China-based e-commerce company Alibaba has invested an undisclosed amount in US-based remote control app developer Peel, technology news source GigaOM reported on Thursday.
Although the current deal amount is undisclosed, GigaOM stated that it is larger than the $5 million Alibaba invested in Peel in 2013.
Peel, the creator of an interactive TV remote control app that enables users to suggest programmes to each other, recently announced a partnership with China-based electronics company TCL which will pre-install Peel’s app on selected phones distributed under its Alcatel Onetouch brand.
Peel currently has 75 million users due to existing mobile device partnerships with manufacturers including HTC, Samsung and China’s ZTE.
As part of a strategic move into the Chinese market, Peel has acquired Shanghai-based multiscreen startup Mozitek, which already has existing partnerships with local hardware manufactuers like TCL and Toshiba as well as mobile network operator China Telecom.
Formed in 2009, Peel raised a $16.7m series B round from Lightspeed Venture Partners and Redpoint Ventures in May 2011 followed by a $20m series C investment from Translink Capital in April 2013.