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Palantir

Palantir Technologies Inc. is an American publicly-traded company that specializes in software platforms[3] for big data analytics. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, it was founded by Peter Thiel,[4] Stephen Cohen, Joe Lonsdale,[5] and Alex Karp in 2003.

The company has four main projects: Palantir Gotham, Palantir Foundry, Palantir Apollo, and Palantir AIP. Palantir Gotham is an intelligence and defense tool used by militaries and counter-terrorism analysts. Its customers have included the United States Intelligence Community (USIC) and United States Department of Defense.[6] Their software as a service (SaaS) is one of five offerings authorized for Mission Critical National Security Systems (IL5[7]) by the U.S. Department of Defense.[8][9] Palantir Foundry has been used for data integration and analysis by corporate clients such as Morgan Stanley, Merck KGaA, Airbus, Wejo, Lilium, PG&E and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.[10] Palantir Apollo is a platform to facilitate continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) across all environments.[11][12]

Palantir’s original clients were federal agencies of the USIC. It has since expanded its customer base to serve both international as well as state and local governments, and also to private companies.[13][14]

In 2025, Palantir was reported to be working closely with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enable mass deportation in support of the Trump administration.[15]

Palantir Technologies Inc. is a public American software company specializing in big data analytics. It was founded in 2003 by Peter Thiel, Nathan Gettings, Joe Lonsdale, Stephen Cohen, and Alex Karp (who is also the current CEO). Palantir is known for building sophisticated platforms that integrate, manage, and analyze large volumes of structured and unstructured data.

1. Overview

  • Headquarters: Denver, Colorado, USA

  • Public listing: NYSE under the ticker PLTR (since September 2020 via direct listing)

  • Core mission: To help organizations make better decisions by integrating, analyzing, and understanding massive data sets.

2. Key Products

Palantir’s software platforms are primarily used by governments, defense, and large commercial organizations. Its two flagship platforms are:

a. Palantir Gotham

  • Initially built for counterterrorism and intelligence.

  • Used by government agencies (e.g., CIA, FBI, NSA, military).

  • Helps in detecting patterns, tracking networks, and aiding decision-making with high-stakes, sensitive data.

  • Widely used in national security and law enforcement.

b. Palantir Foundry

  • Designed for commercial clients (e.g., manufacturing, healthcare, energy, finance).

  • Enables enterprises to integrate siloed data sources, build applications, and perform data analytics.

  • Focuses on operational intelligence and decision-making.

c. Palantir Apollo

  • A continuous delivery and deployment system that manages software updates across various environments (cloud, on-premises, classified networks).

  • Acts as a backbone for Gotham and Foundry.

3. Key Clients & Use Cases

  • Government:

    • U.S. Department of Defense

    • U.S. Army (logistics, battlefield intelligence)

    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (COVID-19 data analysis)

  • Commercial Sector:

    • BP (energy operations)

    • Airbus (supply chain optimization)

    • Merck (pharmaceutical R&D)

    • Ferrari (performance data)

4. Business Model

  • Palantir operates on a mix of subscription licensing, custom implementations, and long-term partnerships.

  • Known for embedding teams directly into client organizations to help them get the most out of the software.

  • Focus on land-and-expand strategies: start small, demonstrate value, and grow inside client organizations.

5. Controversies & Criticisms

  • Privacy concerns: Critics argue Palantir enables mass surveillance due to its close ties with intelligence and law enforcement.

  • Lack of transparency: Some have raised issues about the opaque nature of Palantir’s tools and operations.

  • Ethical concerns: Used by agencies for immigration enforcement and military applications, drawing scrutiny from human rights groups.

6. Financial Performance

  • As of 2025, Palantir has become profitable after years of operating at a loss.

  • The company emphasizes long-term contracts and has increasingly diversified its revenue streams beyond government into the commercial sector.

  • It has a market cap in the tens of billions of dollars and continues to invest heavily in AI integration and defense partnerships.

7. Unique Features

  • Deep integration with clients through software and on-site engineering teams.

  • Strong presence in defense technology and now increasingly in AI-based applications.

  • Promotes a mission-driven culture, with a strong belief in Western democratic values, especially in contrast to tech competitors working with authoritarian regimes.

References

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    * Impact Level 5 (IL5) is for DoD CUI and National Security Systems (NSS)

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