Nvidia to Invest $2.7 Billion in U.K. AI Startup Development

By Billy Gray

Nvidia pledged 2 billion pounds ($2.71 billion) to boost U.K. artificial-intelligence startups and speed up the creation of new jobs and businesses.

The U.S. AI chip giant, the world's most valuable company, said Thursday that venture-capital investors Accel, Air Street Capital, Balderton, Hoxton Ventures and Phoenix Court will join it in the effort to jumpstart the AI startup ecosystem in the U.K..

Nvidia's U.K. investment plans add to a flurry of spending commitments by U.S. tech giants coinciding with President Trump's state visit this week. Major American tech companies said they would spend more than $40 billion to expand AI infrastructure in the country, with Microsoft and Alphabet-unit Google leading the charge.

Earlier this week, Nvidia, OpenAI and British company Nscale said they would join forces to set up AI infrastructure to satisfy OpenAI's power needs in the U.K.

AI startups in the U.K. have faced challenges with supercomputing access, lackluster venture capital outside of London, and spiraling energy costs.

Nvidia's investment is set to deliver new capital and AI infrastructure to U.K. hubs like London, Oxford, Cambridge and Manchester. Nvidia said it is committed to working with startup founders and venture-capital firms in those hubs, but also in regions where AI infrastructure is less developed. These include so-called AI growth zones recently selected by the U.K. government.

Members of the groups involved in the investment said the goal was to help bridge the gap between world-class research and success in the marketplace, and to make the U.K. a global leader in AI innovation.

Write to Billy Gray at william.gray@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 19, 2025 02:39 ET (06:39 GMT)