Sergey Mikhailovich Brin ( born August 21, 1973) is an American computer scientist and entrepreneur who co-founded Google with Larry Page. He served as president of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company, until his resignation on December 3, 2019. Despite stepping down, he and Page continue to serve as co-founders, board members, and controlling shareholders of Alphabet. As of December 2024, Brin's estimated net worth is $164 billion, making him the seventh-richest person in the world, according to Forbes and the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
 | |
| Born | August 21, 1973 Moscow, Soviet Union |
| Nationality | American |
| Education |
|
| Occupations | Computer scientist Businessman |
| Organizations | Google ,Alphabet Inc. |
| Known for |
|
| Spouses | Anne Wojcicki (m. 2007; div. 2015) Nicole Shanahan (m. 2018; div. 2023) |
| Children | 3 |
 | |
At the age of six, Brin emigrated from the Soviet Union to the United States. Following the academic paths of his father and grandfather, he studied computer science and mathematics at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he earned his bachelor's degree. In 1993, he enrolled at Stanford University to pursue a PhD in computer science, where he met Larry Page. Together, they developed an online search engine that gained popularity among Stanford students. Brin dropped out of his PhD program to co-found Google in a garage in Menlo Park, California, with Susan Wojcicki.
Early Life and Immigration to the United States
Sergey Mikhailovich Brin was born on August 21, 1973, in Moscow, Soviet Union, to Jewish parents, Mikhail and Eugenia Brin. His father, Mikhail, was a mathematics professor, and his mother, Eugenia, worked as a researcher at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Brin’s family lived in a modest three-room apartment in Moscow, sharing the space with his paternal grandmother.
In the late 1970s, after his father attended a mathematics conference in Warsaw, Poland, the Brin family made the life-changing decision to emigrate from the Soviet Union. This was not an easy process: the Soviet government was known for denying the exit visas of Jews who sought to leave. In 1978, after enduring months of uncertainty and temporary jobs, the Brin family was granted the official visas that would allow them to leave the country.
In May 1979, the Brins departed the Soviet Union, passing through Vienna and Paris before finally arriving in the United States on October 25, 1979. Their new life in America began in Adelphi, Maryland, where Sergey attended elementary school and was later home-schooled. His father’s background in mathematics had a profound impact on Sergey, sparking his interest in the subject from an early age. At Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Maryland, Sergey’s passion for mathematics and science flourished.
Academic Journey: University and Stanford
After high school, Brin enrolled in the University of Maryland in 1990, where he pursued a double major in computer science and mathematics. By 1993, Brin graduated with honors and began to explore the world of technology further. During the summer, he interned at Wolfram Research, creators of the famous software Mathematica.
Brin’s academic journey continued at Stanford University, where he pursued a PhD in computer science. It was at Stanford that Brin met Larry Page, his future partner in creating Google. Although the two initially disagreed on many ideas, they soon discovered a shared intellectual connection that would lead to one of the most successful business partnerships of all time.
The Birth of Google
In 1996, Brin and Page began working together on a project that would change the world. Their idea was to improve the existing web search engines by creating an algorithm that would rank web pages based on their relevance, as determined by the number and quality of links pointing to them. This algorithm, known as PageRank, was the foundation of their web search engine, which they initially called “BackRub.”
As their project grew in popularity at Stanford, the need for additional computing resources led the duo to turn Page’s dorm room into a makeshift lab, using spare computer parts to build a search engine capable of handling more users. Their new engine rapidly gained traction, and by 1997, it was officially renamed Google. The name was a play on the word "googol," reflecting their mission to organize the immense amount of information available on the web.
By 1998, Brin and Page had raised significant funding for Google and moved their operations out of the dorm rooms, setting up a more formal business structure in Menlo Park, California. Google was officially launched, and its revolutionary algorithm quickly set it apart from other search engines, changing how the world accessed information online.
Google’s Rise to Dominance
Google's success was due to the simplicity and efficiency of its search engine, which provided highly relevant results, unlike its competitors at the time. Within a few short years, Google grew exponentially, and the company expanded its offerings to include Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, and the Android operating system, among others. Sergey Brin played a pivotal role in shaping the vision and technical direction of the company, which quickly became a global giant.
In 2004, Google went public, raising billions of dollars and making Brin and Page among the wealthiest people in the world. Despite this newfound wealth and fame, Brin and Page remained focused on their mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
Brin's work at Google also contributed to the development of cutting-edge technologies, including Google Glass, a wearable augmented reality device that garnered both excitement and skepticism from the public. Throughout Google’s evolution, Brin and Page worked tirelessly to ensure that the company maintained its innovative edge, developing new products and services to keep pace with an ever-changing digital landscape.
The Creation of Alphabet Inc. and the Shift in Focus
As Google expanded and diversified its ventures, Brin and Page realized that a new structure was necessary to manage their growing portfolio of companies. In 2015, Google was reorganized under a new parent company, Alphabet Inc. Sergey Brin became the president of Alphabet, overseeing its diverse business divisions, which ranged from autonomous vehicles (Waymo) to life sciences (Verily) and beyond. Despite his new role, Brin remained deeply involved in Google's core business, with a continued focus on innovation.
In December 2019, Brin and Page announced that they were stepping down from their day-to-day roles at Alphabet, though they remained co-founders and controlling shareholders. Their decision marked the end of an era for Google, but they continued to guide the company with their visionary leadership.
Personal Life and Philanthropy
Brin’s personal life has been marked by his relationships and philanthropic efforts. In May 2007, he married Anne Wojcicki, a biotech analyst and entrepreneur, in a private ceremony in the Bahamas. The couple had two children together, but in 2013, it was revealed that Brin had had an extramarital affair with a Google Glass colleague, which led to the couple’s separation and eventual divorce in 2015.
In 2018, Brin married Nicole Shanahan, a legal tech founder, and the couple had a daughter. However, they separated in 2021 and finalized their divorce in 2023.
Despite his personal challenges, Brin has always remained committed to giving back. He is a significant donor to causes such as Parkinson’s disease research, a cause close to his heart due to his mother’s diagnosis with the disease. Brin has donated over $1 billion to Parkinson’s research and continues to support medical advancements through his philanthropic foundation.
Brin has also been an advocate for political causes, particularly supporting Democratic candidates and organizations. His charitable contributions extend beyond his personal interests, as he has supported various initiatives and non-profits, including the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and more.
Legacy and Awards
Sergey Brin’s legacy is cemented not only by his role in founding one of the world’s most successful and influential companies but also by the lasting impact Google has had on how we access, share, and consume information. Brin’s contributions to the tech industry have been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including being named one of the top innovators under 35 by MIT Technology Review and receiving the Marconi Prize for his work in developing Google’s search engine.
Brin’s achievements in engineering, leadership, and philanthropy have shaped not only the tech industry but also the world at large. As of September 2024, Brin’s net worth is estimated at $135 billion, placing him among the wealthiest individuals in the world
References
- (No date) ABC News. Available at: https://abcnews.go.com/Business/google-founders-larry-page-sergey-brin-stepping-company/story?id=67472607 (Accessed: 03 January 2025).
- Google - Sergey Brin (co-founder) en 2024 (2024) Pinterest. Available at: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/501307002287838019/ (Accessed: 03 January 2025).
- Google:Sergey Brin and Larry Page:founders of google, (no date) Google:Sergey Brin and Larry Page:Founders of Google,. Available at: https://successshiva.blogspot.com/2011/12/sergey-brin-and-larry-pagefounders-of.html (Accessed: 03 January 2025).
- Sergey Brin (no date) Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/profile/sergey-brin/ (Accessed: 03 January 2025).
- Sergey Brin’s signature (no date) SignHouse. Available at: https://usesignhouse.com/online-signature/sergey-brin/ (Accessed: 03 January 2025).
- Larry Page and Sergey Brin (no date) Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/profile/larry-page-and-sergey-brin/ (Accessed: 03 January 2025).
