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Israel's VCs see opportunity for challengers in Nvidia's turmoil

SpeculationFundingNov 13, 2026

Nvidia acquired Israeli chipmaker Mellanox for $6.9 billion in 2019, establishing its largest R&D facility outside the U.S. Jensen Huang's resignation as CEO has therefore raised concerns in Israel, where Nvidia employs roughly 6,000 people and Intel and Microsoft also conduct significant R&D. Entrepreneur Pavel Gurvich told TechCrunch sentiment toward Nvidia remains positive. Investors doubt demand for Nvidia's products will fade, though competitors may gain room to shape what comes next.

Why it matters

Jensen Huang's resignation as Nvidia's chief has unsettled Israel's technology sector, where the company is deeply embedded. Huang championed the acquisition of Israeli chipmaker Mellanox, which became the base for Nvidia's largest research and development facility outside the United States, and the company also planned a major campus in northern Israel. Because Nvidia's GPUs are central to training and running large language models, many in Israel are watching the succession closely, wondering whether the next leader will stay as committed to the country. Interim chief Colette Kress has previously emphasized her daily engagement with the Israeli operation, and two Israelis appear among the names floated as candidates. Investors do not expect demand for Nvidia's products to disappear, but analysts suggest a leadership transition could slow decisions, giving rivals an opening to shape the AI landscape — though uncertainty might also shrink the overall market opportunity. The piece frames the story as a test of whether an empire built around one person can hold together without him.

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Evidence

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No score is assigned. Sources and their independence are shown in the citation chain below.

Citation chain · 1 source

01high
techcrunch.comOfficialhttps://techcrunch.com/2026/11/13/israels-vcs-see-opportunity-for-challengers-in-nvidias-turmoil/The article grounds the story in Israel's perspective, detailing Nvidia's deep local roots through Mellanox and adding investor and venture voices on how the leadership change may open space for competitors.
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NvidiaCompanyMicrosoftCompanyTechCrunchCompanyIntelCompanyJensen HuangPersonMellanoxCompanyPavel GurvichPerson
Canonical: https://techcrunch.com/2026/11/13/israels-vcs-see-opportunity-for-challengers-in-nvidias-turmoil/