril, Box, DoorDash, and GitHub.
In an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast earlier this month, Andreessen made it clear that he sees Musk’s approach — focused on accountability and innovation — as a model for governmental efficiency.
He is also known for his sharp critique of government overreach, particularly when it comes to regulatory agencies like the SEC and FTC.
Last year, Andreessen and Musk clashed over demands for strict AI regulations. Andreessen championed the idea of unrestricted AI development and market competition, believing they are essential to unlocking the technology's full potential.
Sriram Krishnan
Krishnan is a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz. He is another Silicon Valley leader reportedly in talks to join DOGE.
He has previously worked closely with Musk during the Twitter takeover and has a background in managing high-growth companies like Meta Platforms, Inc. and Snap Inc.
Antonio Gracias
Gracias is a seasoned private equity executive who has been a trusted ally of Musk for years. Gracias played a key role in securing financing for Musk's $44 billion Twitter acquisition and has been integral to many of Musk's ventures, including Tesla.
Now, Gracias is reportedly advising on the strategic direction of DOGE.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photos courtesy: Gage Skidmore on Flickr
