Internet corporation Google has joined venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB)’s sFund, according to a report on technology investment website TechCrunch on Friday.
KPCB launched the $250m sFund in October last year with the aim of investing in startups inventing social applications and services. In addition to Google, strategic partners in the fund include online retailer Amazon.com, social network Facebook, game developer Zynga, telecom, internet and media corporation Comcast, media conglomerate Liberty Media and investment bank Allen & Co.
Since its launch, the sFund has invested in a reported 16 companies including music streaming service Spotify and mobile payments company Square. The fund’s first exit may well have been achieved on Thursday with Google’s acquisition of social networking software startup Katango.