From Fintech Success to Angel Investing and AI Innovation

A Landmark Exit for an African Tech Company

When Karim Jouini and his co-founder, Jihed Othmani, sold their expense management platform, Expensya, to Swedish fintech Medius in 2023 for over $100 million, it marked one of the most significant exits for an African-founded tech company. But rather than slowing down, Jouini, now 39, has doubled down on empowering the next generation of startups — all while launching a new venture himself.

From Founder to Influential Angel Investor

Jouini is now ranked among France’s most influential business angels (4th on the 2025 Angelsquare and Challenges list). He has invested €2.5 million across 26 startups, focusing on pre-seed and seed rounds where his operational expertise — honed through Expensya’s growth — can make a real impact.

His approach is strategic: investing €50,000 to €100,000 per startup, with a particular interest in SaaS and impact-driven businesses. His diverse portfolio includes HR platform KlaraHR, clean energy innovator Lumiwave, Senegalese fintech LafricaMobile, public speaking coach Xgol, and organic marketplace Bene Bono, among others. Each investment reflects Jouini’s belief in scalable, tech-driven solutions that can transform industries.

The Expensya Journey: Scaling with AI and Mobile-First Design

Expensya’s journey — from Tunisian roots to serving 6,000 businesses across 100 countries — became a case study in scaling a fintech company with AI and mobile-first design. A $20 million Series B in 2021 paved the way for the Medius acquisition, including a $10 million payout for Expensya’s 110 Tunisian employees.

Launching Thunder Code: Disrupting Software Testing

Never one to rest, Jouini and Othmani launched Thunder Code in early 2025. This AI-powered platform aims to reduce software testing time by up to 90% — addressing a pain point Jouini knows well.

Simplifying QA with AI
“Even the best products sink resources into QA. We’re making it faster and accessible to non-technical teams,” Jouini explains.

Thunder Code automates test generation, bug tracking, and documentation — making it easier for product owners, project managers, QA experts, and delivery managers to integrate testing with tools like Jira, Azure DevOps, and CI/CD pipelines. “Our goal is to simplify testing for everyone, which results in happier users,” adds Othmani, now Thunder Code’s CTO.

Balancing Founder and Investor Roles

Juggling his roles as a founder and investor takes discipline. Jouini’s advice? “Focus is key. Don’t burn too much time on investments at the expense of your own company.”

Karim Jouini’s journey is a testament to reinvesting success back into the ecosystem — building not just businesses, but opportunities for others.