What is Sergey Brin's Net Worth?
Sergey Brin is a Russian-born American computer scientist and internet entrepreneur who boasts a remarkable net worth of $141 billion. He co-founded Google, now operating under Alphabet, with Larry Page during their time at Stanford's computer science graduate program. Brin served as Google's head of technology from 2001 to 2011 before becoming the director of special projects. Alongside Larry, he holds about 6% of Alphabet's outstanding equity, wielding majority control through super-voting shares.
Ranked as one of the world's wealthiest individuals, Sergey Brin currently owns roughly 5.7% of Alphabet. Since Google’s 2004 IPO, he has sold approximately $10 billion in shares and holds significant equity in Tesla and 23andMe. He and Larry Page were early investors in Tesla, and Brin was the fourth recipient of Tesla Model X Crossover SUV.
Why is Larry Page Richer than Sergey Brin?
Larry Page owns slightly more shares of Alphabet than Brin. According to the company's latest SEC filing, Page owns 6.1% of Google's outstanding shares compared to Brin's 5.7%. Despite this difference, their combined stake, along with former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, gives them over 50% of the voting power through Class B shares.
Early Life
Born on August 21, 1973, in Moscow, Russia, Sergey Mikhaylovich Brin moved to Maryland at the age of 6 to escape Jewish persecution. His father, a University of Maryland math professor, nurtured Brin's early aptitude in mathematics and computers at home, guiding him towards a future in technology.
Stanford
In May 1993, Brin enrolled in Stanford University's computer science graduate program, where he met Larry Page during an orientation event. Although they initially clashed, their partnership eventually gave rise to revolutionary advancements in search engine technology.
(Photo by Kelly Sullivan/Getty Images for Breakthrough Prize)
Search Engine Innovation
Larry Page's novel approach to evaluating websites by examining their external links led to their creation of BackRub, an early search engine that utilized backlinks to gauge site importance. Their research paper, "The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Web Search Engine," became a highly downloaded scientific document, laying the groundwork for Google.
Launching Google
Incorporated in September 1998, Google began with initial funding from a Stanford professor, David Cheriton, and Sun Microsystems co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim. Since its IPO on August 20, 2004, Google has evolved into the world's leading internet company, dominating online search and digital advertising alongside Facebook. Despite criticism and antitrust investigations, Google's influence continues to expand globally.
Serving as Google's head of technology for a decade, Brin later transitioned to President of Alphabet, focusing heavily on robotics and alternative energy through Google.org. Actively supporting clean energy and climate solutions, he has made substantial personal investments in these areas.
Brin has also donated generously to Parkinson’s disease research, motivated by his mother's diagnosis, and continues to earn a symbolic $1 annual salary from Alphabet alongside Larry Page.
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Personal Life
Sergey Brin married Anne Wojcicki, co-founder of 23andMe, in 2007, and they have two children. They divorced in 2015. Since 2015, Brin has been involved with Nicole Shanahan, whom he married in 2018 and shares a child with. However, Brin filed for divorce in January 2022 after allegations of an affair between Shanahan and Elon Musk. Brin is also known for employing around 50 people to manage various aspects of his life, including philanthropy and personal well-being.
Real Estate and Toys
In 2008, Brin acquired a 3,500-square-foot penthouse in New York City's West Village for $8.5 million. He owns an estate in Los Altos Hills, California, and multiple properties in Malibu, including homes purchased in 2022 for $13.5 million and $35 million, previously owned by Pat Benatar and television producer Bill Lawrence.
Brin also co-owns a 73-meter yacht called Dragonfly and a customized Boeing 767-200 and Dornier Alpha Jet with Larry Page. They spent $82 million to build a private airport in San Jose in 2014.
