Sergey Brin is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world. He is one of the co-founders of Google, which has now become the largest search engine in the world. However, how did he achieve this success?
In this success story, we will delve into the life and career of Sergey Brin. Starting from his childhood in Russia to his days as a student at Stanford University, we will see how he became one of the most successful technology entrepreneurs in history.
Brief Story
In 2018, Forbes ranked Sergey Brin as the 35th most powerful person in the world.
The impact of Google on society has been compared to the invention of the printing press in ancient times.
When he was young, Sergey Brin and his family left the Soviet Union to escape anti-Semitism there. However, later he had a significant influence on the world through Google, Inc.
In 1979, at the age of six, Brin, along with his parents and siblings, immigrated to the United States. They were among the last Jewish people allowed to leave the Soviet Union before the Gorbachev era.
His father became a mathematics professor at the University of Maryland, while his mother became a scientific researcher at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
Growing up in an education-focused family environment, it's no surprise that Brin received a scholarship from the National Science Foundation that took him to Stanford University. There, he met Larry Page, and they became close friends.
Their interest in data mining systems and the early stages of the Internet led them to develop the technology behind the Google search engine. This was a revolution in how online information searches were conducted.
Unfortunately, Brin and Page did not find a company interested in buying their technology. Therefore, they decided to leave school and start their own business.
In 1998, an internet search engine named Google was born with a $100,000 investment from Sun Microsystems' founder, Andy Bechtolsheim. Today, the company is not only the world's leading search engine but also offers dozens of products and services in many languages.
Its impact on sharing information can be compared to Johannes Gutenberg, who invented the modern printing press.
To reflect the company's scope and the founders' determination to "Do things that are more ambitious," in 2015, Google, Inc. changed its name to Alphabet.
In 2018, Brin was recognized as the 35th most influential person and the 13th wealthiest person in the world by Forbes magazine. He served as the president of Google, the most famous subsidiary under Alphabet, before resigning in 2019. Currently, he is working on developing a new form of emission-free air travel.
Brin's mother was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and he discovered that both he and his mother share a mutation of the LRRK2 gene (G2019S), which increases the risk of developing the disease.
In 2014, he and his wife donated $53 million to the Michael J. Fox Foundation as part of the Brin-Wojcicki challenge to fight Parkinson's disease.
In 2017, he openly voiced opposition to policies that banned immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries, citing his family's background as refugees.
Read also: The Success Story of Larry Page, One of the Google Founders
Early Life and Education of Sergey Brin
Sergey Brin was born on August 21, 1973, in Moscow, the Soviet Union, to parents of Russian Jewish descent, Yevgenia and Mikhail Brin.
He and his family moved to the United States when he was six years old. Brin earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Maryland, where he studied computer science and mathematics. Later, he went on to obtain a PhD in computer science from Stanford University.
Brin's early childhood was spent in the Soviet Union, where he was born on August 21, 1973. His family was Jewish and faced religious persecution under the communist regime.
When Sergey was six years old, his family was granted permission to immigrate to the United States as part of a refugee program. The family settled in Maryland, where Sergey would attend high school before moving on to college.
Sergey Brin pursued his education at the University of Maryland, where he completed his undergraduate studies in computer science and mathematics.
Later, he continued his graduate studies at Stanford University, earning a PhD in computer science in 2002. It was during his time at Stanford that Sergey met Larry Page, with whom he later co-founded Google.
The Establishment of Google
In 1998, Sergey Brin and Larry Page jointly founded Google, one of the most popular search engines in the world.
These two individuals met while they were both doctoral students at Stanford University. They had the idea to create Google while collaborating on a research project.
Initially, Google was merely a research project for these two students. However, quickly this project grew beyond that.
The company was officially launched in September 1998. Since then, Google has become one of the most renowned companies in the world.
Google has undergone many changes since its inception. Nowadays, Google offers a variety of products and services that go beyond mere search.
However, its primary mission remains the same: "To organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful."
Thanks to Sergey Brin's vision and dedication, Google has become one of the most influential companies globally.
Also read: Important Facts - The History of Google's Establishment as the Largest Search Engine
Sergey Brin's Career Peak
In 2015, Sergey Brin became the president of Alphabet Inc., the new parent company of Google. He remained actively involved in the development of various Google products.
In 2018, he announced his intention to step down from the role of Alphabet's president and to focus on other projects within the company, including working on new technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Sergey Brin's Philanthropy
Sergey Brin, one of the co-founders of Google, is no stranger to philanthropy. In fact, he is considered one of the most generous technology billionaires in the world.
In 2015, Brin donated $335 million to the University of Cambridge to support research in artificial intelligence and machine learning. He also made a contribution of $32 million to the Michael J. Fox Foundation to support Parkinson's research.
And that's just a small portion of his charitable donations. Overall, Brin has contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to causes that he deeply cares about.
What drives Brin to make such generous donations? He has stated that he wants to make a difference in the world and help address some of humanity's biggest challenges.
That is a commendable goal, and with billions of dollars at his disposal, Brin is certainly in a position to make a significant impact.
Personal Life of Sergey Brin
Sergey Brin was born on August 21, 1973, in Moscow, Russia. His family immigrated to the United States when he was six years old.
He has a twin sister named Anna. Sergey attended Stanford University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in computer science and a master's degree in electrical engineering.
He met Larry Page while both were working on a research project at Stanford. They became friends and later co-founded Google. Sergey married Anne Wojcicki, who is also one of the founders of the biotechnology company 23andMe. They have two children.
In his spare time, Sergey enjoys mountain climbing, flying planes, and kite surfing.
What is Sergey Brin's net worth?
The company has made Brin incredibly wealthy, with his current net worth reaching $52.4 billion in March 2019, making him the 12th richest person in the world according to Forbes. In 2020, Sergey Brin's estimated net worth was $53.5 billion.
Conclusion
The success story of Sergey Brin is truly inspiring. He came from a humble background and through hard work and determination, achieved remarkable accomplishments.
Today, he is one of the wealthiest individuals in the world and has played a role in revolutionizing the way we use the internet forever.
If you ever feel down or find it difficult to achieve your dreams, remember the story of Sergey Brin and how he managed to overcome every obstacle in his journey.