How did the company gain global tech dominance?

25 years of Google: Search engine giant Google is celebrating its 25th anniversary on Wednesday with a special Google Doodle that features all the different logos the engine has had over the past two and a half decades. Founded in 1998, Google was started by Larry Page and Sergey Brin. The two met while pursuing their doctoral degrees in Stanford University’s computer science programme, and initiated a research project initially named “BackRub”. It was this project that was later renamed to Google, which transformed the global digital landscape.

First cheque

In August 1998, Google Inc officially commenced with a $100,000 cheque from Andy Bechtolsheim, co-founder of Sun Microsystems. From their Stanford dorm room, Page and Brin transitioned to their first “office”, a rented garage in Menlo Park, California. This garage served as their workplace and also hosted a ping pong table, becoming their home for several years as they tirelessly worked to bring their vision of an organised internet to life.

Today, Google’s influence extends far beyond its search engine. With products such as YouTube, Android, Gmail, and Google Maps, Google has become an integral part of daily life for billions worldwide.

Google’s impact on the tech world grew when it became the default search engine for Yahoo in 2000. The introduction of AdWords in October 2000 laid the foundation for Google’s dominance in online advertising.

Gmail launch

Another significant development came in 2004 when Google announced Gmail with a groundbreaking 1GB of storage capacity, revolutionising email services and solidifying its place in our daily lives. In the same year, Google went public with an August IPO.

Google’s innovation extended beyond search and email. The company ventured into the mobile sphere with the acquisition of Android in 2005 and the launch of Google Talk. The acquisition of YouTube in 2006 marked Google’s entry into the online video realm.

Google’s acquisition streak continued with DoubleClick in 2007, expanding its reach in online advertising. The introduction of universal search in 2007 allowed users to access a wide array of content types within a single search.

In 2008, Google unveiled its inaugural Android phone, the T-Mobile G1, and introduced the world to the Chrome web browser. Subsequent years witnessed the launch of Google Glass, the acquisition of mapping startup Waze, and the establishment of Alphabet, Google’s parent company. Sundar Pichai assumed the role of CEO of Google within the Alphabet conglomerate.