Google has become a major player in the tech industry and is quickly becoming the company everyone wants to work for. But who actually owns Google? Here are some of the people who have a big stake in the company.
Larry Page
Larry Page is the co-founder of Google. He is also the executive chairman of Alphabet, a holding company for Google. His net worth is estimated to be $117 billion.
During his tenure as Google’s chief executive officer, he made several bold moves. One of the most notable was the acquisition of YouTube, a video sharing website. Another was the development of self-driving cars. Then, of course, there was Google Glass.
In 2004, Page became the billionaire owner of Google. Prior to that, he had invested in electric car maker Tesla Motors. And, he is also a founding investor in other technology companies.
As for his personal life, Page is married to Lucinda Southworth, whom he met on Necker Island in 2007. Their son is 10-years-old, and their other child is nearly one year old.
Sergey Brin
Sergey Brin is one of the co-founders of Google. He also holds a 6% stake in the company.
The Internet search giant was created by Brin and Larry Page in 1998. During the years of its founding, Google has become the most popular search engine in the world. In fact, it processes 3.5 billion searches per day.
Before he co-founded Google, Brin attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland. At age 15, he entered the University of Maryland and studied mathematics. There, he met Larry Page.
After graduating from college, he attended the PhD program at Stanford. While there, he met Anne Wojcicki, who would later become his wife. They were married from 2007 until 2015.
Prior to the formation of Google, Sergey Brin worked on self-driving cars and was the head of the robotics lab at Alphabet. Later, he was the director of special projects at X. His work included MentalPlex, a technology that allowed users to search faster and smarter.
John Doerr
John Doerr is the chairman of venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins and one of the first investors in Google. He is also known for backing several other important companies, including Twitter and Amazon. His investment in Google is likely to be worth $3 billion once Google goes public, as its shares are traded on the stock market.
Aside from being a Silicon Valley legend, John Doerr has also helped improve the lives of many by investing in startups and social enterprises. One example is his contribution to the Khan Academy. Another is his support of the Climate Reality Project.
What’s more, in addition to funding some of the biggest names in technology, Doerr has made some bold moves of his own. For instance, he has invested in zero emission technologies like clean transportation and distributed power.
Sundar Pichai
Sundar Pichai owns Google, the world’s largest tech company. As the CEO of Alphabet, he’s in charge of Google’s parent company, and his job includes leading Google’s mobile, search, advertising, and artificial intelligence businesses.
A former engineer and product manager, Pichai’s career traces back to 2004, when he joined Google. He began by working on Google’s search toolbar, which allowed users to track their browsing behaviors. This technology later powered the company’s AdWords targeting engine. In the next few years, he developed Chrome, a browser that Google has since expanded to include laptops and streaming devices.
When he was just 40, Pichai landed the top job at Google, and in the six years since, he’s turned the company around. As the company’s chief executive officer, he’s overseen the company’s growth from a $75.4 billion revenue firm to a $136 billion one.
Alphabet Inc.
Alphabet is a holding company that owns Google. It’s headquartered in Mountain View, California. The company is a multinational conglomerate that provides a wide range of products and services globally.
Alphabet’s structure consists of three segments: the Google segment, the Other Bets segment, and the Google Services segment. Each segment is run by a separate CEO.
The Google segment is responsible for the main Internet products such as the Google Search engine and the Android operating system. This segment also includes the Chrome browser, the Google Play store, and the Google Cloud.
The Other Bets segment is responsible for early stage technologies such as Waymo, Verily, and Nest. The revenue generated by this segment is not yet substantial.
However, the Other Bets segment is expected to increase in size over time. In 2017, the Other Bets segment generated 1% of Alphabet’s revenues.
