My recollection may not be entirely up to date, but Palantir fielded two distinct product areas: what were previously called (1) "Metropolis" and (2) "Gotham"; the distinctive difference between the two were applications and context to (1) Financial Markets / Quantitative data and (2) "Intelligence" and other unstructured data. These have likely evolved.
The "Intelligence" and other unstructured data area is the main place where Palantir is most known.
It's useful to think of the Palantir company as a Systems Integrator in the classical sense known to the US Federal Government's DoD and Intelligence Communities, and other governmental entities at other levels (e.g. municipal/state). You can also think of them as technology consultants that integrate with customer missions to understand and provide mission-effective technology solutions.
As a systems integrator, they aim to solve customer problems and provide technical solutions; the product can be considered to be parts of their software platform(s), new tools/additions/augmentations, professional services, and relationship/engagement management.
Forward deployed engineers often act as consultants/systems/sales engineers to characterize customer needs and integrate Palantir platforms with customer systems, which often includes the need to write new code/adapters/interfaces; today, you might call them data engineers.
Palantir also has"Software Engineers" that primarily work on the platform(s), rather than directly with customers.
Regarding "evil/not-evil" and secrecy, etc. We're living in a very divided age where many people feel their cause is righteous and more just than others across the political spectrum. We're also seeing that people are too commonly painted as "evil" if they don't share viewpoints.
The thematic mission of much of Palantir's work relates to matters including National security, etc, which their employees are proud to take part in and contribute. This is tied to the meaning of "Save the Shire," where Palantir employees believe in and do their part in the mission to preserve and do good, from their perspective. Lord of the Rings references are plentiful in this world, and Palantir employees have self-referred to themselves as the "Hobbits" working to "Save the Shire."
One of Palantir's early investors was In-Q-Tel, and Peter Thiel. You'll see this theme present in other places involving In-Q-Tel (it's their purpose for existing), and Peter Thiel's other investments (e.g. Anduril Industries, which has many former-Palantir employees).
Other interesting facts: Palantir was/is based out of Palo Alto, CA and occupies a large chunk of Palo Alto's commercial office real estate. It's main office once, or still does, occupy Facebook's former headquarters building, 100 Hamilton Ave, from its early days.
> Other interesting facts: Palantir was/is based out of
> Palo Alto, CA and occupies a large chunk of Palo Alto's
> commercial office real estate. It's main office once, or
> still does, occupy Facebook's former headquarters
> building, 100 Hamilton Ave, from its early days.
Facebook was headquartered out of 156 University Avenue until 2012, when they moved their headquarters to the campus in Menlo Park.
When I was recruited by and received an offer from Theranos (turned them down because they seemed super shady even during prime hype time before Carryou's first article), they were incredibly proud of themselves for having an HQ in facebook's old building in Palo Alto.
Also, they totally played up the security angle with a mega NDA and security guards who escorted me to and from my car, and another level of security guards to walk me around during the tour and someone even waited outside the restroom while I peed.
One of the biggest things that turned me off about them was the founders crazy Lamborghini looking sports cars in designated spots at the front of the building CLOSER THAN THE HANDICAPPED PARKING SPACES. Like... you call yourselves a medical lab testing company yet your little ego trip is shafting real medical patients? Get over yourselves.
Best call of my career, and now I have an "I turned down Theranos before we knew they were a fraud" happy hour tale.
The "Intelligence" and other unstructured data area is the main place where Palantir is most known.
It's useful to think of the Palantir company as a Systems Integrator in the classical sense known to the US Federal Government's DoD and Intelligence Communities, and other governmental entities at other levels (e.g. municipal/state). You can also think of them as technology consultants that integrate with customer missions to understand and provide mission-effective technology solutions.
As a systems integrator, they aim to solve customer problems and provide technical solutions; the product can be considered to be parts of their software platform(s), new tools/additions/augmentations, professional services, and relationship/engagement management.
Forward deployed engineers often act as consultants/systems/sales engineers to characterize customer needs and integrate Palantir platforms with customer systems, which often includes the need to write new code/adapters/interfaces; today, you might call them data engineers.
Palantir also has"Software Engineers" that primarily work on the platform(s), rather than directly with customers.
Regarding "evil/not-evil" and secrecy, etc. We're living in a very divided age where many people feel their cause is righteous and more just than others across the political spectrum. We're also seeing that people are too commonly painted as "evil" if they don't share viewpoints.
The thematic mission of much of Palantir's work relates to matters including National security, etc, which their employees are proud to take part in and contribute. This is tied to the meaning of "Save the Shire," where Palantir employees believe in and do their part in the mission to preserve and do good, from their perspective. Lord of the Rings references are plentiful in this world, and Palantir employees have self-referred to themselves as the "Hobbits" working to "Save the Shire."
One of Palantir's early investors was In-Q-Tel, and Peter Thiel. You'll see this theme present in other places involving In-Q-Tel (it's their purpose for existing), and Peter Thiel's other investments (e.g. Anduril Industries, which has many former-Palantir employees).
Other interesting facts: Palantir was/is based out of Palo Alto, CA and occupies a large chunk of Palo Alto's commercial office real estate. It's main office once, or still does, occupy Facebook's former headquarters building, 100 Hamilton Ave, from its early days.