Who Owns Google? A Closer Look at the Tech Giant’s Ownership Structure

Google, the world’s leading search engine, has evolved into a global tech powerhouse. From its humble beginnings in a garage to becoming one of the most influential companies in the world, it’s natural to wonder: who exactly owns Google?

Founders and the Birth of Google

Google was founded in 1998 by two Stanford University students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. What started as a research project to improve search engine algorithms quickly transformed into a revolution in how people access and process information online. The name “Google” itself is a play on the word “googol,” a mathematical term for the number 1 followed by 100 zeros, symbolizing their mission to organize the vast amount of data on the internet.

At the time of its founding, Larry Page and Sergey Brin owned the majority of the company, and their influence shaped the direction of Google in its early years.

Google’s Parent Company: Alphabet Inc.

In 2015, Google underwent a major corporate restructuring, and Alphabet Inc. was created as the parent company of Google. This move allowed the company to separate its core internet services (search, ads, maps, etc.) from its more experimental ventures, like self-driving cars (Waymo), health tech (Verily), and other research initiatives.

Ownership Breakdown: Who Holds the Power?

Alphabet Inc. is publicly traded, meaning that anyone can buy shares in the company. However, not all shares are created equal. Google has a dual-class share structure, which gives more voting power to specific shareholders.

There are two main classes of Alphabet stock:

• Class A Shares (GOOGL): These are the regular shares that the general public can buy, and each Class A share comes with one vote.
• Class B Shares: These are owned by insiders, primarily Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and a few other top executives. Each Class B share holds 10 votes, giving the founders and executives disproportionate voting power compared to Class A shareholders.

Because of the Class B shares, Larry Page and Sergey Brin retain significant control over Alphabet despite no longer being involved in the company’s day-to-day operations. Even though they stepped down from their executive roles in 2019, the pair still owns a significant portion of the Class B shares, allowing them to have a strong say in major company decisions.

Major Shareholders

While Google’s founders hold a large portion of the company, institutional investors also play a significant role in its ownership. The biggest institutional shareholders include:

• Vanguard Group
• BlackRock
• Fidelity Management

These investment firms own sizable stakes in Alphabet Inc. through the Class A shares, giving them some influence, though far less than the founders due to the dual-class structure.

Sundar Pichai: The Face of Google

Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO since 2015 and Alphabet’s CEO since 2019, is one of the most prominent figures in the company. While Pichai doesn’t have the same ownership stake as the founders, he is responsible for leading both Google and Alphabet and steering the company’s global vision. His role has been crucial in the continued success of Google as a dominant force in tech.

Conclusion

In summary, while Google is owned by Alphabet Inc. and is publicly traded, real control still rests in the hands of its co-founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, due to their ownership of special Class B shares. With Sundar Pichai at the helm, Google continues to grow under Alphabet’s umbrella, but the vision of its original creators remains a guiding force.