Tunisia's Dabchy Wraps Up Pre-Series A Funding For Expansion

Tunisia-based peer-to-peer (P2P) second-hand fashion marketplace Dabchy has raised an undisclosed pre-Series A funding round led by the Ivory Coast-based investment firm Janngo Capital, with participation from angel investors, including Karim Beguir, founder of Tunisian artificial intelligence (AI) company InstaDeep.

The new investment will support Dabchy’s expansion into new markets, including Egypt, and the diversification of its product offerings beyond fashion. 

Dabchy was co-founded in Tunisia in 2016 by Ameni Mansouri, Ghazi Ketata, and Oussama Mahjoub and is a second-hand fashion marketplace that connects buyers and sellers. 

Speaking about the investment, co-founder and CEO Mansouri told Inc. Arabia, "This funding isn’t just about expansion; it’s about deepening our impact and refining our model. We will position ourselves not just as a fashion marketplace but as a lifestyle marketplace by diversifying our offerings and introducing new categories, including men’s fashion, home, sports, culture, and entertainment. We’re investing in technology, trust, and efficiency to scale sustainably." 

From a product perspective, Dabchy is making strategic technology upgrades to enhance its user experience and ensure long-term growth. "On the tech side, we’re focusing on automating moderation and improving recommendation algorithms to enhance product visibility," said Ketata, Dabchy’s product manager. "Additionally, we are strengthening our mobile-first experience to ensure a more intuitive and engaging interface for our community. Scalability and security are also key priorities. Our infrastructure upgrades will support rapid growth without compromising performance." 

Since its launch, Dabchy has had to navigate significant challenges in scaling its circular e-commerce platform in MENA, including changing consumer perceptions around second-hand shopping, logistical hurdles, and building trust in a peer-to-peer marketplace. 

"One of the biggest challenges has been changing consumer behavior, convincing people that buying and selling second-hand is not just about affordability but also style and sustainability," Mansouri said. "Logistics was another hurdle, especially in regions with limited e-commerce infrastructure. Building trust between buyers and sellers took time, requiring strong moderation, dispute resolution, and transparent policies. This is what we have been building for years: hacking the consumer-to-consumer value chain." 

From a technical standpoint, Dabchy has had to continuously refine its platform to accommodate growth. "From a tech standpoint, scalability was a challenge," Ketata admitted. "As we grew, we had to constantly refactor our systems to handle increasing traffic, improve search and discovery, and prevent fraud." 

As the second-hand fashion industry in the MENA region develops, Dabchy is adapting to changing consumer behavior and emerging trends in retail. 

"In 2025, we anticipate three major trends shaping the second-hand fashion industry in MENA," Mansouri explained. "First, second-hand shopping is shifting from being purely price-driven to a mainstream lifestyle choice, fueled by a growing awareness of sustainability and the desire for unique fashion finds. Second, social commerce is becoming dominant, as consumers no longer just shop but seek community engagement through peer-to-peer interactions, live selling, and influencer-driven resale. Finally, trust and logistics are improving, with more players investing in authentication processes, seller ratings, and frictionless payment solutions to boost buyer confidence." 

To stay ahead of these trends, Dabchy is reinforcing its trust and community engagement initiatives. "We are introducing new interactive features, enhancing authentication processes, and improving logistics through strategic partnerships," Mansouri added. " On the technology side, we are improving the system to match buyers with relevant items more efficiently and developing social features to foster engagement within the platform.” 

For entrepreneurs looking to enter this space, Mansouri emphasized the importance of trust and liquidity. "A circular marketplace only works if both buyers and sellers feel safe and if there’s enough supply-demand balance to keep transactions active. Be patient — behavioral shifts take time, but once they happen, growth becomes exponential." 

Ketata also offered advice to fellow entrepreneurs, saying, "Build with flexibility in mind. Don’t over-engineer at the start but ensure your architecture can adapt as you scale. Also, invest early in data analytics, because understanding user behavior is key to refining your product." 

Pictures on image Dabchy's team. Image courtesy Dabchy.