How big tech grew by acquiring small tech

Big tech — Amazon, Apple, Google, and Facebook — got big and then got bigger with acquisitions of smaller companies. The Washington Post took a comprehensive look at all of the acquisitions over the years:

They all followed a similar pattern. First, they became dominant in their original business, like e-commerce for Amazon and search for Google. Then they grew tentacles, making acquisitions in new sectors to add revenue streams and outflank competitors.