Nvidia is in advanced talks to invest $500 million in UK self-driving car startup Wayve, making it one of the U.S. chipmaker’s biggest commitments to the British tech sector.
Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang announced the talks with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at a London event. Wayve later confirmed that both companies signed a letter of intent to explore a $500 million strategic investment.
Nvidia increases UK investments in AI and startups
Nvidia promised to spend £2 billion on British startups, and its chief executive, Jensen Huang, said the company wants to help small businesses using AI in digital banking, cloud services, and transport systems.
The company has already invested in Nscale, a London-based cloud company focused on AI. Huang also spoke to eight startups at the London event, including Revolut (digital banking), Synthesia (AI videos), and Oxa (self-driving vehicles), and told them Nvidia would participate in their next funding rounds.
The company wants to integrate its chips and technology into the expanding AI market in the UK, especially now when the world demands more computer power than ever. Nvidia will deliver over 120,000 AI processors to the UK through local partners like Nscale and U.S.-based CoreWeave. Large companies like Microsoft and OpenAI, as well as smaller startups that would not normally have easy access to such advanced computing, will use these chips to boost their systems.
These actions show that Nvidia wants to play a big role in AI in the UK. Investing in Wayve is just one part of a bigger plan where the company uses its resources to help both technology and startups grow.
Just recently, Huang defended the firm’s $5 billion deal with Intel, calling the collaboration a well-planned move after nearly a year of private talks. This revelation came during a press call where the CEO confirmed he discussed the terms with Intel’s CEO Lip-Bu Tan, a longtime associate. “We thought it was going to be such an incredible investment,” Jensen said, adding that the agreement was concluded after months of back-and-forth.
Cryptopolitan reported that the collaboration involves Nvidia building AI systems and PC chips alongside Intel, combining Nvidia’s graphics processors with Intel’s x86 CPUs.
Wayve develops new AI systems for self-driving cars
Since 2017, Wayve has grown to become one of the most important startups in the UK, and its special approach, called “embodied AI,” has received the most attention. This method teaches cars to think for themselves and make decisions on the road instead of following fixed instructions or preset rules. The cars will watch their surroundings, learn from the street and traffic, and respond safely to pedestrians.
Wayve says teaching cars to act and decide on their own will help create self-driving vehicles that are also safe on real roads and not just in controlled testing environments. The company has even partnered with Nissan to put its technology into real cars and use Nvidia’s chips to run the AI systems that control the cars.
Wayve’s chief executive, Alex Kendall, said Nvidia’s planned $500 million investment proves that the company believes in Wayve’s idea, technology, and long-term vision. He said the money will help Wayve improve and test its systems in more real-world situations. Wayve also received $1 billion last year in a funding round led by Japan’s SoftBank, and the money has helped it grow faster.
Together, these two investments support Wayve’s mission and vision of building self-driving cars that are smarter, safer, and functional.
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Source: https://www.cryptopolitan.com/nvidia-explores-500-m-investment-in-uk/