TV recommendation app maker Peel lands $16.7M in Series B

Interactive television personalization and recommendations solutions provider Peel closed a Series B financing round totaling $16.7 million, led by Lightspeed Venture Partners' Ravi Mhatre--Redpoint Ventures, which led Peel's Series A round, also participated.

The Peel system gives users individualized TV recommendations based on what they already watch.

Founded in 2009, Peel's free iPhone and iPod touch application recommends television programming based on the user's personal preferences--the more the viewer interacts with the app, the more specific the recommendations become. Users may also search for existing favorites and share information on what they're watching. Adding the Peel "fruit"--a small hardware add-on resembling a plastic pear and priced around $100--enables consumers to touch a show on the Peel app and instantly begin watching that show, giving them seamless control over their entire home entertainment system including their TV, cable box, Blu-ray player, AV receiver and more.

Peel states the new funding will enable the company to expand the fruit device's retail availability. The startup also plans to roll out the Peel app across additional mobile platforms and content sources.

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