Jensen Huang reflects on Nvidia’s journey and the real cost of building the company, in comments shared with Business Insider on the “How I Built This” podcast.

Jensen Huang, speaking on the “How I Built This” podcast in comments shared with Business Insider, has offered a rare reflection on the emotional and financial strain behind building Nvidia into one of the world’s most valuable semiconductor companies and a key driver of the AI era.

He said that if he had known the full reality of the journey, he would not have started the company again.

“Suppose I knew everything then that I now know, how hard it is and all of the pain and suffering and all the embarrassment and humiliation and all the setbacks,” Jensen Huang said. “The answer, absolutely not.”

Importantly, Nvidia was founded in 1993 and went public in 1999. Since then, it has grown into a central force in accelerated computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

However, the path was far from smooth. In fact, Jensen Huang described multiple periods of severe pressure, financial instability, and public criticism.

During the 2008 financial crisis, Nvidia shares reportedly fell by about 85 percent from their peak. At the same time, the company’s long-term bets, especially on CUDA, faced skepticism from investors.

“It was embarrassing. It was humiliating,” Jensen Huang said. “You’re the only face that everybody hates. Your employees are probably embarrassed for you.”

Moreover, Nvidia also faced early existential threats. In 1996, the company nearly collapsed after failing to deliver a graphics chip for Sega. However, a $5 million investment from Sega helped keep the company alive at a critical moment.

“You’ll be going out of business. You’ll have to lay people off,” Jensen Huang said, describing the harsh reality of startup survival.

In addition, Nvidia went through failed chip programs, layoffs, and repeated uncertainty about its long-term direction. Still, the company continued investing in its core vision for accelerated computing.

On a personal level, Jensen Huang also acknowledged the sacrifices involved. He missed several family milestones while building the company under intense pressure. He credited his wife for managing most of the family responsibilities during those years.

“I missed a lot,” he said.

Meanwhile, he also shared how he coped with setbacks. He focused on moving forward rather than dwelling on past failures.

“I spent all my time forgetting yesterday,” Jensen Huang said. “What do they teach athletes? Forget the last point.”

Today, Nvidia stands at the center of the global AI transformation, powering industries across computing, machine learning, and advanced infrastructure. Still, Jensen Huang’s reflections, as shared with Business Insider, highlight that the company’s success was shaped by decades of pressure, uncertainty, and persistence.

Ultimately, Jensen Huang’s story reinforces that even the most successful technology journeys come with a cost, and Jensen Huang remains one of the defining figures of the AI era.

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