Larry Page, an American businessman and former CEO of Google, is turning 53 on March 26. From co-founding Google, an American technology company, to becoming one of the richest people in the world, let's break down his net worth and see how wealthy he is.

Ahead of Larry Page’s 53rd birthday: A look at the world's second-richest person's net worth

Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google's co-founders, loved pulling pranks. Every April Fool's Day, they would come up with some outlandish idea. Once, they posted a job opening for a Copernicus research centre on Earth's moon.

Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google's co-founders, loved pulling pranks. Every April Fool's Day, they would come up with some outlandish idea. Once, they posted a job opening for a Copernicus research centre on Earth's moon. Another time, they said they'll introduce a "scratch and sniff feature" on the search engine. People eventually learned to laugh off their over-the-top and consistent pranks as another example of Google mischief. However, 20 years ago, Page and Brin decided to reveal something unbelievable on April Fool's Day. They introduced Gmail, a free service boasting one gigabyte of storage per account. It had an incomprehensible email capacity back then. It had enough space to store about 13,500 emails before running out of space in the age when Yahoo and Microsoft had space for only 30 to 60 emails. Furthermore, Gmail came with Google's search technology, where users could retrieve an old email, photo or other personal information saved on the platform. It also automatically compiled a string of conversations around the same topic. ALSO READ | Russia's secret intelligence unit responsible for spreading 'Havana Syndrome' in US, Canada: Report "The original pitch we put together was all about the three 'S's: storage, search and speed," said former Google executive Marissa Mayer. She helped design Gmail and other company products before becoming Yahoo's CEO. The Associated Press published a story about Gmail on April Fool's Day 2004. After the release, readers approached the news agency, saying that it was another prank by Google's founders. "That was part of the charm, making a product that people won't believe is real. It kind of changed people's perceptions about the kinds of applications that were possible within a web browser," former Google engineer Paul Buchheit recalled during a recent AP interview about his efforts to build Gmail. Gmail was part of a project called "Caribou," a reference to a running gag in the Dilbert comic strip. "There was something sort of absurd about the name Caribou, it just makes me laugh," said Buchheit, the 23rd employee hired at a company that now employs more than 180,000 people. While people thought Gmail was a joke, AP knew Google was not pulling a prank because an AP reporter had been abruptly asked to come to the company headquarters in California from San Franciso to see Gmail, which would make the trip worthwhile. (With inputs from agencies)

Did you know Gmail started as an April Fool's Joke 20 years ago?

The US Virgin Islands government is struggling to locate Google co-founder Larry Page to serve him a subpoena concerning a lawsuit against banking giant JPMorgan Chase for allegedly enabling Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring.

The US Virgin Islands government is struggling to locate Google co-founder Larry Page to serve him a subpoena concerning a lawsuit against banking giant JPMorgan Chase for allegedly enabling Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring. According to three-page court documents filed by the Virgin Islands government, the 50-year-old billionaire Google executive "is a high-net-worth individual who Epstein may have referred or attempted to refer to JPMorgan". The Virgin Islands stated that it had been unable to locate Page, who co-founded and co-owns Alphabet Inc, despite good faith attempts, which included hiring an investigative firm to search public record databases. “Our process server attempted service at the addresses identified by our investigative firm, but discovered the addresses were not valid for Mr. Page,” the documents said. Having been unable to reach Page, the government is now looking for an alternative. It has requested Manhattan federal court Judge Jed Rakoff to allow it to serve Alphabet Inc. as a substitute. ALSO READ | Jeffrey Epstein’s private islands sold to billionaire investor for $60 million Page is known to be a recluse who avoids the public eye. Legal documents accessed by US media have revealed that Page owns four islands and spent most of his time during the pandemic, hiding out on an island in Fiji. Notably, apart from Page, his fellow Google co-founder Sergey Brin, media tycoon Mortimer Zuckerman and Hyatt Hotels Chairman Thomas Pritzker have also been issued subpoenas. Jeffrey Epstein’s private islands The Virgin Islands government sued the banking giant last year in December, alleging that it knew about Epstein's predatory behaviour. It added that the bank turned a blind eye to evidence of human trafficking for over a decade as Epstein's account and the clients he brought to the bank made him extremely valuable. Epstein was accused of sexually exploiting dozens of underage girls, some as young as 14, at his homes in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Florida between 2002 and 2005. WATCH | Private Islands owned by Jeffrey Epstein × However, the majority of his sexual exploits took place on the 72-acre Little St. James Island which he purchased in 1998 for $7.95 million. He later bought the 160-acre Great St. James Island for $20 million in 2016. In the allegations against Epstein, it was said that he used to bring girls as young as 11 to the islands with his associates and used to sexually assault them. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Virgin Islands govt unable to subpoena Google's Larry Page in Jeffrey Epstein lawsuit

Amid news&nbsp;of Google co-founder Larry Page surfacing in Fiji to ride out the pandemic, reports say he was&nbsp;allowed in&nbsp;New Zealand despite the fact that the country had&nbsp;closed its borders due to the pandemic.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/worth-a-search-is-google-co-founder-larry-page-hiding-in-fiji-to-ride-out-covid-pandemic-402558">Also Read:&nbsp;Is Google co-founder Larry Page hiding in Fiji to ride out Covid pandemic?</a>

The reclusive Google co-founder reportedly wanted&nbsp;his young child to be treated in an&nbsp;Auckland hospital. Page, 48, and his child were reportedly evacuated aboard a&nbsp;New Zealand air&nbsp;ambulance.

New Zealand has severe entry COVID-19 restrictions. It is unclear whether Page spent time in isolation which is mandatory in New Zealand.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-37-american-states-sue-google-396829/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

New Zealand's opposition demanded an explanation from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Page being allowed&nbsp;entry into the country.

The New Zealand government categorised Page's visit as a "medical emergency" situation while adding that "Larry Page met relevant requirements to be approved entry to New Zealand.”

Page's request for entry into New Zealand was reportedly granted in January.&nbsp;

The high profile Google billionaire has kept a low profile ever since the pandemic began last year. He reportedly arrived in Fiji in a private jet and is reported to have bought an island in the country, however, the Fiji government hasn't revealed his whereabouts.

Page had reportedly spent time in Fiji's Tavarua island and was later spotted in Namotu. Although Fiji had closed its border due to the pandemic but its “Blue Lane” initiative allows high net individuals including superyacht and private jet owners to enter the country.

Page who co-founded Google with&nbsp;Sergey Brin is one of the richest men in the world with a net worth of US$ 121billon.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Amid news of Google co-founder Larry Page surfacing in Fiji to ride out the pandemic, reports say he was allowed in New Zealand despite the fact that the country had closed its borders due to the pandemic.

Amid news of Google co-founder Larry Page surfacing in Fiji to ride out the pandemic, reports say he was allowed in New Zealand despite the fact that the country had closed its borders due to the pandemic. Also Read: Is Google co-founder Larry Page hiding in Fiji to ride out Covid pandemic? The reclusive Google co-founder reportedly wanted his young child to be treated in an Auckland hospital. Page, 48, and his child were reportedly evacuated aboard a New Zealand air ambulance. New Zealand has severe entry COVID-19 restrictions. It is unclear whether Page spent time in isolation which is mandatory in New Zealand. Watch: New Zealand's opposition demanded an explanation from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Page being allowed entry into the country. The New Zealand government categorised Page's visit as a "medical emergency" situation while adding that "Larry Page met relevant requirements to be approved entry to New Zealand.” Page's request for entry into New Zealand was reportedly granted in January. The high profile Google billionaire has kept a low profile ever since the pandemic began last year. He reportedly arrived in Fiji in a private jet and is reported to have bought an island in the country, however, the Fiji government hasn't revealed his whereabouts. Page had reportedly spent time in Fiji's Tavarua island and was later spotted in Namotu. Although Fiji had closed its border due to the pandemic but its “Blue Lane” initiative allows high net individuals including superyacht and private jet owners to enter the country. Page who co-founded Google with Sergey Brin is one of the richest men in the world with a net worth of US$ 121billon. (With inputs from Agencies)

After Fiji, Google co-founder Larry Page lands in New Zealand, find out why

According to reports, Google co-founder Larry Page is in Fiji riding out the pandemic. The multi-billionaire reportedly arrived in the Fijian city of Nadi last month on a private jet even as the country has been&nbsp;hit with the second wave of the virus.

Reports say Page, 48, has kept a low profile since the pandemic began last year. He reportedly arrived in the country with coronavirus supplies to help citizens in Fiji.

Page is reportedly spending time in his luxury yacht in the Fijian islands during the pandemic parking himself in Tavarua island. Page was earlier spotted in Namotu amid speculation that he has bought an island in Fiji.

According to reports, Larry Page and Google co-founder Sergey Brin have sold over $1 billion stocks since May with Alphabet stocks on a high since the pandemic last year as the company posted second-quarter revenue and earnings.

Fiji had closed its border due to the coronavirus pandemic however the country's “Blue Lane” initiative allows high net individuals with superyacht and private jets to enter the country with few restrictions.

Reports say Fijian authorities have allowed Larry Page to keep his visit private with very little information on the Google superstars whereabouts.

Page had stepped down as Alphabet CEO in 2019 while handing over the reins to CEO Sundar Pichai. Page and Brin&nbsp;however still have voting rights

Page and Brin had co-founded Google in 1998 with both men ranked as one of the richest men in the world. Page's reported&nbsp;net worth is $117 billion and he is the sixth wealthiest person in the world.

(With inputs from Agencies) 
&nbsp;

According to reports, Google co-founder Larry Page is in Fiji riding out the pandemic. The multi-billionaire reportedly arrived in the Fijian city of Nadi last month on a private jet even as the country has been hit with the second wave of the virus.

According to reports, Google co-founder Larry Page is in Fiji riding out the pandemic. The multi-billionaire reportedly arrived in the Fijian city of Nadi last month on a private jet even as the country has been hit with the second wave of the virus. Reports say Page, 48, has kept a low profile since the pandemic began last year. He reportedly arrived in the country with coronavirus supplies to help citizens in Fiji. Page is reportedly spending time in his luxury yacht in the Fijian islands during the pandemic parking himself in Tavarua island. Page was earlier spotted in Namotu amid speculation that he has bought an island in Fiji. According to reports, Larry Page and Google co-founder Sergey Brin have sold over $1 billion stocks since May with Alphabet stocks on a high since the pandemic last year as the company posted second-quarter revenue and earnings. Fiji had closed its border due to the coronavirus pandemic however the country's “Blue Lane” initiative allows high net individuals with superyacht and private jets to enter the country with few restrictions. Reports say Fijian authorities have allowed Larry Page to keep his visit private with very little information on the Google superstars whereabouts. Page had stepped down as Alphabet CEO in 2019 while handing over the reins to CEO Sundar Pichai. Page and Brin however still have voting rights Page and Brin had co-founded Google in 1998 with both men ranked as one of the richest men in the world. Page's reported net worth is $117 billion and he is the sixth wealthiest person in the world. (With inputs from Agencies)

Worth a search: Is Google co-founder Larry Page hiding in Fiji to ride out Covid pandemic?

Sundar Pichai is now CEO of both Google and Alphabet, Pichai has replaced Larry Page. Watch this video to know more.

Major corporate restructuring at Google, Sundar Pichai becomes CEO of  Alphabet

Google-parent Alphabet said Tuesday that Eric Schmidt, who was chief of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/european-union-fine-on-google-weighs-down-parent-company-alphabets-profits-214683">internet giant for a decade</a>, will leave the board in June.

Schmidt, who turned 64 this month, stepped down as chairman of the Alphabet board at the start of last year, remaining a member but shifting to a role as a technical advisor.

Schmidt will not seek re-election to the board when his term expires in June, but will continue to advise on technical matters, according to Alphabet.

"Eric has made an extraordinary contribution to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-facebook-to-pay-publishers-for-use-of-news-in-eu-205923">Google and Alphabet as CEO</a>, chairman, and board member," board chairman John Hennessy said in a statement.

"We are extremely grateful for his guidance and leadership over many years." Schmidt was on the board for more than 18 years, joining in March 2001. He was chief executive of Google from the middle of that same year until March 2011.

Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin recruited the proven businessman and skilled software engineer as chief executive in 2001, bringing a mature hand to the helm of the then three-year-old internet search company.

Schmidt, Page and Brin were considered a power triumvirate in control of Google. Page replaced Schmidt as chief executive a decade later.

Google unveiled a surprise corporate overhaul in 2015, forming a new parent company dubbed Alphabet to include internet search and a handful of independent companies.

Page became chief executive at Alphabet, a holding company for the tech giant's search products and "other bets" such Waymo self-driving car unit and Google Fiber internet service.

Sundar Pichai was promoted to chief of Google.

Schmidt was at Google's helm during pivotal years during which it grew into an online advertising and search juggernaut, the company name becoming a verb in the process.

When stepping down as chairman of the board, Schmidt said he intended to spend more time on philanthropic, scientific and technology endeavors.

His net worth was estimated to be around $14 billion by Forbes.&nbsp;

Google-parent Alphabet said Tuesday that Eric Schmidt, who was chief of the internet giant for a decade, will leave the board in June. Schmidt, who turned 64 this month, stepped down as chairman of the Alphabet board at the start of last year, remaining a member but shifting to a role as a technical advisor.

Google-parent Alphabet said Tuesday that Eric Schmidt, who was chief of the internet giant for a decade, will leave the board in June. Schmidt, who turned 64 this month, stepped down as chairman of the Alphabet board at the start of last year, remaining a member but shifting to a role as a technical advisor. Schmidt will not seek re-election to the board when his term expires in June, but will continue to advise on technical matters, according to Alphabet. "Eric has made an extraordinary contribution to Google and Alphabet as CEO, chairman, and board member," board chairman John Hennessy said in a statement. "We are extremely grateful for his guidance and leadership over many years." Schmidt was on the board for more than 18 years, joining in March 2001. He was chief executive of Google from the middle of that same year until March 2011. Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin recruited the proven businessman and skilled software engineer as chief executive in 2001, bringing a mature hand to the helm of the then three-year-old internet search company. Schmidt, Page and Brin were considered a power triumvirate in control of Google. Page replaced Schmidt as chief executive a decade later. Google unveiled a surprise corporate overhaul in 2015, forming a new parent company dubbed Alphabet to include internet search and a handful of independent companies. Page became chief executive at Alphabet, a holding company for the tech giant's search products and "other bets" such Waymo self-driving car unit and Google Fiber internet service. Sundar Pichai was promoted to chief of Google. Schmidt was at Google's helm during pivotal years during which it grew into an online advertising and search juggernaut, the company name becoming a verb in the process. When stepping down as chairman of the board, Schmidt said he intended to spend more time on philanthropic, scientific and technology endeavors. His net worth was estimated to be around $14 billion by Forbes.

Ex-CEO Eric Schmidt to leave Google board

The world's most used search engine Google is celebrating its 20th birthday with a Google Doodle.

To celebrate the day, Google has a special logo, Doodle, remembering the day they launched with a video of someone searching on the original Google.com.

<img alt="Gooogle" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bde6b79e-543f-4101-8ec9-908a71d33b85" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design.jpg" />

Today’s video Doodle takes a stroll down memory lane by exploring popular searches all over the world throughout the last two decades.

In 1997, one of Google's co-founders, Larry Page, had just arrived at Stanford University to pursue his PhD in computer science, reminisces the company on its official page.

Of all the students on campus, Google's other co-founder, Sergey Brin, was randomly assigned to show Page around. This chance encounter was the happy surprise that started it all.

From there, the two came together with a common goal in mind: to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful, a mantra that would go on to become Google's mission statement.

The two hunkered down in a garage - Google's first office - and got to work.

The world's most used search engine Google is celebrating its 20th birthday with a Google Doodle. To celebrate the day, Google has a special logo, Doodle, remembering the day they launched with a video of someone searching on the original Google.

The world's most used search engine Google is celebrating its 20th birthday with a Google Doodle. To celebrate the day, Google has a special logo, Doodle, remembering the day they launched with a video of someone searching on the original Google.com. Today’s video Doodle takes a stroll down memory lane by exploring popular searches all over the world throughout the last two decades. In 1997, one of Google's co-founders, Larry Page, had just arrived at Stanford University to pursue his PhD in computer science, reminisces the company on its official page. Of all the students on campus, Google's other co-founder, Sergey Brin, was randomly assigned to show Page around. This chance encounter was the happy surprise that started it all. From there, the two came together with a common goal in mind: to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful, a mantra that would go on to become Google's mission statement. The two hunkered down in a garage - Google's first office - and got to work.

Google celebrates 20th birthday with doodle

&nbsp;Alphabet said it appointed the chief executive of its Google unit, Sundar Pichai, to its board.

The company&#39;s board also includes founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

Alphabet is set to report second quarter earnings on Monday after markets close.

&nbsp;

The company's board also includes founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin

Alphabet said it appointed the chief executive of its Google unit, Sundar Pichai, to its board. The company's board also includes founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Alphabet is set to report second quarter earnings on Monday after markets close.

Alphabet appoints Google CEO Pichai to board

Google&rsquo;s self-professed mission is to organise the world&rsquo;s information. But a company known for engineering excellence is still trying to solve the very human problem of how to organise itself.

Nearly two years ago, Google co-founder Larry Page announced the tech giant would be remade as Alphabet, a holding company whose units would include Google and an array of unrelated pursuits in areas such as healthcare, self-driving cars, and urban planning.

Wall Street cheered. Previously those riskier ventures had been lumped into Google&#39;s overall financial results. Investors would now see Google&rsquo;s performance independent of its so-called &#39;Other Bets,&#39; an eclectic collection of 11 ventures.

They include Nest which is a maker of Wi-Fi enabled thermostats, Calico which seeks to prolong the human lifespan and X, the company&#39;s secretive research lab.

Alphabet&#39;s top management also aimed to boost accountability by appointing chief executives to head each of the Other Bets. Few people in Google&#39;s constellation of ventures had ever held the title prior to that.

But so far Alphabet has failed to show it can convert its Other Bets from experiments to businesses with the reach, impact and money-making potential of Google&rsquo;s core search and advertising operations. Interviews with two dozen former Alphabet executives and employees reveal an organization grappling with how much time and resources Other Bets deserve in the pursuit of profitability.

In the first quarter, which ended on March 31, the ventures lost a combined $855 million; that&#39;s on top of a collective $3.6 billion loss for 2016. As a whole, Alphabet generated $90.3 billion in revenue in 2016. Google&#39;s share of that revenue was $89.5 billion, while its 2016 operating income was $27.9 billion.

Alphabet&#39;s early days have seen more pruning than expansion of its holdings.

The company has skinned back plans for Google Fiber, which delivers rapid Internet service in 10 metro areas. This month, Alphabet agreed to sell robotics company Boston Dynamics to Japanese multinational SoftBank Group. It unloaded its Terra Bella satellite imaging business in February.

At one point last year, it was even looking to sell Nest, the largest of the Other Bets. Google paid an eye-popping $3.2 billion for the start-up in 2014.

Meanwhile, a series of executives have departed since the reorganization, including the heads of Nest, an Internet operation called Access and a venture capital firm known as GV.

An Alphabet spokeswoman declined repeated requests for comment or to make executives available for interviews. Supporters of the restructuring frame the early struggles as typical growing pains.

For now, Wall Street isn&#39;t worried. Alphabet&#39;s stock is near an all-time high, having reached $1,000 per share in June. Ruth Porat, the no-nonsense chief financial officer who has steered the restructuring, has won rave reviews from investors for enforcing financial accountability across Alphabet.

Some Other Bets have made notable strides. Life sciences initiative verily recently attracted $800 million in outside investment. Self-driving car project Waymo is considered among the leaders in the burgeoning industry.

Analysts say the structure will enable Alphabet to do what most companies can not,conceive the next wave of innovation in-house or through the development of key acquisitions. That goal is central to both the company&#39;s mission and investor expectations.

&ldquo;The reason Google gets to trade at a decent multiple&hellip; is because there&#39;s a growth story beyond advertising,&rdquo; said analyst James Wang of ARK Investment Management.

CEO or COO?

The Alphabet structure is Google&rsquo;s stab at an age-old corporate conundrum: sustaining innovation within a giant enterprise.

Alphabet&#39;s strategy is to give entrepreneurs the autonomy of a startup, coupled with the discipline of a traditional corporate structure.

Roughly once a quarter, Other Bets leaders meet with the Alphabet board which is comprised of Porat, Page, Google co-founder Sergey Brin and David Drummond, Alphabet&#39;s senior vice president of corporate development, to discuss funding and performance.

At the same time, Alphabet is establishing separate compensation plans for the Other Bets to reward employees if their ventures succeed, mirroring startup incentives.

The formula has primed Alphabet&#39;s emerging businesses for &quot;global impact,&quot; Alphabet Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said this month at the annual stockholders meeting at the Mountain View headquarters.

&quot;There is one solution that we know works well in capitalism, which is boards, shareholders, CEOs,&quot; Schmidt said. &quot;My bet is that the traditional lessons of business organisation will, in fact, result in success at Alphabet.&quot;

Still, Alphabet top brass continues to hold sway over key strategy and financing decisions, a dynamic that has chafed Other Bets chief executives who have complained they are treated more like chief operating officers than shot callers. 
In addition, scrutiny from Wall Street limits how generous Alphabet can be in extending Google&#39;s resources to Other Bets, said Brian McClendon, a former vice president of engineering at Google. &#39;As of yet, the restructuring hasn&rsquo;t provided what I think is one of the immediate benefits, which is a risk-taking investment&#39; he said.

NICKELED AND DIMED

Some companies acquired by Google found that being part of Alphabet was not what they had bargained for. 
Two former Nest employees said they were promised generous funding and time to achieve profitability following the company&#39;s acquisition by Google in 2014. But after the restructuring, Alphabet executives were keenly focused on revenue, one former employee said.

Pricey overhead has made the path to profitability tougher. After the restructuring, Alphabet began charging Other Bets for their portion of shared services such as security and facilities, ending what had previously amounted to a subsidy. The units also felt pressure to maintain Google perks such as free employee meals.

&ldquo;One of the pitfalls (of Alphabet) is that those companies are asked to stand on their own two feet, but they may inherit the cost structure of Google,&quot; said Nest investor Peter Nieh, a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners.

In early 2016, Alphabet explored selling Nest in an effort code-named Project Amalfi. No deal materialized, and Nest co-founder Tony Fadell departed last year. Fadell declined to comment.

Boston Dynamics, acquired in 2013 during a robotics shopping spree led by Android creator Andy Rubin, enjoyed generous funding at first. But it was adrift after Rubin&#39;s departure. Rubin did not respond to requests for comment.

GRUMPY GOOGLERS

The creation of the Other Bets has also changed what it means to work for Google.

Some grumble that their role now is to subsidize innovation at their sister companies, rather than to innovate themselves.

According to one former Googler, it sent a sort of message to people who stayed back at Google, whether in search or in ads. The ad said &#39;Your job isn&rsquo;t to push the envelope&#39;.

Employee transfers to X, the illustrious &ldquo;moonshot factory,&rdquo; are more complicated now that it&#39;s a separate entity, former employees say.

That&rsquo;s a striking shift, especially for high-performing employees accustomed to moving about the company almost at will, said Punit Soni, a former Google employee who is now chief executive of Learning Motors, an artificial intelligence startup.

&ldquo;A basic premise of Google was people could do whatever they wanted,&rdquo; Soni said. &ldquo;I can see why people will feel like it&rsquo;s no longer the old Google.&quot;

In the meantime, co-founder Page is pursuing yet another &#39;moonshot&#39; called flying cars. He is the primary investor in Kitty Hawk, a startup in the field that is entirely outside the Alphabet umbrella.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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A company known for engineering excellence is still trying to solve the very human problem of how to organise itself

Google’s self-professed mission is to organise the world’s information. But a company known for engineering excellence is still trying to solve the very human problem of how to organise itself. Nearly two years ago, Google co-founder Larry Page announced the tech giant would be remade as Alphabet, a holding company whose units would include Google and an array of unrelated pursuits in areas such as healthcare, self-driving cars, and urban planning. Wall Street cheered. Previously those riskier ventures had been lumped into Google's overall financial results. Investors would now see Google’s performance independent of its so-called 'Other Bets,' an eclectic collection of 11 ventures. They include Nest which is a maker of Wi-Fi enabled thermostats, Calico which seeks to prolong the human lifespan and X, the company's secretive research lab. Alphabet's top management also aimed to boost accountability by appointing chief executives to head each of the Other Bets. Few people in Google's constellation of ventures had ever held the title prior to that. But so far Alphabet has failed to show it can convert its Other Bets from experiments to businesses with the reach, impact and money-making potential of Google’s core search and advertising operations. Interviews with two dozen former Alphabet executives and employees reveal an organization grappling with how much time and resources Other Bets deserve in the pursuit of profitability. In the first quarter, which ended on March 31, the ventures lost a combined $855 million; that's on top of a collective $3.6 billion loss for 2016. As a whole, Alphabet generated $90.3 billion in revenue in 2016. Google's share of that revenue was $89.5 billion, while its 2016 operating income was $27.9 billion. Alphabet's early days have seen more pruning than expansion of its holdings. The company has skinned back plans for Google Fiber, which delivers rapid Internet service in 10 metro areas. This month, Alphabet agreed to sell robotics company Boston Dynamics to Japanese multinational SoftBank Group. It unloaded its Terra Bella satellite imaging business in February. At one point last year, it was even looking to sell Nest, the largest of the Other Bets. Google paid an eye-popping $3.2 billion for the start-up in 2014. Meanwhile, a series of executives have departed since the reorganization, including the heads of Nest, an Internet operation called Access and a venture capital firm known as GV. An Alphabet spokeswoman declined repeated requests for comment or to make executives available for interviews. Supporters of the restructuring frame the early struggles as typical growing pains. For now, Wall Street isn't worried. Alphabet's stock is near an all-time high, having reached $1,000 per share in June. Ruth Porat, the no-nonsense chief financial officer who has steered the restructuring, has won rave reviews from investors for enforcing financial accountability across Alphabet. Some Other Bets have made notable strides. Life sciences initiative verily recently attracted $800 million in outside investment. Self-driving car project Waymo is considered among the leaders in the burgeoning industry. Analysts say the structure will enable Alphabet to do what most companies can not,conceive the next wave of innovation in-house or through the development of key acquisitions. That goal is central to both the company's mission and investor expectations. “The reason Google gets to trade at a decent multiple… is because there's a growth story beyond advertising,” said analyst James Wang of ARK Investment Management. CEO or COO? The Alphabet structure is Google’s stab at an age-old corporate conundrum: sustaining innovation within a giant enterprise. Alphabet's strategy is to give entrepreneurs the autonomy of a startup, coupled with the discipline of a traditional corporate structure. Roughly once a quarter, Other Bets leaders meet with the Alphabet board which is comprised of Porat, Page, Google co-founder Sergey Brin and David Drummond, Alphabet's senior vice president of corporate development, to discuss funding and performance. At the same time, Alphabet is establishing separate compensation plans for the Other Bets to reward employees if their ventures succeed, mirroring startup incentives. The formula has primed Alphabet's emerging businesses for "global impact," Alphabet Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said this month at the annual stockholders meeting at the Mountain View headquarters. "There is one solution that we know works well in capitalism, which is boards, shareholders, CEOs," Schmidt said. "My bet is that the traditional lessons of business organisation will, in fact, result in success at Alphabet." Still, Alphabet top brass continues to hold sway over key strategy and financing decisions, a dynamic that has chafed Other Bets chief executives who have complained they are treated more like chief operating officers than shot callers. In addition, scrutiny from Wall Street limits how generous Alphabet can be in extending Google's resources to Other Bets, said Brian McClendon, a former vice president of engineering at Google. 'As of yet, the restructuring hasn’t provided what I think is one of the immediate benefits, which is a risk-taking investment' he said. NICKELED AND DIMED Some companies acquired by Google found that being part of Alphabet was not what they had bargained for. Two former Nest employees said they were promised generous funding and time to achieve profitability following the company's acquisition by Google in 2014. But after the restructuring, Alphabet executives were keenly focused on revenue, one former employee said. Pricey overhead has made the path to profitability tougher. After the restructuring, Alphabet began charging Other Bets for their portion of shared services such as security and facilities, ending what had previously amounted to a subsidy. The units also felt pressure to maintain Google perks such as free employee meals. “One of the pitfalls (of Alphabet) is that those companies are asked to stand on their own two feet, but they may inherit the cost structure of Google," said Nest investor Peter Nieh, a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners. In early 2016, Alphabet explored selling Nest in an effort code-named Project Amalfi. No deal materialized, and Nest co-founder Tony Fadell departed last year. Fadell declined to comment. Boston Dynamics, acquired in 2013 during a robotics shopping spree led by Android creator Andy Rubin, enjoyed generous funding at first. But it was adrift after Rubin's departure. Rubin did not respond to requests for comment. GRUMPY GOOGLERS The creation of the Other Bets has also changed what it means to work for Google. Some grumble that their role now is to subsidize innovation at their sister companies, rather than to innovate themselves. According to one former Googler, it sent a sort of message to people who stayed back at Google, whether in search or in ads. The ad said 'Your job isn’t to push the envelope'. Employee transfers to X, the illustrious “moonshot factory,” are more complicated now that it's a separate entity, former employees say. That’s a striking shift, especially for high-performing employees accustomed to moving about the company almost at will, said Punit Soni, a former Google employee who is now chief executive of Learning Motors, an artificial intelligence startup. “A basic premise of Google was people could do whatever they wanted,” Soni said. “I can see why people will feel like it’s no longer the old Google." In the meantime, co-founder Page is pursuing yet another 'moonshot' called flying cars. He is the primary investor in Kitty Hawk, a startup in the field that is entirely outside the Alphabet umbrella.

Insight - With Alphabet, Google faces a daunting challenge of organising itself

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