# Karp (DD-062)

> Alex Karp studied at Haverford College and Stanford Law School, where he met Peter Thiel, and earned a doctorate from Goethe University Frankfurt. Palantir was founded in 2003, and Forbes dates Karp's start to 2004; he has been CEO since. Early funding included an investment from In-Q-Tel, the CIA's venture arm. Its clients include the U.S. Department of Defense, the FBI and foreign police agencies. Palantir went public through a direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange on Sept. 30, 2020. Fortune reported in February 2025 that Karp had sold about $1.88 billion of stock since the start of 2024 under preset trading plans. Forbes estimated his net worth at $19.9 billion on Oct. 17, 2026.

- Department: People (also Tech)
- First published: 2025-07-10
- Last updated: 2025-07-10
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/karp/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## Status as of Oct. 17, 2026

Co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies. Forbes' real-time estimate of his net worth on Oct. 17, 2026, was $19.9 billion.
Out of date in the Reel: 'As of mid-2025, Karp's net worth exceeds $11 billion': Forbes estimated $19.9 billion on Oct. 17, 2026.

## On the timeline

- **2003**: Palantir is founded
- **2004**: Karp starts at Palantir as CEO, per Forbes
- **Sept. 30, 2020**: Palantir begins trading on the NYSE through a direct listing
- **Dec. 11, 2024**: Karp adopts a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan for up to 9.975 million shares
- **February 2025**: Fortune reports about $1.88 billion in Karp stock sales since the start of 2024
- **Oct. 17, 2026**: Forbes estimates Karp's net worth at $19.9 billion

Full timeline: https://detailenjoyer.com/timeline/?case=karp

## Quick facts

- **DD-062-F01**: Palantir went public in 2020 through a direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange, not a traditional IPO. _(Write-up · Exhibit D (Going public))_
- **DD-062-F02**: Palantir's early funding included In-Q-Tel, the CIA's venture capital arm. _(Write-up · Exhibit C (Government clients))_

## Write-up

Alex Karp, Palantir's co-founder and CEO. The data-analytics company works with government agencies and commercial clients.

1. **Background**: Karp studied at Haverford College and Stanford Law School, where he met Peter Thiel. He earned a doctorate from Goethe University Frankfurt.
2. **Founding**: Palantir was founded in 2003. Forbes dates Karp's start at the company to 2004, and he has been CEO since.
3. **Government clients**: Early funding included an investment from In-Q-Tel, the CIA's venture arm. Forbes lists clients including the U.S. Department of Defense, the FBI and Denmark's national police.
4. **Going public**: Palantir listed on the New York Stock Exchange on Sept. 30, 2020, through a direct listing, not a traditional IPO.
5. **Stock sales**: Fortune reported in February 2025 that Karp had sold about $1.88 billion of Palantir stock since the start of 2024, much of it around the 2024 election, under preset Rule 10b5-1 trading plans. Palantir's annual report describes a plan he adopted on Dec. 11, 2024, covering up to 9.975 million shares through Sept. 12, 2025. Later Form 4 filings show many sales were automatic, to cover taxes on vesting stock awards.
6. **Net worth**: On Oct. 17, 2026, Forbes estimated Karp's net worth at $19.9 billion, mostly from his Palantir stake.

## Related case files

- [Anduril (DD-727)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/anduril/): Another tech company that works for the Pentagon: Anduril builds defense products before it's asked.
- [The Flock (DD-030)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-flock/): Another case about data technology used by police: Flock's plate cameras feed police hotlists.
- [Ellison (DD-069)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/ellison/): Another Persons of Interest profile of a tech co-founder: Oracle's Larry Ellison.
- [Branson (DD-053)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/branson/): Another Persons of Interest profile from business: Alex Karp, Palantir's co-founder and CEO.
- [Thiel (DD-554)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/thiel/): I linked his Palantir co-founder
- [Kirk (DD-672)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/kirk/): Another Persons of Interest profile of an American organization's leader

## Reel vs. record

- **Note**: Now, as of Oct. 17, 2026: the Reel's 'net worth exceeds $11 billion' (mid-2025) is out of date. Forbes' real-time estimate on Oct. 17, 2026, was $19.9 billion. [Forbes]
- **Note**: Context on the stock sales: Fortune reported about $1.88 billion in sales from the start of 2024 to February 2025, made under preset Rule 10b5-1 trading plans; Palantir's annual report details one adopted Dec. 11, 2024. Many later sales were automatic, to cover taxes on vesting stock awards. [Fortune; SEC; Form 4 filings]
- **Nuance**: 'taking it public in 2020' was a direct listing on the NYSE on Sept. 30, 2020, not a traditional IPO. [Delaware Court of Chancery]
- **Nuance**: Palantir was founded in 2003, as the Reel says, but Forbes dates Karp's own start to 2004, the year he became CEO. [TechCrunch; Forbes]
- **Context**: the CIA tie goes back to the start: In-Q-Tel, the agency's venture arm, was an early investor. Clients also include the Defense Department and foreign police forces such as Denmark's. [Forbes; Politico]

## Video: Karp: Alex Karp, Palantir's Co-Founder and CEO

- Duration: 29.3 s · Published: 2025-07-10
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/DL6vrgLtBcb.mp4

### Transcript

DID YOU KNOW? Alex Karp is the co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies, a leading data analytics company serving government agencies like the FBI and CIA, as well as commercial clients. Since cofounding Palantir in 2003 and taking it public in 2020, he has grown the company into a major player in intelligence and defense data solutions. As of mid-2025, Karp's net worth exceeds $11 billion, largely from his substantial Palantir stake, and he has profited from significant stock sales amid the company's strong market performance. NOW YOU KNOW!

## Questions & answers

**Q: Where did Karp meet Peter Thiel?**  
A: Karp later earned a doctorate in Frankfurt. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Background) · Alex Karp (Forbes real-time profile, viewed Oct. 17, 2026))_

**Q: In what year was Palantir founded?**  
A: Forbes dates Karp's start to 2004. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Founding) · Alex Karp (Forbes real-time profile, viewed Oct. 17, 2026); As Palantir preps IPO, a look back at its growth history (TechCrunch, July 7, 2020))_

**Q: What is In-Q-Tel?**  
A: It was one of Palantir's early investors. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Government clients) · Alex Karp (Forbes real-time profile, viewed Oct. 17, 2026); How Silicon Valley's Palantir wired Washington (Politico, Aug. 14, 2016))_

**Q: How did Palantir go public in 2020?**  
A: It listed on the NYSE on Sept. 30, 2020. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Going public) · Delaware Court of Chancery opinion on Palantir's direct listing (Delaware Courts))_

**Q: Forbes' estimate of Karp's net worth on Oct. 17, 2026?**  
A: The Reel's $11 billion figure was from mid-2025. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit F (Net worth) · Alex Karp (Forbes real-time profile, viewed Oct. 17, 2026))_

## Sources

- [Alex Karp (Forbes real-time profile, viewed Oct. 17, 2026)](https://www.forbes.com/profile/alexander-karp/)
- [Palantir CEO Alex Karp has sold nearly $2 billion in stock (Fortune, Feb. 22, 2025)](https://fortune.com/2025/02/22/palantir-ceo-alex-karp-2-billion-stock-net-worth-sales-insider-trading/)
- [Palantir Technologies annual report, trading arrangements note (SEC EDGAR, 2025)](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1321655/000132165525000022/R25.htm)
- [Alexander C. Karp insider filings (Form 4 summary, SECform4)](https://www.secform4.com/insider-trading/1823951.htm)
- [Delaware Court of Chancery opinion on Palantir's direct listing (Delaware Courts)](https://courts.delaware.gov/Opinions/Download.aspx?id=378630)
- [As Palantir preps IPO, a look back at its growth history (TechCrunch, July 7, 2020)](https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/07/as-palantir-preps-ipo-a-look-back-at-its-growth-history/)
- [How Silicon Valley's Palantir wired Washington (Politico, Aug. 14, 2016)](https://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/palantir-defense-contracts-lobbyists-226969)

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Karp." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-062, last updated Jul 10, 2025. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/karp/