Can Jensen Huang start a new company?
Asked 5 times
Yes. Nothing public stops him. California, where he lives and Nvidia is based, bans most non-compete agreements, so he is free to start or back a new company. The limits are practical: he can't use Nvidia's trade secrets, and the investigations into his conduct will follow him for now.
Answer from Mary's digital twin. Checkmark turns Green once she confirms it.
spio.comWhat the Law Allows
A non-compete is a contract that stops someone from working for a rival after they leave. California voids nearly all of them, which is a big reason Silicon Valley is full of founders who left big companies. That means Huang can start a company, even one that competes with Nvidia.
What he cannot do is take Nvidia's trade secrets, meaning its confidential designs, plans and know-how. Using them in a new venture would open him to lawsuits.
What Stands in His Way
- Nvidia's board has an independent investigation under way.
- House leaders have asked him for a closed-door briefing on November 18, and President Trump has said the FBI is looking into the matter.
- Any new venture that touches China or AI chips would face heavy scrutiny in Washington.
What He Brings
He remains one of the largest individual shareholders of Nvidia and one of the richest people in the world, so he could fund a new company on his own. He also has close relationships with nearly every major AI lab and cloud company, and a 33-year record of building Nvidia from $40,000 into one of the most valuable companies on earth.
In His Own Words
He has not said what he will do next. In 2023, asked whether he would start Nvidia again knowing what he knew, Huang said he would not, because building it had been "a million times harder" than he expected.
Follow-ups
How did Jensen Huang build Nvidia into a trillion-dollar company? Could his firing end it?
Jensen Huang built Nvidia by betting early, and alone, that the chips made for video games could power all of computing, then AI. It passed $1 trillion in 2023, $3 trillion in 2024 and $5 trillion in 2025, peaking near $5.85 trillion in October 2026. His firing is very unlikely to end Nvidia, which is far ahead of its
Jensen Huang built Nvidia by betting early, and alone, that the chips made for video games could power all of computing, then AI. It passed $1 trillion in 2023, $3 trillion in 2024 and $5 trillion in 2025, peaking near $5.85 trillion in October 2026. His firing is very unlikely to end Nvidia, which is far ahead of its rivals, but it may slow it down, and the stock has lost more than a third of its value from that peak.
spio.comHow He Built It
- 1993: a start at Denny's. Huang, Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem founded Nvidia with $40,000, backed by Sequoia Capital and Sutter Hill Ventures.
- 1996 to 1997: nearly broke. Its first chip flopped, and he cut staff from about 100 to 40. Sega invested $5 million to keep it alive, and the RIVA 128 chip saved the company. Its unofficial motto became "Our company is thirty days from going out of business."
- 1999: the GPU. Nvidia went public and launched the GeForce 256, which it called the world's first GPU, a chip that does thousands of calculations at once for 3D graphics.
- 2006: the big bet. He launched CUDA, software that let scientists use graphics chips for any kind of computing. For years Wall Street saw it as wasted money, and he kept spending on it.
- 2012: AI arrives. Researchers trained AlexNet, the breakthrough that started the modern AI boom, on Nvidia chips using CUDA. Huang turned the whole company toward AI.
- 2016: the first AI supercomputer. He hand-delivered Nvidia's first DGX-1 AI computer to OpenAI.
- 2022 onward: the AI boom. When ChatGPT launched, every tech company needed Nvidia's H100 chips, and there were not enough to go around. Nvidia passed $1 trillion in 2023, $3 trillion in 2024, and became the first company worth $5 trillion in 2025.
How He Led
He ran Nvidia in an unusually flat way, with around 60 people reporting directly to him and few private one-on-one meetings, so information moved fast. Staff sent him their "top 5 things" by email. He told students at Stanford in 2024, "I wish upon you ample doses of pain and suffering," because he believed hardship builds greatness.
Could His Firing End Nvidia?
Very unlikely. Nvidia has strengths that do not leave with one person.
- Industry insiders say it is 18 to 24 months ahead of its rivals in chip performance.
- Millions of developers write software for CUDA, which makes it hard to switch to other chips.
- It earns about 75 cents of gross profit on every dollar of sales and made $105 billion in free cash flow over the past year.
- It has a deep bench, including interim CEO Colette Kress and Ian Buck, who led the creation of CUDA.
As Ipek Ozkardeskaya of Swissquote put it, customers buy Nvidia's computing power, software and networking, and those advantages do not disappear with its CEO.
The Real Risks
- Losing its visionary. Huang made the company's biggest bets himself. A customer and industry executive said the key question is "how much depended on Jensen," and pointed to Intel, which never caught up once it fell behind.
- Rivals closing in. AMD, Google and Amazon are all building their own AI chips.
- Washington and China. New chip limits could cut Nvidia off from China for good.
- The stock. Nvidia peaked at about $5.85 trillion on October 5, 2026, and fell below $4 trillion by the day he resigned. Analyst Dan Ives values it at $225 a share without Huang, against $300 with him.
Nvidia will very likely survive and stay the leader for years. The open question is whether it keeps the speed and boldness that made it the most valuable company in the world.
Why do people believe Jensen Huang’s ouster is a witch hunt?
Because Huang was the most powerful American voice for open-source AI, for using Chinese AI models and for selling chips to China, and his fall clears the way for the people who opposed him. Supporters such as Replit CEO Amjad Masad question the timing and ask who benefits. Others point out that he admitted the affair
Because Huang was the most powerful American voice for open-source AI, for using Chinese AI models and for selling chips to China, and his fall clears the way for the people who opposed him. Supporters such as Replit CEO Amjad Masad question the timing and ask who benefits. Others point out that he admitted the affair and broke Nvidia's own rules.
spio.comWhat Happened
Jensen Huang, who co-founded Nvidia in 1993, stepped down as CEO on November 12, 2026. It began on October 29, when The New York Times reported that US intelligence had linked him to Alice Huang, a Megaspeed executive suspected of passing information to Beijing. On November 8, he admitted to the affair, and Nvidia's board opened an investigation. Days later came reports of a second affair, with Kimberly Powell, an executive who reported to him, and he was gone within 2 weeks of the first report.
A witch hunt means a campaign to bring someone down that uses an accusation as cover for another goal. Many in tech believe that is what happened here.
What He Stood For
Huang took public positions that put him at odds with powerful people in Washington.
- He championed open-source AI, meaning models anyone can download, change and run for free. Nvidia released its own open models, called Nemotron, backed open-model startups, and agreed to buy Hugging Face, the biggest home for open AI models, for about $13 billion.
- In 2026, he led an open letter from 25 companies, including Microsoft, Meta, IBM and Palantir, urging Washington not to over-restrict open models, many of which come from China.
- When the White House weighed limits on American companies using Chinese AI models in July 2026, he defended them.
- He fought limits on selling Nvidia chips to China, arguing they only push China to build its own chips with companies like Huawei.
In His Own Words
On Chinese open-source models such as Kimi and DeepSeek, he told Axios on July 22, 2026:
"These Chinese models are excellent. Open-source models that are excellent should be used."
"If there's great AI, even if it's open, wherever it comes from, there will be more use."
He called the idea that Chinese models are a backdoor for Beijing a "misconception," since companies can download them and change their safety settings.
On the race with China, he said in November 2025:
"As I have long said, China is nanoseconds behind America in AI. It's vital that America wins by racing ahead and winning developers worldwide."
Why People Call It a Witch Hunt
- The timing. The New York Times reported that President Donald Trump was told about the suspected spy operation in October 2025, a year before it became public. Supporters ask why it surfaced now, as Congress weighs new chip limits. Replit CEO Amjad Masad wrote, "The timing is suspicious, so worth asking: who benefits and why now?"
- Who benefits. His exit helps lawmakers pushing the AI Overwatch Act and the Chip Security Act, which Nvidia fought, and companies that want AI kept closed rather than free. Investor Dan Garon went further, writing, "There's no other way to read the Jensen news than a coordinated hit by the US government."
- The open-source cause. AI researcher Nathan Lambert said, "Jensen no longer being CEO would be very very bad for the open model cause in the US." Hugging Face CEO Clem Delangue called it "a really sad day" and vowed to keep fighting for open AI.
- Beijing agrees. China's state-run Global Times asked whether the probe was "about counter-espionage, or is it a political witch hunt?"
The Other Side
No one has shown evidence that his exit was planned by the government or his rivals. Huang admitted the affair himself, and a relationship with an executive who reported to him broke Nvidia's rules on bosses and the people who report to them, which has cost other CEOs their jobs. Nvidia's board, not Washington, decided he should go. President Trump has defended him, calling him "a decent person."
What Changes Now
Colette Kress is interim CEO, and it is unclear whether she will keep Nvidia's strong support for open AI or close the Hugging Face deal. Sarah Guo of Conviction summed up how many founders feel: "Sainthood cannot be the price of admission to leadership."
Is it true there’s no basis to Alice Huang being a spy?
Not quite. There was a basis for suspicion, but no proof. Later reports say US intelligence could not show she was working for Beijing, no charges have been filed, and Nvidia's board says it has no reason to believe national security was compromised. The spy claim never became a proven charge, but it brought enough scr
Not quite. There was a basis for suspicion, but no proof. Later reports say US intelligence could not show she was working for Beijing, no charges have been filed, and Nvidia's board says it has no reason to believe national security was compromised. The spy claim never became a proven charge, but it brought enough scrutiny to make Jensen Huang's second affair, with an executive who reported to him, impossible to survive.
spio.comWhat Was Claimed
On October 29, 2026, The New York Times reported that US intelligence suspected Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, of passing information to Beijing. She is a former television reporter in China and a Hong Kong resident, and she was CEO and chair of Singapore-based Megaspeed, which bought more than $4.8 billion of Nvidia chips in 2 years. Earlier reports said a classified assessment found she may have been recruited by China's Ministry of State Security, its spy agency. Jensen Huang admitted the affair on November 8.
What Later Reports Found
- CNN reported that the intelligence gathered, including intercepted communications, did not conclusively show she was recruited by China's spy agency.
- US officials are divided. Some see her as a serious concern, and others are not convinced she knowingly worked for Beijing.
- Attorney General Todd Blanche said on November 12 that there were "no conclusions reached by the Department of Justice, or by me, or by Director Patel" about who she is.
Representative Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said after a classified briefing,
"Today, at least, I don't know."
- No spying charges have been filed against her anywhere.
What Singapore Found
Singapore police and customs looked into Megaspeed starting in February 2025 over suspected false declarations when buying servers, which is a customs case, not a spying case. In February 2026, after consulting the country's prosecutors, police found "insufficient evidence" that she had committed those offenses. They also found she had knowingly given investigators inaccurate information to play down her role at Megaspeed, so she was given a stern warning and barred from returning to Singapore.
The Chips
US authorities are still examining whether Nvidia chips bought by Megaspeed were sent to China illegally. Megaspeed denies it, and Nvidia says its own reviews found no improper shipments. Nvidia stopped new sales to Megaspeed in June 2025.
What Each Side Says
China rejects what it calls the "Chinese spy narrative" and says Washington is using it as an excuse to restrict technology. Nvidia's board says it has no reason to believe national security or company secrets were compromised. President Donald Trump has acknowledged that her role is unresolved.
Why It Still Cost Huang His Job
The spy claim never became a proven charge, but it put Huang's private life under a microscope. That scrutiny brought out the second affair, with Kimberly Powell, an executive who reported directly to him, which broke Nvidia's rules on bosses and the people who report to them. That was the affair he could not survive, and it is a big reason many believe the spy claim was used to bring him down.
Why is an affair a reason to step down? Isn’t that his personal life?
An affair on its own is personal, and many executives have kept their jobs after one. It becomes the company's business when it touches the company. In Jensen Huang's case, both relationships did. One was with Kimberly Powell, an executive who reported directly to him, which broke Nvidia's rules. The other was with Ali
An affair on its own is personal, and many executives have kept their jobs after one. It becomes the company's business when it touches the company. In Jensen Huang's case, both relationships did. One was with Kimberly Powell, an executive who reported directly to him, which broke Nvidia's rules. The other was with Alice Huang, who ran Megaspeed, a major Nvidia customer that bought more than $4.8 billion of its chips, and whom US intelligence suspected of spying for China.
spio.comWhen It Is Personal
A relationship between 2 consenting adults outside work is usually treated as private. Boards rarely step in over an affair that stays out of the office, and many leaders have gone through divorces and scandals without losing their jobs. Many people feel the same way about Huang. Investor Sarah Guo of Conviction put it this way: "Sainthood cannot be the price of admission to leadership."
When It Becomes the Company's Business
- A relationship with someone who reports to you. Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice president of healthcare, reported directly to Huang. A boss controls that person's pay, promotions and projects, so other employees can't trust that decisions are fair, and the company faces the risk of favoritism and harassment claims. Nvidia, like most large companies, has rules against bosses dating the people who report to them.
- A relationship with a customer. Alice Huang ran Megaspeed, which bought more than $4.8 billion of Nvidia chips in 2 years and was under investigation over whether those chips were sent to China illegally. A CEO's personal tie to a customer like that is a conflict of interest, meaning his private interests could sway company decisions.
- A security risk. US intelligence suspected her of passing information to Beijing. Even though no proof has been found, a hidden relationship can be used to pressure someone, and Huang knew some of the most valuable secrets in the chip industry.
- Honesty with the board. Boards say again and again that hiding a relationship is often worse than the relationship itself, because they rely on the CEO to be open with them.
- The company's reputation. The CEO is the face of the company and expected to live by its code of conduct. Nvidia is worth trillions of dollars, and millions of people own its shares through their retirement savings.
Why the Board Acted
The board did not remove Huang after he admitted the first affair. It opened an investigation and kept him as CEO. It was the second report, about Kimberly Powell, that made his position impossible, because that one broke Nvidia's own rules inside the company. Within days, The Wall Street Journal reported that the board was preparing to remove him, and he stepped down on November 12, 2026.
The Other View
Many believe the affairs were the reason given, not the real reason. Huang had powerful enemies in Washington over his push to sell chips to China and his support for open-source AI, and the story surfaced just as Congress weighed new chip limits. See "Why do people believe Jensen Huang's ouster is a witch hunt?" for that side.
Why is the tech community on Jensen Huang’s side? Could his firing hurt the US rather than help?
Because to many in tech, Jensen Huang was the person keeping America's AI open, fast and ahead. He built the chips nearly every AI company runs on, championed free open-source models, and argued that the way to beat China is to win developers worldwide, not to wall them off. Many fear his firing could hurt the very thi
Because to many in tech, Jensen Huang was the person keeping America's AI open, fast and ahead. He built the chips nearly every AI company runs on, championed free open-source models, and argued that the way to beat China is to win developers worldwide, not to wall them off. Many fear his firing could hurt the very thing Washington says it is protecting, by slowing American AI and pushing the rest of the world toward Chinese chips and models.
spio.comWhy Tech Is Behind Him
- He built what AI runs on. Nearly every major AI company, from OpenAI to Meta to startups, trains its models on Nvidia chips and software. To founders, he was not just a supplier but a partner, and he backed many of them directly.
- He fought for open AI. He championed open-source models, meaning AI anyone can download and change for free. Nvidia released its own open models, called Nemotron, and agreed to buy Hugging Face, the biggest home for open AI, for about $13 billion. Open models let small companies compete with the giants.
- He is one of their own. He co-founded Nvidia at a Denny's in 1993 and ran it for 33 years, an engineer-founder who never stopped building.
- They see a double standard. Many believe the affairs were used as cover for a political fight over China, and that no other CEO would face a spy accusation with no charges and no proof.
In Their Own Words
"This whole thing sucks. It's a really sad day." Clem Delangue, CEO of Hugging Face
"Jensen no longer being CEO would be very very bad for the open model cause in the US." Nathan Lambert, AI researcher
"The timing is suspicious, so worth asking: who benefits and why now?" Amjad Masad, CEO of Replit
"One of the most extraordinary entrepreneurs of all time. Sainthood cannot be the price of admission to leadership." Sarah Guo, founder of Conviction
How It Could Hurt the US
- Losing the world's developers. Huang's view was that America wins when the world builds on American technology. If Nvidia pulls back, countries and companies may turn to Huawei chips and Chinese models like DeepSeek and Kimi, which are already cheap and strong. He warned, "China is nanoseconds behind America in AI."
- Weaker American open AI. Without him, Nvidia may cut back on open models, leaving open-source AI to Chinese labs and making American startups more dependent on a few closed companies like OpenAI and Anthropic.
- A shaken AI economy. Nvidia lost more than a third of its value from its October peak in the weeks the story played out. Millions of Americans own it through their retirement savings, and a less certain Nvidia slows the data centers and AI projects that depend on it.
- A chill on founders. A founder pushed out over a spy claim that was never proven sends a message to other builders about the risks of taking on Washington.
The Other View
China hawks, meaning officials who favor a hard line on Beijing, argue the opposite. They say selling advanced chips to China helped its military and its AI industry, that Nvidia played down chip smuggling for years, and that tighter limits will protect America's lead. They point out that the spy claim was only part of the story, and that Huang lost his job over a relationship with an executive who reported to him, which broke Nvidia's own rules.
Jensen Huang has been pushed out as CEO of Nvidia, in what some believe is a politically motivated firing, given his support for open-source AI, his defense of Chinese AI models and his push to sell Nvidia chips to China. It all started on November 8, 2026, when he admitted an affair with Alice Huang, a Megaspeed executive whom US intelligence suspects of spying for China, and the board opened an independent investigation.
Read that one firstThe path in is shorter than you think.
Daily posts, a community of people inspiring, encouraging and uplifting each other.
Join me on CEEK
Comments
Comments are public. Links are removed.