A major European online marketplace for DIY and gardening products is now looking to challenge B&Q and Homebase head-on following a cash injection of £10.4m.
Founded in France in 2012 by Philippe de Chanville and Christian Raisson, ManoMano allows customers to buy DIY products online from a network of merchants, connecting the buyer directly with the seller.
The start-up has over 1.8m unique visitors a month and 400,000 customers, and has benefited from a rapidly-growing DIY market in its own country and on the continent.
ManoMano now believes the UK market is ripe for disruption, and aims to attract customers with a wider choice, competitive prices and a strong community network of helpful professionals and enthusiasts.
ManoMano.co.uk was launched in January this year with a team of 10 people. The only DIY and gardening pureplayer in the UK, it is looking to convince both wholesalers and retailers to join the country's biggest DIY and gardening 'catalogue'.
It says that while UK sellers offer a maximum of 35,000 products and services online, ManoMano offers 150,000 products, from spades and stainless steel barbecues to the most specific, technical and esoteric pieces of DIY and gardening equipment - even including full-scale wind turbines.
Commenting on the UK launch, Mr de Chanville said: "We're delighted with the 13m Euros raised, which means that we can really focus on the 40bn Euro market in the UK. The British are world-renowned gardeners and DIYers, and so we think they'll love ManoMano, which we like to believe is the online temple for garden and home equipment."
Mr Raisson added: "We have a bigger range and lower prices than incumbent retailers. ManoMano also serves as an online community with forums, advice papers and messaging tools, so if you're a professional, a hobbyist or a first-timer you can find anything you want."
The investment was raised by four European funds: Partech Ventures, Piton Capital, CM-CIC Capital Privé and Bpifrance.
ManoMano is also looking to grow its existing operations in Spain and Italy.