Here's what you need to know about Palantir, the secretive $20 billion data-analysis company whose w
Source: Insider
Here's what you need to know about Palantir, the secretive $20 billion data-analysis company whose work with ICE is dragging Amazon into controversy
Rosalie Chan Jul. 19, 2019, 1:13 PM
Palantir, first launched in 2004, was very secretive for most of its existence.
Its earliest claim to fame is that it was cofounded by Facebook board member and VC Peter Thiel, one of President Donald Trump's biggest backers in Silicon Valley.
Over the years, Palantir grew into one of the most valuable startups in the country, with a $2.75 billion in venture capital raised, a $20 billion valuation, and an IPO planned for as soon as this year despite the fact that it operates under a veil of secrecy.
It works closely with the US government, counting the FBI, CIA, and Department of Defense as customers, among other agencies (more on that in a moment). Indeed, Palantir CEO Alex Karp recently blasted other tech companies for what he perceives as a reluctance to work on defense-related projects.
Palantir has boasted about the good that it does, especially as pertaining to its work with government agencies: Earlier this year, CEO Alex Karp said that he hears about a foiled terrorist attack in Europe almost every week.
However, in more recent months, Palantir has found itself scrutinized for its dealings with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the US agency responsible for enforcing President Donald Trump's crackdown on undocumented immigrants in the country. WNYC reported that ICE agents use the company's apps in the field during workplace raids.
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Read more:
https://www.insider.com/palantir-ice-explainer-data-startup-2019-7