Who made the best acquisitions in 2005? Is it Google, Yahoo! or Microsoft? It is interesting how much buzz these companies make in blogosphere because they are 3 biggest players in Internet business. SEO by the SEA has made nice compilation of acquisitions made by Google, Yahoo and Microsoft.

One of the companies which Google bought was DodgeBall, social networking site, very important area for Google Local strategy. Also, Urchin Software is now Google Analytics.

Google:

Android

Akwan Information Technologies

Dodgeball

Urchin Software

Yahoo! was more oriented to so called Web 2.0 services and tags and bought Flickr that is highly popular photo community service, del.icio.us and upcomming.org, then blo.gs, Dialpad was bought because Yahoo have started offering VOIP, Alibaba was bought to strenghten their Chinese dominance

Yahoo! didn’t only buy companies that have good profits. On the contrary, some companies like del.icio.us didn’t even have any profits but they have big customer base and know-how.

Yahoo:

Ludicorp Research & Development Ltd (Flickr)

TeRespondo

Dialpad

blo.gs

Pixoria (Konfabulator)

Alibaba

upcoming.org

WhereOnEarth Unlimited

Del.icio.us

Verdisoft

Stadeon, Inc.

Microsoft with Ray Ozzie started their Live strategy to compete with Google. The most important acquisition that Microsoft made in 2005. was buying Groove Networks. Groove Networks CEO is now Microsoft CTO Ray Ozzie and he is the key player in bringing Microsoft more web oriented with offering web services.

Microsoft:

FolderShare

media-streams.com AG

Teleo Inc.

FrontBridge Technologies

Groove Networks Inc.

Sybari Software Inc.