The data mining and software company got its start with government contracts, and 19 years since its inception, Palantir's government work is still central to its business.
At its start, Palantir's business came directly from the FBI, the NSA, and even the CIA, whose venture arm In-Q-Tel was one of the company's earliest backers.
For Karp, data and defense are intertwined, and his company's contracts with government agencies reflect a commitment to leveraging technology to bolster the West.
Karp founded the company with well-known conservative tech investor Peter Thiel, and the two have publicly sparred over politics and technology.
However, even as a $16.7 billion market cap publicly traded company, Palantir's work remains opaque.