Palantir co-founder and CEO Alexander Karp has acquired 15,000 hectares of forest in Sweden, triggering speculation over how the vast property will be used.
The land, located in the municipality of Storsjö Kapell in the Härjedalen region, was reportedly sold for around €21 million to a company linked to Karp. Swedish broadcaster SVT, citing local newspaper Tidningen Härjedalen, reported that the transaction was carried out through Scandinavian Trust, which is backed by newly established company Cladonia Skog AB.
Karp is the owner of Cladonia Skog AB.
Local hunters lose access
The sale came to wider attention after local hunters were informed in June that they would no longer be allowed to hunt on parts of the land south of Storsjö Kapell from the autumn.
The hunters told Tidningen Härjedalen they were unhappy about losing access to an area where they had traditionally hunted moose.
The hunting agreements were terminated after Swedish forestry company Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget (SCA) sold the property to Karp’s Scandinavian Trust.
SCA said ending the hunting agreements was a normal part of the sales process. The company also described the property as less attractive from a forestry perspective.
“The land consists largely of bare mountains and mountain forests,” an SCA spokesperson told SVT.
The company said the area was particularly well suited to recreation, hunting, skiing and hiking, adding that it understood these activities were among the main reasons for the purchase.
Data centre speculation rejected
The acquisition has prompted speculation that Karp could eventually use the property for a data centre, although there is no evidence that such a project is planned.
Scandinavian Trust told SVT that the new owner intended to manage the forest “with great respect for nature and Swedish traditions.”
The company also directly rejected speculation about a data centre being built on the site.
“Speculation about data centres on the property is unfounded,” Scandinavian Trust said.
The intended long-term use of the 15,000-hectare property remains unclear.
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