Dr. Morris Chang

Yeah. It started, my relationship with Jensen, started with a letter that he sent to me I think it was 1997, and the letter was sent through the post office, and I received it in Hsinchu. And the letter said that they were NVIDIA, the company that Jensen was the CEO of, was a small company, but they had developed some technology

Yeah. It started, my relationship with Jensen, started with a letter that he sent to me I think it was 1997, and the letter was sent through the post office, and I received it in Hsinchu. And the letter said that they were NVIDIA, the company that Jensen was the CEO of, was a small company, but they had developed some technology

really promising chips, but they were looking for a foundry, and they had approached TSMC's San Jose office, but they really got no answer from the San Jose office. would I please contact Jensen because NVIDIA really wanted to do business with PSMC. So I was going to the U.S. in the next week anyway. So the letter, frankly, raised my curiosity and also my

really promising chips, but they were looking for a foundry, and they had approached TSMC's San Jose office, but they really got no answer from the San Jose office. would I please contact Jensen because NVIDIA really wanted to do business with PSMC. So I was going to the U.S. in the next week anyway. So the letter, frankly, raised my curiosity and also my

irritated me a little bit because I had always told our salespeople that we should never be negligent in talking to future customers, even if the customer seems to be a very small one.

irritated me a little bit because I had always told our salespeople that we should never be negligent in talking to future customers, even if the customer seems to be a very small one.

Yeah. and they had maybe 50 or 60 employees. So TSMC, I think, at that time already had a few thousand employees. We had exceeded, I remember we had exceeded $1 billion in revenue in 1995, and this was 1997. So we were, relatively speaking, we were a pretty big company here.

Yeah. and they had maybe 50 or 60 employees. So TSMC, I think, at that time already had a few thousand employees. We had exceeded, I remember we had exceeded $1 billion in revenue in 1995, and this was 1997. So we were, relatively speaking, we were a pretty big company here.

Yeah, right. So the following week, I went to California. And I called him back without advance notice. I called Jensen. I looked up. I think there was a telephone number on the stationery that he sent me the letter on. Jensen himself picked up the phone, and there was a lot of background noise. He was arguing something with his people.

Yeah, right. So the following week, I went to California. And I called him back without advance notice. I called Jensen. I looked up. I think there was a telephone number on the stationery that he sent me the letter on. Jensen himself picked up the phone, and there was a lot of background noise. He was arguing something with his people.

But as soon as I introduced myself, I said, this is Morris Stern. He immediately shouted to those people that were making noises. He said, quiet! Morris Chang is calling me. So I then proceeded to make an appointment with him to visit him, to visit NVIDIA the next day or something like that. And that was our first meeting.

But as soon as I introduced myself, I said, this is Morris Stern. He immediately shouted to those people that were making noises. He said, quiet! Morris Chang is calling me. So I then proceeded to make an appointment with him to visit him, to visit NVIDIA the next day or something like that. And that was our first meeting.

visit the first meeting and he immediately impressed me with his articulateness and also impressed me with his optimism. Well, he was also very frank. He told me that Nvidia was in financial difficulties, but the chip that he wanted now to have foundried would not only... save the company, it will also make NVIDIA a major customer of TSMC. I mean, that was actually quite a bold statement.

visit the first meeting and he immediately impressed me with his articulateness and also impressed me with his optimism. Well, he was also very frank. He told me that Nvidia was in financial difficulties, but the chip that he wanted now to have foundried would not only... save the company, it will also make NVIDIA a major customer of TSMC. I mean, that was actually quite a bold statement.

We're over a billion dollars now. To be a major customer of ours, he would have to produce revenue for us of at least $50 million a year, okay?

We're over a billion dollars now. To be a major customer of ours, he would have to produce revenue for us of at least $50 million a year, okay?

I forgot the number, but it was a very successful chip. I don't think it was Riva or anything. It was a games chip, of course. It was successful. In fact, his prediction came true. Not only did it solve Nvidia's financial problems, it helped. prevented from being bankrupt, you know. Not only did they do that, it also started to make them a major customer of TSMC.

I forgot the number, but it was a very successful chip. I don't think it was Riva or anything. It was a games chip, of course. It was successful. In fact, his prediction came true. Not only did it solve Nvidia's financial problems, it helped. prevented from being bankrupt, you know. Not only did they do that, it also started to make them a major customer of TSMC.

Within two or three years, they were, they did become one of the biggest five customers of TSMC. Yeah, very successful chip, yeah.

Within two or three years, they were, they did become one of the biggest five customers of TSMC. Yeah, very successful chip, yeah.