WebProNews

Regular WebProNews readers have probably already guessed this, but for what it’s worth, a new report has confirmed all our suspicions: Google takes over more companies than just about anybody else out there.

“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.