The investments also serve as a seal of approval from one of the most influential companies in the AI industry. Nvidia's venture capital unit, founded in early 2022, has made significant investments in AI unicorns such as Cohere, Hugging Face, and Inflection. The company's portfolio companies have reported improved performance and access to resources following Nvidia's investment. However, Nvidia does not provide prioritized access to its GPUs, a highly sought-after resource in Silicon Valley.
Key takeaways:
- Nvidia, the trillion-dollar chipmaker, has invested in over two dozen companies through its venture capital arm Nventures and corporate development team, offering not just financial support but also access to its research teams and CEO.
- Startups that Nvidia has invested in have seen significant benefits, such as Terray Therapeutics, which was able to significantly improve its AI model with Nvidia's resources and engineering expertise.
- Nvidia's investments are not just about financial returns, but also about diversifying its business and staying ahead of potential market changes. Some founders of Nventures portfolio companies believe Nvidia is preparing for a future where its GPUs may not dominate the market as they do now.
- Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, plays an active role in the investment process, with some founders reporting direct interactions with him. However, experiences vary, with some founders saying they've never met him.