hello everyone marco montemagno here the
tech alchemist and here with me a good
friend of mine with summary at the
co-founder of my ship i have boost are
you going job so my idea today we do was
try to talk about this magic world of
api everyone talking about api now but
I’m fully convinced that 99% of business
traditional business of course they
still don’t get it
probably because it’s not so clear what
what is all about what the opportunities
so I would like to go a little bit
deeper in this API word and then I have
tons of things and questions to to ask
you about yourself and vision of the
future and so on so first of all where
are you located now now in San Francisco
alright great
and by the way misshape of three
founders two founders three founders
yeah yeah okay three founders Mongo
market McAlary excellent and you got
funded last year I I just don’t remember
exactly when but I think it was last
year something like that yeah we we had
the first danger around and she doesn’t
plan three years ago and then a seed
round last year that was closed in
August all right
and by the way the round for people who
doesn’t know my shape just go and check
my shape and you’ll see the round was we
excellent ambassadors I mean Jeff pieces
and other guys like that yeah so I would
still let’s try to go straight to this
API topic okay so first of all when you
say API I mean what is all about
explained to a human being and not to
attack code there that obviously knows
what weighs all about but okay API we
talking about debt so first example the
API it’s actually already always existed
in
information technologies so the problem
in this new revolution of API is that
we’re talking about cloud API so it
means api’s had run over the Internet
and they run in the cloud so they did
this you could serve disease data
whatever there but if he has a cancer
really simple sample would be Windows 95
when he came on they already had a PR
but it was like they’re not on the cloud
but for example in sky this card that we
are using use the Windows ATR is to
actually build on top of on top of
Windows right but those are they hold
where you read the odds but they’re
really always exists that information
you know these in a way is actually
cloud if you are did you distinction
because there is a server somewhere and
there is decline other another part and
then they ping the server a worldwide
wherever he is to access continent data
and services and those are the new
revolutions of clouded yeah
so in technically API it means
application programming interface the
interface where and program applications
or whatever in simple words it’s like
it’s like a Lego box the second Lego so
or a paddle so the API is a piece of the
Lego a piece of the puzzle and you can
use the label you want to build your
infrastructure right your project so
you’re gonna so for example you want to
build an application on the iPhone and
if you need XMS notifications for some
actions you don’t want to build all your
SMS infrastructure and your application
of time time or two to be engineers what
you do what you can do is you will out
and you look for in a guy that actually
can send SMS for you so you search this
API you integrate this SMS component API
into your project and then in a couple
of minutes we can basically have an
entire semester infrastructure into your
app and send SMS notification or push
notification without bringin in the
wheel on your own and that and that’s
actually the dead plant it because it
basically pushed down cost in and time
as well and and small teamer are able to
create amazing team way faster and way
cheaper
cause of the API NE WS is probably a
mask expose one the biggest example that
people don’t have to go out and buy and
build server and keep them in their
house in their office and they spend a
huge amount of money to manage this real
physical infrastructure to just go to
Amazon in the idea is they have storage
yeah
easy to tell you have bandwidth there
everything yes excellent so basically
you just choose the features that you
want the the legal blocks that that you
would like to add to your to your
service and then you just get it and you
include it in your in your offer one
thing I’m starting really at the basic
level so imagine that there is a company
and this company say ok I get it
I’ve been watching I was a gustaría the
explaining the topic and I think that I
will go for it I will build an API today
to build an API is still the developer
stuff is coding stuff lot of coding or
is possible for human beings for
companies to create to develop their API
the same way they can open a blog or
they can have I don’t know their own
social network or features that once
they’ve been requiring a lot of coding
how is the situation at the moment so
there are coming Allah aloo hello to
three tools that allows you to basically
have an API if you upload your code base
data and generate and they’ve got a
pretty the beaching so they’re not with
the custom 100% but areas that the
developers that broke the code of your
app also is the guy that is gonna
publish or have an API on top of that so
it’s pretty technically to publish and
create guys it’s actually part of the
code if you create up I thought you just
the consolute guys actually that there
are there are for example Shoaib api is
the old way
enterprise and now there’s the restful
api which is a more simple way to
developers back then to access those
services those data and and they do API
is that
they are stateless so does it mean that
they were they once you have any guy and
why and why you bailed on a guy you know
that guy because you you want to be just
mash with people as possible n API is
actually it’s shaped less so that you
can use an API if you’re busy drive
around iPad app or a TV application to
Google TV or our website right so they
could have powerful the guys that he
builds once in a goes everywhere and
they can be either for every scenario if
they’re just the fastest way to transfer
data and service is now in the world
it’s like the bane of your body right
they they transport the blood and your
blood could be your service or your data
in a very fast equip they integrate
whatever whatever the content is gonna
be mobile not mobile TV whatever so that
that’s why either the filling that
because it’s way cheaper instead of
reinventing the wheel and goose hunting
Pro scratching a custom for the iPhone
and for their iPad or whatever the
really need to be a really big
distinction between private et eyes and
popular in the eyes so primary key is
its API is that you use internally so
for example when people say there are 1
million of the mobile applications so
let’s say I thought in Android that
means that there are 1 implicated arm at
1 million private API is behind that so
that’s the underlying architecture and
some of them are also public public
means that third-party developers can
access them and use them private means
that only the company hold the partner
you want you so for example Netflix
which is Europe not there yet but it’s
basically distribute on the mark I think
it’s coming by the way more months you
should come good it’s basically
traveling on demand form and move it
through your TV be are too dangerous to
baby they have all they have all their
disabilities paprs
in more than 260 devices worldwide all
sweetie arts and they have a private API
which is basically the ones are using
channel and the team apart turn API
which is kind of private and public so
they give access only to big companies
like Apple when they do they’re going to
the Apple TV
we’re going to do able to be so they can
have a
a better relationship and nmd completely
hobby part for the long tail of
developers that can keep on top of that
but bear in mind that nowadays the way
you build software is changing and is
becoming API eccentric so the first
things you build as a software engineer
in swing VI private and then on top of
that you build the client through an
iPhone and iPad on the website but if
first things really be the cold car page
and then a phablet guy and then
obviously you what you can integrate
third party with the eyes to your
product to get done faster but the first
things you have it’s maybe I how about
okay if you have to use ap eyes from
from other companies fine you just go
there and you choose you did the example
of I don’t know phone API and I’m
thinking about Twilio for instance so
there are companies that give you this
this service so the older infrastructure
is on their own Coast and is their
problem that’s it you just use their
information and you just create your
stuff how about if I’m a company and I
want to develop my own API I mean what
kind of infrastructure do we have to
build it something massive monumental or
is something that I can handle in in an
easier way because I think a lot of
companies have the fear to build their
own API because they will say ok how can
I handle then all the requests and so on
so what’s the situation at the moment
for you so yeah so building an API is
actually pretty quickly but the problem
is for the rest so if you say they
entire structure that you want to decide
to make it public because they need to
have permission we need to authenticate
developer and limit developer analyze
there’s start to be a lot of things that
you need to publisher if you are to be
sure that works well with the security
context so all that all these things you
don’t have to build that we can actually
access a third-party companies that have
this really bound for you and they’re in
the news stuff that in
can be a program without adding
resources or engineers that give in this
time boring infrastructure to make a
guide tablet in in the good way and
misshape is one person for example all
right can you give us more examples
real-life examples of well where can I
use an API for what can I can I use an
API and maybe also if you think that
there are area sectors industry where
you wouldn’t recommend to use an API if
Annie yes for example they’re coming API
is in every sector every market each
dawn also even come Starbucks even
companies that are not related with
technology actually are now are now
publishing it is an example of an API
just for example this one coming out
with easy post the CEO and it allows you
to simple API to send package worldwide
so it basically builds disappear on top
of the complicated infrastructure of UPS
FEDEX they use their old API on top of
that it made easy positivity I was
pretty important and so every time I
developers but some parts of markets
need to ship Kings has been a part of
when there are shipments included he
used this API which automatic once an
order is placed that he’s automatically
send the request he supposed API about
the content of the packet the way where
it’s gonna be and they post the tasks
that they want to buy and competing it
can compare between UPS FedEx DHL
and then this API take care of it and
send the package by it by the price
required to to have this ship three days
ten days and then and then done so you
don’t have to deal as a company as I
owner let’s say this marketplace to all
the shipping process you just use the
GPIO
and you need to get into your project
and once an order need to be ship it
then the API does all the rest and that
that’s amazing but this you can really
catch the other things unbelievable and
what does the Hilton does which kind of
API can heal to news I mean
or data data and they’re using more or
less a partner maybe are there and they
don’t have a public API but there you
have public it because public actually
probably comes out using them dropping
down the cost of your development so
thereby I get up and behind all this up
and and what where we should not use an
API it’s probably in the bank since then
because the security is not it’s not I
mean Bank out obsessive with are
protecting some data that would never be
in the cloud for a lot of reason so
there will be always some part of the
world and we know it but that’s not
nothing
really about an API publish a cloud
because so on all the things there would
not be excessive access to be a
possibility for security reason and I
think Baxter or government some data
will also not be able to use by a TRS
because of the same reason actually the
government it’s now in the u.s. is
working out a lot of icky either now
publishing more than 100 yards in the
next year to basically distribute all
data so like the ones you see the crime
in a particular city and you access all
this data to true they’ve the Minister
of Finance is through the same
economists in the same team
opening up all these data about the
commoners in the United States and you
can go back in the history and access
all this data
agriculture problem like you can see
everything on the government’s opening
all this API that in the last year’s
last week ago so a friend of mine except
on this topic we were talking about this
API and did this friend of mine he works
in a ice cream shop okay so he doesn’t
know anything about tech or API and I
said yeah because baristas you can
access you know all this data with this
API and he said yeah but what’s the
difference if they use this thing that
you are talking to me about or if they
just put
upload PDF or
excel file so what’s the difference and
III give you back for me the the
difference is obviously monumental but I
want to give you back the technical
answer yeah is the structure of the data
right well wait wait if you are a
consumer or you will always use the PDF
or Excel
however tricky here is targeting
developers in the conditions that you
have software somewhere so for
developers so for engineer Henry and
Excel it needs to download the excel
structure the data put in developing I
like other lies that you’ve added to it
it’s really it’s really actually take
the PDF structure and putting up
developer structuring today and it takes
a lot in the API it’s just an API call
the data are a restructure the way you
wanna so developers love JSON as a which
is a formats to transfer data and they
love JSON as for mine the idea is rescue
through the simple way just there it’s
just sully and this is avoiding day that
cells to do JSON so it’s developer
language and again just make a call and
retrieve all the data the way they want
you also the api in the a way the data
are still on it by the provider in the
server of the provider i just make the
call when i wanted it so access is more
important on that Konishi
nowadays right and I think also Airbnb
it’s a real example of that it access
more important for their ownership and
the same things bher in the excel in the
PDF one side below the video I also on
the data and I need to manage and
maintain this data Angela it is and
that’s all about it’s about API it’s
like in SMS it’s not only about that
they can use an SMS API and be up around
it quickly but also is because I don’t
have to maintain that part of my brother
because there’s another company thing
that pops in there like a ed you
know industry a cottage industry they
really care about that things we weld
want int and I do my my team my 10%
called really well we are paying and
managing all these are third-party
components and services because they do
that so also managing is import
let’s talk about the cost and in this
way we can also go deep in my shape I
mean first of all my shape is an API
cloud API marketplace so were you can
put your API out there or you can find
an API so it’s very useful in my opinion
and because it gives you a solution a
very simple one place where you find all
api’s and you can move in this world
much easier so guys just go my shape and
have a look how about the cost I mean
our company is now charging for using
their public API is on my shape do you
see I don’t know only free API or api’s
that are sold the access is sold can you
elaborate on the this topic of the cost
because I think that there is an idea
that all all those protocols are just
you know free and you just access and
that’s it you do what you want a little
bit in a chaotic way when it’s not
really like that yeah sorry
so when you decide to open and if you I
will give it to a partner obviously it’s
private it’s always people to use it but
I won’t decide to open it you can keep
from an API free and there are some
reason to do that or you can add a page
usage model on top of your API it
depends of the data itself in the last
thirteen five six years we have seen an
opening focus on opening api’s and now
we are entering a waiver it’s monetizing
api and misshape health really really
well enough it allows you to mortiser
api in three clicks and accept money now
I also have a community in our
marketplace to that so this is what
we’re believing it that you know if it’s
something has value will never give it
for free forever how long I will start
to charge for so now we are entering in
a way that people gonna charge for it
and there are a really good example that
so there are actually three different
types there are API eyes clouded up
infrastructure as a service like video
so I provide you an infrastructure
like in this case SMS there are data API
is that they just distribute data like
the government yeah that’s right
decline in San Francisco into New York
the comparator things like that and then
our platform api’s which is basically
Facebook Twitter Foursquare where they
use the API as a strategy to leverage
third-party developers to build
applications and services on top of
Facebook on top of twitter to basically
increase the distribution of the base of
the Facebook itself and also reach the
basic community by third-party
applications right so there are three
three different kind of again what we’re
focusing now is more on the first tube
so like direct selling of data and
services and other little ones like
video page with courseware because it’s
already a preacher Facebook for spirt
because in this if you guys there is
revenue but it’s not direct revenue so
like when Zynga deploy and build games
on top of Facebook there is not real
clear transaction air and your batteries
are a collateral effect when people buy
credit for it to create a great farm
bill and elderts is operating to the
Facebook API but it’s not it’s not
really for asking for too much death so
instead of PTO it’s pretty simple
because we do it’s to say okay you pay
one cent for SMS that you send to us or
using our infrastructure and that’s
pretty simple or data that most of the
deities are free but some of them are
pay like okay you know the unit could be
data points every time we retrieve
hundred at the poet’s it’s ten bucks so
this is more clearly simple motive to
monetize in our marketplace there are
the majority eyes like in the world
there are set of public API and you know
that set of public API there are there
are API with the business model with a
revenue revenue generator and they can
take a charge like for example there is
a face recognition API so if you want to
do an ID for allocation sentimental
analysis you use user to us because
we’re not just a director to exertion
API to actually you consume the API to
us and and and you pay throughout so
it’s entire one shop stopped to do
everything you wanna do search consume a
analyze everything in one place from a
consumer standpoint and and so there are
this base definition
they waited charge they not do not try
to clear API calls the unit immediate
world is always a guy comes Iron Man
codes IP which means how many times like
if I’m using the API how many times i
peeing that server that’s an api call in
and the api call there can be a lot of
object so in the face recognition on the
object they charge for its face
recognize that knowledge catacombs so
every time i recognize the face that’s
or not that and they charge like 10
bucks so I guess for 50 towels on face
recognizer for months and then if you
want more you can upgrade have a
different plan in any P I would you pay
you have P as you go so like SMS one
centers and that’s already not bundle
where you have subscription mode where
you pay on amount per month and you and
you have included at an amount of base
recognized at API calls per month
well coaster what’s the best advice what
what was your top recommendation to a
company who wanna approach this API Ward
but still you know that they have to
start and they have to start from from
scratch what would you recommend
what’s your best tea boat what’s the
right guideline to follow in your
opinion the problem about doing restful
api is that it’s not like so where there
were like a clear table below
but everyone there’s no interpretation
on some power of rest api so my my
suggestion is just to go and read as
much the communication as possible like
through bullying and things on how you
view restful api is and that you get a
pretty good knowledge in a couple of
days and then you start to design you
guys and at that point probably also as
a misshape we provide an API doc editor
which kind of force you to design api is
a right way so using that you don’t only
get advantage of every five client
libraries distribute api but also get a
bunch of that you force yourself to
build a restful api because it’s draggy
true to the to the to the not a best if
you’re in the world but as as much
possible as possible
how do you get this the idea because
talking now 2012 about this api’s right
you know yeah we’re here to explain what
what is all about but for the tech
community the tech board okay this is
you know API is as a matter of fact it
is exist and this is the direction but
when you started I remember no I really
understood what was all about so how did
you know was a feature right well we we
had a lot of problems in the early days
explaining or we’re dreaming because we
were saying we have we are the apps
orbit here I grew much of his pretty
eyes in the early early 2010 people were
saying like what what you mean like an
API can be sold right because it’s a
time what they were thinking about those
API of a programming language of you
guys or we know ratified not the cloud
they’ve got and revolutional there they
were already tree do but they were a few
engineers knew about it this kind of
kind of API is at the concept are they
unfortunately mobile draw a jobs or deny
api revolution entire grow because of
mobile as I told you every new apps on
the iPhone it means that behind that
there is an API so that’s actually was
parking lot like I cannot we cannot
ideas are actually ankles are people and
iteration from another product the other
brother were I don’t have you know it
was like getting pipes where you have
assembling combine different components
together we also had a graphical layer
so who allowed you to drag-and-drop
component actually use interface to
create your own app but you there we
were wrapping all others existing if you
guys at the time and then what we
discover it the explosion of it the eyes
and we decided hope that there will
be thousand millions and we need to
create a kind of a unified Nagini file
this man and create a smarter person
this out so it was an idea that came
down from another idea and it tooks a
lot of months on intuition for about the
right point but if this vision of any
microfiber guys it which is even ahead
of it so it’s not only opening up DDI
sniff also monetizing it out to the next
step this is also the revolution and we
are trying to do and actually we are
creating the market as they are wanting
all do that that lets you monetize API
and yeah it was very hard to go to
explain that because before what do you
mean like can select the I and and now
it’s it’s way easier if you could get
this explosion of structures and surface
like sandy sandy mail isn’t want you to
live such you sandwiches and no house
getting funded for for this idea because
you know it looks easy and you just say
okay many guests at the tech alchemist
they may be from Silicon Valley at all
you know they they’re they very well
inside the network environment you
started from Italy which is not really
Silicon Valley’s not exactly the same
and then you I mean you had a great
story when dear and you you did it by
your yourself so how was the the path to
to arrive dear I mean you just started
there and say hey hi guys we have this
idea and and someone came how did you
find your way this couple of years
yeah so well I think when we I came I
can’t he’s become bald in the first time
in 2008 other stamp or interruption week
was February and actually there was a
croissant oh god I feel like probably to
Mecca dentist the c-terminus so well how
powerful all things are here say Wow
and then I came back to Italy and then
we taught you books fears try to raise
money of the original and the other
flock and let you know at that kind of
stage you actually don’t even ask the
idea you invest in the people right the
more the sooner you invest the more
impacting people I was like if you if
you like let’s say if you invest in your
DMV three years ago you are
investigating people let their DMV now
even if you take out all the founders
you put other seals and other owners
they did the products you’re ready
Ronnie and goes wherever I go like you
may be able to people everybody it’s
gone that is going out you’re investing
there so we then tested things and then
and we have shoes or anything English
only because the team the region was
only me and mark by then and then I also
came in later
but did you promise the team they were
too young we were trying their soul and
they didn’t want to find a 20 years old
you know it’s pre-installed I was trying
to explain that any new experiences do
it because because you don’t nobody tell
you how to do things so you can invent
your own way and most of times are
better with and and that’s actually was
what was the problem so in 2010 I I saw
this riccati powerful widget I can I can
summer summer I would signal money more
would which you can speak everything
happened so fast from raising money to
partnership to business to to building
I think speed is the right word to
define speaking Bali and then anytime we
are a country already happen sewers rose
by some of the problems that European
problem and and yeah and then we move it
here and then did this regional theme of
me too but it was the first guys like
each other
couple hundred grants with also one
investor from Eden shkreli because he
key actually the way we found him we
didn’t make it before virtually but we
made him in San Francisco in 2010 where
we were raising funding of this guys but
we were sleeping on the floor later in a
house mattress and hey mattress so that
the YouTube guys show the commitment of
three three three desperate basically
came here to find find the dream and
this is so the commitment and and they
invested in the team right and then also
when the Italian guys came in he
invested in the G and and because he’s
so sweet Island guys are so it was like
an investment in the team and actually a
little bit over the idea but it’s always
about a team at that stage in the seed
round a year later it’s more of a mix
where you have perfect idea between
through and their time invest it for
Pierre product and over time the
shooters a you still invest a little bit
more in the team and in the product as
well and in this you just be a public us
mostly in the product
well we have a few minutes more crystal
but after that you told me you were the
first person telling me about Airbnb and
Airbnb just guys if you don’t know
everybody just go out there and check
Airbnb and it’s now is a massive
business but you were the first one to
tell me about Airbnb and in beginning I
thought come on this will be probably
will go nowhere yeah that’s what the
investor told them in 2009 when you’re
trying to do fundraising
I’m sorry nature doesn’t the time to
finalize today come on it’s gonna do you
know what its gonna stay in a house of
people they don’t know a logic yeah and
now it’s going right and so after that
moment every time that you say oh maybe
have a look at this start of our website
I immediately go to check so do you see
if you have I know your favorite three
startups of the moment is there anything
interesting that that you see for people
doing tech digital business some cool
website cool app cool startups to have a
look I don’t know about three I mean I
personally I’m personally invested you
know startup Hidden Valley from Y
Combinator which I think can become
really being an MD drug eBay which is
basically a great list but mobile and
that simple you take a picture but they
object you wanna sell and you sell that
localizer via their iPhone app and then
other people can browse items to the
location and go pick up and buy their
goods to the ikana so it’s pretty it’s
politically the yard sale get yard sale
calm so it’s like like take a picture in
720 second and you buying twenty second
twenty four with an amazing user
experience like Apple style so it
completely disrupt great lease business
and eventually fade this is something I
but like Kinsella consumer things that I
you don’t have until come Bali a lot of
investors are coming back to their roots
in there it’s harder now to invest in
finance consumer product because of the
Eifel market and because there’s not a
clear path its instead money are going
back to in finance enterprise companies
and business in a way faster and
powerful way I would back on thoughts
it’s an amazing company hiring leave
it’s an amazing leader I would bet on
box boxer it’s gonna be a huge huge
company they just started okay and and
tools that you absolutely would
recommend for people doing business
online tools I don’t know for promoting
your business online thing by the way
something that that you you had to do
but probably your target was more
developers or promoting through
developers but yeah are there any tools
that you say gosh if you do some digital
business you have to use these these
tools for your productivity for your
promotion are there any particular
favorite August’s favorite tools that
you could recommend well mix polish
should be users because it’s like a
Google Analytics but for real-time event
tracking optimize early to do a/b
testing that simple way a simple way so
we were really trusted with data and
metrics so we I don’t know about
marketing or outbound tools I prefer to
do manually those instead using software
but yeah mix onyx on this also works for
mobile app so there’s a mix part of
mobile to trust mobile usage on top of
Europe and trucks every events you wanna
you are track bar
Oh another another thing second idea
we’re using now it’s a stock art it’s
all in some fancy special it’s gonna be
develop it very slowly as a vocational
problem but instacart
basically I open my iPhone I browse a
list of like a grocery things it’s
actually good Safeway and I and I think
everyone latch a and when melka want
sandwich I want to meet and I’m how many
peas two three four
corn flakes whatever it stinks in the
grocery I can really plus I can like a
Pinterest way with all the things and
then I can order and the guy King on the
door and bring me with just nine bucks
or not so I pay whatever way he is it
locked
great it’s nine bucks per your order and
he whenever no matter how much I ordered
and that he brings me all the things at
my door in in less than two hours
cool cool I was thinking when will come
in Italy you know probably never because
they will it will steal the milk before
his last question August oh just try to
open your your crystal magic ball and
and tell us what we happen in the next
couple of years in your your sektor I
mean API will be everywhere it will be
totally connected word is any particular
direction that you see they say that
that’s we happen for sure yeah it’s it’s
it’s the software going everywhere and
then API so as well it’s all in June by
API is because they as I told the day
they cut down costs in distributing
software different platform different
objects really simple because you mean
just one if you are to distribute in
every other apps even in a fridge it
just the same API that use it to the
contrary an iPhone you can use this
again with audrina preach so I think
that the thing Bayesian of soft bake in
every corner of your life is what’s
happening than expected so more value
will not be all deep in mobile they own
the iPad but the mobile to build so your
car which is also some mobile so
everything is gonna be in every in every
in every aspect of your life and
software’s kind of be an app so gonna be
every word super we were just I think
we’re just getting started with this
okay
al gusto thanks a lot of gusto Moretti
co-founder of misshape and
good luck keeping touch for everything thanks Marco Thanks ciao
tech alchemist and here with me a good
friend of mine with summary at the
co-founder of my ship i have boost are
you going job so my idea today we do was
try to talk about this magic world of
api everyone talking about api now but
I’m fully convinced that 99% of business
traditional business of course they
still don’t get it
probably because it’s not so clear what
what is all about what the opportunities
so I would like to go a little bit
deeper in this API word and then I have
tons of things and questions to to ask
you about yourself and vision of the
future and so on so first of all where
are you located now now in San Francisco
alright great
and by the way misshape of three
founders two founders three founders
yeah yeah okay three founders Mongo
market McAlary excellent and you got
funded last year I I just don’t remember
exactly when but I think it was last
year something like that yeah we we had
the first danger around and she doesn’t
plan three years ago and then a seed
round last year that was closed in
August all right
and by the way the round for people who
doesn’t know my shape just go and check
my shape and you’ll see the round was we
excellent ambassadors I mean Jeff pieces
and other guys like that yeah so I would
still let’s try to go straight to this
API topic okay so first of all when you
say API I mean what is all about
explained to a human being and not to
attack code there that obviously knows
what weighs all about but okay API we
talking about debt so first example the
API it’s actually already always existed
in
information technologies so the problem
in this new revolution of API is that
we’re talking about cloud API so it
means api’s had run over the Internet
and they run in the cloud so they did
this you could serve disease data
whatever there but if he has a cancer
really simple sample would be Windows 95
when he came on they already had a PR
but it was like they’re not on the cloud
but for example in sky this card that we
are using use the Windows ATR is to
actually build on top of on top of
Windows right but those are they hold
where you read the odds but they’re
really always exists that information
you know these in a way is actually
cloud if you are did you distinction
because there is a server somewhere and
there is decline other another part and
then they ping the server a worldwide
wherever he is to access continent data
and services and those are the new
revolutions of clouded yeah
so in technically API it means
application programming interface the
interface where and program applications
or whatever in simple words it’s like
it’s like a Lego box the second Lego so
or a paddle so the API is a piece of the
Lego a piece of the puzzle and you can
use the label you want to build your
infrastructure right your project so
you’re gonna so for example you want to
build an application on the iPhone and
if you need XMS notifications for some
actions you don’t want to build all your
SMS infrastructure and your application
of time time or two to be engineers what
you do what you can do is you will out
and you look for in a guy that actually
can send SMS for you so you search this
API you integrate this SMS component API
into your project and then in a couple
of minutes we can basically have an
entire semester infrastructure into your
app and send SMS notification or push
notification without bringin in the
wheel on your own and that and that’s
actually the dead plant it because it
basically pushed down cost in and time
as well and and small teamer are able to
create amazing team way faster and way
cheaper
cause of the API NE WS is probably a
mask expose one the biggest example that
people don’t have to go out and buy and
build server and keep them in their
house in their office and they spend a
huge amount of money to manage this real
physical infrastructure to just go to
Amazon in the idea is they have storage
yeah
easy to tell you have bandwidth there
everything yes excellent so basically
you just choose the features that you
want the the legal blocks that that you
would like to add to your to your
service and then you just get it and you
include it in your in your offer one
thing I’m starting really at the basic
level so imagine that there is a company
and this company say ok I get it
I’ve been watching I was a gustaría the
explaining the topic and I think that I
will go for it I will build an API today
to build an API is still the developer
stuff is coding stuff lot of coding or
is possible for human beings for
companies to create to develop their API
the same way they can open a blog or
they can have I don’t know their own
social network or features that once
they’ve been requiring a lot of coding
how is the situation at the moment so
there are coming Allah aloo hello to
three tools that allows you to basically
have an API if you upload your code base
data and generate and they’ve got a
pretty the beaching so they’re not with
the custom 100% but areas that the
developers that broke the code of your
app also is the guy that is gonna
publish or have an API on top of that so
it’s pretty technically to publish and
create guys it’s actually part of the
code if you create up I thought you just
the consolute guys actually that there
are there are for example Shoaib api is
the old way
enterprise and now there’s the restful
api which is a more simple way to
developers back then to access those
services those data and and they do API
is that
they are stateless so does it mean that
they were they once you have any guy and
why and why you bailed on a guy you know
that guy because you you want to be just
mash with people as possible n API is
actually it’s shaped less so that you
can use an API if you’re busy drive
around iPad app or a TV application to
Google TV or our website right so they
could have powerful the guys that he
builds once in a goes everywhere and
they can be either for every scenario if
they’re just the fastest way to transfer
data and service is now in the world
it’s like the bane of your body right
they they transport the blood and your
blood could be your service or your data
in a very fast equip they integrate
whatever whatever the content is gonna
be mobile not mobile TV whatever so that
that’s why either the filling that
because it’s way cheaper instead of
reinventing the wheel and goose hunting
Pro scratching a custom for the iPhone
and for their iPad or whatever the
really need to be a really big
distinction between private et eyes and
popular in the eyes so primary key is
its API is that you use internally so
for example when people say there are 1
million of the mobile applications so
let’s say I thought in Android that
means that there are 1 implicated arm at
1 million private API is behind that so
that’s the underlying architecture and
some of them are also public public
means that third-party developers can
access them and use them private means
that only the company hold the partner
you want you so for example Netflix
which is Europe not there yet but it’s
basically distribute on the mark I think
it’s coming by the way more months you
should come good it’s basically
traveling on demand form and move it
through your TV be are too dangerous to
baby they have all they have all their
disabilities paprs
in more than 260 devices worldwide all
sweetie arts and they have a private API
which is basically the ones are using
channel and the team apart turn API
which is kind of private and public so
they give access only to big companies
like Apple when they do they’re going to
the Apple TV
we’re going to do able to be so they can
have a
a better relationship and nmd completely
hobby part for the long tail of
developers that can keep on top of that
but bear in mind that nowadays the way
you build software is changing and is
becoming API eccentric so the first
things you build as a software engineer
in swing VI private and then on top of
that you build the client through an
iPhone and iPad on the website but if
first things really be the cold car page
and then a phablet guy and then
obviously you what you can integrate
third party with the eyes to your
product to get done faster but the first
things you have it’s maybe I how about
okay if you have to use ap eyes from
from other companies fine you just go
there and you choose you did the example
of I don’t know phone API and I’m
thinking about Twilio for instance so
there are companies that give you this
this service so the older infrastructure
is on their own Coast and is their
problem that’s it you just use their
information and you just create your
stuff how about if I’m a company and I
want to develop my own API I mean what
kind of infrastructure do we have to
build it something massive monumental or
is something that I can handle in in an
easier way because I think a lot of
companies have the fear to build their
own API because they will say ok how can
I handle then all the requests and so on
so what’s the situation at the moment
for you so yeah so building an API is
actually pretty quickly but the problem
is for the rest so if you say they
entire structure that you want to decide
to make it public because they need to
have permission we need to authenticate
developer and limit developer analyze
there’s start to be a lot of things that
you need to publisher if you are to be
sure that works well with the security
context so all that all these things you
don’t have to build that we can actually
access a third-party companies that have
this really bound for you and they’re in
the news stuff that in
can be a program without adding
resources or engineers that give in this
time boring infrastructure to make a
guide tablet in in the good way and
misshape is one person for example all
right can you give us more examples
real-life examples of well where can I
use an API for what can I can I use an
API and maybe also if you think that
there are area sectors industry where
you wouldn’t recommend to use an API if
Annie yes for example they’re coming API
is in every sector every market each
dawn also even come Starbucks even
companies that are not related with
technology actually are now are now
publishing it is an example of an API
just for example this one coming out
with easy post the CEO and it allows you
to simple API to send package worldwide
so it basically builds disappear on top
of the complicated infrastructure of UPS
FEDEX they use their old API on top of
that it made easy positivity I was
pretty important and so every time I
developers but some parts of markets
need to ship Kings has been a part of
when there are shipments included he
used this API which automatic once an
order is placed that he’s automatically
send the request he supposed API about
the content of the packet the way where
it’s gonna be and they post the tasks
that they want to buy and competing it
can compare between UPS FedEx DHL
and then this API take care of it and
send the package by it by the price
required to to have this ship three days
ten days and then and then done so you
don’t have to deal as a company as I
owner let’s say this marketplace to all
the shipping process you just use the
GPIO
and you need to get into your project
and once an order need to be ship it
then the API does all the rest and that
that’s amazing but this you can really
catch the other things unbelievable and
what does the Hilton does which kind of
API can heal to news I mean
or data data and they’re using more or
less a partner maybe are there and they
don’t have a public API but there you
have public it because public actually
probably comes out using them dropping
down the cost of your development so
thereby I get up and behind all this up
and and what where we should not use an
API it’s probably in the bank since then
because the security is not it’s not I
mean Bank out obsessive with are
protecting some data that would never be
in the cloud for a lot of reason so
there will be always some part of the
world and we know it but that’s not
nothing
really about an API publish a cloud
because so on all the things there would
not be excessive access to be a
possibility for security reason and I
think Baxter or government some data
will also not be able to use by a TRS
because of the same reason actually the
government it’s now in the u.s. is
working out a lot of icky either now
publishing more than 100 yards in the
next year to basically distribute all
data so like the ones you see the crime
in a particular city and you access all
this data to true they’ve the Minister
of Finance is through the same
economists in the same team
opening up all these data about the
commoners in the United States and you
can go back in the history and access
all this data
agriculture problem like you can see
everything on the government’s opening
all this API that in the last year’s
last week ago so a friend of mine except
on this topic we were talking about this
API and did this friend of mine he works
in a ice cream shop okay so he doesn’t
know anything about tech or API and I
said yeah because baristas you can
access you know all this data with this
API and he said yeah but what’s the
difference if they use this thing that
you are talking to me about or if they
just put
upload PDF or
excel file so what’s the difference and
III give you back for me the the
difference is obviously monumental but I
want to give you back the technical
answer yeah is the structure of the data
right well wait wait if you are a
consumer or you will always use the PDF
or Excel
however tricky here is targeting
developers in the conditions that you
have software somewhere so for
developers so for engineer Henry and
Excel it needs to download the excel
structure the data put in developing I
like other lies that you’ve added to it
it’s really it’s really actually take
the PDF structure and putting up
developer structuring today and it takes
a lot in the API it’s just an API call
the data are a restructure the way you
wanna so developers love JSON as a which
is a formats to transfer data and they
love JSON as for mine the idea is rescue
through the simple way just there it’s
just sully and this is avoiding day that
cells to do JSON so it’s developer
language and again just make a call and
retrieve all the data the way they want
you also the api in the a way the data
are still on it by the provider in the
server of the provider i just make the
call when i wanted it so access is more
important on that Konishi
nowadays right and I think also Airbnb
it’s a real example of that it access
more important for their ownership and
the same things bher in the excel in the
PDF one side below the video I also on
the data and I need to manage and
maintain this data Angela it is and
that’s all about it’s about API it’s
like in SMS it’s not only about that
they can use an SMS API and be up around
it quickly but also is because I don’t
have to maintain that part of my brother
because there’s another company thing
that pops in there like a ed you
know industry a cottage industry they
really care about that things we weld
want int and I do my my team my 10%
called really well we are paying and
managing all these are third-party
components and services because they do
that so also managing is import
let’s talk about the cost and in this
way we can also go deep in my shape I
mean first of all my shape is an API
cloud API marketplace so were you can
put your API out there or you can find
an API so it’s very useful in my opinion
and because it gives you a solution a
very simple one place where you find all
api’s and you can move in this world
much easier so guys just go my shape and
have a look how about the cost I mean
our company is now charging for using
their public API is on my shape do you
see I don’t know only free API or api’s
that are sold the access is sold can you
elaborate on the this topic of the cost
because I think that there is an idea
that all all those protocols are just
you know free and you just access and
that’s it you do what you want a little
bit in a chaotic way when it’s not
really like that yeah sorry
so when you decide to open and if you I
will give it to a partner obviously it’s
private it’s always people to use it but
I won’t decide to open it you can keep
from an API free and there are some
reason to do that or you can add a page
usage model on top of your API it
depends of the data itself in the last
thirteen five six years we have seen an
opening focus on opening api’s and now
we are entering a waiver it’s monetizing
api and misshape health really really
well enough it allows you to mortiser
api in three clicks and accept money now
I also have a community in our
marketplace to that so this is what
we’re believing it that you know if it’s
something has value will never give it
for free forever how long I will start
to charge for so now we are entering in
a way that people gonna charge for it
and there are a really good example that
so there are actually three different
types there are API eyes clouded up
infrastructure as a service like video
so I provide you an infrastructure
like in this case SMS there are data API
is that they just distribute data like
the government yeah that’s right
decline in San Francisco into New York
the comparator things like that and then
our platform api’s which is basically
Facebook Twitter Foursquare where they
use the API as a strategy to leverage
third-party developers to build
applications and services on top of
Facebook on top of twitter to basically
increase the distribution of the base of
the Facebook itself and also reach the
basic community by third-party
applications right so there are three
three different kind of again what we’re
focusing now is more on the first tube
so like direct selling of data and
services and other little ones like
video page with courseware because it’s
already a preacher Facebook for spirt
because in this if you guys there is
revenue but it’s not direct revenue so
like when Zynga deploy and build games
on top of Facebook there is not real
clear transaction air and your batteries
are a collateral effect when people buy
credit for it to create a great farm
bill and elderts is operating to the
Facebook API but it’s not it’s not
really for asking for too much death so
instead of PTO it’s pretty simple
because we do it’s to say okay you pay
one cent for SMS that you send to us or
using our infrastructure and that’s
pretty simple or data that most of the
deities are free but some of them are
pay like okay you know the unit could be
data points every time we retrieve
hundred at the poet’s it’s ten bucks so
this is more clearly simple motive to
monetize in our marketplace there are
the majority eyes like in the world
there are set of public API and you know
that set of public API there are there
are API with the business model with a
revenue revenue generator and they can
take a charge like for example there is
a face recognition API so if you want to
do an ID for allocation sentimental
analysis you use user to us because
we’re not just a director to exertion
API to actually you consume the API to
us and and and you pay throughout so
it’s entire one shop stopped to do
everything you wanna do search consume a
analyze everything in one place from a
consumer standpoint and and so there are
this base definition
they waited charge they not do not try
to clear API calls the unit immediate
world is always a guy comes Iron Man
codes IP which means how many times like
if I’m using the API how many times i
peeing that server that’s an api call in
and the api call there can be a lot of
object so in the face recognition on the
object they charge for its face
recognize that knowledge catacombs so
every time i recognize the face that’s
or not that and they charge like 10
bucks so I guess for 50 towels on face
recognizer for months and then if you
want more you can upgrade have a
different plan in any P I would you pay
you have P as you go so like SMS one
centers and that’s already not bundle
where you have subscription mode where
you pay on amount per month and you and
you have included at an amount of base
recognized at API calls per month
well coaster what’s the best advice what
what was your top recommendation to a
company who wanna approach this API Ward
but still you know that they have to
start and they have to start from from
scratch what would you recommend
what’s your best tea boat what’s the
right guideline to follow in your
opinion the problem about doing restful
api is that it’s not like so where there
were like a clear table below
but everyone there’s no interpretation
on some power of rest api so my my
suggestion is just to go and read as
much the communication as possible like
through bullying and things on how you
view restful api is and that you get a
pretty good knowledge in a couple of
days and then you start to design you
guys and at that point probably also as
a misshape we provide an API doc editor
which kind of force you to design api is
a right way so using that you don’t only
get advantage of every five client
libraries distribute api but also get a
bunch of that you force yourself to
build a restful api because it’s draggy
true to the to the to the not a best if
you’re in the world but as as much
possible as possible
how do you get this the idea because
talking now 2012 about this api’s right
you know yeah we’re here to explain what
what is all about but for the tech
community the tech board okay this is
you know API is as a matter of fact it
is exist and this is the direction but
when you started I remember no I really
understood what was all about so how did
you know was a feature right well we we
had a lot of problems in the early days
explaining or we’re dreaming because we
were saying we have we are the apps
orbit here I grew much of his pretty
eyes in the early early 2010 people were
saying like what what you mean like an
API can be sold right because it’s a
time what they were thinking about those
API of a programming language of you
guys or we know ratified not the cloud
they’ve got and revolutional there they
were already tree do but they were a few
engineers knew about it this kind of
kind of API is at the concept are they
unfortunately mobile draw a jobs or deny
api revolution entire grow because of
mobile as I told you every new apps on
the iPhone it means that behind that
there is an API so that’s actually was
parking lot like I cannot we cannot
ideas are actually ankles are people and
iteration from another product the other
brother were I don’t have you know it
was like getting pipes where you have
assembling combine different components
together we also had a graphical layer
so who allowed you to drag-and-drop
component actually use interface to
create your own app but you there we
were wrapping all others existing if you
guys at the time and then what we
discover it the explosion of it the eyes
and we decided hope that there will
be thousand millions and we need to
create a kind of a unified Nagini file
this man and create a smarter person
this out so it was an idea that came
down from another idea and it tooks a
lot of months on intuition for about the
right point but if this vision of any
microfiber guys it which is even ahead
of it so it’s not only opening up DDI
sniff also monetizing it out to the next
step this is also the revolution and we
are trying to do and actually we are
creating the market as they are wanting
all do that that lets you monetize API
and yeah it was very hard to go to
explain that because before what do you
mean like can select the I and and now
it’s it’s way easier if you could get
this explosion of structures and surface
like sandy sandy mail isn’t want you to
live such you sandwiches and no house
getting funded for for this idea because
you know it looks easy and you just say
okay many guests at the tech alchemist
they may be from Silicon Valley at all
you know they they’re they very well
inside the network environment you
started from Italy which is not really
Silicon Valley’s not exactly the same
and then you I mean you had a great
story when dear and you you did it by
your yourself so how was the the path to
to arrive dear I mean you just started
there and say hey hi guys we have this
idea and and someone came how did you
find your way this couple of years
yeah so well I think when we I came I
can’t he’s become bald in the first time
in 2008 other stamp or interruption week
was February and actually there was a
croissant oh god I feel like probably to
Mecca dentist the c-terminus so well how
powerful all things are here say Wow
and then I came back to Italy and then
we taught you books fears try to raise
money of the original and the other
flock and let you know at that kind of
stage you actually don’t even ask the
idea you invest in the people right the
more the sooner you invest the more
impacting people I was like if you if
you like let’s say if you invest in your
DMV three years ago you are
investigating people let their DMV now
even if you take out all the founders
you put other seals and other owners
they did the products you’re ready
Ronnie and goes wherever I go like you
may be able to people everybody it’s
gone that is going out you’re investing
there so we then tested things and then
and we have shoes or anything English
only because the team the region was
only me and mark by then and then I also
came in later
but did you promise the team they were
too young we were trying their soul and
they didn’t want to find a 20 years old
you know it’s pre-installed I was trying
to explain that any new experiences do
it because because you don’t nobody tell
you how to do things so you can invent
your own way and most of times are
better with and and that’s actually was
what was the problem so in 2010 I I saw
this riccati powerful widget I can I can
summer summer I would signal money more
would which you can speak everything
happened so fast from raising money to
partnership to business to to building
I think speed is the right word to
define speaking Bali and then anytime we
are a country already happen sewers rose
by some of the problems that European
problem and and yeah and then we move it
here and then did this regional theme of
me too but it was the first guys like
each other
couple hundred grants with also one
investor from Eden shkreli because he
key actually the way we found him we
didn’t make it before virtually but we
made him in San Francisco in 2010 where
we were raising funding of this guys but
we were sleeping on the floor later in a
house mattress and hey mattress so that
the YouTube guys show the commitment of
three three three desperate basically
came here to find find the dream and
this is so the commitment and and they
invested in the team right and then also
when the Italian guys came in he
invested in the G and and because he’s
so sweet Island guys are so it was like
an investment in the team and actually a
little bit over the idea but it’s always
about a team at that stage in the seed
round a year later it’s more of a mix
where you have perfect idea between
through and their time invest it for
Pierre product and over time the
shooters a you still invest a little bit
more in the team and in the product as
well and in this you just be a public us
mostly in the product
well we have a few minutes more crystal
but after that you told me you were the
first person telling me about Airbnb and
Airbnb just guys if you don’t know
everybody just go out there and check
Airbnb and it’s now is a massive
business but you were the first one to
tell me about Airbnb and in beginning I
thought come on this will be probably
will go nowhere yeah that’s what the
investor told them in 2009 when you’re
trying to do fundraising
I’m sorry nature doesn’t the time to
finalize today come on it’s gonna do you
know what its gonna stay in a house of
people they don’t know a logic yeah and
now it’s going right and so after that
moment every time that you say oh maybe
have a look at this start of our website
I immediately go to check so do you see
if you have I know your favorite three
startups of the moment is there anything
interesting that that you see for people
doing tech digital business some cool
website cool app cool startups to have a
look I don’t know about three I mean I
personally I’m personally invested you
know startup Hidden Valley from Y
Combinator which I think can become
really being an MD drug eBay which is
basically a great list but mobile and
that simple you take a picture but they
object you wanna sell and you sell that
localizer via their iPhone app and then
other people can browse items to the
location and go pick up and buy their
goods to the ikana so it’s pretty it’s
politically the yard sale get yard sale
calm so it’s like like take a picture in
720 second and you buying twenty second
twenty four with an amazing user
experience like Apple style so it
completely disrupt great lease business
and eventually fade this is something I
but like Kinsella consumer things that I
you don’t have until come Bali a lot of
investors are coming back to their roots
in there it’s harder now to invest in
finance consumer product because of the
Eifel market and because there’s not a
clear path its instead money are going
back to in finance enterprise companies
and business in a way faster and
powerful way I would back on thoughts
it’s an amazing company hiring leave
it’s an amazing leader I would bet on
box boxer it’s gonna be a huge huge
company they just started okay and and
tools that you absolutely would
recommend for people doing business
online tools I don’t know for promoting
your business online thing by the way
something that that you you had to do
but probably your target was more
developers or promoting through
developers but yeah are there any tools
that you say gosh if you do some digital
business you have to use these these
tools for your productivity for your
promotion are there any particular
favorite August’s favorite tools that
you could recommend well mix polish
should be users because it’s like a
Google Analytics but for real-time event
tracking optimize early to do a/b
testing that simple way a simple way so
we were really trusted with data and
metrics so we I don’t know about
marketing or outbound tools I prefer to
do manually those instead using software
but yeah mix onyx on this also works for
mobile app so there’s a mix part of
mobile to trust mobile usage on top of
Europe and trucks every events you wanna
you are track bar
Oh another another thing second idea
we’re using now it’s a stock art it’s
all in some fancy special it’s gonna be
develop it very slowly as a vocational
problem but instacart
basically I open my iPhone I browse a
list of like a grocery things it’s
actually good Safeway and I and I think
everyone latch a and when melka want
sandwich I want to meet and I’m how many
peas two three four
corn flakes whatever it stinks in the
grocery I can really plus I can like a
Pinterest way with all the things and
then I can order and the guy King on the
door and bring me with just nine bucks
or not so I pay whatever way he is it
locked
great it’s nine bucks per your order and
he whenever no matter how much I ordered
and that he brings me all the things at
my door in in less than two hours
cool cool I was thinking when will come
in Italy you know probably never because
they will it will steal the milk before
his last question August oh just try to
open your your crystal magic ball and
and tell us what we happen in the next
couple of years in your your sektor I
mean API will be everywhere it will be
totally connected word is any particular
direction that you see they say that
that’s we happen for sure yeah it’s it’s
it’s the software going everywhere and
then API so as well it’s all in June by
API is because they as I told the day
they cut down costs in distributing
software different platform different
objects really simple because you mean
just one if you are to distribute in
every other apps even in a fridge it
just the same API that use it to the
contrary an iPhone you can use this
again with audrina preach so I think
that the thing Bayesian of soft bake in
every corner of your life is what’s
happening than expected so more value
will not be all deep in mobile they own
the iPad but the mobile to build so your
car which is also some mobile so
everything is gonna be in every in every
in every aspect of your life and
software’s kind of be an app so gonna be
every word super we were just I think
we’re just getting started with this
okay
al gusto thanks a lot of gusto Moretti
co-founder of misshape and
good luck keeping touch for everything thanks Marco Thanks ciao
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