MuleSoft Survey Finds APIs Top of Mind for Businesses in Australia and New Zealand

SYDNEY – September 14, 2015 – MuleSoft, the company that makes it easy to connect applications, data and devices, today unveiled the findings of its 2015 API survey on the usage and business impact of APIs. MuleSoft surveyed 127 IT industry professionals in Australia and New Zealand to assess how organisations in the region are implementing and planning for APIs.

The findings suggest that organisations understand the value of having a defined API strategy, with most respondents already having it in place. Of these organisations, almost two-thirds (64 per cent) identify it as a way to accelerate growth through internal data sharing. At the same time, more than half (51 per cent) see it as a method of driving customer satisfaction through shared services.

Among the key results:

APIs Gaining Momentum

• The survey found 87 per cent of respondents have an API strategy in place. Of this group, 73 per cent said their investment in APIs in the next six months is driven by the need to integrate new software with existing infrastructure. 50 per cent identified enabling mobile applications as one of the reasons for leveraging APIs within this time frame.
• Almost half (44 per cent) of respondents said that their API strategy is helping them to grow their business by creating new revenue streams. More than a third (37 per cent) said their API strategy is supporting business growth by enabling them to plug into digital value chains for extended market reach.
• When asked to forecast when their API strategy would begin generating revenue, 45 per cent confirmed they are already generating revenue or will do so within the next 12 months.

Success Factors for APIs

• When asked to nominate the factors most critical for successful APIs, 85 per cent of respondents identified security. This was followed by usability and simplicity (60 per cent each) and management (54 per cent).
• In terms of the biggest issues faced when deploying APIs, 33 per cent of those surveyed identified design. Other issues highlighted included visibility into API usage (18 per cent), authentication and authorisation (16 per cent) and threat protection (13 per cent).

APIs and the Internet of Things

• Organisations are embracing the Internet of Things (IoT) with 43 per cent of respondents saying they are either already implementing IoT or plan to do so within the next five years.
• Just 17 per cent said they were not planning to implement IoT.

“The survey indicates Australian and New Zealand organisations have identified the business potential offered by APIs and are putting them to work. They spot clear benefits when it comes to improving customer satisfaction and boosting revenues,” said Jonathan Stern, regional vice president of Australia and New Zealand, MuleSoft. “We’re seeing these trends among our customers who frequently tell us about their desire to extend to applications outside their walls and leverage new technologies, such as the Internet of Things. The real business value comes from connecting these apps, data and devices together with existing assets. APIs playing a significant role in making this connectivity easier, enabling business agility.”

About MuleSoft

MuleSoft makes it easy to connect the world”s applications, data and devices. MuleSoft’s Anypoint Platform™ enables companies to unlock the full potential of their applications and data through API-led connectivity, both on-premises and in the cloud. Organizations in over 60 countries, from emerging companies to Global 500 corporations, use MuleSoft to innovate faster and transform their businesses. https://www.mulesoft.com/

MuleSoft is a registered trademark of MuleSoft, Inc. All other marks are those of respective owners.

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