It has already expanded that product
Peel, a Mountain View company led by CEO Thiru Arunachalam, has now raised a total of $95 million since it was founded in 2009.
The new money is going to be used to help Peel move beyond the original Android and iOS app it developed, which mimicks a universal remote control device.
It has already expanded that product so it suggests content that users might want to see based on what they have previously watched.
It is also working on a development platform called Peel.in that helps networks and broadcasters send links via Twitter and Facebook that direct Peel users to their content.
The investment from Alibaba comes after the company's record $25 billion IPO last month. Alibaba has shown an interest in the TV and smart home industries before, launching a smart TV and set-top box platform in 2013 and a smart-home Internet of Things platform earlier this year.
Alibaba has operated in Silicon Valley from a small office in Santa Clara but recently signed for much bigger space in San Mateo.