Alphabet Inc. owns Google through a corporate structure established in October 2015. The restructuring separated Google’s core internet business from experimental ventures while maintaining founder control through a dual-class share system.
Google processes over 8.5 billion searches daily and commands nearly 90% of the global search market. The company achieved a significant milestone in September 2025 when Alphabet became the fourth company to reach a $3 trillion market valuation, trailing Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple. Despite increasing competition from AI-powered alternatives, Google maintains its position as the dominant force in online search and digital advertising.
Who Owns Google?
Alphabet Inc. functions as the parent company that owns Google and oversees its operations alongside multiple subsidiary ventures. The ownership structure combines public shareholding with concentrated founder control through a sophisticated share classification system.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin retain strategic control despite owning relatively modest equity stakes. Through Class B super-voting shares, the founders command majority voting power while institutional investors hold the largest publicly traded positions.
Alphabet Inc. Parent Structure
The 2015 restructuring created Alphabet as a holding company to manage Google and other ventures independently. This framework allows experimental projects like Waymo and Verily to operate with distinct management teams while Google focuses on core internet services including search, advertising, and cloud computing.
Public Versus Private Ownership
Alphabet trades publicly on NASDAQ under two ticker symbols. Class A shares (GOOGL) provide standard voting rights, while Class C shares (GOOG) trade without voting privileges. The dual-class structure preserves founder influence while allowing public investment in company growth.
Largest Shareholders of Google
Institutional investors dominate Google’s shareholder landscape through index funds and exchange-traded funds. These financial institutions manage assets on behalf of millions of individual investors, creating concentrated ownership patterns across major technology companies.
The founders maintain outsized influence despite holding approximately 6% combined equity. Their Class B shares carry 10 votes each compared to one vote for publicly traded Class A shares.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin Holdings
Larry Page owns 3.1% of Alphabet’s total shares while Sergey Brin controls 2.9%. This modest equity stake translates to 51.7% of all voting rights through their Class B super-voting shares. The founders stepped back from daily executive responsibilities in December 2019 but remain board members and controlling shareholders.
Page and Brin continue as employees of Alphabet with active involvement in strategic decisions, particularly regarding artificial intelligence initiatives. Their voting control allows them to pursue long-term innovation strategies without pressure for short-term profit maximization.
Major Shareholder Distribution
Vanguard Group Holdings
Vanguard Group holds the largest publicly traded stake in Alphabet at approximately 7.3% of total shares1. The Pennsylvania-based investment management firm manages assets for roughly 30 million investors through mutual funds and ETFs. Vanguard’s ownership represents aggregated investments from individual retirement accounts and institutional portfolios rather than direct company control.
BlackRock and State Street Positions
BlackRock Inc. maintains approximately 6.2% ownership while State Street Corp. holds around 4.4% of Alphabet shares. These three institutional investors collectively own nearly 18% of the company, making them the largest non-founder shareholders. Their voting power influences corporate governance decisions including board elections and executive compensation policies.
The concentration of ownership among these institutional investors stems from the growth of passive index investing. When individuals invest in S&P 500 index funds, they indirectly become partial owners of every company in that index, including Alphabet.
History of Google Co-founders
Larry Page and Sergey Brin met at Stanford University in 1995 during doctoral studies in computer science. Their collaboration began with research analyzing website link structures to determine page importance and relevance.
The partnership evolved into BackRub, a search engine that evaluated backlinks to assess website authority. This approach differed fundamentally from existing search technologies that relied primarily on keyword matching and page content analysis.
From Stanford to Silicon Valley
The founders registered Google.com in September 1997, naming their creation after the mathematical term “googol.” Operations launched from a garage in Menlo Park, California, borrowed from Susan Wojcicki, who later became CEO of YouTube.
Google officially incorporated on September 4, 1998, with $100,000 in seed funding from Sun Microsystems co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim. The initial public offering occurred on August 19, 2004, raising $1.67 billion at $85 per share through an unconventional Dutch auction process.
Building the Technology Empire
Page and Brin expanded beyond search through strategic acquisitions and product development. YouTube joined Google in 2006 for $1.65 billion. Android operating system launched in 2008 after Google’s 2005 acquisition of Android Inc., eventually powering over 70% of global smartphones.
The founders maintained control through dual-class shares from the IPO onward, protecting their ability to make long-term strategic decisions without quarterly earnings pressure from public market investors.
Who is on the Board of Directors for Google?
Alphabet’s board of directors provides oversight and strategic guidance across the company’s diverse technology portfolio. The board composition balances technical expertise with business leadership experience, drawing from backgrounds in academia, finance, and technology entrepreneurship.
Nine directors serve on Alphabet’s board as of 2025. John L. Hennessy chairs the board while founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin maintain seats alongside CEO Sundar Pichai.
Executive Leadership
Sundar Pichai serves as CEO of both Alphabet and Google, assuming leadership in December 2019 when Page and Brin stepped down from executive roles. Pichai joined Google in 2004 and led successful product launches including Chrome, Chrome OS, and Google Drive before becoming CEO.
Anat Ashkenazi joined as Chief Financial Officer in 2024 from Eli Lilly, bringing healthcare industry financial expertise. Her appointment marked a strategic shift toward operational discipline and sustainable profitability across Alphabet’s experimental ventures.
Technology and Academic Expertise
John L. Hennessy serves as non-executive board chairman, bringing deep computer science knowledge from his tenure as Stanford University president. His academic background complements the board’s oversight of AI research, quantum computing, and autonomous vehicle development.
Frances Arnold, a Nobel Prize winner in chemistry, provides scientific perspective on Alphabet’s life sciences initiatives through Verily and Calico. Her expertise supports the board’s evaluation of biotechnology investments and healthcare technology strategies.
Investment and Financial Leadership
L. John Doerr represents venture capital experience through his role at Kleiner Perkins, an early Google investor. His board presence connects Alphabet to Silicon Valley’s startup ecosystem and emerging technology trends.
Roger W. Ferguson Jr. brings financial sector expertise from his background as Federal Reserve vice chairman and TIAA CEO. His experience guides board discussions on capital allocation, risk management, and macroeconomic considerations.
Diversity and Strategic Perspectives
R. Martin Chávez contributes technology and quantitative finance expertise from his career at Goldman Sachs. K. Ram Shriram, an early Google investor and board member since 1998, provides continuity and historical perspective on company evolution.
The board structure includes specialized committees for audit, compensation, and corporate governance. Directors meet quarterly with management teams and engage regularly on strategic matters including AI development, regulatory compliance, and competitive positioning against rivals like Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta.
FAQs
Who owns the majority of Google stock?
Larry Page and Sergey Brin control 51.7% of voting rights through Class B super-voting shares. Vanguard Group holds the largest publicly traded stake at 7.3% of total shares.
Is Google owned by Alphabet?
Yes, Google operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. The restructuring occurred in October 2015 to separate core internet services from experimental technology ventures.
How much of Google do the founders own?
Larry Page owns 3.1% and Sergey Brin owns 2.9% of Alphabet’s equity. Despite holding only 6% combined, they control majority voting rights through super-voting shares.
When did Google go public?
Google’s initial public offering occurred on August 19, 2004. The company raised $1.67 billion at $85 per share, trading on NASDAQ under ticker symbols GOOGL and GOOG.
What is Google’s current market share?
Google commands approximately 89.7% of the global search engine market as of October 20252. This represents the first sustained period below 90% since 2015.