Shhh! Google Buys Metaweb to Boost Search Results

Here’s some actual tech news that slid out during Apple’s (AAPL) “There’s no Antennagate” event: Google (GOOG) announced that it had bought Metaweb Technologies, which it described as a start-up that “maintains an open database of things in the world.” Deeper explanation here, but the short version is that Google is suggesting that Metaweb will help it improve and refine search results.

Metaweb was founded in 2005. Investors include Benchmark Capital, Goldman Sachs (GS), and eBay (EBAY) founder Pierre Omidyar.

No purchase price was disclosed, but investors will need to see a decent-sized check in order to get a return: The company has raised at least $57 million in its five-year tenure.

(Thanks, Atul!)