History of Jensen Huang in Timeline
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.
February 17, 1963: Jen-Hsun "Jensen" Huang Born
On February 17, 1963, Jen-Hsun "Jensen" Huang was born. He is now a Taiwanese and American businessman, electrical engineer, and philanthropist, and the president, co-founder, and CEO of Nvidia.
1973: Huang Moves to the United States
In 1973, at age nine, Jensen Huang and his older brother moved to Tacoma, Washington to live with an uncle, escaping social unrest in Thailand.
1978: Huang Begins Working at Denny's
In 1978, beginning at age 15, Jensen Huang got his first job working the graveyard shift at a local Denny's restaurant as a dishwasher, busboy, and waiter.
1983: Huang Leaves Denny's
In 1983, Jensen Huang stopped working the graveyard shift at a local Denny's restaurant as a dishwasher, busboy, and waiter after working there since 1978.
1984: Huang Graduates from Oregon State University
In 1984, Jensen Huang graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and computer science at age 20.
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 Earns Master's Degree from Stanford University
In 1992, while working as a microchip designer in Silicon Valley, Jensen Huang earned a master's degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University.
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: Challenges in Starting Nvidia
According to Huang, the three co-founders in 1993 had "no idea how" to start a company. They probably would not have done it if they had realized up front "the pain and suffering [involved] ... the challenges [they were] going to endure, the embarrassment and the shame, and the list of all the things that [would] go wrong."
1993: Nvidia and Supermicro Established
Jensen Huang and Charles Liang, co-founder of Supermicro, are longtime friends. Both companies were established in 1993 and have collaborated on products.
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.
2002: Huang Reflects on Kentucky Life
In 2002, Jensen Huang recalled that he remembered his life in Kentucky "more vividly than just about any other".
2003: Huangs Move to Los Altos Hills
In 2003, the Huang family moved to a larger house in Los Altos Hills, California.
2004: Huangs Acquire Home in Hawaii
In 2004, the Huang family acquired a second home in Wailea, Hawaii.
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.
2012: "Jensanity" Compared to "Linsanity"
In June 2024, the news media compared "Jensanity" to the "Linsanity" phenomenon of 2012.
2015: Spencer Huang Launches Bar in Taipei
In 2015, Spencer Huang launched a bar in Taipei that was honored as one of the top 50 bars in Asia by Forbes.
2017: Fortune Acknowledges Nvidia's Low Profile
In 2017, a Fortune profile article acknowledged that "If you haven’t heard of Nvidia, you can be forgiven," highlighting the company's previously low profile outside of gaming and computer graphics.
2017: Huangs Acquire Mansion in San Francisco
In 2017, a limited liability company reportedly linked to the Huangs acquired a mansion in San Francisco for $38 million.
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.
2019: Huang's Net Worth at US$3 Billion
In 2019, Jensen Huang's net worth was US$3 billion.
May 2021: Spencer Huang's Bar Closes
In May 2021, Spencer Huang's bar in Taipei, previously honored as one of the top 50 bars in Asia by Forbes, closed.
2021: Time Names Huang as One of the Most Influential People
In 2021, Time magazine named Jensen Huang as one of the most influential people in the world.
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.
March 2024: Zuckerberg Compares Huang to Taylor Swift
In March 2024, Mark Zuckerberg wrote on Instagram with a picture of himself and Huang wearing each other's signature jacket: "He's like Taylor Swift, but for tech".
May 2024: Huang's Net Worth Rises to US$90 Billion
During the AI boom, Jensen Huang's net worth rose rapidly along with the value of Nvidia's stock, from US$3 billion in 2019 to US$90 billion in May 2024.
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.
February 2025: Huang's Net Worth Estimated by Forbes
In February 2025, Forbes estimated Jensen Huang's net worth at US$114.5 billion, making him the 14th wealthiest person in the world.
