Nvidia’s Near-Death Experience and the Relentless Drive Behind Its $4T Ascent
Jensen Huang's Nvidia embodies the improbable survival story of a company perpetually on the brink. Founded in 1993 during the volatile graphics chip era, the firm faced existential threats with each product cycle. "We were just bad at our jobs," Huang admitted, reflecting on early failures that nearly bankrupted the company within weeks.
The breakthrough came when Huang gambled remaining venture capital on an accelerated production process for a third chip—a move that saved payroll and ignited Nvidia's dominance. His Kentucky reform school upbringing, mistaken by parents as elite education, forged the resilience that WOULD define the company's culture of high-stakes innovation.