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Introduction
Karim Jouini and Jihed Othmani, two prominent entrepreneurs known for their earlier venture Expensya, have returned to the tech scene with a powerful new idea. Their latest creation, Thunder Code, aims to transform how software testing is done. Instead of relying on traditional manual or script-based quality assurance methods, Thunder Code introduces intelligent AI agents capable of testing software in a way that closely mimics human behavior. With $9 million already raised in seed funding, the company is positioned to make a significant impact.
This new venture is not just a response to industry inefficiencies. It is the result of years of hands-on experience, a strong vision for the future of digital products, and a growing belief that software testing is long overdue for reinvention. Thunder Code addresses long-standing frustrations that plague development teams and offers a new path forward.
A New Beginning for Seasoned Founders
After selling Expensya, Karim Jouini and Jihed Othmani had every reason to step back from entrepreneurship. The company they had built became a success story, delivering business expense automation across continents. But in the wake of that success, both founders encountered persistent issues in how quality assurance was handled in product teams.
No matter how well a product was designed, it could easily be derailed by slow, inefficient, and incomplete testing processes. These issues became more apparent as they worked on integrating products across multiple international markets. That frustration became fuel for a new mission: building a testing platform that works as smartly and adaptively as a real person would.
Thunder Code emerged from this idea, rooted in experience and driven by a desire to fix what remains broken in the software delivery lifecycle.
The Problem With Traditional QA
Quality assurance has always been a crucial step in software development. Yet for all the automation tools available, most testing still relies heavily on manual efforts or scripted solutions that are rigid and prone to failure.
There are several well-known problems with the current state of QA:
- It takes a lot of time and labor, often slowing down release schedules.
- It depends on specific tools or scripts that require maintenance every time the product changes.
- It misses subtle issues in user experience, especially in edge cases.
- It requires highly trained staff to write and manage test cases.
As modern software evolves rapidly with frequent updates and deployments, the pressure on QA teams continues to grow. Many teams struggle to keep up, often pushing products live without full confidence in their stability or usability.
Thunder Code was created to break this cycle and bring intelligent adaptability into the testing process.
The Thunder Code Approach
At the heart of Thunder Code is the concept of autonomous testing agents. These agents act like virtual testers. They understand instructions written in plain language, interact with user interfaces, and simulate various user behaviors.
The platform allows users to create tests using natural language instead of code. This means that even non-technical team members can contribute to testing efforts. Once a scenario is described, Thunder Code’s AI agents interpret the instructions and perform the tasks automatically.
Each agent can take on different roles or personas. One might act like a typical user trying to complete a task. Another might simulate someone using the app with accessibility tools. A third could behave like a tester looking for unexpected flows or broken links. These varied behaviors help expose problems that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Thunder Code also includes adaptive learning capabilities. As it gathers more data from test runs and user feedback, it improves its accuracy and efficiency. The agents begin to anticipate where problems are likely to occur and focus their efforts accordingly.
Early Success and Fast Execution
One of the most impressive things about Thunder Code is how quickly it moved from idea to product. The founders and their team built the first version of the platform in just a few weeks. Within six months, they had launched pilot programs in multiple countries including France, Tunisia, Canada, and the United States.
Early users included software development teams, QA consultants, and organizations looking to streamline their product releases. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Users report faster testing cycles, fewer bugs slipping through, and more confidence in their product quality.
Compared to traditional testing approaches, Thunder Code requires fewer resources, adapts more quickly to change, and delivers better coverage with less manual effort.
Funding and Strategic Focus
Thunder Code raised $9 million in seed funding, a significant achievement for such a young company. The funding round attracted support from experienced investors and industry insiders, many of whom had been familiar with the founders from their previous success at Expensya.
This capital has been used to expand the team, invest in AI research, and accelerate platform development. Importantly, the founders have focused on hiring high-impact individuals early on. They believe that building a strong technical foundation with a small but capable team is more valuable than growing headcount quickly.
Thunder Code has also avoided the temptation to build too many features too soon. Instead, the company has remained focused on solving one core problem: making software testing smarter and more efficient. This clarity of vision has helped them move quickly and build trust with early adopters.
Competitive Advantage
There are many tools on the market that claim to offer automation in QA. What makes Thunder Code different is its use of AI agents that can think and act more like real users. These agents do not rely on rigid scripts or predefined flows. Instead, they interpret and respond to the product as a human would.
This flexibility is a major advantage. Traditional automated tests often break when a button moves or a label changes. Thunder Code’s agents can adapt to such changes without needing manual updates. They also handle edge cases more effectively and can simulate complex user journeys.
By allowing teams to describe test scenarios in plain language, Thunder Code makes testing accessible to a broader range of people. This encourages cross-functional collaboration between developers, product managers, designers, and testers.
Additionally, the platform offers real-time feedback, visual reports, and smart suggestions for improvement. All of this leads to faster release cycles, better quality, and less stress for development teams.
Future Roadmap
Thunder Code is just getting started. The current platform focuses on web applications, but there are plans to expand into mobile apps, desktop software, and APIs.
Future features will include:
- Performance testing to identify slowdowns or resource bottlenecks.
- Accessibility testing for users with disabilities.
- Security-focused agents that check for vulnerabilities.
- Localization checks for global users.
- Integration with popular development tools and workflows.
The company also plans to introduce a reporting dashboard that offers insights into test coverage, reliability, and overall product quality. These metrics will help teams make better decisions and identify areas for improvement.
As the platform evolves, the goal is to offer a full suite of intelligent QA tools that can be used across industries and project types.
Impact on the Software Industry
Thunder Code is more than just a new testing tool. It represents a broader shift in how software is built and maintained. By using AI to handle repetitive, time-consuming tasks, teams can focus more on creativity, innovation, and customer experience.
The software industry is moving toward continuous delivery and shorter development cycles. In this environment, quality cannot be an afterthought. It needs to be built into every stage of the process. Thunder Code helps make that possible.
With fewer manual tests to write and maintain, developers can move faster. With AI agents exploring new paths and detecting subtle issues, products can launch with greater confidence. And with testing no longer limited to technical staff, organizations can become more collaborative and inclusive.
The rise of platforms like Thunder Code signals a new era where AI not only supports but actively participates in the software lifecycle.
Real-World Adoption and Use Cases
Thunder Code is being adopted across industries. From startups to large enterprises, teams are using the platform to improve their QA workflows.
One common use case involves reducing regression bugs. As products evolve, new changes often break older features. Thunder Code’s agents can continuously monitor core flows, catching these issues before they reach production.
Another use case is improving onboarding for new QA staff. Since test scenarios are written in natural language, there’s less of a learning curve. This is especially helpful for growing teams or organizations scaling their operations.
In regulated industries like finance or healthcare, the platform helps ensure compliance by running consistent, repeatable tests. The ability to simulate different user personas is particularly valuable for detecting accessibility or usability issues that might otherwise be missed.
Building a Strong Community
Beyond the technology, Thunder Code is also building a community. Many former Expensya employees have joined the new venture, bringing with them a strong sense of purpose and shared values. This loyalty reflects the founders’ leadership style and their ability to build lasting relationships.
The company is also engaging with the broader tech ecosystem. It runs workshops, shares insights, and listens closely to feedback from users. This openness helps the product evolve and ensures it stays aligned with real-world needs.
Thunder Code is not trying to replace QA professionals but to empower them. By handling the repetitive parts of the job, the platform allows testers to focus on strategy, creativity, and continuous improvement.
Global Reach With Local Roots
Though based in Paris, Thunder Code maintains strong connections to Tunisia, where much of the original Expensya team was located. This gives the company a unique position: rooted in African innovation, but operating on a global scale.
This combination of local talent and international ambition is increasingly common among successful startups. Thunder Code shows that world-class technology can come from anywhere, and that African entrepreneurs are playing a growing role in shaping the future of software.
The company’s diverse team and international reach make it well-suited to understand a wide range of user needs. This global perspective is reflected in its roadmap, partnerships, and product design.
A Sign of What’s to Come
Thunder Code is part of a larger trend toward smarter, AI-driven tools that assist with software creation. As more platforms embrace intelligent automation, the boundaries between development, testing, and deployment will continue to blur.
What sets Thunder Code apart is its focused mission, rapid execution, and the experience of its founders. The company is not just riding the wave of AI it is helping shape its direction.
The success of this venture could inspire others to rethink old processes and look for new ways to apply AI to business challenges. It also reinforces the idea that innovation is not limited by geography, background, or traditional rules.
Conclusion
Thunder Code offers a glimpse into the future of software quality assurance. With intelligent agents that think and adapt like real users, it solves long-standing problems and opens up new possibilities for development teams. Backed by experienced founders and strong early momentum, the platform is well on its way to becoming a key player in the industry.
For readers interested in how AI testing platforms are evolving and what lies ahead for intelligent QA systems, this in-depth analysis of agent-based testing tools offers valuable insights into where the industry is headed.
