Strategic partnerships and investor belief during critical moments of financial distress can be transformative for a company's survival and future valuation

"Huang asked Sega to turn a contract payment into an equity investment. He told Irimajiri the money would most likely be lost. Without it, he said, Nvidia had no chance at all. Irimajiri backed him and persuaded Sega's board. The $5m bought Nvidia roughly six more months."