In December 2025, a significant policy shift in the U.S. ignited debates in the global tech community. The U.S. government announced it would permit Nvidia to sell its H200 AI chips to China, under the condition that 25% of the revenue from sales returns to the U.S. Treasury as a form of tax. For entrepreneurs across Europe, especially startup founders and small businesses, this decision raises important questions about innovation, ethics, and geopolitics in global commerce.
As a serial entrepreneur, my work revolves around bootstrapping ideas into viable businesses. This policy highlights a critical challenge: balancing growth with long-term strategy. While Nvidia stands to gain billions, experts argue the U.S. risks undermining its competitive edge in AI technology. Let’s explore how this decision could impact your business, what lessons you can draw from it, and missteps to avoid in your own ventures.
What’s the story?
Nvidia is no stranger to dominating the AI hardware sector, producing chips that power everything from cloud computing to autonomous vehicles. Its H200 chips, described by some as less advanced than their Blackwell predecessors, still pack enough power to give Chinese developers a sizable leap forward in AI capabilities. By allowing these exports, the U.S. government hopes to maintain Nvidia’s revenue streams while asserting control by reclaiming a hefty 25% share.
This decision followed direct lobbying by Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, who argued that barring chip exports would only lose Nvidia’s foothold in one of the largest tech markets. However, critics from multiple fields suggest this move could enable China to study the technology closely, potentially advancing their domestic chip production and reducing reliance on U.S. companies over time.
For entrepreneurs, even those starting out far from the chip industry, this offers a great case study in negotiation, risk, and navigating complex markets.
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
While billion-dollar policies might seem worlds away from the challenges faced by independent startups, the broader implications behind this deal contain valuable lessons for small business owners, including women in Europe seeking to build and scale their businesses. Here’s what the deal can teach:
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Understand the trade-offs of short-term gains vs. long-term risks
Nvidia’s decision to lobby for access to the Chinese market reflects a common entrepreneurial dilemma: when to prioritize immediate revenue over strategic advantages. Founders often face moments when a tempting short-term payoff sets them on an unsustainable or harmful trajectory. In my journey, I’ve learned that financial gains are only part of the story. Ask yourself: How does this align with your values, vision, and long-term positioning? -
Guard against dependency on single markets
Nvidia’s focus on China as a major revenue source illustrates the risks of over-reliance. For startups, leaning too heavily on one market or client, even if lucrative, can backfire. Diversifying income streams is critical to protect your business from sudden policy shifts, market downturns, or competitive risks. -
Advocate for your interests, but stay clear on the ethics
Nvidia successfully advocated for a policy reversal. While lobbying can be valid, the ethical line grows blurry when decisions impact wider public interests, such as national security. Entrepreneurs can adapt this strategy by ensuring that any advocacy aligns with ethical practices. Highlight broad, positive community impacts of your vision. -
Leverage global trends carefully
The policy’s geopolitical implications emphasize the importance of understanding global trends. If your startup deals with tech, finance, or manufacturing, make sure to watch how international regulations shift in key hubs like the U.S., China, and the EU. This is particularly relevant in sectors where cooperation with global partners is essential.
Challenges and Trends to Watch
The idea of a 25% revenue claim from exports is unprecedented in global commerce. It creates two important signals for founders:
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Markets may follow larger frameworks in the future
As governments experiment with revenue-sharing models for cross-border commerce, similar taxation frameworks may trickle down to smaller sectors or startups in certain ecosystems. Be especially mindful if you’re in AI, blockchain, or high-impact software. -
Intellectual property (IP) matters more than ever
By exposing products like the H200 to potential reverse engineering, Nvidia faces a huge IP risk. As entrepreneurs, whether drafting new patents or choosing licensing partners, protecting your IP must be non-negotiable. This includes careful analysis of the countries or partners you interact with.
What to Avoid as a Founder
This scenario highlights errors even a successful company like Nvidia may risk slipping into. Scale these lessons down for practical insights into running a high-growth startup:
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Failing to anticipate unintended consequences:
Nvidia’s deal could accelerate China’s domestic AI capabilities. Before you strike a lucrative deal, map out its ripple effects, especially for competitors. Neglecting this can harm your growth or partnerships. -
Overconfidence in closed ecosystems:
Relying too heavily on safeguards like export rules or non-disclosure clauses can fail when politics, economics, or technology shift. Be wary of building your success exclusively within existing frameworks; open pathways for agility. -
Rushing decisions without public pulse checks:
While Nvidia framed this policy shift as balancing innovation with control, the public backlash hints at something founders also face: a misaligned narrative. Whether it’s a controversial pitch to investors or a PR issue with customers, make sure your decision-making reflects an understanding of what stakeholders genuinely value.
How Female Founders in Europe Can Apply This
For women entrepreneurs in Europe, where building STEM-focused or global startups often feels like a hurdle, this story underlines some strategic playbooks you can use right now:
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Position relationships as strategic:
Nvidia’s lobbying shows the power of connections. Build relationships with investors, regulators, and mentors early. Focus on personal trust, not just transactions. -
Craft careful international strategies:
If your business involves international exports or partnerships, have contingency plans. Monitor government policies or emerging trade frameworks from the EU that could disrupt contracts. -
Balance mission and opportunity:
Whether in AI, clean energy, or health, women-led startups in Europe often deliver tech solutions with unique local impacts. Protect core values, even while scaling to larger, financially-driven audiences. It’s a thin tightrope to walk, but a rewarding one. -
Leverage tech with awareness
Many smaller companies jump on buzzwords like AI or blockchain to scale. Be less a follower of trends and more an architect of sustainable, user-driven systems. Nvidia’s case reminds us the backlash of “profit now, fix issues later” can echo loud. Build mindful tech-driven solutions tied to customer needs.
Closing Thoughts
Despite being rooted in billion-dollar trade politics, Nvidia’s choice reflects scenarios entrepreneurs face daily: where growth and strategy clash. The U.S. policy highlights both the weight of business ethics and the importance of long-term versus short-term strategy. For Europe’s female founders, the message is clear, stay bold in expanding globally, but learn to dissect risks in every advocacy, export, or scaling negotiation. Expand wisely, innovate ethically, and be relentless in protecting your mission.
FAQ
1. What is the recent policy regarding Nvidia AI chips and China?
In December 2025, the U.S. government announced Nvidia could sell its H200 AI chips to China if 25% of the revenue from those sales is returned as tax to the U.S. Treasury. Read about Nvidia's policy shift
2. Why is the Nvidia H200 chip sale controversial?
Critics argue that exporting H200 chips may undermine U.S. strategic advantage by advancing China's AI capabilities and risking intellectual property theft. Learn about the risks of the deal
3. How does this policy benefit Nvidia?
It opens access to the Chinese market, potentially earning Nvidia $10, 15 billion annually while adhering to U.S. export restrictions. Discover Nvidia's perspective
4. What does the U.S. aim to achieve with the 25% tax?
The U.S. government plans to generate revenue while maintaining control over chip exports. It’s designed to balance financial gains with national security. Understand the U.S. strategy
5. Are there concerns about intellectual property (IP) theft?
Yes, experts caution that exposing advanced U.S. technology like the H200 chip to China risks reverse engineering, enabling Chinese companies to replicate and compete with Nvidia.
6. How are lawmakers reacting to the policy?
Bipartisan lawmakers criticize the policy as short-sighted and a potential threat to national security, suggesting it undermines U.S. interests. Explore the political backlash
7. How might this affect China's tech industry?
Access to H200 chips could significantly boost China's AI research and technology development, enabling its companies to become more competitive globally. Learn about impacts on China's industry
8. What lessons does this provide for entrepreneurs?
The policy highlights the importance of balancing short-term financial gains with long-term strategic risks, as well as diversifying markets to avoid over-reliance.
9. What are the geopolitical implications of this decision?
The move signals a shift in how the U.S. controls tech exports, potentially igniting an AI arms race and altering power dynamics in global technology leadership.
10. How might startups and small businesses be affected by similar policies?
If revenue-sharing taxation becomes a trend, startups could face increased regulatory and tax burdens in international markets, especially in sectors like AI and blockchain.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
