Google (Search, Cloud, and Software Services)

Google is one of the world's most influential technology brands, originally founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University. Initially started as a search engine, the brand has expanded into an immense ecosystem of products including advertising technologies, cloud computing, software like Android and Chrome, and hardware such as Pixel devices.

The manufacturing of Google's physical products, like Nest thermostats and Pixel smartphones, takes place across several countries, primarily in Taiwan, Vietnam, and China. However, its core software and architectural development are headquartered in the United States. In 2015, Google underwent a major corporate restructuring to better manage its diverse range of projects.

Today, Google is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. This corporate umbrella was created to separate Google's core internet business from its 'Other Bets' like Waymo (self-driving cars) and Verily (life sciences). Alphabet Inc. remains headquartered in Mountain View, California, and stands as one of the most valuable publicly traded companies in the world.