Jensen Huang couldn't get TSMC to return his calls. Then its founder called.

Jensen Huang traced Nvidia's 30-year TSMC partnership to a letter he wrote to founder Morris Chang.

Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images Before Nvidia became an AI giant, Jensen Huang struggled to get TSMC to return his calls.

He found TSMC in the Yellow Pages, but repeated calls went unanswered until he wrote to its founder.

A call from Morris Chang led to a Taiwan visit and a chipmaking partnership that has lasted 30 years.

Before Nvidia became an AI powerhouse, Jensen Huang was a startup founder struggling to get a Taiwanese chipmaker to return his calls.

The Nvidia CEO recalled how he first connected with Morris Chang, the founder of Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC, in a video with podcaster Lex Fridman published on Wednesday.

It was the late 1990s, and Nvidia was looking for a manufacturer to produce its graphics chips.

Foundry capacity was limited, and some foundries required companies to license their technology in exchange for access.

Huang had heard of TSMC, then a far smaller company than the chipmaking giant it is today, and decided to reach out.

He found its US office number in the Yellow Pages, the telephone directory, and called.

He reached a recording.

Huang left his contact details and explained what Nvidia was building.

He tried several more times.

"Nobody called me.