19 January 2015 | By: Matt

Over the course of Google’s short existence (16 years), they have managed to change the landscape of the internet and the way we access information. Google services 3.5 billion searches per day which equates to 1.2 trillion searches a year worldwide.

Although Google’s dominance within the search engine space is well known, Google like to splash the cash on new ventures. From a telecommunications company to home automation technology, Google has acquired over 170 companies since its launch in 1998.

While some of Google’s acquisitions are well-known such as Motorola and YouTube, others like Waze which is their 5th most expensive acquisition is (for the most part) not common knowledge.

But with $24.5 billion spent on 10 of their most expensive acquisitions, just what was the strategy behind each of these purchases?





Fun facts:

Google CEO Larry Page uses the toothbrush test to see if a company is worth buying - Tweet this

2 years prior to Jan 2014, Google outspent its 5 closest rivals on acquisitions combined - Tweet this

Google could potentially buy Spotify and/or Netflix in the future - Tweet this

Google has spent $24.5 billion on 10 of their most expensive acquisitions - Tweet this