The upcoming book, *The Nvidia Way* by Tae Kim, offers a gripping glimpse into the cutthroat world of 1990s tech, revealing a previously untold story of Nvidia’s early struggles and its audacious fight for survival against a seemingly invincible Intel. An excerpt from the book showcases CEO Jensen Huang’s fiery determination during a pivotal all-hands meeting following the launch of the RIVA 128 graphics card.
The year is 1997. Nvidia, a relatively new player, had just released its RIVA 128, a graphics card boasting a 4MB frame buffer – a stark contrast to Intel’s upcoming i740 with its 8MB buffer. This seemingly minor difference represented a major threat. According to the book, Huang addressed his team with the stark warning: “Make no mistake. Intel is out to get us and put us out of business. They have told their employees, and they have internalized this. They are going to put us out of business. Our job is to go kill them before they put us out of business. We need to go kill Intel.” These weren’t mere words; they reflected the intense pressure and the David-versus-Goliath battle Nvidia was facing against the then-dominant PC market leader.
The excerpt paints a vivid picture of Nvidia’s intense, almost frantic, work culture. Huang’s legendary work ethic, often involving 15-hour days, permeated the company. The book recounts anecdotes illustrating this driven atmosphere, including a particularly memorable encounter between Huang and an employee at a urinal. The CEO, mid-morning, abruptly asked the employee about his current project, leaving the employee, Kenneth Hurley, fearing for his job. This incident highlights the pressure-cooker environment that fueled Nvidia’s rapid growth.
This historical context adds another layer to Nvidia’s current dominance. The company, once a scrappy underdog facing off against a tech giant, has not only survived but thrived, becoming one of the world’s most valuable companies, frequently vying for the top spot alongside Apple and Microsoft. Its current market capitalization surpasses $3 trillion, a staggering achievement considering its humble beginnings and the intense competition it faced.
The contrast between Nvidia’s current success and its 1997 struggle against Intel is particularly striking in 2024. Intel, once the undisputed king of the PC market, now finds itself in a precarious financial position. The irony is palpable; the company that once threatened to extinguish Nvidia now finds itself overshadowed by its former adversary. The story of Nvidia’s early battles isn’t just a fascinating case study in business resilience; it’s a testament to the power of unwavering vision, fierce determination, and a willingness to take on even the most formidable opponents.
