Alex Karp
Born 1967 · Age 58
American businessman; co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies; educated in philosophy, law and social theory; prominent tech executive and public figure active in defense, AI and geopolitics.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in New York City
Alexander Caedmon Karp born in New York City, eldest son of Robert Joseph Karp and Leah Jaynes Karp.
Early childhood — dyslexia
Struggled with dyslexia from an early age, which Karp has said shaped how he processes information.
Influenced by parents' activism
Raised in a household active in civil rights and social justice; attended protests with his parents during youth.
Graduated Central High School (Philadelphia)
Graduated from Central High School in Philadelphia (class of 1985).
Earned BA in Philosophy, Haverford College
Graduated from Haverford College with a bachelor's degree in philosophy.
Met Peter Thiel at Stanford
Met Peter Thiel while at Stanford (relationship later led to Palantir co-founding).
Earned JD, Stanford Law School
Completed Juris Doctor degree at Stanford Law School.
Founded Caedmon Group (money management)
Founded London-based Caedmon Group to manage investments for high-net-worth individuals and to manage his own investment activities (date approximate, early 2000s).
Research associate at Sigmund Freud Institute
Worked as a research associate at the Sigmund Freud Institute in Frankfurt following doctoral studies.
Completed PhD, Goethe University Frankfurt
Earned a PhD in neoclassical social theory; thesis on aggression, jargon and culture (advisor Karola Brede).
Co-founded Palantir Technologies
Co-founded Palantir Technologies with Peter Thiel and others (company focused on data analytics for government and commercial customers).
Early institutional/backing (CIA/In-Q-Tel involvement)
Palantir's early work and funding included interest from U.S. intelligence-related investors (In-Q-Tel/CIA-linked support is widely reported in accounts of the company’s early funding).
PhD thesis public record (submission/publication)
Doctoral thesis entry dated May 22, 2003: 'Aggression in der Lebenswelt...' (German-language thesis record).
Named CEO of Palantir Technologies
Assumed the role of CEO at Palantir; has led the company since.
Appointed to Axel Springer SE board of directors
Served as a member of the board of directors at Axel Springer SE (2018–2020).
Political self-identification (said he is a socialist/progressive)
In 2018 Karp publicly said he is a socialist and a progressive, and has stated he voted for Hillary Clinton.
Joined Bilderberg steering committee (member)
Listed as a member of the Bilderberg Meeting steering committee in press reporting (membership noted in coverage from 2019 onward).
The Economist Group — board member (former)
Recorded as a (former) member of the board of directors of The Economist Group (exact appointment years not specified in source).
Publicized firearms proficiency anecdote
Profile pieces recount Karp's marksmanship (reporter observed him hit targets from 264 yards with a competition pistol).
Palantir goes public (IPO)
Palantir completed its public listing in 2020 (noted in coverage of Karp's compensation and company milestones).
Named highest-paid CEO (NYT) with $1.1B compensation
New York Times reported Karp as the highest-paid CEO of a publicly traded company in 2020, with compensation worth $1.1 billion that year.
Public commentary: may leave Silicon Valley
Publicly criticized Silicon Valley 'monoculture' and suggested Palantir might leave California (reported in 2020 coverage).
Public anecdote: never learned to drive
Publicly stated he never learned to drive a car, joking it was first because he was 'too poor' and then 'too rich.'
Resigned from BASF Supervisory Board
Karp resigned from the supervisory board of BASF SE (press release dated July 22, 2020).
Donated $180,000 to help 'River Dave'
Made a personal donation of $180k to help rebuild the cabin of 'River Dave', an evicted hermit in New Hampshire.
Palantir deployed tools to Ukraine (pro bono)
Palantir reportedly provided battlefield data systems to Ukraine pro bono following Russia's invasion; Karp involved in decision-making.
Attended AI Safety Summit, London
Karp attended the AI Safety Summit in London (photo caption and coverage note attendance, Nov 2023).
Comments on Columbia University demonstrations
During December 2023 Columbia University demonstrations, Karp publicly criticized student protesters and linked campus activism to broader concerns.
Criticized for selling $1.9B of Palantir shares
Karp faced criticism in 2024 after selling approximately $1.9 billion of Palantir shares.
Palantir set aside 180 positions for Jewish college graduates
Company announced it would reserve 180 positions for Jewish college graduates amid campus protest controversy.
Subject of German documentary 'Watching You'
German documentary 'Watching You: The World of Palantir and Alex Karp' (directed by Klaus Stern) released in 2024; Karp declined to participate.
Palantir revenue milestone: nearly $2.9B in 2024
Reportedly, Palantir posted nearly $2.9 billion in revenue for 2024, driven in part by AI deployments and commercial expansions.
Public stance against 'woke' thinking
Karp publicly called 'woke' ways of thinking a central risk to Palantir and the U.S., and positioned Palantir as a 'counter-example'.
Spoke at Palantir AI/defense events (e.g., 'AI warfare' conference)
Participated in and made prominent remarks at Palantir's events and external forums focused on AI and national competitiveness in 2024.
Reported highest-paid CEO in US for 2024 (compensation actually paid)
Reports stated Karp was the highest-paid CEO of a publicly traded U.S. company in 2024, with 'compensation actually paid' of almost $6.8 billion.
Forbes listed net worth at $2.9B (2024)
Forbes placed Karp at rank 1143 on its World's Billionaires List in 2024 with an estimated net worth of $2.9 billion.
Named The Economist's CEO of the Year
The Economist chose Alex Karp as its CEO of the Year for 2024.
Public geopolitical and business stance escalates
Across 2024–2025 Karp publicly emphasized techno-nationalism, support for Western power and close tech–government partnerships in speeches and investor letters.
Reported peak net worth exceeded $12B (2025)
Sources report that at times in 2025 Karp's net worth exceeded $12 billion, placing him among the ~300 wealthiest people globally (Forbes/Bloomberg coverage).
Active member of The Business Council (ongoing)
Listed as a member of The Business Council in recent listings (membership ongoing as of 2025 reporting).
Controversial comment at book talk (drone/fentanyl remark)
In February 2025, during a promotional talk for his book, Karp made a controversial remark about drones and 'fentanyl-laced urine' aimed at analysts who criticize Palantir.
Published 'The Technological Republic'
Co-authored with Nicholas Zamiska, 'The Technological Republic: Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West' published Feb 20, 2025; reached No.1 on The New York Times Best Seller list.
Named to Time 100 Most Influential People (2025)
Time magazine included Karp in its Time 100 list of the world's most influential people (April 16, 2025).
Adopted Rule 10b5-1 plan; sold ~10M shares (~$1.2B)
In 2025 Karp adopted a Rule 10b5-1 plan and offloaded nearly 10 million Palantir shares worth over $1.2 billion (reported in May 2025).
Bloomberg Billionaires Index listing (May 22, 2025)
Bloomberg listed Alex Karp with an estimated net worth of $11.4 billion on May 22, 2025.
Key Achievement Ages
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