What you need to know – 06/29/11

Animoto, an online video creation service, completed a $25 million financing led by Spectrum Equity Investors, with participation from existing Animoto investors Madrona Venture Group and Amazon.com.

Data storage and management software company Basho completed its $7.5 million Series D Equity Financing.

With $23.5 million in funding already secured, Blue Jeans Network announced the commercial availability of its cloud-based multi-party video conferencing service.

Freelance job search site DoNanza raised $1 million in funding from Innovation Endeavors, AfterDox and others.

Fotopedia, which struck gold with such riveting photography apps as Heritage, National Parks, Paris, and more, has released another visual gem: Fotopedia North Korea.

Google soft-launched Google+, a new social networking platform accessible now for a limited number of users at plus.google.com.

In conjunction with a non-profit that the company is promoting, for the first time ever, Groupon outsourced its deal write-ups for the day to…sixth-graders.

HealthGuru Media, provider of health information videos online, raised $6 million from a syndicate that includes new investor Western Technology Investment as well as existing venture backers Castile Ventures and Village Ventures.

Check out the second batch of startups to emerge from under the wing of early-stage startup program i/o venturesl.

Twitter co-founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams, along with former VP of Product Jason Goldman have founded a new company called The Obvious Corporation.

Social Web browser RockMelt raised $30 million in Series B funding led by Accel Partners and Khosla Ventures, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Ron Conway, Bill Campbell and Josh Kopelman.

The SAVO Group secured a $14 million growth round of financing. SAP Ventures led the financing round and was joined by existing investor Sterling Partners.

SiliconBlue Technologies, provider of Custom Mobile Device™ solutions for handheld applications, closed an $18 million Series D funding.

Square closed $100 million in Series C financing led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Biyers.

Travel site network TravelShark secured $5 million in funding from DLA Holdings, a Singapore-based private equity firm.

Today’s entrepreneur is Cindy Padnos, a traiblazing woman, and Founding Managing Director of Illuminate Ventures.

Easy iOS website maker Zapd by PressPlane raised close to $3.5 million in a Series B round led by Madrona Venture Group.

Instead of deals and discounts, Zestii, which just launched, offers cash back.

The Zynga IPO, which could emerge as a filing today, will value the social gaming behemoth between $15 and $20 billion.