French DIY retailer ManoMano raises $72 million to accelerate European growth

Paris-based ManoMano announced today that it has raised $72 million as it seeks to expand its DIY marketplace across the continent.

The round was led by international equity firm General Atlantic and included such previous investors as Piton Capital, Partech Ventures, and Bpifrance. The company said it will use some of the money for product development. Users can buy the company’s DIY tools and services for their home repair and gardening projects, as well as seeking advice from the ManoMano community.

The company was founded in 2013 by Philippe de Chanville and Christian Raisson, who were both DIY fans and previous venture capitalists. The marketplace currently serves France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, and the U.K. The company now plans to put particular emphasis on the U.K. market, where it says it has seen rapid growth.

“In the U.K., 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,” said Raisson in a statement.

The company has grown from nine employees in 2013 to 145 in 2017, and it now has 1.2 million products in its online catalogue. ManoMano had previously raised $15 million in venture capital.