Google turns 26 today

What began as a modest project in a garage has evolved into one of the foremost technology companies globally, influencing nearly every facet of contemporary life. Indeed, we are referring to Google, the renowned tech powerhouse.

On September 27, 2024, Google will commemorate its 26th anniversary.

Back on September 4, 1998, Stanford PhD candidates Larry Page and Sergey Brin established Google, signifying a crucial turning point in how future generations would seek and engage with information and technology.

The founders aimed to create a more effective way to navigate the internet, surpassing traditional search methods by exploring the connections between websites.

Operating from their dormitory rooms, they crafted a search engine that evaluated the importance of individual web pages based on their interlinking. Initially named BackRub, this search engine eventually became known as Google.

In a remarkably short time, Google began attracting investors. In August 1998, Andy Bechtolsheim, a co-founder of Sun Microsystems, provided Larry and Sergey with a check for $1,000,000, marking the formal establishment of Google Inc.

The financial support received was crucial in facilitating a significant transition in Google’s journey. With this funding, the founders were able to secure an office space, moving away from their initial living arrangements.

Page and Brin allocated part of their investors’ contributions to create Google’s first official headquarters, which was a garage repurposed into an office in Menlo Park, California.

“Today, Google offers a multitude of products that serve millions of users worldwide, including YouTube, Android, Gmail, and, of course, Google Search. While we’ve moved on from our Lego servers and welcomed a few more company dogs, our commitment to developing technology for everyone remains unchanged—from our dorm room beginnings to our garage, and continuing to this day,” states the official website.

“When Sergey and I established Google, we had aspirations, but we did not anticipate the scale and impact it would achieve. Our primary and lasting goal was to assist people in finding information efficiently,” Page remarked prior to Google’s initial public offering in 2004.

Looking at the present, Google Accounts dominate the global search engine landscape, boasting an impressive market share of 91.54%, thereby reinforcing its position as the leading search engine worldwide.