Karim Jouini and Jihed Othmani, the entrepreneurs behind expense management platform Expensya, have made a dramatic return to the startup world with their new venture Thunder Code. Just six months after launching their AI-driven software testing platform, the duo has secured $9 million in seed funding—a remarkable feat that underscores investor confidence in their vision.

From Expense Management to AI Testing

The founders had previously declared they were done with entrepreneurship after selling Expensya to Swedish firm Medius in a deal rumored at over $120 million. "We promised ourselves not to start another company because it was too hard," Jouini admitted. "But like having children, you forget the pain and do it again."

During his time as CTO at Medius, Jouini noticed a critical gap in the market. "Testing is the universal pain point across all software development," he observed. This insight led to Thunder Code's creation—a platform using AI agents to simulate human testers, catching subtle UI issues while continuously learning from feedback.

Lightning-Fast Development

Learning from Expensya's slow early growth, Jouini prioritized speed this time. The team delivered their first minimum viable product in just six weeks. "Our current product at six months is more robust than Expensya was in its fourth year," Jouini noted proudly.

The platform already serves clients across North America and Europe, focusing initially on web applications with plans to expand into mobile and API testing by 2025's end. Their customer base includes delivery managers and QA teams desperate for faster testing solutions.

Funding Strategy and Market Ambitions

Unlike many founders who obsess over equity retention, Jouini embraces dilution as necessary for attracting top talent. "If we build a unicorn while diluting our shares, it's worth it," he stated bluntly.

The $100 billion software testing market remains dominated by legacy players slow to adopt AI—creating prime opportunities for agile newcomers like Thunder Code. With high-profile backers including Station F's director and InstaDeep's CEO joining previous Expensya investors, the startup appears well-positioned for rapid growth.

Othmani's deep generative AI expertise—honed through internal tools built at Expensya pre-ChatGPT—provides crucial technical firepower against competitors like UIPath and Nova AI.

Key Points

1. Expensya founders return with Thunder Code despite previous retirement from startups
2. $9 million seed funding secured within six months of launch
3. AI agents automate software testing while learning from feedback
4. Market potential estimated at $100 billion by 2027
5. Strategic investors include Station F director and InstaDeep CEO