Private company M&A and venture capital database CB Insights has issued its Q1 2013 report on venture capital and deals. According to the report, VCs invested $6.9 billion across 841 deals (eclipsing a Q3 2012 high), which is the highest level since dot-com days, says CB Insight. You can find a full copy of the report here. → Read More

YC-backed ZenPayroll, the startup that offers an easy to use, cloud-based payroll application, is debuting a new product today—ZenPayroll for Accountants. → Read More

Ask a VC is back this week with Index Ventures’ partner Danny Rimer. You can submit questions for Rimer either in the comments or here, and we’ll ask them during the show. Rimer, who is focused on investing in infrastructure software and services, joined Index Ventures in 2002 and helped established the firm’s London office. → Read More

We know that eBay has been looking for ways to add personalization to its marketplace and other products and properties but today the company is brining in new leadership to direct this efforts. Zoher Karu, who was formerly Vice President of Marketing Analytics and Insight at retailer Sears, will be joining the company as its first Vice President of Customer Optimization and Data. → Read More

Foundation Capital is announcing its seventh fund, Foundation Capital Fund VII. The VC firm has raised $282 million in new capital, bringing total capital under management to $2.7 billion over 17 years. We’re told the focus of this new fund will be primarily early-stage investing in the consumer internet, information technology and cleantech sectors. → Read More

Last fall, eBay updated its barcode scanning app, RedLaser, to be more of a companion to the in-store shopping experience. Part of that transition was adding deals from RetailMeNot, as well as geofencing and other features for shoppers. With a new update issued today for the iOS, eBay is partnering with the stores themselves to source local deals, and additional information. → Read More

ParElastic, a startup in the cloud data management space, is announcing $5.7 million in funding led by General Catalyst with CommonAngels, Point Judith Capital and Launch Capital, as well as angel investor Jit Saxena (founders of Netazza Software) participating. This brings the startup’s total funding to $8.7 million. → Read More

Wayfair is one of those e-commerce companies that hasn’t gotten large amounts of media attention, but has quietly been able to create a solid business around selling home goods and furniture online. Last year, the company, which was born from CSN Stores, raised $36 million in new funding and revealed that it is seeing $600 million in annual sales (and $2.5 billion in home furnishings sales… → Read More

According to an NVCA and Thomson Reuters report issued this morning, U.S. venture capital firms raised $4.1 billion from 35 funds in the first quarter of 2013, an increase of 22 percent. But compared to Q4 2012, there is a 14 percent decrease by number of funds. → Read More

We all remember the last scene in The Godfather, where Michael Corleone is depicted as the next Don, taking over the role from his father as the figurehead of the mafioso Corleone family. As a viewer, we are partly left with a sense of relief — finally, Don Corleone’s wishes for his dynasty to carry on through his son will come true, Michael Corleone has finally accepted his destiny as a mob… → Read More

As a recent new mom, I make finding the best products, toys, food, and more for the baby a full-time job. For example, when I was shopping for baby strollers, I emailed anyone and everyone who had a baby in the past two years and created a Google spreadsheet of all the top strollers, with prices and ratings and reviews from friends. The fact is that product recommendations from fellow parents are… → Read More

High Fidelity, a new startup from Second Life founder Philip Rosedale, has raised $2.4 million out of a $3.4 million round, according to a new SEC filing. Listed in the filing are Rosedale, Freddy Heiberger, and Ryan Karpf (Heiberger and Karpf and ex- Linden Lab staffers, and co-founders of Rosedale’s last startup Coffee and Power). → Read More

Last year, Ning co-founder and former CEO Gina Bianchini decided to refocus her startup Mightybell on offering a sleek, design-focused collaborative online space for creative projects and groups. Today, the startup is taking its vision to the next level with the ability to schedule a time to meet. → Read More

MuleSoft, an integration platform for connecting SaaS and enterprise applications in the cloud and on-premise, has raised $37 million led by NEA, with Salesforce.com and returning investors Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, Morgenthaler Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, SAP Ventures and Bay Partners all participating. This bring the company’s total funding to $81 million. → Read More

Kabbage, which provides working capital to online merchants, is announcing $75 million in debit financing led by Victory Park Capital (VPC) with existing equity investor Thomvest Ventures participating. We’re told the debt facility will go towards funding advances for the company customer base. → Read More

Ask A VC is back this week with NEA’s Pete Sonsini. You may remember, you can submit questions for our guests either in the comments or here and we’ll ask them during the show. We’re also asking readers to make a short video of your question, upload the video to YouTube and send us the link via email or in comments. We’ll try to include the questions in the show. → Read More

Y Combinator Close.io, a startup that aims to improve communication and customer management for sales people, has raised a round of funding from Bebo co-founder Michael Birch, SV Angel, Spark Capital and David Tisch. → Read More

Last fall, L.A.-based startup builder Science debuted HelloInsights.com, a Pinterest influencer analytics platform that enabled brands to monitor company growth, track popular items, and connect with potential brand ambassadors on Pinterest. Today the company is announcing a considerable expansion of its services, launching as HelloSociety, turning the analytics engine into a full-fledged… → Read More

Comparison shopping network Shopping.com, which was purchased by eBay back in 2005 for $620 million in cash, is officially rebranding as the eBay Commerce Network. → Read More

Google’s Doodles on the Google.com search page don’t frequently stir up too much controversy, but today many users are outraged by the search giant’s choice in featuring Cesar Chavez, an American farm worker, labor leader and civil rights activist. Of course, today is also Easter, which is one of the most observed and celebrated religious holidays for Christians around the world. → Read More

Web hosting giant Rackspace is acquiring Web app error tracking startup Exceptional Cloud Services and its subsidiaries to enhance its toolset for developers deploying and managing applications in the cloud. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. → Read More

Ask A VC is back this week with Google Ventures’ general partner Karim Faris. As you may remember, you can submit questions for our guests either in the comments or here and we’ll ask them during the show. → Read More

Maveron, the VC firm founded by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Dan Levitan, is doubling down on seed investments. The firm, which has offices in both Seattle and San Francisco, has been making a few seed investments sporadically over the past few years, but with today’s announcement, Maveron is committing to making at least 12 seed investments per year. → Read More