Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Jensen Huang

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Jensen Huang made an impact.

Jensen Huang is a Taiwanese-American businessman and electrical engineer, best known as the co-founder and CEO of Nvidia, a leading semiconductor company. As of February 2025, his estimated net worth of $114.5 billion ranks him among the wealthiest individuals globally. Huang's leadership has been pivotal in Nvidia's growth and dominance in the artificial intelligence and graphics processing unit (GPU) markets. His contributions have significantly impacted the technology sector, particularly in areas like gaming, data centers, and autonomous vehicles.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1987: Sun Microsystem's Revenue Increase

In 1987, Sun Microsystem's revenue increased from $262 million due to the sales of the GX graphics engine that Huang helped create.

1989: GX Graphics Engine Finalized

In 1989, Huang, Malachowsky, and Priem finalized the accelerator, which they called the "GX graphics engine".

1990: Sun Microsystem's Revenue Increase

In 1990, Sun Microsystem's revenue increased to $656 million due to the sales of the GX graphics engine that Huang helped create.

1990: Huang Resigns from LSI

In 1990, after business began to slow for Sun Microsystems, Huang resigned from his job at LSI along with Priem and Malachowsky.

1992: Huang Suggests the Name "Nvidia"

In 1992, Huang suggested that the company be named "Nvidia" based on the Latin word invidia. The three met frequently in 1992 at a Denny's roadside diner in East San Jose to formulate a business plan.

April 5, 1993: Nvidia's Articles of Incorporation Signed

On April 5, 1993, Jensen Huang personally signed Nvidia's original articles of incorporation into effect, formalizing the company's creation.

1993: Nvidia Launched

In 1993, after graduating from Stanford University, Jensen Huang launched Nvidia from a Denny's restaurant at the age of 30 and has remained president and CEO since its founding.

August 1997: Release of the RIVA 128

In August 1997, Nvidia released the RIVA 128 which saved the company from financial ruin. By this time, Nvidia was down to one month of payroll.

1999: Nvidia Goes Public

Nvidia's stock went public in 1999. Huang owns 3.6% of Nvidia's stock.

2007: Huang Earns US$24.6 Million as CEO

In 2007, Jensen Huang earned US$24.6 million as CEO, ranking him as the 61st highest paid U.S. CEO by Forbes.

2008: Nvidia Contributes to Beijing School

In 2008, Nvidia contributed funds to establish a classroom at the Beijing Haidian Foreign Language Shi Yan School to cater to students affected by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China. Huang also provided a donation of US$30 million to Stanford University.

2019: Huang Donates to Oneida Baptist Institute

In 2019, Jensen Huang donated $2 million to his former school, Oneida Baptist Institute, for the construction of Huang Hall, a dormitory and classroom building for female students.

2022: Huang Donates to Oregon State University

In 2022, Jensen Huang gifted US$50 million to his alma mater, Oregon State University, to establish a supercomputing institute.

June 2024: Nvidia's Market Cap Reaches US$3 Trillion

In June 2024, Nvidia's market capitalization reached US$3 trillion for the first time and Huang's net worth grew to US$100 billion. The news media was using the term "Jensanity" to refer to Huang's celebrity status in Taiwan.

June 2024: Nvidia Becomes World's Most Valuable Company

In June 2024, under Huang's leadership, Nvidia overtook Microsoft to become the "world's most valuable company" with a market capitalization of $3.34 trillion.

November 2024: Huang's Management Style

As of November 2024, Jensen Huang maintains a relatively flat management structure with around 60 direct reports.

2024: Huang's Tenure as Nvidia's CEO

As of 2024, Jensen Huang has been Nvidia's chief executive for over three decades.

January 2025: Huang's Keynote at Consumer Electronics Show

In January 2025, Jensen Huang delivered the keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, announcing new gaming chips, PC and laptop chips, an agreement with Toyota, and the release of Cosmos AI models.