Richest chip billionaires: Unsung tech titans changing our world
They have played pivotal roles in the advancement of chip technology we use today
They’re at the helm of some of the most innovative companies in the world. The chip titans who are the invisible architects of our digital world.
They have accumulated their wealth through significant contributions to the semiconductor and technology sectors, playing pivotal roles in the development and advancement of chip technology.
Following are the richest chip billionaires in 2024, based on the latest CEO World Magazine list.
Jensen Huang: $77.3 billion (NVIDIA)
Jensen Huang, 61, a Taiwanese-American electrical engineer and businessman, is the CEO and co-founder of Nvidia, a major chipmaker. He started NVIDIA in 1993 and has led it to become a leader in graphics processing units (GPUs), essential for computer gaming and now powering artificial intelligence.
Huang is known for his long tenure and for growing NVIDIA into a tech giant, making him one of the wealthiest people in the world. NVIDIA saw its market capitalisation soar from $1 trillion to $2 trillion in just 8 months, before hitting $3 trillion on Wednesday (June 5, 2024).
On Tuesday (June 4), Huang introduced at the Computex 2024 in Taipei the NIMs (NVIDIA Inference Microservices), expert AI agents that can work in teams to accomplish missions which humans assign to them.
William Ding: $34.0 billion (NetEase)
William Ding, 52, also known as Ding Lei, is the Chinese billionaire founder and CEO of NetEase, a major internet tech company. Launched in 1997, NetEase grew from email services to become a giant in online games, music, and e-commerce. Ding, a computer science whiz, is credited with significantly shaping China's internet landscape.
David Sun: $13.4 billion (Kingston Technology)
A co-founder of Kingston Technology, sun is a Taiwanese-American billionaire. Alongside John Tu, he launched Kingston in 1987 from a garage. Their innovative memory modules revolutionized the industry. Today, Kingston is a global leader in memory and storage solutions, making Sun a key figure in the tech world.
John Tu: $13.4 billion (Kingston Technology)
John Tu, 82, alongside David Sun, co-founded Kingston Technology in 1987. This Chinese-American billionaire engineer's brilliance in memory solutions lies in their innovative early designs. They started in a garage, but his vision and leadership turned Kingston into a global giant in memory and storage, making him a titan of the tech industry.
Simon Segars: $8.9 billion (Arm Holdings)
Simon Segars, 57, led Arm Holdings, a British chip designer powerhouse, for over a decade (2008-2021). Under his leadership, Arm's energy-efficient processors became the brains behind most smartphones. He steered Arm through IPO (Initial Public Offering) and navigated the tech giant through acquisitions, making Arm a dominant player in mobile technology.
Mark Liu: $7.2 billion (TSMC)
Mark Liu, 70, is a prominent figure in the semiconductor industry, known for his role at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). He serves as the Chairman of TSMC, a position he assumed in June 2018.
Liu holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master's degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University. TSMC is the world's largest contract manufacturer of semiconductor chips, supplying major technology companies globally.
Wang Laichun: $6.9 billion (Luxshare Precision Industry)
Wang Laichun is the chair and co-founder of Luxshare Precision Industry, a leading Chinese electronics manufacturing services company. Under her leadership, Luxshare has become a crucial supplier for major tech firms, including Apple. Wang started her career at Foxconn before establishing Luxshare in 2004.
She has driven Luxshare’s rapid growth and diversification into various sectors, such as automotive and telecommunications. Wang is considered one of the most influential women in the tech and manufacturing industries, significantly impacting chip and tech global supply chains.
Cheng Wei: $6.5 billion (Didi Chuxing)
Cheng Wei, 41, is the founder and CEO of Didi Chuxing, China’s leading ride-hailing platform. Before founding Didi in 2012, Cheng was a chip engineer, later joining Alibaba where he held various managerial positions. His transition from engineering to entrepreneurship has been marked by rapid success.
Under his leadership, Didi has expanded globally, acquired Uber's China operations, and diversified into areas like autonomous driving and EVS. Cheng’s vision and strategic direction have positioned Didi Chuxing as a dominant player in the global transportation and mobility industry.
Ma Huateng: $31.3 billion (Tencent)
Ma Huateng, also known as Pony Ma, is the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Tencent, one of the world's largest technology companies. With an estimated net worth of $31.3 billion, he is one of China's wealthiest individuals. Ma initially worked in the chip industry after graduating from Shenzhen University with a degree in computer science.
In 1998, he co-founded Tencent, which started with the instant messaging service QQ and later expanded into social media, gaming, and other digital services with products like WeChat. Under his leadership, Tencent has become a global powerhouse in technology and entertainment.
Robin Li: $22.1 billion (Baidu)
Robin Li, 55, is a giant in the Chinese tech industry. His early career was spent in silicon chip research. He co-founded Baidu, the dominant search engine in China, similar to Google's role in the West.
Li studied computer science and worked as an engineer before venturing into entrepreneurship. He has led Baidu since its inception in 2000, making it a major player in China's tech industry.
Gordon Moore: $6.8 Billion (Intel)
More was the cofounder and chairman emeritus, Intel (Integrated electronics) Corp. The company was founded on July 18, 1968, by semiconductor pioneers Moore (of Moore's law) and Robert Noyce, along with investor Arthur Rock, and is associated with the executive leadership and vision of Andrew Grove.
A Caltech PhD in chemistry and physics, Moore was part of the "traitorous eight" that left Nobel Prize winner Bill Shockley's firm to found Fairchild Semiconductor in 1957. Moore famously predicted that computer processing power would double every two years, an insight known as "Moore's Law."
Behind-the-scenes heroes
They're the top visionaries in global chip technology industry, business executives who wield the power of silicon. These chip architects are the unsung drivers of progress. From life-saving medical devices to the rockets piercing the veil of space, their creations are pushing the boundaries of human potential.
Their vast and expanding fortunes are built on the foundation of tiny transistors. These are the masterminds behind the very devices you hold in your hand. The screens you scroll, the games you play, the connections you forge – all fueled by their ingenuity.
They're the ones who miniaturised the world and supercharged our lives. Their impact goes beyond mere convenience. They are the keymasters of the digital age, and their influence is shaping the future, one microscopic circuit at a time.
These chip architects are the unsung drivers of progress. From life-saving medical devices to the rockets piercing the veil of space, their creations are pushing the boundaries of human potential.