The BMW Group founded a venture capital firm in New York City, BMW i Ventures, with an investment totalling $100 million. Focus: mobile and sustainabliity.

Caplinked, a free online platform for private companies to network with investors and advisors, raised $525,000 in angel funding led by Peter Thiel and others.

Dynamic Signal, a stealth-mode enterprise social media startup founded and led by former Adify CEO Russell Fradin, raised $8 million in equity-based financing from a group of 30 investors, according to a regulatory filing.

VBrick, provider of enterprise IP video solutions, acquired Fliqz, also a provider of video hosting solutions. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Gilt Groupe, a private sales site for luxury items, is raising $80-$100 million from private market investors, according to anonymous sources, valuing the company at $1 billion.

MyHammer.com launched to connect contractors with homeowners who need work done on their houses.

Paydiant, a Boston-based mobile payments venture, closed a $7.6 million round of funding led by North Bridge Venture Partners and General Catalyst Partners.

Online music service Spotify has raised new financing from investors Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and DST that values the startup at more than $1 billion, according to anonymous sources.

Twitter restored API access to the creators of twidroyd and UberSocial for BlackBerry (formerly UberTwitter). UberMedia still waiting for review.

Today's featured entrepreneur is David Saad, CEO and founder of Braintec, In-D-Pocket, Calibra, Clupedia, and Luristic.