What do you do when you are unsure about something? Anything, really.
You Google it.
Google has become the most popular search engine in the world. But how did it all begin?
In the minds of two young computer science graduates—Sergey Brin and Larry Page.
“We should be building great things that don’t exist,” says Sergey.
And that’s what they did.
Google’s popularity is surreal. But what do we know about its founders?
Below, we have prepared a list of the most interesting Sergey Brin facts. Let’s dive in!
The Most Important Sergey Brin Facts (Editor’s Choice)
- Brin moved with his family from the Soviet Union to the US in 1979.
- Brin’s mother was a NASA scientist, and his father—a mathematician.
- Sergey Brin met Larry Page at Stanford University in 1995.
- In 2004, Sergey Brin became the youngest person on the Forbes 400 list of richest people in the world.
- At the end of 2021, his net worth is $66 billion.
- Brin married Anne Wojcicki in 2007.
- Sergey Brin and Larry Page stepped down as president and CEO of Google in December 2019.
- Brin has donated over $100 million to research Parkinson’s disease.
- Sergey launched Google Glass—an innovative way to share information.
Sergey Brin Biography
The average person uses Google four times a day. Yet, one of the most common searches related to one of its founders is “Who is Sergey Brin?”.
The irony, right?
Let’s sort this out and learn more about the co-founder of Google.
How did he come up with the idea of Google?
What was his childhood like?
What about his family?
We cover these in more in the interesting facts about Sergey Brin below.
1. Brin moved with his family from the Soviet Union to the US in 1979.
(Source: CelebrityFunFacts)
Sergey Mikhaylovich Brin was born on August 21, 1973, in the Soviet Union. His family moved to Maryland in 1979.
Why did Sergey Brin’s family go from Moscow to America?
Well, his father, Michael Brin, wanted to be an astrophysicist. However, he realized his education would be hindered due to unofficial anti-Semitic policies in the Soviet Union at the time.
Michael Brin was on the verge of giving up. He started working in mathematics and economics.
Later on, at a math conference in Warsaw, Poland, Michael met a few Americans he found trustworthy. The decision to move to the States came shortly after that.
2. Brin’s mother was a NASA scientist, and his father—a mathematician.
(Source: SCMP, CelebrityFunFacts)
Where did Brin get this ambition from?
Born in a family of two scientists, Sergey Brin’s bio was undoubtedly influenced by his parents’ careers.
Now retired, Michael Brin was a mathematician and economist and Eugenia Brin was a NASA scientist. Although he went in a different direction, Brin surpassed even the wildest expectations.
3. Sergey Brin enrolled in the University of Maryland.
(Source: SCMP)
Sergey Brin’s early life passed in the Soviet Union. However, he moved to the US when he was only six years old.
His parents enrolled him in a Montessori school. He continued his education at the University of Maryland.
Brin earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science but did not stop there. He signed up for a PhD in computer science at Stanford University.
This turned out to be a life-changing experience. But more on that later.
4. Brin got married to Anne Wojcicki in 2007.
(Source: SCMP)
Before we dive into Brin’s business affairs, let’s take a look at his personal life.
In 2007, he married Anne Wojcicki—the CEO of a genetics company called 23andMe.
Does this family name sound familiar to you?
Sergey Brin’s wife is Susan Wojcicki’s sister. Susan was the 16th employee at Google, and she strongly believed in its future success. She even rented her garage space to Brin and Page. Later, she became the CEO of YouTube.
In 2013, Sergey and Ann separated. They got a divorce two years later. Allegedly, Brin had an affair with Amanda Rosenberg, a Google employee, before his divorce was finalized.
5. Brin and Wojcicki donated their children’s DNA.
(Source: CelebrityFunFacts, SCMP)
Anne Wojcicki and Sergey Brin have two children—Benji and Chloe. Interestingly, they tested their DNA at 23andMe, Anne’s genetics company.
Why?
Their goal was to check their children’s genes for a predisposition to certain illnesses. They were particularly interested in Parkinson’s disease, which runs in Brin’s family.
Unfortunately, the tests showed Sergey has the mutation related to the disease in his genes. However, he lowered the risk to less than 10% through exercise and a healthy regimen.
6. Sergey Brin and Nicole Shanahan got together in 2015.
(Source: SCMP)
Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki officially got divorced in 2015. Rumor is that Brin started his relationship with Nicole Shanahan that same year.
Shanahan is the founder of a legal tech start-up and the mother of Brin’s second daughter. The couple doesn’t disclose any details about their personal life publicly. They even got married in secret.
7. Sergey Brin appears in “The Internship.”
(Source: CNN)
If you are a film buff like us, you’ll appreciate this trivia.
Sergey Brin makes a cameo appearance at the beginning of “The Internship.”
Interestingly, the 2013 movie starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson tells the story of Google. In a way.
What’s more, part of it was shot at the Googleplex headquarters using 100 real Google employees.
Sergey Brin Career
There are quite a few interesting facts about Sergey Brins’ personal life, no argument there. Still, most people are interested in his career.
If you’ve ever Googled:
Who is the real owner of Google?
How was Google created?
What has Brin invested in?
… you can find the answers to these questions among the Sergey Brin facts below.
Who knows, they might inspire you to launch your own tech company.
8. Sergey Brin met Larry Page at Stanford University in 1995.
(Source: CNN)
How did Larry Page and Sergey Brin meet?
Computer science brought them together. Shocking, I know.
The story of Google’s creation has a trivial beginning. Brin went to Stanford for his PhD and met Larry Page.
However, this meeting influenced not only Sergey Brin’s career history but the whole world.
9. Sergey Brin’s net worth in 2022 is over $120 billion.
(Source: Forbes)
Not only did the collaboration between Brin and Page bring them billions, it made Brin the richest immigrant in America.
In fact, he was the youngest person to enter Forbes’ list of the richest people in the world back in 2004.
As of December 2021, his net worth is $121.3 billion. He went from Wojcicki’s garage to number six on Forbes 400 real quick.
Sergey Brin’s net worth also put him on the Billionaires 2021 list, the Powerful People 2018, and Richest in Tech 2017.
Quite the accomplishments, don’t you think?
10. Sergey Brin and Larry Page stepped down as president and CEO of Google in December 2019.
(Source: CNN)
Sergey Brin co-founded Google with Larry Page back in 1998. The quick expansion and large popularity of the search engine called for a restructuring.
In August 2015, Google formed a holding company named Alphabet. It currently includes a few other businesses, too. Google got a new CEO while Brin and Page became president and CEO of Alphabet.
On December 3, 2019, however, Brin and Page stepped down from their roles in the holding company, too. They are still part of the board of directors, though.
Okay, enough about business. Let’s look at some more interesting facts about Sergey Brin.
11. Brin is highly devoted to an active lifestyle.
(Source: SCMP)
The Google co-founder has always been a fan of high-adrenaline exercises. At Stanford University, he tried out various sports, including skating, skiing, gymnastics, trapeze.
He really is busting the myth of computer science “nerds.”
Brin is known as a fitness addict. Even at Google, he wears workout clothes and Vibram barefoot shoes.
You might even spot him rollerblading around the office or doing yoga stretches in the middle of a meeting.
12. Brin likes expensive purchases.
(Source: Forbes)
We all love buying new shiny things. But Brin really indulges himself.
One of his biggest passions is airships. That’s not a rare occasion for billionaires, as it turns out. Just look at Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos.
However, as with everything else, Brin tries to keep his airship projects a secret. Even in 2022, we know relatively few facts about Sergey Brin’s airship plans.
In the twenty years of managing Google, Brin has spent millions on luxurious objects.
In 2005, he bought a 50-person plane with Page. What’s more, he owns a superyacht estimated at $80 million.
13. Brin and Wojcicki established The Brin Wojcicki Foundation.
(Source: CelebrityFunFacts)
Brin and his former wife Anne Wojcicki founded The Brin Wojcicki Foundation. Before the couple divorced, it was called The Brin Foundation.
The foundation has donated money to numerous causes. Some of them include supporting the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s disease and the Wikimedia Foundation.
In 2011, Brin’s foundation took 25th place in The Chronicles Philanthropy 50 list. In spite of his many quirks, Sergey Brin prioritizes philanthropy—especially causes related to Parkinson’s disease.
Wrap Up
Where to, Brin?
What’s next for Google’s co-founder after conquering the tech world?
Is space the next destination? Or is it philanthropy and finding a cure for Parkison’s disease?
Only time can tell. But we are sure that Sergey Brin facts will continue to amaze us!
Sources
Unaware that life beyond the internet exists, Nick is poking servers and control panels, playing with WordPress add-ons, and helping people get the hosting that suits them.
