Mobilize: How to Reboot the American Industrial Base and Stop World War III by Sankar, Shyam

Featured in The Times

From the CTO of Palantir comes a bold call to arms for resurrecting America's industrial base, and winning the defense technology race that will define the twenty-first century.

America is in an undeclared state of emergency. Not since the Cold War has the US faced such powerful enemies--and our military isn't ready. Shyam Sankar, Chief Technology Officer of Palantir, issues an urgent call to action: Mobilize.

The American industrial base once underwrote American victory. Builders and workers rallied to win World War II. For most of the twentieth century, great American companies from General Mills to Chrysler had defense businesses that sent mankind into space and won the Cold War. But the forges fell silent and the furnaces went dark. America's innovators and warfighters were ripped apart. Now China, not America, leads the world in manufacturing. America is the underdog. The good news is, we've been here before.

Mobilize tells the remarkable true stories of the Americans who moved heaven and earth to produce for our troops and help our country win the twentieth century. And it exposes the shocking blunders that broke the Pentagon and weakened our military.

There's a war for America's future, stymied between the forces of complacency and change. If we empower exceptional individuals and harness the power of capitalism and competition, America can unleash the brains and brawn we need to resurrect our industrial base, stop World War III, and help our country build--and win.

Author: Shyam Sankar,Madeline Hart
Publisher: Bombardier Books
Published: 03/17/2026
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.90w x 1.50d
ISBN: 9798895655160

About the Author
Shyam Sankar is the chief technology officer and executive vice president of Palantir Technologies. He has spent over two decades building disruptive software and AI solutions for government and private sector customers. In 2006, Shyam joined Palantir as employee #13 and created the company's revolutionary Forward Deployed Engineering model. Through his leadership, Shyam has transformed Palantir from a Silicon Valley startup to a global, industry leading software and AI company.

Sankar holds a bachelor's degree in electrical and computer engineering from Cornell University and a master's degree in management science and engineering from Stanford University. In addition to his work at Palantir, he is the cofounder and chairman of Founders Films, a production company dedicated to telling stories that make you proud to be an American. He also serves as the chairman of Ginkgo Bioworks and a trustee at the Hudson Institute.

Madeline Hart is integral to the bootstrapping of new initiatives across Palantir's US Government business, with a particular focus on Defense and Space. She co-founded Palantir's First Breakfast publication, which focuses on resurrecting the American industrial base and launched The Defense Reformation in late 2024. In addition to this work, Madeline is a fellow with the Roots of Progress Institute.

Prior to Palantir, she was the Head of Business Development at Synapse, an AI security and defense company that was acquired by Palantir. She graduated from Harvard University cum laude with a BA in Economics. She lives in NYC with her husband and son.