Google acquisitions/deals in 2009

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Market Overview

• December 2009 -- Google Inc. acquires AppJet Inc. AppJet is a developer of Web-based word processor software, including EtherPad, an online collaborative word processor. Unofficial sources placed the value of the acquisition in the low eight figures. Engineers of AppJet will join the Google Wave team, and the EtherPad site will remain operational through March 2010.
• November 2009 -- Google signs a definitive agreement to acquire Teracent Corporation from New Enterprise Associates, KPG Ventures and other shareholders. Teracent Corporation is a developer of data-driven advertising optimization technology. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Teracent technology is to be integrated into Google's ad network and DoubleClick offerings.
• November 2009 -- Google acquires Gizmo5 for an estimated $30 million in cash. Gizmo5 provides internet telephony software for mobile phones and PCs. Gizmo5's technology supports incoming or outbound voice calls to real phones, competing with products such as Skype.
• November 2009 -- Google plans to purchase mobile advertising start-up AdMob Inc. for $750 million in stock. AdMob sells ads that appear on Web sites geared for cellphones. The company was a first-mover in developing technology to deliver ads on Apple's iPhone as well as on devices that use Google's Android mobile operating system. J.P. Morgan has estimated AdMob's annual revenue at between $45 million and $60 million.
• September 2009 -- Google acquires reCaptcha, a developer of fraud detection technology. reCaptcha's technology requires users to type in squiggly shaped words that are difficult for computers to read and has been used by over 100,000 web sites to prevent spam. The company is a Carnegie Mellon University spinoff. Google stated that reCaptcha's technology improves Optical Character Recognition, implying that Google may use the technology in its controversial Google Books scanning project in addition to spam prevention.
• August 2009 -- WideOrbit, Inc. completes the acquisition of the radio automation business of Google Inc. Google Radio Automation has been rebranded as WO Automation for Radio. Google's radio automation business, which originated with Google's 2006 acquisition of radio ad specialist dMarc Broadcasting. The unit was put up for sale in early 2009 after Google announced that it would be terminating its radio advertising venture.
• August 2009 -- Google signs a definitive agreement to acquire On2 Technologies, Inc. for stock valued at $110 million. On2 Technologies, Inc., develops video compression software and offers related video services. On2's platform and video compression/decompression software delivers video over proprietary networks and the Internet.
• July 2009 -- Time Warner Inc. acquires the outstanding 5% stake in AOL Holdings, LLC from Google for $283 million in cash. AOL is a global Web services company with a suite of brands and offerings that include online content, products and services that the company offers to consumers, publishers and advertisers. In December 2005, Google had paid $1 billion for the 5% stake.
• June 2009 -- 23andMe, Inc. announces that existing investor Google, Inc. invested $2.6 million in its Series B round of funding. The company has raised $13.6 million in connection with this round. 23andMe is a personal genetics company that offers a Web-based service enabling users to search and explore genes contributing to their personal characteristics, such as lactose intolerance, athletic ability, and food preferences. 23andMe was founded by Anne Wojcicki, the wife of Goggle founder Sergey Brin. Google may have interest in indexing another domain of the world’s information.
• March 2009 -- Google acquired buildings and most of the Summa Mill site owned by Stora Enso Corp. for about $52 million. The site is located in southeastern Finland. Google says it is planning to build a data center at the site. Google's move is symbolic of the decline of print media and the rise of digital.
• March 2009 -- Pixazza, Inc. closes it Series A round of funding after raising gross proceeds of $5.75 million. The round includes participation from Google, August Capital, CMEA Ventures, Foundation Capital as well as various angel investors including Ron Conway, Maynard Webb, and Gideon Yu. Pixazza provides visual commerce enabling services. It offers a platform that enables shoppers to buy products from photos seen on Websites.