Google’s parent company, Alphabet, made a prescient investment of $900 million in SpaceX back in January 2015. This early stake, initially valued at $12 billion and representing about 7.5% of the company, has since grown to an astonishing $110.3 billion.
This remarkable growth translates to over a 12,000% return for Alphabet, showcasing its astute investment strategy in the burgeoning space exploration sector. The company’s investment prowess is further demonstrated by its significant stakes in AI ventures like Anthropic and AST SpaceMobile.
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While Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL, GOOG) is renowned for its dominant internet search engine, YouTube, and cloud services, its prowess as an investor often goes unrecognized. One of its most spectacular early investments was in Elon Musk's SpaceX.
Long before SpaceX's record-setting IPO, which has recently captured the attention of retail investors, Google made a significant stake in the space exploration company. In January 2015, Alphabet invested a substantial $900 million into SpaceX, valuing the company at approximately $12 billion. This initial investment secured Alphabet a roughly 7.5% stake.
Over the years, as SpaceX secured additional funding rounds to fuel its ambitious projects like Starlink satellite internet and reusable rocket technology, Alphabet's ownership percentage naturally decreased. However, its stake now stands at approximately 4.9%.
Despite the diluted stake, the value of Alphabet's investment in SpaceX has skyrocketed. As of today, this stake is worth an astounding $110.3 billion, representing a remarkable 12,156% return over the past 11.5 years. This growth significantly surpasses the GDP of many countries.
Adding to Alphabet's impressive investment portfolio, the company also holds a stake in Cursor, an AI coding startup that SpaceX is set to acquire for $60 billion in an all-stock transaction. This potential acquisition could further increase Alphabet's holdings in SpaceX.
Alphabet's investment acumen extends beyond SpaceX. The tech giant has made significant investments in other cutting-edge companies, including Anthropic, an AI company. In October 2023, Google invested $2 billion, followed by another $1 billion in January 2025. In April 2026, Alphabet committed an additional $40 billion. Currently, Alphabet holds about a 14% stake in Anthropic, valued at approximately $135.1 billion based on its private market valuation of $965 billion.
Alphabet also recently acquired over 8.9 million shares of AST SpaceMobile (ASTS), a satellite-based cellular broadband services provider. With AST SpaceMobile trading around $89 per share, Alphabet has seen an estimated 250% gain, translating to a $571 million unrealized profit in 15 to 18 months.
These strategic investments highlight Alphabet's exceptional ability to identify and capitalize on high-growth opportunities, positioning it as one of Wall Street's most successful money managers.
