27th Anniversary of Google: A Look Back at the Journey of Two Students Who Became Masters of the Web
On September 27, 2025, Google celebrates its 27th anniversary with a special Doodle featured on its homepage, paying tribute to its very first logo from 1998. This nostalgic homage recalls an adventure that began in a student dorm room… before transforming the digital landscape.
From Stanford to Silicon Valley: An Iconic Success Story
The story of Google began in 1995 on the Stanford University campus, where Larry Page and Sergey Brin, two PhD students, were working on a search engine project called BackRub. Their breakthrough was the PageRank algorithm, which ranked web pages based on their importance through incoming links.
In 1998, this project evolved into Google Inc., a name inspired by the mathematical term “googol” (1 followed by 100 zeros), reflecting their ambition to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
A Rapid Expansion and Essential Services
In its early years, Google expanded beyond search. The web giant launched:
- Gmail (2004),
- Google Maps (2005),
- Google Chrome (2008),
- Android, now the most widely used mobile OS globally.
In 2015, the company restructured under a new entity: Alphabet Inc., to better organize its various projects — from Pixel smartphones to AI developments like Gemini, along with cloud services and quantum research.
A Doodle Rich in History: Returning to Google’s Essence
Today’s Doodle faithfully recreates the design of Google’s first logo. It serves as a nod to the company’s humble beginnings when, in August 1998, a $100,000 check signed by Andy Bechtolsheim (co-founder of Sun Microsystems) enabled Larry and Sergey to officially establish the company.
They set up in a garage in Menlo Park owned by Susan Wojcicki, who would later become the CEO of YouTube. The office featured blue carpets, a ping-pong table, a server made from LEGO, and a dog named Yoshka.
Google at 27: Birthday Wishes Pour In
On this anniversary, many internet users and employees are sharing birthday wishes to Google, celebrating the substantial impact of its services, including Gmail, Android, Google Maps, YouTube, and much more.
The company also takes this opportunity to reaffirm its original mission, which remains relevant: to make information accessible to everyone. With its latest advances in AI (notably the Gemini model), Google is clearly looking to the future.
When Is Google’s Birthday Celebrated?
Officially founded on September 4, 1998, Google has opted to celebrate its birthday every September 27, a date that has now become traditional for its birthday Doodles.
Today, Google boasts billions of users worldwide, hundreds of services, and a major technological influence. From the student dorm room to the Googleplex in Mountain View, the company has made an impressive journey — yet its spirit of innovation remains unchanged.
In 27 years, Google has evolved from two somewhat idealistic students into a cornerstone of the global digital landscape. This retro Doodle is not only a reflection on the past but also a reminder of the founding values and a strong signal that the adventure continues.
