Africa’s Top Founder Launches AI Startup, Secures $9M Funding
▼ Summary
– In 2023, Expensya, an African expense management startup co-founded by Karim Jouini and Jihed Othmani, was acquired by Medius for over $120 million, marking one of Africa’s largest startup exits.
– Despite initially leaving entrepreneurship, the founders returned to launch Thunder Code, a generative AI-powered software testing platform, which secured $9 million in seed funding.
– Thunder Code uses AI agents to automate and improve software testing, addressing a universal industry pain point, with plans to expand into mobile and API testing by late 2025.
– Jouini applied lessons from Expensya, prioritizing speed, core features, and top talent, and believes Thunder Code has unicorn potential despite early dilution concerns.
– The startup, headquartered in Paris with Tunis operations, benefits from Othmani’s AI expertise and backing from Expensya’s former investors and employees.
Africa’s most successful startup founders have returned with an AI-powered venture, securing $9 million in seed funding just months after launching. Karim Jouini and Jihed Othmani, who previously sold their expense management platform Expensya for over $120 million, are now tackling software testing with their new company, Thunder Code.
Despite initially stepping away from entrepreneurship, the founders couldn’t resist the potential of generative AI to revolutionize an industry they saw as ripe for disruption. “We swore we wouldn’t start another company—Expensya was grueling,” Jouini admitted. “But like having a second child, you forget the pain. This time, we’re building something even bigger.”
Thunder Code automates software testing using AI agents that replicate human testers, identifying UI and UX flaws while improving through feedback. The platform targets a $100 billion market dominated by outdated tools, offering faster, more efficient solutions. Jouini’s experience integrating multiple companies post-acquisition revealed testing as a universal bottleneck, sparking the idea for Thunder Code.
Speed has been a priority from day one. The team launched their minimum viable product in just six weeks, a stark contrast to Expensya’s slower early days. “Our current product is more robust after six months than Expensya was in four years,” Jouini noted. The startup already serves paying clients across North America, Europe, and Africa, with plans to expand into mobile and API testing by 2025.
The $9 million funding round includes backers from Expensya’s exit, such as Silicon Badia and Janngo Capital, alongside new investors like Titan Seed Fund and industry leaders Roxanne Varza and Karim Beguir. Jouini emphasized the importance of securing top talent early, even if it means dilution. “Many African founders fear losing equity, but we’d rather build a unicorn with a smaller stake than own 100% of nothing.”
Headquartered in Paris with a Tunis office, Thunder Code enters a competitive space with rivals like UIPath and Nova AI. However, Jouini believes their AI-first approach and rapid execution set them apart. Othmani’s expertise in generative AI, honed years before ChatGPT’s rise, further strengthens their position.
With a lean team and aggressive roadmap, Thunder Code aims to redefine software testing—proving that even after a major exit, some founders can’t resist the thrill of building again.
(Source: TechCrunch)
