Thunder Code, a new software startup with headquarters in Paris, has been making waves by raising $9 million in pre-series A funding. They further maintain a fourth office in Tunis. Karim Jouini and Jihed Othmani are the co-founders of Tunis-based startup Thunder Code. Their mission is to transform the software testing industry using innovative generative AI technology. As the demand for efficient software testing solutions grows, the company enters a competitive market projected to exceed $100 billion by 2027.
The young startup joins an increasingly noisy startup battlefield of innovators looking to harness the power of artificial intelligence for the future of software testing. Thunder Code sets itself apart through the powerful base that’s formed through the previous success of their co-founders. Working together as entrepreneurs, Jouini and Othmani co-founded Expensya, an expense management platform. In 2023, they perfectly timed their exit by selling it to Swedish procurement software Medius for a little over $120 million.
In interviews, Jouini has spoken extensively about his focus on speed and efficiency in setting up Thunder Code. He highlighted how the startup moved quickly to accomplish its first minimum viable product (MVP) in just six weeks. He hopes this quick cadence will set Thunder Code apart from its forebears.
“We shipped our first MVP in week six, and now the product is much more solid six months in than Expensya was in year four.” – Karim Jouini.
Othmani’s combination of experience and innovative thinking will serve Thunder Code well. As a co-founder of Expensya, he was creating internal AI tools long before boom models such as ChatGPT hit the scene. His expertise in generative AI particularly enhances Thunder Code’s platform. This makes it a serious contender in terms of software testing competitors.
The startup is continuing to prosper, amid a colorful client roster. It has made pilot programs operational and gained paying customers in a growing number of countries, including the United States, Canada, France and Tunisia. This early success is a testament to the proficient use of AI to accelerate the software testing lifecycle, delivering tremendous ROI and value to our clients.
Jouini said he is confident that Thunder Code can provide big returns on a smaller team. His ultimate dream, he tells us, is AI-ing the company’s productivity to the stratosphere. With less than half the manpower they can create ten times more value than in the old way.
“A lot of African entrepreneurs are scared to dilute capital because they want to keep 100%. We believe that if we create a unicorn while diluting ourselves, that’s good value.” – Karim Jouini.
We know that launching a new venture isn’t without its hurdles. Jouini confided that he and Othmani had sworn to each other never to launch another enterprise after their difficult journey with Expensya. He likened their new undertaking to raising children. He warned that the pilots’ sufferings from their previous ordeal have begun to escape recall.
“But I think it’s like when people have two kids, they forget how hard the first one was. This new venture is less than six months old and already super intense, but we’re fired up. We’re convinced this is unicorn material.” – Karim Jouini.
The world software testing market is changing quickly, and Thunder Code is coming into the market at the right moment. With its innovative approach and strong leadership, the company appears well-positioned to carve out a significant niche amid fierce competition.
