ISLAMABAD: An online campaign calling for Jensen Huang’s return as Nvidia chief executive has attracted more than 136,000 signatures, drawing support from prominent figures across the technology industry.

The campaign, titled “Stand with Jensen,” is urging Nvidia’s board to reconsider the departure of its co-founder and former CEO.

Tesla and SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk is among the high-profile supporters. Replit CEO Amjad Masad and several other technology leaders have also backed the initiative.

According to the South China Morning Post, the petition had collected more than 136,000 signatures by 2pm on Sunday, November 15.

The campaign gained momentum after Huang’s departure from Nvidia earlier this week.

Its supporters want the company’s board to consider his reinstatement while an independent investigation examines the circumstances surrounding his exit.

The petition has attracted attention from investors, technology professionals and people associated with Nvidia.

The campaign’s organisers say their objective is to seek transparency, fairness and an opportunity for Huang to respond.

Figures published by the campaign website also claim participation from thousands of current and former Nvidia employees and shareholders. However, these affiliations have not been independently verified.

According to figures reported by TechCrunch on Saturday, November 14, the petition included 63,063 people identifying themselves as shareholders, 5,965 current employees and 1,108 former employees.

The website also lists prominent supporters, including Musk, Masad, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney and Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan.

The petition argues that Huang should receive a fair hearing before the board reaches a final decision on his leadership.

It also calls for an independent review and greater transparency about the company’s decision-making process.

Support for Huang has also emerged within Nvidia. A separate internal discussion reportedly attracted more than 1,600 comments, with many employees calling for his return.

WIRED reported that some employees had expressed concerns about the circumstances surrounding his departure. Others called on the board to consider staff opinions before making permanent leadership decisions.

Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and led the company for more than three decades. His leadership helped transform it into a major player in graphics processing and artificial intelligence technology.

Following his departure, Nvidia appointed Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress as interim chief executive while the board considers a permanent replacement.

The growing petition has therefore placed renewed attention on Nvidia’s leadership transition.

However, the number of signatures does not guarantee that the board will reverse its decision. The company has not announced any decision to reinstate Huang.

In other news read more about: Nvidia Preparing to Replace CEO Jensen Huang As Second Alleged Affair Emerges: Report

For now, the “Stand with Jensen” campaign continues to attract support from technology executives, investors and people connected to the company.