History of Jensen Huang in Timeline

Jensen Huang is a Taiwanese-American business executive, electrical engineer, and philanthropist. He is the founder, president, and CEO of Nvidia, currently the world's largest company by market capitalization. With an estimated net worth of $179 billion in 2025, Huang ranks as the eighth-wealthiest person globally.

Sections (2)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements

February 17, 1963: Jen-Hsun Huang Born

On February 17, 1963, Jen-Hsun Huang, also known as Jensen Huang, was born. He is the founder, president, and CEO of Nvidia.

Others born on this day/year

1973: Huang Moves to the United States

In 1973, Jensen Huang and his older brother moved to the United States to live with an uncle in Tacoma, Washington, escaping social unrest in Thailand. They were later enrolled in the Oneida Baptist Institute in Kentucky.

1978: Huang Begins Working at Denny's

In 1978, at the age of 15, Jensen Huang started his first job, working the graveyard shift at a local Denny's restaurant.

1983: Huang Ends Working at Denny's

In 1983, Jensen Huang ended his job, working the graveyard shift at a local Denny's restaurant.

1984: Huang Graduates from Oregon State University

In 1984, Jensen Huang graduated from Oregon State University with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering.

1987: Sun Microsystem's Revenue

In 1987, Sun Microsystem's revenue was $262 million.

1989: Huang Finalizes the GX Graphics Engine

In 1989, Jensen Huang, along with Malachowsky and Priem, finalized the GX graphics engine.

1990: Huang Resigns from Sun Microsystems

In 1990, Jensen Huang resigned from his job at Sun Microsystems, along with Priem and Malachowsky, to start a venture in making graphics chips for PC games.

1990: Sun Microsystem's Revenue increases to $656 million

In 1990, the sales of the GX graphics engine contributed to Sun Microsystem's revenue increasing to $656 million.

1992: Huang and Partners Meet at Denny's to Formulate Business Plan

In 1992, Jensen Huang, along with Priem and Malachowsky, met frequently at a Denny's roadside diner in East San Jose to formulate a business plan for their new company, Nvidia.

1992: Huang Earns Master's Degree from Stanford

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: Huang Signs Nvidia's Incorporation Articles

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

1993: Huang Co-founds Nvidia

In 1993, Jensen Huang and his co-founders started Nvidia without fully understanding the challenges ahead.

1993: Establishment of Nvidia and Supermicro

In 1993, Nvidia and Supermicro were established and Huang and Taiwanese billionaire Charles Liang, co-founder of Supermicro, are longtime friends.

1993: Nvidia Launched

In 1993, after earning his master's degree from Stanford University, Jensen Huang launched Nvidia from a Denny's restaurant at age 30.

August 1997: Release of RIVA 128

In August 1997, Nvidia released the RIVA 128, which saved the company from near bankruptcy.

1999: Nvidia Goes Public

In 1999, Nvidia's stock went public; Huang owns 3.6% of the stock.

1999: Huang Family Moves After Nvidia Goes Public

The Huang family lived in ordinary middle-class starter homes in San Jose before Nvidia went public in 1999.

2002: Huang Recalls Life in Kentucky

In 2002, Huang recalled that he remembered his life in Kentucky "more vividly than just about any other".

2003: Huang Family Moves to Los Altos Hills

In 2003, the Huang family moved to a larger house in Los Altos Hills, California.

2007: Establishment of the Jen-Hsun & Lori Huang Foundation

In 2007, Jensen Huang and his wife, Lori Huang, established the Jen-Hsun & Lori Huang Foundation with an initial donation of Nvidia stock valued at $300 million.

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 Funds Classroom Construction in Beijing

In 2008, under Jensen Huang's leadership, Nvidia funded the construction of a classroom at the Beijing Haidian Foreign Language Shi Yan School to assist students affected by the Wenchuan earthquake.

2012: "Jensanity" Compared to "Linsanity"

In June 2024, news media compared the "Jensanity" phenomenon surrounding Huang in Taiwan to the "Linsanity" phenomenon of 2012.

2015: Spencer Huang Launches Bar in Taipei

In 2015, Spencer Huang, Jensen Huang's son, launched a bar in Taipei that was honored as one of the top 50 bars in Asia by Forbes.

2017: Huang and Nvidia gain broader recognition

In 2017, Nvidia and Jensen Huang began to gain broader recognition beyond their original markets of gamers and computer graphics experts.

2017: Huang Family Acquires Mansion in San Francisco

In 2017, a limited liability company reportedly linked to the Huang family acquired a mansion in San Francisco for $38 million.

2019: $2 Million Donation to Oneida Baptist Institute

In 2019, Jensen Huang donated $2 million to the Oneida Baptist Institute in Kentucky, where he studied as a young immigrant, to fund the construction of Jen-Hsun Huang Hall.

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 recognized as one of Asia's top 50 by Forbes, closed.

2021: Huang Included in Time 100 List

In 2021, Time magazine included Jensen Huang in their Time 100 list of the most influential people.

2022: $50 Million Donation to Oregon State University

In 2022, the Huangs donated $50 million to Oregon State University to establish the Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex, a research center dedicated to artificial intelligence, materials science, and robotics.

March 2024: Zuckerberg Compares Huang to Taylor Swift

In March 2024, Mark Zuckerberg compared Jensen Huang to Taylor Swift in the tech world, highlighting his growing fame.

May 2024: Huang's Net Worth Rises to US$90 Billion

By May 2024, Jensen Huang's net worth had risen rapidly along with the value of Nvidia's stock, reaching US$90 billion.

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 Jensen Huang's net worth grew to US$100 billion.

November 2024: Huang's Management Structure

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

December 2024: Nvidia Shares Valued at $2 Billion for Philanthropy

In December 2024, The New York Times reported that Nvidia shares donated by Jensen and Lori Huang to their foundation and other charitable vehicles were valued at approximately $2 billion, allowing significant tax benefits while committing these assets to philanthropic purposes.

2024: Huang's Tenure as Nvidia CEO

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

2024: Huang Included in Time 100 List

In 2024, Time magazine included Jensen Huang in their Time 100 list of the most influential people.

2024: Foundation Disburses $123 Million

In 2024, the Huang Foundation disbursed $123 million in accordance with Internal Revenue Service regulations for private foundations.

January 2025: Huang Delivers Keynote at Consumer Electronics Show

In January 2025, Jensen Huang delivered the keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, announcing a new gaming chip and chips for PCs and laptops.

May 2025: Huang Visits Taiwan for Computex and World Masters Games

In May 2025, Jensen Huang traveled to Taiwan to deliver the keynote address at Computex 2025 and attend the opening ceremony of the World Masters Games, experiencing a recurrence of "Jensanity."

June 2025: Additional Nvidia Stock Contribution to the Jen-Hsun & Lori Huang Foundation

In June 2025, the Huangs contributed an additional $60 million in Nvidia stock to the Jen-Hsun & Lori Huang Foundation.

October 2025: Nvidia Reaches $5 Trillion Market Cap

In October 2025, under Huang's leadership, Nvidia became the first company to reach a market capitalization of over $5 trillion during the AI boom.

2025: Huang's Net Worth Estimated at US$179 Billion

In 2025, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimated Jensen Huang's net worth at US$179 billion, making him the eighth-wealthiest individual in the world.

2025: Matching Donation to California College of the Arts

In early 2025, the Huang Foundation matched a $22.5 million fundraising effort by the California College of the Arts, to complete a $45 million campaign, addressing financial deficits and enrollment challenges.