Google’s buying binge
July 5th, 2010 | by Beau C. Babb |One small acquisition a month, Google chief Eric Schmidt projected last fall when announcing the internet giant was back on the hunt for privately owned firms after a short recession-induced break from buying.
“There may be larger acquisitions, but they really are unpredictable,” he told Reuters at the time.
Google has mostly stuck to its plan and even made of few of those riskier big buys. Since Schmidt’s revelations, the Web search giant has scooped up everything from small start-ups to much-larger industry rivals such as mobile advertising firm AdMob, a $750 million acquisition that many thought would land Google in an antitrust court battle. Indeed, the company has outpaced itself, buying more than just one firm a month in a few instances.
Schmidt and Co show no signs of letting up soon. On Thursday, Google announced plans to buy one of the Web’s largest providers of airline travel software, ITA, for $700 million, once again raising the specter of antitrust activity.
Below is a round-up of Google’s recent acquisitions. Financial details are noted where available:
Global IP Solutions, completed June 28
Amount: $68 million
Why Google bought Global IP Solutions
Invite Media, completed June 2
Amount: $81 million
Google’s final price tag for invite media: $81 million
AdMob, completed May 27
Amount: $750 million
Google gets U.S. antitrust OK on AdMob buy
Simplify Media, completed May 21
Google buys Simplify Media to power music syncing for iTunes competitor
Bump Technologies, completed May 2
Google buys Bump Technologies, maker of 3-D desktop software
LabPixies, completed April 28
Amount: $25 million
Google acquires Israeli gadget provider LabPixies
Agnilux, completed April 21
Google buys stealthy startup Agnilux
Plink, completed April 12
Visual search company Plink acquired by Google
Episodic, completed April 2
Google buys Episodic
DocVerse, completed March 5
Amount: $25 million
Google targets Microsoft with DocVerse deal
Picnik.com, completed March 1
Amount: $5 million
Google acquires photo-editing site
Aardvark (formerly Mechanical Zoo), completed February 11
Amount: $50 million
Google acquires Aardvark for $50 million
AppJet, completed December 4
Amount: $10 million
Google buys EtherPad maker for Google Wave
Gizmo5 Technologies, completed November 12
Amount: $30 million
Google puts voice on steroids with Gizmo5
ReCAPTCHA, completed September 16
Google acquires reCAPTCHA
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