Google is well known for its search business, Android, YouTube and now Gemini, but it is also a significant investor in several major startups. Through its parent company Alphabet Inc. and investment arms including GV (formerly Google Ventures), CapitalG, and Gradient Ventures, Google has built a diverse portfolio spanning space technology, telecommunications, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence. These investments represent both strategic bets on emerging technologies and financial plays in high-growth sectors.
SpaceX
Google made one of its most significant private investments in SpaceX back in 2015, committing approximately $900 million for roughly a 7% stake in Elon Musk’s space exploration company. This investment was made jointly with Fidelity and gave Google a foothold in the commercial space industry at a critical time when SpaceX was developing its reusable rocket technology and Starlink satellite internet constellation. Reports suggest this stake could be valued at over $100 billion if SpaceX goes public, making it one of the most successful venture investments in history. SpaceX develops rockets, spacecraft, and the Starlink satellite internet service, which aims to provide global broadband coverage.
Anthropic
Google has made a major strategic bet through its investment in Anthropic, committing approximately $3 billion total to the AI startup. The investment came in major tranches, including $2 billion in 2023 and an additional $1 billion in early 2025, establishing a deep partnership where Google provides crucial AI infrastructure through its TPUs and cloud services. In return, Google gains strategic access to Anthropic’s leading AI models, including Claude, positioning the company to compete more effectively against Microsoft-backed OpenAI in the AI race. Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI executives, focuses on building safe and reliable AI systems, and the multi-billion dollar deal creates a symbiotic relationship where Anthropic receives compute power while Google accesses cutting-edge AI technology.
AST SpaceMobile
As of mid-2025, AST SpaceMobile represents Alphabet’s largest publicly traded equity holding, valued at approximately $418 million and accounting for 19.6% of its investment portfolio. The company is developing an ambitious space-based cellular broadband network designed to provide mobile connectivity directly to standard smartphones from satellites, eliminating the need for ground-based cell towers. This investment aligns with Google’s broader interest in connectivity solutions and space-based technologies, complementing its other investments in the telecommunications and satellite sectors.
Planet Labs
Alphabet holds a $195 million stake in Planet Labs as of mid-2025, a company that operates the largest fleet of Earth-imaging satellites. Planet Labs provides satellite imagery and geospatial solutions to governments, businesses, and organizations worldwide, capturing daily images of the entire Earth’s landmass. The investment gives Google exposure to the growing commercial satellite imagery market, which has applications in agriculture, forestry, urban planning, defense, and climate monitoring, areas that complement Google’s mapping and geospatial services like Google Earth and Google Maps.
Reliance Jio Platforms
Google has made a substantial investment in India’s telecommunications market through a 7.7% stake in Reliance Jio Platforms, a unit of Reliance Industries and India’s largest telecom operator. This investment, announced in 2020 as part of a broader $4.5 billion commitment to Jio Platforms, positions Google in one of the world’s fastest-growing digital markets. Jio Platforms operates India’s largest 4G network and has been rapidly expanding into digital services, e-commerce, and content streaming. The partnership also includes collaboration on developing affordable smartphones and bringing Google’s services to millions of Indian users.
Bharti Airtel
Complementing its Jio investment, Google holds a 1.28% stake in Bharti Airtel, India’s second-largest telecommunications provider. This investment, made in 2022 for approximately $700 million, further strengthens Google’s presence in the Indian market and reflects the strategic importance of India’s digital economy. Bharti Airtel provides mobile, broadband, and enterprise services across India and operates in several African markets. The investment came with a commitment to co-create India-specific network solutions and bring affordable smartphone access to more users across the country.
Metsera
Alphabet’s investment portfolio extends into biotechnology with a $141 million stake in Metsera as of mid-2025. Metsera is a clinical-stage biotech company focused on developing treatments for obesity and metabolic diseases, a sector that has seen explosive growth following the success of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. This investment represents Google’s diversification into healthcare and life sciences, areas where the company has been increasingly active through various initiatives including its life sciences subsidiary Verily and health-focused research projects.
Uber
Google, through GV, made a significant $258 million investment in Uber in 2013, participating in the ride-hailing company’s growth during its early expansion phase. This investment proved highly profitable when Uber eventually went public in 2019. However, the relationship between Google and Uber became complicated as Google’s self-driving unit, Waymo, emerged as a direct competitor in the autonomous vehicle space, leading to lawsuits over alleged trade secret theft. GV eventually sold its stake for substantial gains, but the investment highlighted both the opportunities and conflicts that can arise when strategic investors back companies in adjacent markets.
Slack
Google Ventures was an early investor in workplace collaboration platform Slack, participating in a major funding round in 2014 that helped fuel the company’s rapid growth. This investment came years before Slack’s 2019 IPO and its eventual $27.7 billion acquisition by Salesforce in 2021. Slack transformed workplace communication by replacing email with organized channels and direct messaging, integrating with numerous business tools. The investment occurred despite Google developing its own competing product, Google Chat (initially Hangouts Chat), illustrating the complex dynamics of corporate venture investing where companies back potential competitors.
GitLab
Google’s GV led a $20 million Series C funding round in GitLab in October 2017, backing the DevOps platform that provides version control, CI/CD pipelines, and collaboration tools for software developers. Alphabet’s stake grew over time, with reports from 2024 indicating it had become the largest shareholder at one point, holding a 22.2% voting stake following GitLab’s 2021 IPO. However, recent reports from mid-2024 suggest that Alphabet has been reducing its holdings in the company. GitLab competes with Microsoft’s GitHub and offers an all-in-one DevOps platform that companies use to manage their entire software development lifecycle from planning to production.
The Broader Portfolio
Beyond these major investments, Google’s venture capital arms have stakes in numerous other companies across various sectors. The portfolio includes smaller public positions in companies like Illumina, a leader in DNA sequencing technology; Toast, a restaurant technology and point-of-sale platform; Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain interface company, and Lemonade, an AI-powered insurance company. Through GV, CapitalG, and Gradient Ventures, Alphabet has invested in approximately 400 companies spanning artificial intelligence, healthcare, fintech, enterprise software, and consumer technology. These investments serve both as financial instruments and strategic windows into emerging technologies that could shape Google’s future products and services.