Nvidia’s big bets on AI startups

Nvidia has poured its growing wealth into AI startups, backing over 100 companies in the past two years. Its investments aim to strengthen the AI world by supporting innovative businesses, from cloud computing to robotics. In 2024, Nvidia joined 49 funding rounds for AI firms, up from 34 in 2023, according to PitchBook data. This is a big increase from the 38 deals it made in the four years before.

So far in 2025, Nvidia has backed seven more rounds. These investments, separate from its NVentures fund, focus on startups Nvidia sees as leaders in AI. Some of Nvidia’s biggest bets include Scale AI, which raised $1 billion in 2024 to help label data for AI training, valuing the company at $14 billion. Another is Crusoe, a data center builder that secured $686 million.

Nvidia also supported Figure AI, a robotics startup, with a $675 million round, and Mistral AI, a French firm building language models, which raised $640 million. Other notable investments include CoreWeave, a cloud provider valued at $19 billion, and Perplexity, an AI search engine worth $9 billion. Nvidia’s strategy is clear: fund startups that expand AI’s reach while relying on its powerful chips. These moves show Nvidia’s drive to shape the future of AI beyond just making hardware.