Early Life and Education
Sergey Mikhailovich Brin was born on August 21, 1973, in Moscow, Russia. His family immigrated to the United States when he was six to escape antisemitism. He attended the University of Maryland, earning a bachelor's degree in mathematics and computer science in 1993. He later pursued a PhD in computer science at Stanford University, where he met Larry Page.
Rise to Success
At Stanford, Brin and Page developed the Google search engine. The project, initially called BackRub, used a unique algorithm (PageRank) to rank search results. They officially founded Google Inc. on September 4, 1998, in Menlo Park, California. Google quickly became a dominant force in the search engine market, leading to an IPO in 2004 and rapid expansion.
Key Business Strategies
Google's success is attributed to its innovative search technology, strategic acquisitions, and advertising revenue model. The company expanded its services, including Gmail, Google Maps, and Android, becoming a global technology leader. Brin served as President of Technology at Google and later as the president of Alphabet, Google's parent company. He and Page remain at Alphabet as co-founders, controlling shareholders, and board members.
Philanthropy
Brin has been involved in significant philanthropic efforts, including funding research for Parkinson's disease after his mother was diagnosed. He has donated over $1 billion to fund research on the disease. In 2022, Brin founded Catalyst4, a non-profit focused on health and climate change. He also donated $1.1 billion in Alphabet shares to charities.
