Grokker Gets $5.5 Million to Build Out Expert Video Network — Here’s Founder Lorna Borenstein (Video)

Trying to intro passions to the passionate.

Yahoo Paid $60M to $70M for Rockmelt — Will Dump Browser and Use Tech to Better Deliver Its Media and Mobile Properties

Big money for tech that essentially failed to find customers.

News Byte

Paper App Draws $15 Million in Funding From Andreessen Horowitz, Jack Dorsey

FiftyThree, the New York-based company behind the popular iPad sketching app Paper, has raised $15 million in a Series A funding round led by Chris Dixon of Andreessen Horowitz. Other investors include Shana Fisher of High Line Venture Partners, Josh Kushner’s Thrive Capital, Ron Conway and Jack Dorsey. FiftyThree is comprised of ex-Microsoft designers and engineers who created Paper to enhance productivity on the iPad. The app is free to download, and includes in-app purchases for utility tool kits. The company plans to hire talent and expand the collaborative features of the app with the fresh funding.

Everybody’s a Curator: Flipboard’s Mike McCue Talks About New Version of Social Magazine (Video)

I made a magazine about Pop-Tarts. Anyone have a problem with that?

Voices

Tech Investors Target Gun Safety

Ron Conway, a financier known for his early investments in technology companies such as Google Inc., is leading a Silicon Valley effort to curb gun violence by investing in technologies such as firearm locks and better school security.

Demand A Plan: Tech Leaders Sign On to Mayors’ Effort to End Gun Violence

Will social media help an effort to ensure gun safety?

News Byte

Rewarder Closes $7 Million Round to Build a Social Marketplace

San Francisco-based Rewarder, which is building an online marketplace where people hire each other for their knowledge, has raised $7 million in capital. The company’s first round was led by Granite Ventures and Radar Partners, with other angels participating, including Ron Conway, David Lee, and Kenny Lerer. While in private beta, more than 100,000 people used the platform for a variety of activities, like paying someone to build a travel itinerary, or posting a reward for anyone who can find a rare pair of shoes.

News Byte

Kabbage Raises $30 Million to Make Small Loans to Online Merchants

Kabbage, which helps small online merchants obtain working capital, has raised $30 million in a third round of capital. The Atlanta-based company will use the funding to fuel growth opportunities. The round was led by Thomvest Ventures. Other investors, including UPS Strategic Enterprise Fund, Mohr Davidow Ventures, BlueRun Ventures, Warren Stephens, David Bonderman and Ron Conway’s SV Angel, also participated. To date, Kabbage has raised $56 million. Since launching two years ago, the company says it is now lending money to companies, which earn a combined $800 million in annual sales.

In Major Expansion, Kno Adds K-12 to Digital Education Platform (Video)

Tired of kids carrying home a backpack full of heavy books? Kno knows their pain.

Flipboard CEO McCue Likely to Step Down From Twitter Board Over Potential Future Conflicts (Or Closer Cooperation)

There is a growing feeling that the social communications companies are on a product collision course, with a possible troubled or perhaps more attractive result.