Palantir founder Alex Karp buys 15,000 hectares of forest in Sweden

Alex Karp, founder and chief executive of Palantir Technologies, has bought 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) of forest in Härjedalen, Sweden, for 235 million kronor, or about $22 million. For comparison, Liechtenstein covers roughly 16,000 hectares.

Who sold, and through which company

The land came from the paper company SCA AB. Karp bought it through Cladonia Skog AB, a company he registered recently. The chairman of Cladonia told the Swedish newspaper Tidningen Härjedalen that the land provides valuable habitat for wildlife and space for recreation. No further plans for the property have been made public.

How the deal became known

The sale was not announced. It became public when local hunters received notice that their lease to hunt on the property had been cancelled, Tidningen Härjedalen reported. Local authorities were given no advance information about the transaction.

Why the purchase draws attention

Sweden's defence and police services use Palantir software, and so does NATO. That gives the land deal a particular backdrop at a time when European leaders are discussing how to reduce their dependence on American technology. Palantir is among the best-known defence technology suppliers in the United States.