PeopleofSuperintelligence

Builder

Curtis Priem

Also known as Curtis R. Priem

Curtis Priem co-founded NVIDIA in 1993 with Jensen Huang and Chris Malachowsky, and he says the GPU his company invented in 1999 ignited the era of modern AI. Before founding NVIDIA, he worked at Vermont Microsystems, where he architected IBM's Professional Graphics Adapter, and at Sun Microsystems, where he architected the GX graphics products. He served as NVIDIA's chief technical officer from 1993 to 2003 and sold all of his shares in the company by 2006. He was named Entrepreneur of the Year in 2000, and in 2004 he announced a $40 million gift to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is vice chair of the board of trustees at Rensselaer.

Timeline

  1. 1982–1984

    Designing IBM's graphics adapter

    He earns an electrical engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1982. He then joins Vermont Microsystems as a staff engineer, where he architects IBM's Professional Graphics Adapter, the PC industry's first graphics processor.

  2. 1986–1993

    GX graphics products at Sun

    In 1986 he joins Sun Microsystems as a senior staff engineer, where he architects the GX graphics products.

  3. 1993–2003

    Co-founding NVIDIA

    He co-founds NVIDIA in 1993 with Jensen Huang and Chris Malachowsky, and he serves as its chief technical officer until 2003.

  4. 1999

    The GPU and modern AI

    In 1999 NVIDIA invents the GPU, and Priem says the invention ignited the era of modern AI.

  5. 2000

    Entrepreneur of the Year

    In 2000 he is named Entrepreneur of the Year, an award from the Severino Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

  6. 2003–2006

    Retiring from NVIDIA

    He retires from NVIDIA in 2003 and sells all of his shares in the company by 2006.

  7. 2004

    A $40 million gift

    In 2004 he announces an unrestricted gift of $40 million to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

  8. April 2024

    Quantum computing at Rensselaer

    In April 2024 the university unveils an IBM Quantum System One on its campus. He is vice chair of the Board of Trustees at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a role that takes effect in 2023.

Sources and credits

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  1. Curtis Priem - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  2. Curtis R. Priem, B.S. ’82 | Martin A. Schmidt '81, Ph.D. president.rpi.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  3. Our History: Innovations Over the Years | NVIDIA nvidia.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  4. The Priem Family Foundation priem.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  5. Rensselaer Board of Trustees Announces Changes | News news.rpi.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  6. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and IBM Unveil the World’s first IBM Quantum System One on a University Campus | News news.rpi.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.