Kong Event Gateway, AURA €13.5M, Salt + Wiz
The API Changelog issue 2025.20
This is issue 2025.20 of the API Changelog, a mix of API news, commentary, and opinion. In this issue, you'll get to know the most relevant API-related information from the week of May 12, 2025. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue of the API Changelog.
News Highlight
This week, we would like to highlight 3 companies receiving funding. Perplexity AI raised $500 million, AURA raised €13.5M, and CrediLinq has wrapped up $8.5 million.
Search engine startup Perplexity AI is in late-stage talks to raise $500 million from investors at a $14 billion valuation. The funding push follows a year in which Perplexity closed four funding rounds worth over $900 million. The company's flagship offering is a search engine that uses large language models to answer user queries. Perplexity has more than 15 million monthly users as of last April. The company generates revenue through two paid versions of the service, one geared toward individuals and the other, Enterprise Pro, designed for organizations. The new funding round could help Perplexity expand its developer tooling portfolio, as OpenAI offers similar APIs. Perplexity's consumer business could also benefit from the capital injection. See additional coverage on NBC.
AURA, a South African emergency response services marketplace, has secured €13.5 million in a Series B funding round, co-led by Partech and the Cathay AfricInvest Innovation Fund (CAIF). The investment aims to accelerate AURA's growth into the United States and build a global "clearing house" for emergency response, a universal dispatch system that connects users to nearby help across geographic borders, all via a single API. AURA has expanded into the United Kingdom and Kenya, supporting over 1.2 million users and protecting over 200,000 properties through fixed-location services. The funding brings AURA's total funding to over $21 million.
Singapore-based CrediLinq has raised funding from Citi North America, Rustem Family office, 500 Global, Epic Angels, 1982 VC, and Big Sky Capital. The company plans to expand into the US, UK, and Australia, strengthen its leadership in sales, marketing, product, and tech, and invest in AI-led credit algorithms. Vikram Kotibhaskar, co-founder, CrediLinq. says: "The embedded credit revolution continues to gain momentum, and CrediLinq is at the forefront. By being integrated within platforms, our Credit-as-a-Service stack leverages API connectivity, transactional data, and credit algorithms for quick decision-making and easy checkout within the partner ecosystem."See additional coverage on Crowdfund Insider.
This issue of the API Changelog is sponsored by DreamFactory:
DreamFactory is the easiest way to automatically generate, publish, manage, and secure REST APIs, convert SOAP to REST, and aggregate disparate data sources through a single API platform.
Announcements
MPAI has released the MPAI-MMM API, a component of its Metaverse Model Technologies (MMM-TEC). The publication offers a framework for interoperable metaverse applications.
Kong Inc. introduced a gateway to its platform for integrating event-driven apps using APIs, built upon the Konnect foundation. This gateway simplifies Kafka integration and management, promoting real-time data processing in increasingly diverse application environments. See additional coverage on abc 8News. See additional coverage on StreetInsider.
The Vonage Startup Program helps emerging businesses enhance customer experiences using a suite of API services, including RCS and network APIs. Program benefits include credits, mentorship, and resource access across learning, building, supporting, and connecting pillars. See additional coverage on Mobile World Live.
Microsoft is discontinuing Bing Search APIs, favoring Azure AI chatbot integrations, affecting small developers. While largest clients like DuckDuckGo keep access, other companies rush to develop alternatives amid changing search engine landscapes. See additional coverage on dev.ua and The Register.
Expedia Group unveiled new APIs and GenAI innovations at the EXPLORE event to transform travel discovery and streamline operations. New partnerships and advertising solutions are introduced to enhance traveler engagement and create new revenue streams for B2B partners. See additional coverage on coverager.
AI
Extend has launched an open-source toolkit to improve business financial management with AI-driven analysis and automation. It features integration with various frameworks, enabling versatile financial queries and AI-powered expense management. See additional coverage on The Paypers.
FlexTrade Systems and Kepler Cheuvreux's KCx service introduce a natural language query feature for market analytics in FlexTrade's AI. The capability, showcased at TradeTech Europe, streamlines data interaction, promoting efficient workflow and strategic focus for traders.
Google launched the "AI Futures Fund" to invest in and support artificial intelligence startups with Google's resources and expertise. Eligible startups receive investment, early AI model access, and hands-on assistance, as Amazon and Microsoft, the main backer of OpenAI, also invest heavily in generative AI startups.
Parasoft integrates Agentic AI into SOAtest for smarter API testing and augments its platform to enhance manual test code coverage. The upgraded tools streamline workflows, boost productivity, and provide deeper insights into application quality. See additional coverage on MorningStar.
Celonis enhanced its process mining platform with new AI and data management capabilities. The update aims to improve efficiency and support more complex workflows.
Boomi has released Boomi Agentstudio and new AI agents, enhancing AI integration and support for the MCP standard. The platform expands AWS functionality, integrates Boomi Data Integration for better data management, and commits to AI-driven enterprise automation. See additional coverage on AFP. Also this week, Boomi announced an agreement to acquire Thru, Inc., enhancing its cloud-native platform with enterprise-grade file transfer capabilities. The acquisition will provide customers with secure, scalable file integration within a unified interface, aligning with compliance standards like SOC 2.
Fintech
Apex Fintech Solutions Inc. has partnered with ília Digital to enhance financial services in LatAm and the U.S. through customized investment platforms. The alliance leverages Apex’s API-driven infrastructure and ília’s digital expertise to provide bespoke solutions and seamless integration for financial institutions.
ClearBank has teamed up with Ozone API to improve its open banking APIs and speed up global open banking adoption. The partnership focuses on regulatory compliance and market expansion, including ClearBank's recent move into Europe.
Westpac NZ is providing free standard API requests to fintechs for a year, aiming to enhance open banking access for consumers. The bank expects increased fintech agreements and open banking usage, backed by an industry-wide effort, and is prepping for an important Payments NZ API deadline.
Mastercard and MoonPay are collaborating to offer stablecoin-fueled card payments at 150+ million merchants. MoonPay's acquisition of Iron enables APIs for business stablecoin transactions, aiming to meld crypto wallets and traditional bank functionality.
Alpaca's new Fully Paid Securities Lending program allows partners to earn from lending stocks, enhancing revenue and user retention. Despite market-dependent demand and potential voting rights loss, the FPSL offers added income and integrates with Alpaca's expansive B2B2C model.
Security
AFX Research integrates with the Encompass platform from Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) to deliver real-time title updates and streamline loan processing. Utilizing ICE's secure API technology, lenders can now access AFX's Same-Day Title Update Reports within Encompass, enhancing efficiency and risk management.
Oracle and seQure, an Entanglement company, now offer a Ground-Truth cybersecurity platform on OCI for scalable threat detection. Ground-Truth, capable of processing 20TB daily, delivers quick, accurate threat identification with low false positives using advanced AI.
Au10tix introduced a real-time risk monitoring feature in its AML solution to detect emerging threats continuously. The AML software offers comprehensive checks across diverse data sources and adapts screening intensity to client risk profiles.
Salt Security has integrated its API security intelligence into Wiz, enhancing cloud security and risk response. The combined solution offers unified threat visualization and improved compliance for a more secure API ecosystem. See additional coverage on IT Security Guru.
Liongard has unveiled LiongardIQ, a cybersecurity platform emphasizing unified asset intelligence and AI-driven insights for MSPs and IT teams. LiongardIQ, launching in July 2025, provides real-time alerting, automated security hardening, and customized reporting to advance proactive cyber resilience.