DIYWEEK.net

ManoMano, one of the leading European online marketplaces for DIY and gardening products, announced today that it has raised €60 million in Series C funding led by General Atlantic, a global growth equity firm. Existing investors Piton Capital, Partech Ventures, and Bpifrance also participated in the fundraising round. This latest round of funding will help ManoMano accelerate growth by continuing to drive innovation and product development and reinforcing its presence across Europe.

Founded in 2013 by DIY enthusiasts and former venture capitalists, Philippe de Chanville and Christian Raisson, ManoMano is a Paris-based online retailer for DIY and gardening products operating in France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the UK.

With over 1.9 million customers, the company combines a user-centric ethos with a data-led approach, allowing customers to buy DIY and gardening products online directly from its network of merchants at affordable prices. It has also built an online community where DIY enthusiasts can get advice and support for their projects.

As one of the biggest DIY and gardening markets in Europe, the UK is a key part of ManoMano’s international development. In less than 18 months since the launch of the company’s UK platform, it has achieved over £9 million in sales and has over 177,000 products available for purchase. This latest fundraising round will allow ManoMano to significantly invest in its UK team in order to further build its market share and enhance the customer experience.

“ManoMano is the leading online DIY and gardening retailer in France and has a growing presence in a number of other markets in Europe. The move to online in this market has begun to accelerate in recent years and we believe that more than half of the global DIY market will be fully digital by 2025. We are firmly committed to leading this transition,” said Philippe de Chanville and Christian Raisson, co-founders of ManoMano.

“Our latest funding round, led by General Atlantic, and the growth we have achieved so far, are a testament to the success of our strategy. We are excited to partner with General Atlantic and to draw upon its online marketplace expertise and track record of working with innovative digital leaders as we continue on our path to become the leader for DIY and gardening products online, and maintain our strong growth rate.”

Raisson added: “In the UK, we will be focusing on a number of key issues, notably: implementing new logistics and delivery services for consumers and sellers, facilitating cross-border trading and European expansion for partners, as well as redesigning the website to allow for easier navigation, a simplified purchase funnel and more efficient pre-sales advice.”

In its next phase of growth, ManoMano plans to: Invest in brand marketing to increase awareness in all its markets; enhance its DIY product offering and services for existing and prospective clients; continue to invest in new commercial and logistics services to help sellers and partners digitise their product offerings; and increase headcount of the IT & data teams and grow the business development team in UK & Germany.

“We believe the DIY and gardening category today has low online penetration despite the advantages over traditional retail, including a wider product offering and the ability to search and filter products and drill into technical information,” said Chris Caulkin, principal at General Atlantic. “ManoMano has built a strong reputation with customers and suppliers by being a leader in innovation and being consistently competitive on price. We look forward to working with Philippe, Christian, and the entire ManoMano team to further expand the company’s offering and international footprint.”

Drawing from 37 years of experience investing in over 250 global growth companies, General Atlantic partners with entrepreneurs and management teams who are building leading, high-growth businesses.

As part of the investment, Gabriel Caillaux, managing director and co-head of EMEA at General Atlantic, will join ManoMano’s board of directors. Chris Caulkin, principal at General Atlantic, will join the board as an observer.