Larry Page

Early life

Born on March 26, 1973, in East Lansing, Michigan, Page’s parents were both computer science professors. Page grew up in a family where computers and technology were always present, which fueled his early interest in computing. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in computer engineering from the University of Michigan and went on to obtain a Master of Science degree in computer science from Stanford University.

During an interview, Page recollected his childhood home as disorganized, with computers, science, and technology magazines, as well as Popular Science magazines scattered all over the place. This setting allowed him to fully immerse himself in his interests. As a young person, Page was an enthusiastic reader, as he spent a considerable amount of time poring over books and magazines.

According to Nicholas Carlson, a writer, the combination of Page’s home environment and attentive parents encouraged creativity and innovation. While growing up, Page played musical instruments and studied music composition. His parents sent him to Interlochen Arts Camp in Interlochen, Michigan, where he learned about music.

Page mentioned that his musical training inspired his fascination with speed and impatience in computing. “I feel like music training led to the high-speed legacy of Google for me,” he said in an interview. Page explained that “In music, you’re very cognizant of time. Time is like the primary thing” and that “If you think about it from a music point of view, if you’re a percussionist, you hit something, it’s got to happen in milliseconds, fractions of a second”.

At six years old, Page’s interest in computers began to develop when he was able to tinker with first-generation personal computers that were left lying around by his parents. He was even the first student in his elementary school to submit an assignment typed on a word processor.

His older brother, Carl Victor Page Jr., taught him how to disassemble items, and soon after, Page began taking apart everything in his house to understand how it functioned. He realized at an early age that he had a strong desire to invent things and was interested in technology and business. By the age of 12, he already had the inkling that he would eventually start his own company.

Career

Page, along with Brin, developed the PageRank algorithm, which was the foundation of Google’s search engine technology. The algorithm analyzes links between web pages to determine their relevance and importance, and this approach revolutionized the way people searched for information on the internet. In 1998, the two launched Google as a search engine that quickly became the dominant player in the market. Page served as Google’s CEO from 1998 to 2001, and again from 2011 to 2015.

Under Page’s leadership, Google expanded its operations into a variety of new areas, including email, web analytics, and mobile operating systems. He also oversaw the development of numerous Google products, such as Google Maps, Google Books, and Google News. In addition to his work at Google, Page has invested in a number of other companies and start-ups, including Tesla, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), and Planetary Resources.

He has also invested in various renewable energy technologies, including Tesla Motors, and actively promotes the adoption of plug-in hybrid electric cars and alternative energy investments through Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm. Additionally, he supports the development of aerial vehicles for consumer travel as a strategic backer of the Opener startup.

Moreover, Page has a strong interest in understanding the societal impact of advanced intelligent systems and digital technologies. He believes in utilizing these advancements to create abundance and provide for people’s needs while reducing the workweek and mitigating the negative effects of technological unemployment. To support this vision, he helped establish Singularity University, a transhumanist think-tank that receives funding from Google and offers scholarships to students.

Page has received numerous awards and accolades for his work in the technology industry. In 2002, he was named a World Economic Forum Global Leader for Tomorrow, and in 2004, he was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. In 2007, he received an honorary doctorate of science from the University of Michigan. Page has also been listed among Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” several times.

Net Worth

His net worth is estimated to be $83.5 billion in March of 2023.

Achievement

Larry Page has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his career, including:

Marconi Prize (2004): Page, along with co-founder Sergey Brin, received the Marconi Prize in recognition of their work on the development of the PageRank algorithm and the founding of Google.

Webby Awards Lifetime Achievement (2005): Page and Brin were recognized for their contributions to the internet and were awarded the Lifetime Achievement award at the Webby Awards.

Webby Awards Lifetime Achievement (2005): Page and Brin were recognized for their contributions to the internet and were awarded the Lifetime Achievement award at the Webby Awards.

Global Economy Prize (2009): Page received the Global Economy Prize from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy in recognition of his contributions to economic globalization.

Communication and Society Award (2010): Page and Brin were honored by the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania for their contributions to the field of communication.

Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award (2011): Page received the Golden Plate Award from the Academy of Achievement for his contributions to the field of technology.

World Economic Forum's Crystal Award (2013): Page was recognized by the World Economic Forum for his leadership in the technology industry and was awarded the Crystal Award.

Bloomberg's Most Influential People in the World (2013, 2014): Page was listed among the most influential people in the world by Bloomberg in both 2013 and 2014.

Carnegie Mellon University's Andrew Carnegie Prize in Mind and Brain Science (2018): Page was awarded the Andrew Carnegie Prize in recognition of his contributions to the field of mind and brain science.