Jensen Huang Once Revealed He 'Wasn't A Particularly Good Kid' but One That 'Just Turned Out Good' — Here's Something Today's Nvidia CEO Knew Even at a Young Age

Ananya Gairola

Wed, August 26, 2026 at 10:30 PM GMT+3 4 min read

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang once gave a 14-year-old a surprisingly candid look at his childhood, admitting he was a mischievous, restless kid who loved taking things apart, building things and setting things on fire.

Jensen Huang Wasn't Exactly a Model Kid

In a 2014 interview with eighth-grader Elijah Rogers of the Dallas International School, Huang was asked whether he already knew at 14 that he wanted to become an engineer.

His answer was anything but conventional.

Don't Miss:

A single bad hire can set a startup back years. Here are the 5 hires founders most often misjudge — and why
Still Learning the Market? These 50 Must-Know Terms Can Help You Catch Up Fast

Huang joked that if he were Rogers' mother, he probably would not want him hearing too much about what Huang was doing at that age.

He then described himself as "a rambunctious kid" and admitted, "I wasn't a particularly good kid. I just turned out good."

Huang said his curiosity often got him into trouble. He recalled setting things on fire, gluing things together, blowing things up, digging holes and building things.

But beneath the mischief was a strong interest in academics, particularly mathematics.

"I always cared deeply about grades," Huang said, adding that math was probably his favorite subject.

Why Jensen Huang Chose Engineering

Huang said he eventually gravitated toward engineering because it combined his love of math with his desire to understand, build and create things.

"For somebody who has an analytical mind, who likes to build things, who likes to make things the world's never seen," Huang explained, engineering was the "perfect, perfect, perfect career."

He said he knew from a young age that he wanted to pursue analytical fields involving math and science, even though he did not necessarily have a specific career mapped out.

Jensen Huang's Rise to Nvidia CEO

Huang has a real-time net worth of $181.4 billion, ranking him as the No. 8 richest person in the world, according to Forbes. Nvidia currently has a market capitalization of $5.07 trillion.

He co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and has served as the company's CEO and president ever since.

Born in Taiwan, Huang moved to Thailand as a child before his family sent him and his brother to the U.S. as political unrest intensified.

Under his leadership, Nvidia's graphics processors evolved from powering video games to becoming a cornerstone of the AI boom.

Photo Courtesy: glen photo on Shutterstock.com

Read Next: Think you're saving enough for your kids? You might be dangerously off — see why

Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market

Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That's why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn't tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.

Arrived

Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.

Frontieras

As electricity demand accelerates alongside AI and domestic energy production becomes a growing priority, Frontieras is developing patented technology that converts coal into fuels, chemicals, and low-emission energy products without combustion. Through its Regulation A offering, investors can gain exposure to an emerging energy infrastructure company focused on modernizing American industrial and power resources.

FarmTogether

Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000 — fully managed, with no landlord headaches.

Fundrise

Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio. Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth.

Qnetic

As electricity demand rises alongside AI, data centers, and renewable energy, long-duration energy storage is becoming increasingly important. Qnetic is developing a kinetic energy storage system designed to provide long-lasting, chemical-free electricity storage, offering investors exposure to the infrastructure supporting a more resilient and reliable power grid.

EquityMultiple

For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000, with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process.