Jen-Hsun Huang (born February 17, 1963), commonly known as Jensen Huang, is a Taiwanese American business executive, electrical engineer, and philanthropist. He is the founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of NVIDIA Corporation, a global leader in graphics processing units (GPUs), high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence technologies.
Under Huang’s leadership since 1993, NVIDIA has evolved from a niche graphics chip startup into one of the world’s most valuable technology companies, playing a central role in the global AI revolution. As of 2025, he is among the world’s wealthiest individuals.
Early Life and Background
Jensen Huang was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and spent parts of his childhood in Taiwan and Thailand before moving to the United States. He grew up in a middle-class family with strong academic values; his father was a chemical engineer and his mother a schoolteacher.
At a young age, Huang relocated to the U.S. for education, living in Kentucky and later Oregon. His early years were marked by cultural adjustment, disciplined schooling, and formative experiences that shaped his resilience and leadership philosophy.
Education
- Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering – Oregon State University
- Master of Science in Electrical Engineering – Stanford University
While studying, Huang demonstrated early technical aptitude in computing and electronics and later pursued graduate studies while working in Silicon Valley.
Early Career
After completing his undergraduate education, Huang worked as a microchip designer in Silicon Valley. He held engineering roles at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and later LSI Logic, where he contributed to graphics accelerator development and worked closely with engineers who would later become his NVIDIA co-founders.
Founding of NVIDIA
In 1993, Huang co-founded NVIDIA Corporation alongside Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem. The company was conceived during informal meetings at a Denny’s restaurant in San Jose, California.
Huang assumed the role of President and CEO from day one. In its early years, NVIDIA faced severe financial and technical challenges, narrowly avoiding bankruptcy before successfully pivoting its technology strategy. The release of the RIVA 128 graphics processor marked the company’s first major breakthrough.
Leadership and Growth
Huang has served as NVIDIA’s CEO for over three decades one of the longest tenures in Silicon Valley. His leadership is characterized by:
- Long-term vision and “first-principles” thinking
- A flat organizational structure
- Focus on accelerated computing and AI
- Willingness to invest ahead of market demand
Under his guidance, NVIDIA expanded beyond gaming graphics into:
- High-performance computing
- Data centers
- Autonomous vehicles
- Artificial intelligence and deep learning
By the mid-2020s, NVIDIA became a central infrastructure provider for global AI development and achieved record market valuations.
Global Recognition
Huang has received widespread recognition for his impact on technology and engineering, including:
- IEEE Founders Medal
- Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering (2025)
- VinFuture Prize
- Edison Award
- Inclusion in Time 100 and Time 100 AI lists
- Named among the world’s most influential business leaders by multiple global publications
Personal Life
Jensen Huang is married to Lori Huang, whom he met during his university years. They have two children. He maintains dual citizenship in Taiwan and the United States and frequently visits Taiwan.
Huang is related to Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD, though both were unaware of their family connection until later in their careers.
Philanthropy
Huang and his wife established the Jen-Hsun & Lori Huang Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the United States. The foundation focuses on:
- Higher education
- STEM research
- Artificial intelligence and engineering
- Public health and community development
Major contributions have been made to institutions such as Oregon State University, Stanford University, and educational programs supporting underserved communities.
Legacy
Jensen Huang is widely regarded as a key architect of the modern AI computing era. Through NVIDIA, he has reshaped how data is processed, enabling breakthroughs across science, medicine, transportation, and artificial intelligence. His leadership continues to influence the future of computing on a global scale.