In a move solidifying its commitment to the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, NVIDIA, the global chip giant, has significantly expanded its investment portfolio in the AI sector throughout 2023. Reports indicate the company’s involvement in a remarkable 35 deals this year, marking a substantial increase from previous years and establishing NVIDIA as one of the most active investors in the AI landscape.

NVIDIA’s investment strategy encompasses a diverse range of AI ventures, spanning from major platforms valued in the billions to promising startups focusing on applications in healthcare and energy. The company’s dedicated venture capital arm, NVentures, is a key player in this strategy, working in tandem with the corporate development team to build a comprehensive portfolio.

One of the cornerstones of NVIDIA’s approach is investing in companies that leverage its technology and products. This strategic alignment is evident in the creation of NVentures, which has played a pivotal role in nurturing collaborations with prominent AI players such as Inflection AI and Cohere.

The company’s expansive portfolio also includes strategic investments in Hugging Face, a provider of data and tools for AI developers, and CoreWeave, a cloud infrastructure company specializing in high-performance computing applications reliant on NVIDIA’s graphics processing units (GPUs). Notably, NVIDIA recently made a substantial investment in Mistral, a Paris-based AI startup valued at 2 billion euros.

Crucially, all companies in NVIDIA’s portfolio are customers of the chipmaker, utilizing either its GPU chips or software. A sought-after technology in 2023 is NVIDIA’s H100 GPU, a powerful processor that facilitates the efficient training of “large language models” in the generative AI field.

NVIDIA’s investment approach involves significant financial commitments, often in the tens of millions of dollars, from its balance sheet. While NVentures focuses on generating healthy returns, the corporate development team prioritizes strategic objectives. NVIDIA takes a leadership role in investment rounds and frequently co-invests with venture capital firms.

This strategic investment surge aligns with the company’s position as a go-to provider for AI chips, solidifying its dominance in the market. As NVIDIA continues to shape the future of AI, its investments underscore a commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration within the rapidly evolving AI landscape.