Tech Founder Ethan Agarwal Enters 2026 California Governor Race

Tech entrepreneur Ethan Agarwal has entered the 2026 California gubernatorial race as a Democrat who supports capitalism, aiming to leverage his business and technology expertise to address the state's rising cost of living and business challenges. Agarwal, who co-founded two successful startups—The Coterie, a fintech firm that raised $80 million, and Aaptiv, a fitness app that raised approximately $61 million—has attracted support from prominent figures such as DoorDash co-founder Stanley Tang and Y Combinator President Garry Tan. He criticizes California's regulatory environment, particularly the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), for hindering housing development, energy infrastructure, and industries like film production and autonomous vehicle testing. Agarwal distinguishes himself from other Democrats by strongly advocating capitalism and meritocracy, while aligning on social issues like gun control, LGBTQ rights, and immigration. Despite limited statewide name recognition, Agarwal plans to focus on young voters and bring a fresh business-oriented approach to governance in a crowded field following Governor Gavin Newsom's term limit. His campaign has already begun fundraising and updating his public profiles to reflect his candidacy.