Shyam Sankar, once employee number 13 at Palantir Technologies Inc., has emerged as a key figure behind the company’s rapid growth in artificial intelligence. Now serving as the Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President, Sankar is leading Palantir’s expansion in the global AI space.
Born in Mumbai and raised in Orlando, Florida, Sankar is the son of Indian immigrants who ran a souvenir and dry-cleaning business. His father, who grew up in a mud hut in Tamil Nadu and was the first in his family to attend college, moved the family to the United States after a brief stay in Nigeria. Despite financial challenges, including a business bankruptcy, Sankar focused on education, earning a degree in electrical and computer engineering from Cornell University, followed by a master’s in management science and engineering from Stanford University.
Following his father’s advice, Sankar declined a consulting job early in his career to work at a startup. He joined Palantir in its early stealth phase in the mid-2000s and played a major role in shaping both its internal culture and external strategy. He introduced the company’s “forward deployed engineer” model, placing engineers directly on-site with clients to address complex challenges in real time. This hands-on approach helped set Palantir apart from other software firms in Silicon Valley.
Founded in 2003 by Peter Thiel, Alex Karp, Stephen Cohen and Joe Lonsdale, Palantir began as a defence-focused tech startup. Over time, the company expanded into commercial sectors and has since become a major player in global data analytics.
In January 2023, Sankar was appointed Chief Technology Officer. Since then, Palantir has experienced remarkable growth. In the second quarter of 2025, the company reported a 48 percent increase in revenue, crossing the one billion dollar mark. United States sales grew by 68 percent, while revenue from US commercial deals nearly doubled. Its stock has soared by over 500 percent in the past year, making it the top-performing stock on the S&P 500 in terms of percentage growth.
On July 25, Palantir shares hit a record high of 158.80 dollars, pushing Sankar’s net worth to 1.3 billion dollars, according to a financial index. His success reflects not only his business acumen but also the growing importance of AI in sectors such as defence, where Palantir has built strong partnerships.
Beyond his corporate role, Sankar is advocating for innovation in national defence. In 2024, he wrote a widely discussed paper calling for the breakup of large military contractors to make room for more agile, tech-driven companies. He was also inducted into the United States Army Reserve’s Executive Innovation Corps, which brings private sector expertise into military strategy. This group aims to make the military “leaner, smarter, and more lethal.”
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