MG Siegler joins Google Ventures; will continue to work with CrunchFund

Tech blogger and investor MG Siegler is joining Google Ventures. Though he’s moving on, mostly, from CrunchFund — the venture firm started by his former boss, TechCrunch founder Mike Arrington — Siegler still seems confident in the firm that gave him his investing start.

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Siegler says he’ll continue to “help out with our current portfolio as any of those startups/entrepreneurs see fit” and says he’ll likely continue to work specifically with Arrington on “the investing side of things.” He will also continue his column at TechCrunch.

“Long story short, I’m very happy with how CrunchFund is doing,” said Siegler in an email to VentureBeat. “Michael and I are and will remain on great terms. We’ve worked together for a long time and we’ve been able to remain friends that entire time. Just because the professional side of things is changing, doesn’t mean everything will change.”

Siegler, who once reported on technology for VentureBeat, amassed a following as an Apple-focused reporter for TechCrunch. After TechCrunch founder Mike Arrington left to start CrunchFund in 2011, Siegler was brought on as a surprising partner recruit given his reporting background. CrunchFund raised $20 million in 2011 to give out to early stage companies. Portfolio companies include Betable, Ifttt, Vine, Karma, Wavii, and others.

He’s still going to focus on early-stage investing at Google Ventures in a team with Kevin Rose and Wesley Chan. He explained to me that he’s confident in the resources Google Ventures has and the ability to expand on what Rose and Chan are already doing. As for what he’ll bring to table?

“We definitely have different networks when it comes to deal flow. And hopefully I can teach them how to write good,” he joked.

“We’re thrilled to add his unique perspective to Google Ventures, and our portfolio,” Google Ventures managing partner Bill Maris said in a blog post.

He says Michael Moritz of Sequoia Capital is a good role model for him as Moritz also started out as a reporter and moved into venture capital. Siegler doesn’t seem to be too fazed about those who quip that just about anyone can be a VC nowadays, either. He says just because the money is there doesn’t mean everyone has the chops.

“Anyone can also be a deep sea diver,” he explained. “That doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to do so.”

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MG Siegler image via LeWEB12/Flickr