Finnish mobile micro-blogging startup Jaiku has been acquired by Google for an undisclosed sum.
Jaiku is a micro-blogging / social networking startup that enables users to post their thoughts, comments and opinions, while other users can keep in touch with friends by viewing their profiles and posting new updates.
It is similar to Twitter, which is seen as the leading player in the space and had also been rumoured as an acquisition target for the web giant.
Jaiku was founded by Jyri Engestrom and Petteri Koponen in February last year. Based in Helsinki, Engestrom previously worked for Nokia as senior product manager for its internet tablet devices.
For Google, this continues a spending spree which has seen it acquire DoubleClick, Postini and others this year.
The move comes soon after Google's acquisition of another mobile startup, Zingku, and will fuel further speculation about a forthcoming GPhone.
Jaiku's founders will hope that the deal will work out better than Google's acquisition of Dodgeball, a location-based mobile alerts service.
The founders bailed out earlier this year, complaining that the search giant 'wasn’t supporting Dodgeball the way we expected'.
Related stories:
Q&A: Jyri Engeström of Jaiku
Xbox Live, Major Nelson, and the Twitter epiphany
Graham Charlton is Editor at Econsultancy. Follow him on Twitter or connect via Linkedin or Google+.
Recommended reports
Ad Serving Buyer's Guide
Econsultancy's Ad Serving Buyer's Guide is an invaluable source for those investigating the market for ad serving solutions, with profiles of 15 suppliers and detailed information about the trends and issues affecting the online display advertising sector. The 158-page report also contains useful advice for those seeking a suitable supplier and best practice and tips for identifying the right ad serving solution to meet your needs.
Alternatively, see our Marketing Attribution Management Buyer's Guide or Twitter for Business.
Reader comments (0):
Add your own
Enter your comment below