TechCrunch October 9, 2014
Smart remote software maker Peel has closed an additional $50 million in funding, supplied by Alibaba, the e-commerce giant which recently made its public market debut in the U.S. The company’s new funding is a strategic investment separate from its existing $45 million raised across four rounds, with the most recent announced in June, and brings its total rase since its founding in 2009 to $95 million. The new money will help Peel continue to expand its product lineup, which initially focused on hardware, but has since moved on to both its software app, and a development platform for broadcasters.
Peel’s app is available on both Android and iOS, and now counts 90 million users as its install base, with 5 billion smart remote commands issued via its software every month by way of engagement stats. The app originally essentially mimicked a hardware universal smart remote, and focused on providing that kind of experience to smartphone devices via an IR blaster, but the company has since shifted its focus to providing an intelligent remote companion that can generate custom content viewing suggestions based on viewer habits.Read More