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September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Money & Work • Technology

Alex Karp

Alex Karp is an American businessman and entrepreneur best known as the co-founder and chief executive officer of Palantir Technologies.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Alex Karp is an American businessman and entrepreneur best known as the co-founder and chief executive officer of Palantir Technologies. He has led the company since 2004, growing it into a major data integration and analysis software firm.

Early life and education

Karp was born in New York City in 1967. He studied at Haverford College, Stanford Law School, and Goethe University Frankfurt, according to reported sources.

Career at Palantir

Before co-founding Palantir Technologies in 2003, Karp worked in investing and money management. He became CEO in 2004 and has led the company ever since. Palantir went public via a direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange in September 2020. By 2025, the company reported $4.5 billion in revenue, and Karp’s wealth was estimated in the billions.

Public profile and influence

Karp is widely portrayed as an unconventional and outspoken technology executive. Media coverage often highlights his contrarian style and the scale of Palantir under his leadership, which serves government, military, and commercial clients.

In short

  • Co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies since 2004.
  • Palantir went public in September 2020 via direct listing.
  • Background in investing and money management before Palantir.
  • Known as an unconventional and outspoken Silicon Valley leader.

Quick questions

Who is Alex Karp?
Alex Karp is an American businessman and the co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies.
What is Alex Karp known for?
He is best known for leading Palantir Technologies, a data analysis and software company.
When did Palantir go public?
Palantir went public in September 2020 through a direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Karp
    Supports: Full name, birth date, nationality, and role as co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies.
  2. Business Insider — https://www.businessinsider.com/alex-karp-bio-palantir-ceo
    Supports: CEO since 2004 and Palantir’s September 2020 direct listing.
  3. Bloomberg — https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/profiles/alexander-c-karp/
    Supports: Palantir co-founder, company background, 2025 revenue, and wealth context.
  4. Clay — https://www.clay.com/dossier/palantir-ceo
    Supports: Birthplace, education, prior career, and Palantir co-founding details.
  5. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/money/Alex-Karp
    Supports: Overview of Karp, Palantir, and the company’s evolution.