Stephen Cohen

Early Life and Education

Stephen Cohen was born on September 30, 1982, and is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. He graduated from Stanford University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in computer science. At Stanford, he focused on machine learning, artificial intelligence, and natural language processing, conducting research with Professor Andrew Ng, director of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Lab.

Rise to Success

Cohen is best known as a co-founder and the president of Palantir Technologies, a platform for analyzing, integrating, and visualizing data used by governments and businesses. He is credited with creating the initial prototype of Palantir in eight weeks. Before Palantir, Cohen worked with Peter Thiel at Clarium Capital and served as an advisor to BackType before its acquisition by Twitter in 2011. On September 30, 2020, Cohen sold nearly 4 million shares in conjunction with the company's initial public offering, generating approximately $38 million. In February 2025, Cohen sold shares totaling approximately $69.3 million. In March 2025, he sold additional shares valued at over $310 million.

Key Business Strategies

Cohen's success is largely attributed to his vision and leadership at Palantir, focusing on data analysis and its application across various sectors. His early experience with Peter Thiel and his background in computer science were instrumental in building the company.

Philanthropy

While specific philanthropy amounts for Stephen Cohen could not be found, his interest in community service and giving back have been noted.