News Byte

DogVacay Lands $15 Million to Play Matchmaker for Pet Owners and Pet-Sitters

DogVacay, the marketplace that matches pet owners with pet hosts, has landed a $15 million Series B investment led by Foundation Capital. The round also included investments from current investors First Round Capital and Benchmark Capital, as well as new investors DAG Ventures and Sherpa Ventures.

ATD’s Staff Sounds Off on Hyperloop Plans, Facebook’s New Commerce Test and All Those Internet TV Options

This week’s TV and radio appearances from the AllThingsD staff.
hyperloop

“Luminary” Access Site IfOnly Officially Launches With $3M in Funding From Tech Luminaries

Delivering the A-List to the masses?

Equifax Buys Identity Protection Startup TrustedID for About $30 Million

The data giant picks up a well-respected Silicon Valley ID protection firm.

Yahoo’s Former GC Callahan Places His Bid With Online Real Estate Marketplace Auction.com

The self-effacing lawyer is ripe for some disruption in an old industry.

Sequoia Leads $12.5M Funding Round for Thumbtack Local Services Marketplace

Founded in 2009, Thumbtack has been working at the local marketplace problem for a while.

Voices

Senate Passes Internet Sales Tax Bill

Online shoppers won’t have to pay sales tax just yet.

This Week in AllThingsD Video: Google Now, Aereo and BYOD

Stuff to watch.

News Byte

Social-Shopping Website OpenSky Relaunches as Full-Fledged Online Marketplace

OpenSky, the two-year-old e-commerce site that took a stab at social shopping by allowing members to follow celebrity and expert curators, has relaunched as a full-fledged marketplace for small businesses. Merchants can open up their own “stores” on the site for free, and can sell to OpenSky’s 2.5 million members, with OpenSky taking a commission on items sold — like Etsy, but with a social twist, more established sellers and a much smaller community of shoppers. Items listed range from cosmetics to clothing to kitchen supplies. OpenSky is based in New York and has raised nearly $50 million in venture capital funding to date.

Eventbrite Hires CFO in Expansion of Top Exec Ranks

In its first C-level hire from outside the company, Eventbrite has brought in experienced finance exec Mark Rubash as CFO.