NVIDIA's investment muscle was tied to Huang
According to TechCrunch, citing VCs and founders, NVIDIA invested tens of billions of dollars into AI startups under Jensen Huang's leadership. His departure removes the biggest engine behind that funding flow.
Expectation: smaller checks, lower valuations
Venture capitalists and founders anticipate smaller funding rounds and lower valuations in a post-Huang era. That spells uncertainty, especially for chip and infrastructure startups close to the NVIDIA ecosystem.
Why it matters
NVIDIA had emerged not only as a chip seller but also as a financier of AI startups. A weakening of that support could directly affect investment appetite and startup growth across the sector.
