During his four-day state visit to the United States, King Charles III convened some of America's most influential technology leaders to address the challenges faced by British startups, particularly the funding gap that often stifles university-born ventures. According to a Reuters report, the meeting included Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, AMD CEO Lisa Su, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, and Alphabet's Ruth Porat.
King Charles Highlights the 'Valley of Death'
During the gathering, King Charles emphasized the funding gap that frequently plagues university-born ventures, describing it as the 'valley of death' where promising ideas struggle to secure capital. 'These are the people I always think have the greatest difficulty getting off the ground,' he told the executives.
Nvidia CEO on British Startup Potential
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stressed the potential of British startups in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and robotics, but underscored the need for a stronger venture capital ecosystem. 'We just need a vibrant VC ecosystem and a startup culture,' Huang said. The king lightened the mood by joking, 'You're all deadly competitors,' prompting Huang to reply, 'No one has to die.'
Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos Recalls Early Struggles
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos recalled his own difficulties raising $1 million in 1995, noting that 40 investors declined to back him. Charles quipped in response: 'And all those 40 are kicking themselves.' AMD CEO Lisa Su also shared a photograph from the meeting on social media platform X, writing, 'Honored to meet His Majesty King Charles today and grateful for the opportunity to join this special gathering. Enjoyed the discussions on AI, advanced technology, and the global partnerships that help drive innovation.'
Big Tech's $42 Billion Bet on Britain
The gathering follows commitments made last September during President Donald Trump's U.K. visit, when major tech firms including Microsoft, Nvidia, Google, and OpenAI pledged $42 billion (31 billion pounds) toward British investments in AI, quantum computing, and civil nuclear energy.
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