Here’s something else to look into - Palantir, the ultimate surveillance company that actually has government contracts with CIA, military, etc. Interesting it was seed funded by IN-Q-TEL.
WHAT IS IN‑Q‑TEL?
In-Q-Tel (IQT) is a nonprofit venture capital firm created in 1999 by the CIA to bridge the gap between the U.S. intelligence community and Silicon Valley innovation. It’s backed by U.S. taxpayer dollars and contracts directly with the CIA and other intelligence agencies.
Key facts:
• Not secret—publicly acknowledged.
• Does not usually take majority control of companies.
• Instead, it acts as a strategic investor, often with non-voting preferred shares, and influence via access to founders, product direction, and usage agreements.
⸻
PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES
CIA’s Involvement:
• In-Q-Tel was an early seed investor in Palantir (~2005).
• Palantir was originally built to serve intelligence needs, especially for counterterrorism and surveillance post‑9/11.
• The CIA was one of Palantir’s first clients, and In-Q-Tel’s backing gave Palantir early credibility within national security circles.
Control Level:
• No board control or majority stake.
• But strategic influence through:
• Contracts (including with CIA, NSA, ICE, DoD).
• Product shaping for analytic and surveillance operations.
• Embedded use within the U.S. intelligence infrastructure.
Today:
• Palantir is a public company (NYSE: PLTR).
• In-Q-Tel no longer holds significant equity (as per public filings), but Palantir continues to serve U.S. intelligence and law enforcement with deep integrations.
Here’s something else to look into - Palantir, the ultimate surveillance company that actually has government contracts with CIA, military, etc. Interesting it was seed funded by IN-Q-TEL.
WHAT IS IN‑Q‑TEL?
In-Q-Tel (IQT) is a nonprofit venture capital firm created in 1999 by the CIA to bridge the gap between the U.S. intelligence community and Silicon Valley innovation. It’s backed by U.S. taxpayer dollars and contracts directly with the CIA and other intelligence agencies.
Key facts:
• Not secret—publicly acknowledged.
• Does not usually take majority control of companies.
• Instead, it acts as a strategic investor, often with non-voting preferred shares, and influence via access to founders, product direction, and usage agreements.
⸻
PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES
CIA’s Involvement:
• In-Q-Tel was an early seed investor in Palantir (~2005).
• Palantir was originally built to serve intelligence needs, especially for counterterrorism and surveillance post‑9/11.
• The CIA was one of Palantir’s first clients, and In-Q-Tel’s backing gave Palantir early credibility within national security circles.
Control Level:
• No board control or majority stake.
• But strategic influence through:
• Contracts (including with CIA, NSA, ICE, DoD).
• Product shaping for analytic and surveillance operations.
• Embedded use within the U.S. intelligence infrastructure.
Today:
• Palantir is a public company (NYSE: PLTR).
• In-Q-Tel no longer holds significant equity (as per public filings), but Palantir continues to serve U.S. intelligence and law enforcement with deep integrations.
I actually wrote this piece on Substack not long ago on the very same company. We should all be aware.
https://open.substack.com/pub/rockefellerkennedy/p/palantir-is-building-the-mark-of?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=5ob14o
Wow - very interesting piece. Definitely worth reading and considering in how we operate on line.