Jensen Huang

Born in Taiwan in 1963, Jensen Huang's early life was marked by constant change and adaptation.

At nine years old, Huang and his brother were sent to live with relatives in the United States. Their uncle, mistaking a reform school for a prestigious boarding school, enrolled them at Oneida Baptist Institute in Kentucky. Huang found himself cleaning toilets and facing relentless bullying.

"The kids were really tough; they all had pocket knives," Huang recalls of his time at Oneida.

Despite these challenges, Huang developed a strong work ethic and determination. He excelled in his studies and even found time to become a competitive table tennis player, ranking nationally in his teens.

Huang's entrepreneurial journey began in an unlikely place: a Denny's restaurant. It was here, over a meal with friends Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem, that the idea for NVIDIA was born.

"Every day, my mother would pick ten words out of a dictionary at random and make my older brother and me learn them," Huang remembers. "My father's dream and my mother's aspiration ultimately sent my brother and me to America... I owe everything to them."

This early emphasis on education and hard work laid the foundation for Huang's future success. After earning degrees from Oregon State University and Stanford, Huang co-founded NVIDIA in 1993.

The early years of NVIDIA were fraught with challenges. The company's first product failed to gain traction, nearly bankrupting the fledgling startup. But Huang refused to give up.

"I would not be where I am now without the dreams and aspirations of my parents," Huang says.

This resilience paid off. In 1999, NVIDIA invented the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), revolutionizing the computer graphics industry. The company's stock soared, and Huang celebrated by getting a tattoo of the NVIDIA logo on his arm.

But Huang wasn't content with success in gaming graphics. He saw the potential for GPUs in artificial intelligence and steered NVIDIA in that direction. It was a risky move that many questioned at the time.

"That was luck founded by vision," Huang explains.

This vision propelled NVIDIA to the forefront of the AI revolution. The company's technology powers everything from autonomous vehicles to weather prediction models. In 2024, NVIDIA became the world's largest company by market capitalization.

Huang's success hasn't made him forget his humble beginnings. He's donated millions to educational institutions, including $50 million to Oregon State University and $30 million to Stanford.

"There's no magic — it's just 61 years of hard work every single day," Huang says of his success.

Jensen Huang's story is one of transformation. From cleaning toilets in a reform school to leading a trillion-dollar company, his journey embodies the American dream. But more than that, it's a testament to the power of vision, perseverance, and the willingness to take risks. Huang's success with NVIDIA has not only made him one of the world's wealthiest individuals but has also shaped the future of technology, driving advancements in AI that are transforming industries and society writ large.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Embrace unconventional thinking. You don't have to follow the crowd. Jensen Huang's decision to pivot NVIDIA away from mobile computing in 2011 was seen as risky. The industry was moving towards smartphones and tablets. But Huang saw a different future. He focused on GPUs for AI and data centers instead. This bet paid off enormously. NVIDIA's market cap grew from $15 billion in 2016 to over $2 trillion in 2024. Huang says, "We're willing to dive into things that people think are crazy." Sometimes, the path less traveled leads to the biggest rewards.

Lesson 2: Build a full-stack company. Don't just focus on one part of the problem. Huang believes in creating end-to-end solutions. NVIDIA doesn't just make chips. They build the software, frameworks, and even supercomputers to support their hardware. This approach gives them more control and allows for deeper innovation. Huang explains, "We're a full-stack computing company. We do everything from chips to systems to software to algorithms to optimizations." This full-stack mentality has allowed NVIDIA to dominate the AI hardware market.

Lesson 3: Foster a culture of intellectual honesty. Create an environment where ideas are challenged openly. Huang encourages public discourse and reasoning at NVIDIA. He has 60 direct reports and conducts meetings where problems are discussed openly. Huang states, "I don't make decisions where only one person needs to hear them. I prefer environments where a diverse team of experts and people can work on a problem together." This approach leads to better decision-making and helps employees learn from each other's mistakes.

Lesson 4: Prioritize your highest value work. Start your day with what matters most. Huang begins each morning by tackling his most important tasks before even getting to the office. He says, "I begin each morning—and do every single morning—by doing my highest priority work first. Before I even get to work my day is already a success." This ensures that critical work gets done, regardless of what unexpected challenges arise during the day.

Lesson 5: Think in decades, not quarters. Take a long-term view of your business. Huang has been NVIDIA's CEO for over 30 years. He's not focused on short-term gains. Instead, he thinks about how technology will evolve over decades. Huang advises, "Find a craft. It's not important to decide on day one, and it's not even important to decide any time soon, but I hope you do find a craft that you want to dedicate your lifetime to perfecting and be your life's work." This long-term thinking allows NVIDIA to make bold bets that may not pay off immediately but can lead to massive success in the future.

Jensen Huang Quotes

On low expectations: "I think one of my great advantages is that I have very low expectations. People with very high expectations have very low resilience."

On character building: "Greatness comes from character. And character isn't formed out of smart people, it's formed out of people who suffered."

On strategy: "Strategy isn't work; Strategy is action."

On innovation: "The best way to predict the future is to invent it."

On leadership: "Leadership is about setting up the stage for others to shine."

On resilience: "Failure is not the end, it's an opportunity to learn and grow."

On long-term thinking: "Find a craft. It's not important to decide on day one, and it's not even important to decide any time soon, but I hope you do find a craft that you want to dedicate your lifetime to perfecting and be your life's work."

On problem-solving: "Innovation is not about grand visions, it's about solving real problems."

On collaboration: "Open collaboration and partnership are the keys to driving progress and innovation."

On adaptability: "Embrace the unknown and embrace change. That's where true breakthroughs happen."

Speeches and Interviews

• A conversation with NVIDIA's Jensen Huang
• NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Reveals Keys to AI, Leadership
• GTC March 2024 Keynote with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang
• NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Keynote at COMPUTEX 2024

Videos

• Inside NVIDIA's New Documentary - Connecting in the Metaverse
• NVIDIA's Rise and Rise | From Zero To $3Trillion (Full Documentary)
• Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang 60 Minutes Interview - Rev

Book Recommendations

• Jensen Huang and the Rise of NVIDIA: The Biography, Achievements, and Vision Behind the Power of the AI Revolution

Further Readings

• Jensen Huang | Biography, NVIDIA, Huang's Law, & Facts | Britannica
• Jensen Huang: Mastering Life and Leadership on the Razor's Edge
• Jensen Huang on How to Use First-Principles Thinking to Drive Decisions
• Jensen Huang - Wikipedia
• A Comprehensive Analysis of Nvidia's Technological Innovations, Market Strategies, and Future Prospects
• NVIDIA's Financial Strategy and Operation Strategy Analysis