Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang took the stage in London this week as part of a broader European tour ahead of GTC Berlin, using the stop to announce investments in five UK startups and to push for closer US-China cooperation on AI safety.
Huang said Nvidia was taking stakes in five British companies: biotech firms Prima Mente and Boltz, project-management platform Foresight, algorithm discovery startup Hiverge, and quantum computing firm Riverlane. The announcement forms part of a broader $1.16 billion funding push the chipmaker is making across Europe. “We’re not your largest investor, but we are your best investor,” Huang told the London audience.
Huang also used the visit to address AI safety, saying Nvidia “absolutely must” work with Chinese AI companies to help monitor risks tied to what he described as “potentially dangerous” technology. He told CNBC he maintains ongoing dialogue with AI researchers in China, a notable position given the broader geopolitical tension between Washington and Beijing over advanced chip technology.
The dual message, deploying capital into Europe's startup ecosystem while simultaneously advocating for continued engagement with China on safety research, reflects the balancing act Nvidia has had to manage as it tries to expand its global footprint without becoming fully entangled in the broader US-China technology rivalry.
The London stop set the stage for Huang's continued European swing, with GTC Berlin next on the schedule, as Nvidia continues positioning itself at the center of both the commercial AI buildout and the policy conversations shaping how the technology gets governed internationally.
