“For years,” writes Scott Austin for Dow Jones, “Cisco Systems Inc. has been the most prolific acquirer of venture-backed start-ups, pocketing 22 such companies since 2004, according to industry tracker VentureOne.  But Google has emerged at the top of the list so far this year, acquiring five venture-backed start-ups to Cisco’s four.”

Granted, five isn’t as impressive a number as 22 (though the numbers are from admittedly different periods of time), but Austin adds, “[Google’s] showing no sign of stopping, as the search outfit looks for companies that fit its overarching mission: ‘To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.’”

And as some recent purchases demonstrate – think PeakStream, Panoramio, GreenBorder, and FeedBurner, just in the last month or so – there are a lot of corporations that apparently fit into that mission.  Austin isn’t kidding when he describes Google as “the cash-oozing search giant.”

Is this a good thing?  Well, definitely, if you happen to have a company that you’re looking to sell off.  As for Google (and its competitors), it’s a little harder to say if this spending spree is the best use of money.  There’s no doubting that the search engine company’s plans have worked so far, however.

• Ebay Purchases StumbleUpon for $75 million
• FeedBurner Sold! for $100 million to Google
• Google Buys Panoramio, Photo Mapping Software
• Fox Interactive Media (NWS) Acquires Photobucket and Flektor
• Google buys GreenBorder Technologies for more security in Google Apps
• Microsoft buys aQuantive Inc, for 6 billion US dollars
• CBS buys Last.fm
• AOL Buys Mobile Ad Network
• Microsoft Buys CareerBuilder; Google Interested In SimplyHired
• AOL Buys German Ad Server Adtech
• Yahoo Fully Acquires Right Media (April 30th)
• Facebook Partners with Oodle for Classifieds

Google and Microsoft seem to be positioning themselves strategically in order to keep up with each other in the war for Internet dominance. I expect to see this trend of acquisitions continuing strong into the summer.

Do leave a comment if I have missed any major partnerships or purchases.

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Google Gets Secure With GreenBorder

Google bought GreenBorder on May 11th, yet the earliest reports seem to date from the 25th.  Even one article posted today doesn’t mention the takeover: “Green Border could provide a lot more value if it became part of a say a Yahoo, Google, or an Amazon toolbar,” notes Tom Forenski.

Forenski’s article provides useful background information, however, on a company that doesn’t toot its own horn.  GreenBorder, as he describes it, is “a security software company that offers an easy solution to virus, spyware, and trojan threats by isolating each Internet session from the rest of the PC and earlier Internet sessions.”

Also, as Forenski and other onlookers have imagined, GreenBorder should offer Google some fresh options.  Mashable’s Pete Cashmore writes, “The question is: does this mark Google’s first step into the security and anti-virus game?  It’s an area of web browsing that Google hasn’t yet ventured into, but the company’s relentless march would seem to put it in competition with virtually everyone.”

There’s no telling for sure – GreenBorder certainly doesn’t seem prepared to share its plans – yet it looks like some very interesting things are taking place within Mountain View, where both GreenBorder and Google are based.