Google is celebrating its 28th anniversary on September 27, marking nearly three decades since the search engine transformed how people access information online. What began as a university research project by Larry Page and Sergey Brin has evolved into one of the world's most influential technology companies.

Before becoming Google, the search engine was known as BackRub, a project developed at Stanford University in 1996. The system analyzed links between web pages to determine their relevance, laying the foundation for the PageRank algorithm that would later revolutionize internet search by delivering more accurate and useful results.

From BackRub to Google

The company's iconic name came about in 1997 while Page and Brin searched for a title that reflected their mission of organizing vast amounts of online information. Inspired by the mathematical term "googol"—a 1 followed by 100 zeros—they intended to use the word as the company's name. However, during the domain registration process, a colleague mistakenly typed "google.com." The variation appealed to the founders, and the domain was officially registered on September 15, 1997.

The $100,000 Check That Changed Everything

A pivotal moment came in 1998 when Sun Microsystems co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim watched a demonstration of the new search engine. Impressed by its potential, he immediately wrote a $100,000 check payable to Google Inc.

There was just one problem—the company had not yet been legally incorporated. Page and Brin had to officially establish Google Inc. before they could deposit the investment, which ultimately became one of the first major financial boosts that helped transform their academic project into a commercial enterprise.

Humble Beginnings

Google's first operations relied on borrowed equipment and computers assembled from available parts at Stanford University. Shortly afterward, the founders moved into a rented garage in Menlo Park, California, which became the company's first headquarters and the starting point of its rapid growth.

Unlike many search engines of the time, Google's technology ranked pages not only by keywords but also by evaluating the quality and number of links pointing to them. This innovative approach quickly set the search engine apart and fueled its growing popularity.

Beyond Search

Over the years, Google expanded far beyond web search, launching products and services that have become integral to everyday life, including Gmail, Google Maps, Chrome, Android, YouTube, and a broad portfolio of cloud computing and artificial intelligence technologies.

The company's influence has even shaped language. The word "google" became synonymous with searching the internet and was officially added to major English dictionaries in 2006. Similar expressions have also become common in other languages.

Looking Ahead

As Google celebrates its 28th anniversary, artificial intelligence has become central to its latest innovations and products. From its origins as a Stanford research project called BackRub to becoming a global technology leader, Google's journey continues to shape how billions of people search, communicate, work, and access information every day.