TechCrunch Industry News How a once-tiny research lab helped Nvidia become a $4 trillion-dollar company
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Aug 14, 2025 
Bill Dally, the Chief Scientist at NVIDIA, shares insights on how the research lab transformed the company from a video game GPU startup into a $4 trillion powerhouse. He discusses the lab's evolution from a focus on ray tracing to becoming a leader in AI and robotics, with a talented team of over 400 employees. Dally highlights the pivotal role of innovative simulation models in enhancing robotic capabilities, showcasing how cutting-edge research drives NVIDIA's success in technology.
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Recruiting A Stanford Leader
- Bill Dally joined NVIDIA's tiny research lab in 2009 after being recruited from Stanford and found it a perfect fit for his talents and interests.
- He describes searching for where he could make the biggest contribution and concluded NVIDIA was that place.
Lab Pivoted From Ray Tracing To Chips And AI
- Dally expanded the lab beyond ray tracing into circuit design and VLSI to target broader chip innovation.
- The lab doubled down on AI GPUs early, specializing hardware and software well before the AI boom.
From MIT Simulations To Omniverse
- Diana Fidler joined NVIDIA in 2018 after discussing her robot simulation work at MIT with Jensen Huang and being invited to join.
- She established the Omniverse research lab in Toronto to build simulations for physical AI.