King Charles meets with US tech leaders, talks startup challenges
King Charles met with prominent US tech leaders in Washington DC on April 28, 2026, during his state visit, discussing challenges facing early-stage startups, particularly in securing funding. He highlighted the 'valley of death' many university-born startups face, while executives like Jensen Huang emphasized the need for a stronger venture capital ecosystem. Jeff Bezos shared his early struggles raising money for Amazon, prompting lighthearted exchanges with the king. The meeting aligns with prior commitments by major tech firms to invest £31 billion in the UK in AI, quantum computing, and civil nuclear energy.
- ▪King Charles met with Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, Jensen Huang, Lisa Su, Marc Benioff, and Ruth Porat to discuss startup challenges.
- ▪The king emphasized the difficulty university-born startups face in securing funding, calling it the 'valley of death.
- ▪Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stressed the need for a vibrant venture capital ecosystem and startup culture in the UK.
- ▪Jeff Bezos recounted that he was turned down by 40 investors while trying to raise $1 million for Amazon in 1995.
- ▪Major US tech companies pledged £31 billion in UK investments during Donald Trump’s September 2025 visit, focusing on AI, quantum computing, and civil nuclear energy.
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King Charles meets with US tech leaders, talks startup challenges Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxBritain's King Charles (right) speaks with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and AMD President Lisa Su at Blair House in Washington DC.PHOTO: REUTERSPublished Apr 29, 2026, 08:23 AMUpdated Apr 29, 2026, 08:23 AMWASHINGTON - Britain’s King Charles met with US tech leaders on April 28 as part of his four-day state visit, discussing challenges for early-stage startups as Britain touts itself as a top destination for technology firms.Among the leaders King Charles met with were Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Advanced Micro Devices CEO Lisa Su, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and Alphabet President Ruth Porat.King…
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