Around nine years into his career at Nvidia, Antons Davis reached out to CEO Jensen Huang to share his innovative ideas. Davis, who had been at the forefront of design for various Nvidia gaming products, suggested the creation of an educational ecosystem. However, Huang pushed him to transform those ideas from concept to reality, challenging him to take actionable steps.
"Show me something, and then we can discuss it," Davis says Huang told him, a moment he recalls as an important wake-up call.
In the end, Davis took that challenge to heart. In 2022, he resigned from what many consider one of the most sought-after positions in tech to embark on a journey of self-discovery through travel and personal retreats. During an ayahuasca ceremony, he noted a profound message: "I am a healer," which inspired him to establish a life-coaching practice named Touch of Humane, eventually leading to the creation of a tech startup called Osmo, focusing on software tailored for coaches.
This journey comes at a time when Nvidia has seen its stock value skyrocket by twelve times since the rollout of ChatGPT in late 2022. The surge in Nvidia’s market valuation and its relative stability in a volatile job market saturated with layoffs have motivated many employees to remain, as their stock options have soared in value.
However, some former Nvidia staff members have opted to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions, claiming that the company’s success actually provided them the freedom to leave. Business Insider interviewed these ex-employees who ventured out on their own amidst the burgeoning AI landscape.
The “golden handcuffs” phenomenon
Many former Nvidia employees mentioned grappling with the idea of "golden handcuffs." Adnan Boz, who left Nvidia in 2023 to start SoftwareAgent.AI, which focuses on building autonomous AI programmers, faced delays in his exit as he awaited stock vesting periods, only to discover they were constantly shifting. Like many tech firms, Nvidia's stock incentives are designed to retain talent by releasing shares gradually.
Boz, at 54, recognized the urgency in shaping the remainder of his career.
Davis echoed similar sentiments about the cost of leaving. Feeling depleted by the monotony of corporate life, he made a significant choice, particularly challenging for someone with a mindset centered on survival, having been raised in a small town in southern India. He sold enough Nvidia stock to create a financial cushion for three to five years while he built his coaching business, ultimately sacrificing "millions" in potential stock rewards.
"I'm not sure how many can let go of those golden handcuffs and take that plunge," he reflected.
Former Nvidia employees seize the AI startup wave
As the AI boom intensified, a number of ex-Nvidia employees recognized the potential to start their ventures. Mo Nasir, who began his career at Nvidia developing control systems for self-driving cars, felt an entrepreneurial tug. Observing advancements in AI models, he saw a chance to automate processes. His acceptance into Y Combinator empowered him to transition his side project into a full-time business.
“If you aim to make a billion dollars, doing it as an employee is nearly impossible,” he asserted.
Nasir departed Nvidia in 2024 after more than four years to launch Altrina, a startup generating agents for regulated sectors. With $1.8 million in funding and a team of four, he left behind a significant amount of Nvidia equity but later realized the financial potential available to startup founders.
“If Altrina were sold at its pre-seed valuation, I would have recouped ten times what I left behind,” Nasir stated. “The figures are astonishing.”
Finding the right moment to exit Nvidia
For Sam Karu, the decision to leave Nvidia wasn’t primarily rooted in dissatisfaction but rather timing. Although he didn’t have a solid startup idea when he resigned after over three years in 2025, he had just turned 30 and wanted to start a family. He felt compelled to maximize his productivity during this pivotal life stage, aware that such energy wouldn't last indefinitely.
“I knew I was walking away from a job that many would dream of having,” he said.
Karu went on to establish Logical, a Y Combinator-supported startup focused on creating an AI work assistant. Post-departure, the founders noted that Nvidia’s strong reputation significantly bolstered their credibility among investors, clients, and other key players. They also acknowledged how Nvidia's culture shaped their entrepreneurial experiences.
“Jensen is like a school,” Boz remarked, referring to Huang, noting how he encouraged employees to embrace failures and challenges as integral parts of the innovation process—a core principle of entrepreneurship.
“You have to make mistakes to refine your goals,” Boz concluded.
