Google is owned by Alphabet Inc., a multinational conglomerate that was formed as part of a corporate restructuring of Google in October 2015. Alphabet Inc. was created to be the parent company of Google and several of its former subsidiaries. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the ownership and key people associated with Google and Alphabet Inc.:
- Larry Page: Larry Page is one of the co-founders of Google and served as the CEO of Google before the creation of Alphabet Inc. After the restructuring, he became the CEO of Alphabet Inc. Page is one of the largest shareholders in Alphabet.
- Sergey Brin: Sergey Brin is also a co-founder of Google and played a crucial role in the company’s early development. After the restructuring, he became the President of Alphabet Inc. Like Page, Brin is one of the major shareholders in Alphabet.
- Sundar Pichai: Sundar Pichai is the CEO of Google LLC, which is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Google, including its core search and advertising businesses.
- Alphabet Inc.: Alphabet Inc. is the parent company of Google and its subsidiaries. Alphabet was created to allow Google to focus on its core internet-related businesses while other, more experimental and diverse ventures could be operated under separate companies within the Alphabet umbrella. Alphabet owns a significant portion of Google’s shares.
- Shareholders: Google is a publicly traded company, and its ownership is divided among various institutional investors, individual shareholders, and insiders. Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and other early employees of Google hold a substantial number of shares. Institutional investors such as mutual funds and retirement funds also own significant stakes in the company.
- Public Ownership: Google’s shares are traded on stock exchanges, primarily the NASDAQ, under the ticker symbol “GOOGL” for Class A shares and “GOOG” for Class C shares. This means that the general public, including individual investors, can own shares of Google by buying them through a brokerage account.
The ownership structure may change over time due to stock transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and other corporate actions. For the most up-to-date information on Google’s ownership, you can refer to the latest reports and filings from Alphabet Inc. and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
A Brief History of Google
Google, one of the most recognizable and influential technology companies in the world, has a rich history that dates back to the late 1990s. Here’s a brief overview of the key milestones in Google’s history:
1. The Founding of Google: Google was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, two Ph.D. students at Stanford University, in September 1998. Their vision was to create a search engine that could organize and provide quick access to the vast amount of information available on the internet. The project was originally called “Backrub” and later became known as “Google,” a play on the word “googol,” which represents the large number 1 followed by 100 zeros.
2. First Office and Server: The first Google office was a garage rented from a friend, Susan Wojcicki, who later became a Google executive. The company’s first server was made of LEGO bricks. It didn’t take long for Google’s search engine to gain popularity due to its effectiveness and speed.
3. Initial Funding: In 1998, Google received its first significant investment of $100,000 from Andy Bechtolsheim, co-founder of Sun Microsystems. This initial investment provided the capital needed to expand the company.
4. Incorporation and Growth: In September 1998, Larry Page and Sergey Brin incorporated Google as a privately held company. As it continued to grow, Google attracted more investors, including venture capitalists and angel investors. The company’s rapid rise led to its first formal office space in Palo Alto, California.
5. Introduction of AdWords: In 2000, Google launched its advertising program, AdWords, which allowed businesses to display ads alongside search results. This marked the beginning of Google’s revenue generation and the foundation for its advertising dominance.
6. The Google IPO: On August 19, 2004, Google held its initial public offering (IPO), raising $1.67 billion and valuing the company at over $23 billion. This marked a significant milestone in the company’s history, making many Google employees and early investors millionaires and billionaires.
7. Expansion and Acquisitions: Over the years, Google expanded its services, introducing products such as Google Maps, Google Images, and Google News. The company also made strategic acquisitions, including YouTube in 2006 and Android Inc. in 2005, which later became the basis for the Android operating system.
8. Alphabet Inc.: In 2015, Google underwent a corporate restructuring and formed Alphabet Inc. as its parent company. This allowed Google to focus on its core internet-related businesses, while other ventures, including “moonshot” projects, were organized under separate companies within the Alphabet framework.
9. Sundar Pichai’s Leadership: Sundar Pichai became the CEO of Google in 2015 and later the CEO of Alphabet Inc. in 2019. His leadership has guided Google and Alphabet through a period of significant growth and innovation.
10. Impact and Ongoing Innovation: Today, Google’s influence extends far beyond its original search engine. The company is at the forefront of artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, and numerous other technological advancements, shaping the way people access information and interact with the digital world.
Google’s history is a testament to the power of innovation and the impact that a simple yet powerful idea can have on the world. From a small garage in Silicon Valley to a global technology giant, Google’s journey continues to shape the way we live, work, and connect with each other.