30 Secondsessions – API Days Helsinki 2021

APIs are pushing across industries and improving experiences.  This event focused on platforms and ecosystems, so read on to get a quick take on the main topics from the conference!

Like all API Days events, this event focused on certain themes and had 30 topic sessions and round tables, spread over 2 days, with opportunity for Q&A interactions and online networking.

The main themes for the event were: API management, design & security; digitalisation of traditional industries; fintech; mobility; and healthcare.  The sessions on traditional industries were quite revealing and covered areas such as venture capital, insurance, and construction & architecture – not areas which you’d expect to be powering ahead with API use.

It was interesting to see more attention given over to the “API as a product” subject, with go-to-market approaches and use cases explained, together with perspectives on automation and bots.

The concept of the “mashup economy” was outlined by Michael Salmony at equensWorldline, where seemingly unrelated services from different providers can be brought together (literally “mashed up”) to create an enhanced or new offer in the market – with examples being Uber, Deliveroo, and Tinder which clearly demonstrate how the mash ups can create new markets and niches.

Although challenges still remain in API management and with developer programs, there is a clear direction of travel and momentum is increasing.