Sergey Brin's net worth largely comes from being one of the genius Google cofounders. He’s now the thirteenth-richest person in the world and the richest immigrant in America! Brin helped create Google with co-founder Larry Page using their computer technology skills. Within twenty years, they built the world’s largest search engine worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
Although he loves luxury indulgences, Brin is passionate about making the world a better place. Check out this article to learn more about how he built Google and what he spends his money on!
Early Life
Sergey Brin was born on August 21, 1972, in Russia. His ethnicity is Russian-Jew. His parents, Yevgenia and Mikhail Brin, moved them to Vienna in 1979 when Sergey was six. Soon later, they moved to the United States when his father received a job at the University of Maryland.
Sergey’s father decided to pursue mathematics after his dream of being an astronomer failed. His mom is a researcher with NASA (the United States’ National Aeronautics Space Administration),
Sergey Brin attended Paint Branch Montessori School in Adelphi, Maryland when he was six. However, he became bored by their simple classes and his parents began homeschooling him. They taught him the Russian language as well as advanced mathematics and computer science. For high school, he attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Maryland. He went onto the University of Maryland in 1990.
Sergey Brin’s age when graduating from college is impressive. He was only 19 years old when he graduated with a Computer Science degree. Soon after, he began graduate studies in Computer Science at Stanford University with a graduate fellowship he received from the National Science Foundation. Here, he met Larry Page, his future business partner!
Alphabet & Google
Who would have known that the legendary Google co-founders didn’t like each other when they first met? They warmed up to each other over the years went by and became close friends.
They developed the PageRank algorithm (used to determine the importance of web pages) using Brin’s HTML programming skills. It’s the same algorithm used by Google today! Larry Page’s dorm room was converted to a server lab where they assembled computer components to build a device, then connected it to the Stanford University network. It was known as “BackRub” back then, but they later changed the name to Googol and then finally to Google.
As their search engine grew in popularity among Stanford, it required additional servers. The initial version of Google was made available on the Stanford Web site in August 1996. It became so popular at Stanford that they abandoned their Ph.D. studies to start up Google in Susan Wojcicki’s garage in Menlo Park!
Sergey Brin's Net Worth: An estimated $58 billion
Before deciding to devote themselves to Google, they attempted to sell their idea for a mere $1 million to a few companies. Once this failed, they looked for angel investors. They met Andy Bechtolsheim, who was the vice president of Cisco Systems, and he invested $100,000 in their idea. They must be happy they decided to pursue the business – Sergey Brin’s net worth would not have been billions if they sold it.
Google Today
To this day, Google is the most-used search engine and #1 website in the world. It offers video content, education, mobile technology, digital libraries, and even self-driving cars. Sundar Pichai is currently the CEO of Google ever since 2018. During his first year, his salary reached nearly $500 million!
Sergey Brin is an excellent business leader – that’s why he’s the CEO of Alphabet Inc, Google's parent company. It’s is worth $900 billion and employs about 89,000 people worldwide. By itself, Google’s net worth is around $300 billion.
Currently, Brin is involved in the Google Glass program – his Instagram page is filled with relevant content. Surprisingly, the Google cofounder only has 16k followers on this social media outlet.
He owns both Class B and Class C shares, giving him about a 5.5 percent stake in the business. It’s also been shown that he owns about 19 million shares of Alphabet Class C stock. Since 2004, Sergey Brin has sold shares valued at around $9 billion.
As rich as the man is, he only takes home a $1 yearly salary.
Other Business Ventures
Although Sergey Brin devotes most of his time to Google, he was the Executive Producer of Broken Arrows, a movie that came out in 2007. He also invests and donates to charity, which is shared a few sections below.
What Does He Spend His Billions On?
Private Jets: Larry Page and Sergey Brin’s net worth combined is jaw-dropping. Together, the Google co-founders jointly own a customized Boeing 767-200 and a Dornier Alpha Jet. They pay $1.3 million a year to house their jets, in addition to the two Gulfstream V jets owned by Google executives at Moffett Federal Airfield. The Boeing holds 50 passengers.
It seems that private planes aren’t enough – they also have an $82 million private airport in San Jose owned by Google.
Vacations: The Google co-founders host a super-exclusive Google Camp every year in Sicily. It takes place at the Verdura Resort, which costs $2,000 for one night for a 1,600-square-foot villa with a private pool and spa treatments. The resort has a private coastline, two golf courses, and a 200-foot infinity pool. Guests include celebrities like Evan Spiegel, George Lucas, and Pharrell.
Yacht: They’ve also been known to vacation in Fiji together. Brin reportedly bought the world’s fastest superyacht (the Dragonfly) for $80 million in 2011. It can hold 18 guests and 16 employees. Sergey Brin’s yacht has an open-air cinema, dance floor, and Jacuzzi. Larry Page has another yacht of his own.
Fun Activities: Brin has been spotted at advanced trapeze classes at the Circus Warehouse in New York City. These cost $1,760 per month! He’s also a lover of roller hockey, ultimate Frisbee, kiteboarding, gymnastics, and other activities.
Employees: Brin pays 47 workers' salaries outside of Google. They all work for him and his family including bankers who manage his philanthropy and finances, a fitness coordinator, a yacht captain, an archivist, and a photographer.
Real Estate
Sergey Brin’s house is pretty incredible. He owns a 3,457-square-foot penthouse in New York City that cost him $8.5 million in 2008. His neighbors include Tiger Woods, Sarah Jessica Parker, and other celebrities. It has three bedrooms and two stories, with a 1,200-square-foot wraparound terrace that boasts views of lower Manhattan. His kitchen is filled with Moroccan tiles and beautiful appliances.
He has another home in Los Altos, California. Surprisingly, these are the only homes he owns. Sergey Brin’s net worth could afford him many more lavish mansions! He did almost purchase a $50 million mansion a few years ago, but it didn’t happen.
Aside from his home in Los Altos, he’s diving into the real estate business in the area without purchasing homes of his own. Brin owns a small real estate holding firm called Passerelle Investment Company. They buy property in Los Altos in order to beautify and transform their downtown.
They’re also trying to protect and promote local businesses! After purchasing commercial buildings, they charge below-market rent to the family business owners. They’ve purchased six commercial buildings so far that are now rented to a children’s bookstore, a children’s playspace, and a child-friendly coffee shop.
Personal Life + Family
Who is Sergey Brin’s wife? Currently, he’s not married. He was previously married to Anne Wojcicki, a biotech analyst, and entrepreneur. They were married in May 2007 in the Bahamas. She is the co-founder and CEO of 23andMe, the $1.5 billion personal genetics company.
Soon after they were married, they had a son in 2008 (Benji Wojin) and a daughter in 2011 (Chloe Wojin). Their split was announced in August 2013 because Brin was having an affair with Google Glass’s marketing director, Amanda Rosenberg. Their divorce was finalized in 2015.
Charitable Donations
Sergey Brin has big dreams to help the planet. From 2000 to 2017, he has donated a total of $37.5 million and counting. Sergey Brin’s net worth of billions definitely gives him the resources to donate to causes he believes in.
For one, Sergey Brin aims to help solve the world's energy and climate problems at Google's philanthropic arm (Google.org). This branch invests in the alternative energy industry to find new sources of renewable energy.
In October 2010, the Google founders invested in the first major offshore wind power development to assist the East Coast power grid. That same year, they introduced a car that can drive itself using video cameras and radar sensors. In the future, these vehicles could be built lighter, require less fuel consumption, and be involved in fewer accidents.
In 2012, Brin joined up with the Project Glass program and has demoed eyeglass prototypes. This research and development program by Google is to develop an augmented reality head-mounted display. It will offer hands-free displaying of information available on smartphones, and users could interact with the Internet using voice commands.
In 2008, Brin decided to make a donation to the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where his mother is being treated for Parkinson’s Disease.
Although divorced, Brin and his ex-wife still run The Brin Wojcicki Foundation. After the divorce, Anne Wojcicki’s net worth remains around $700 million. Through their foundation, they have donated extensively to The Michael J. Fox Foundation and in 2009 gave $1 million to support the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society.
Sergey Brin has been reportedly building a flying airship at a NASA research center near Mountain View, California. The project costs between $100 and $150 million, funded entirely by Brin.
He is also a donor to Democratic Party, having donated $5,000 to Barack Obama's reelection campaign and $30,800 to the DNC. In addition, Brin donated $500,000 to the Wikipedia Foundation.
Investments
To no surprise, he’s an investor in Tesla Motors (founded by Elon Musk, another billionaire). Brin and Page led an investment of $40 million back in 2006. Brin was the fourth person to receive a Tesla Model X Crossover SUV in 2015 when it was first released.
In 2008, Brin invested $4.5 million in Space Adventures, the space tourism company that sends people into orbit. With this investment, he’ll be getting a flight to outer space! He has also invested in his ex-wife’s genetics company, 23andMe.
Awards
- 2002, Brin and Page named among the top 100 innovators in the world under the age of 35 by MIT Technology Review TR100
- 2003, Brin and Page received an honorary MBA from IE Business School for embodying the entrepreneurial spirit and lending momentum to the creation of new businesses.
- 2003, Brin and Page were both Award Recipients and National Finalists for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award
- 2004, Brin and Page named “Persons of the Week” by ABC World News Tonight.
- 2004, Brin and Page received the Marconi Foundation Prize (the highest award in engineering) and were elected Fellows of the Marconi Foundation at Columbia University.
- Also in 2004, Brin received the American Academy of Achievement's Golden Plate Award with Larry Page
- 2005, Brin nominated to be one of the World Economic Forum’s “Young Global Leaders”
- 2009, Forbes named Brin and Page the fifth most powerful people in the world.
- 2009, Brin inducted into the National Academy of Engineering, which is one of the highest professional distinctions.
- 2011, Brin and his ex-wife ranked number 25 on the Chronicle’s Philanthropy 50 list of the most generous donors (based on their $61.9 million donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research).
Bottom Line
Overall, Sergey Brin is an intelligent and philanthropic billionaire – something we need more of in the world. He helped create one of the most powerful inventions in the world and is the richest immigrant in America.
Although he’s generous, he also loves to indulge in extravagant purchases like his massive yacht, private jets with his business partner, a New York penthouse, lavish vacations, and expensive classes. It’s no surprise that Sergey Brin’s net worth is $50+ billion just from being a Google co-founder!
So, one reason so many people love reading articles like this - about people who've created massive, life-altering wealth - is curiosity. We want to know how'd they get so rich? What are they doing with all that money? What's their life like? It's almost as if there's this invisible wall we want to peer over, to see how "the other half" lives. It's as if the ultra-rich have secrets most people don't know. They DO! And that's good news, actually, because we can all learn them. Once we begin learning what they know, we can do what they did, and create the kind of life most people only wish they had. If you've got that same curiosity about "the other half" you should check this out.
