Nvidia created the GeForce graphics-processing brand in 1999.
Nvidia introduced the first GeForce product, the GeForce 256, in August 1999. The company described it as the world’s first graphics-processing unit, or GPU, although the terminology and definition have been debated because earlier chips performed related graphics functions.
The GeForce brand initially focused on computer gaming and 3D graphics. Over time, Nvidia’s GPU architecture also became important for professional visualization, scientific computing, artificial intelligence, and data centers. That expansion helped transform Nvidia from a specialist graphics-chip maker into one of the world’s most highly valued semiconductor companies.
Nvidia was founded in 1993 by Jensen Huang, Chris Malachowsky, and Curtis Priem. Its name combines “NV,” associated with “next version,” and “invidia,” the Latin word for envy. The company is incorporated in Delaware and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.