Google recently increase the cash it allocates to its venture-capital arm to up to $300 million a year from $200 million, catapulting Google Ventures into the top echelon of corporate venture-capital funds.  With this increase Google VenturesGoogle Ventures will be able to invest in more later-stage financing rounds, which tend to be in the tens of millions of dollars this puts Google on the same playing field as groups like Intel’s Intel Capital.

Over the past few years Google Ventures have worked with companies like RetailMeNot, Pocket, Kabam, Foundation Medicine and 23andMe in an effort to solve real world problems.  It’s clear Google is interested in life science companies they have been working with Nest, makers of a smart thermostat, for trying to “save the world a lot of energy”.  Google is looking for startups going green and that embodies the Google ideals and mindset.

Google Ventures is beefing up their talent as well picking up Kevin Rose.  Rose is a General Partner at Google Ventures and was the founder of Digg, Milk, Revision3 and Pownce.  Few people have seen the ups and downs of startups more up close and personally then Rose and he is great addition to their team.  Rose was on TWIT over the summer talking about Google Ventures and there great strides as branch of Google.  With the hiring of high-profile entrepreneur Kevin Rose as a partner could help Google Ventures attract higher-profile deals only time will tell.