Loading organizations...
§ Private Profile · Mountain View, CA, USA
Peel is a technology company.
Peel develops a Visual Agent Platform, leveraging AI to automate core GTM functions. It deploys AI agents that autonomously demonstrate products, deliver presentations, facilitate discovery, and provide educational content. These agents transform static information into dynamic, interactive experiences, guiding buyers and capturing intent data for engagement and qualification.
Founded in 2024 by Brannon Santos, Peel originated from the insight that modern buyers seek instant access while enterprise sellers require deep qualification. Santos recognized AI could bridge this efficiency gap, enabling companies to scale sales motions without added headcount. His GTM leadership background informed the platform's strategic focus.
The platform serves GTM teams, empowering sales and marketing professionals to optimize outreach and qualification. Peel’s vision is to redefine sales efficacy by replacing traditional marketing qualified leads with highly qualified AI-engaged agent-activated leads. The company aims to fundamentally reshape the sales cycle, driving scale and impact through intelligent automation.
Peel has raised $92.0M across 4 funding rounds.
Peel has raised $92.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Peel has raised $92.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Peel's investors include Anorak Ventures, Applied Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Cantos Ventures, Data Tech Fund, ENIAC Ventures, Helpful Capital, Kickstart Fund, Pathbreaker Ventures, Rabo Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Colin Carrier.
Peel is a consumer electronics company that developed the Peel Smart Remote app, transforming smartphones into universal remote controls for TVs, set-top boxes, DVRs, and other devices using infrared blasters, Bluetooth, and voice control.[1][2][3] It serves consumers seeking convenient device control, content discovery, and personalized recommendations, solving the problem of fragmented remotes and enhancing TV viewing with social features and brand interactions.[1][2][3] The app gained massive scale with over 120 million registered users by 2015, pre-installed on Samsung and HTC devices, and compatibility with 98% of consumer electronics across 3,500 TV brands and 600 set-top box types; however, growth stalled amid controversies, with its last funding round of $50M in 2014 and Android app removal from Google Play by 2019.[1][2][3]
Note: A separate entity at peelinsights.com offers Shopify analytics tools, but search results confirm the query aligns with the original Peel Smart Remote company from Mountain View, CA, founded in 2008-2009.[1][2][3][4]
Peel was founded in 2008 (per CB Insights) or launched in 2009 by CEO Thiru Arunachalam and co-founder/chief product officer Bala Krishnan, initially as Zelfy, before rebranding.[1][2] The idea emerged to leverage smartphones' infrared capabilities for universal remote control, starting with pre-installation deals on Samsung and HTC devices sold in India, building early traction through OEM partnerships like Samsung's "WatchOn" and HTC's "SenseTV."[2][3] Pivotal moments included rapid user growth to 120 million registered users by 2015, generating 100 billion remote commands and 30 billion monthly actions across 200+ countries, fueled by $86.7M-$90M+ in funding from investors like Redpoint Ventures, Lightspeed, Harrison Metal, TransLink, and Alibaba's $50M in 2014.[1][2][3]
Peel rode the early 2010s smartphone-IR blaster trend, capitalizing on devices like Samsung Galaxy S4/S5 and HTC One to disrupt physical remotes amid rising smart TV adoption and cord-cutting.[2][3] Timing was ideal as mobile computing converged with home entertainment, enabling content discovery in fragmented ecosystems; market forces like OEM partnerships and Alibaba's investment amplified its reach in emerging markets like India.[1][2][3] It influenced the ecosystem by popularizing app-based control—paving the way for modern smart home hubs (e.g., akin to Wyze integrations)—and highlighting privacy/ad trade-offs in free apps, as seen in its adware criticisms and data-sharing issues.[2]
Peel's early dominance showcased the power of software-hardware convergence for consumer IoT, but adware controversies, app delisting, and no funding/activity since ~2014 suggest dormancy or pivot, with its last known stage as "Corporate Minority - II | Alive" but minimal updates post-2019.[1][2] Next could involve revival via voice assistants (e.g., Alexa/Google Home integrations) or acquisition by smart home players, shaped by trends like streaming dominance, IR decline, and AI-driven personalization; its influence may evolve as a cautionary tale on user trust, potentially inspiring ad-free, privacy-first remote apps in a post-smartphone IR era.[1][2] This aligns with its original mission to simplify TV control, now ripe for reinvention in connected homes.
Peel has raised $92.0M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $5.0M Seed in September 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2021 | $5M Seed | — | Anorak Ventures, Applied Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Cantos Ventures, Data Tech Fund, Eniac Ventures, Helpful Capital, Kickstart Fund, Pathbreaker Ventures, Rabo Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Colin Carrier | Announced |
| Oct 9, 2014 | $50M Venture Round | A Capital | — | Announced |
| Apr 1, 2013 | $20M Series C | — | Accel, GFT Ventures, Mathias Schilling, Khosla Ventures, Menlo Ventures, OnePrime Capital | Announced |
| May 1, 2011 | $17M Series B | Lightspeed Venture Partners | Redpoint Ventures | Announced |