One chart that explains Alphabet, Google's new parent company
Google has announced a massive organisational overhaul: The search giant will now be controlled by Alphabet, a newly created parent company.
Meanwhile, many of Google's projects less related to its core internet business - including its investment and human longevity research arms - are being spun out into separate companies under the Alphabet umbrella, each with their own CEO.
Larry Page, formerly Google CEO, is now heading up Alphabet - while Sundar Pichai is taking up the reins of a "slimmed down" Google.
The new structure isn't yet implemented; according to SEC filings, it "will be introduced in phases over the coming months." Accordingly, we don't yet know everything about exactly what will be kept under the Google umbrella, and what will be spun off to become a separate Alphabet company.
However, in a blog post by Larry Page, and in the accompanying SEC filings, some of the major divisions are confirmed. We've combined these with their confirmed or likely CEOs to show how the new Alphabet will be structured.
Unclear on some of the divisions?
- Nest is a smart home devices company acquired by Google in 2014.
- Calico is a project to increase human longevity.
- Sidewalk Labs is all about improving modern cities.
- Google X is the company's "moonshots" division - Google Glass, internet-delivering high-altitude balloons, and so on.
- Fiber builds high-speed internet connections.
- Google Capital is its investment arm, and is distinct from Google Ventures, the search giant's venture capital investment vehicle.
- Google, is well, Google. It contains most of the products that ordinary consumers associate with the search giant, including Search, Android, and Maps. It's worth noting that YouTube, despite already having its own CEO, is not being spun out.
According to Re/code, Google's robotics division will also sit under the Alphabet umbrella - though it's not immediately clear who will head it up.