July 2016 Summaries

Procore, a rapidly growing construction project management platform, has transitioned from a product to a platform largely through the development of its open API. The API, which allows full CRUD functionality across all modules, empowers third-party developers to create custom integrations and solutions, thereby enhancing the construction management process. Notable integrations include Botlink's drone technology for live visual updates and SmartSheet's enhanced efficiency. The API's development was challenging, particularly in terms of design consensus and user communication, leading to the creation of a Developer Experience team to ensure a seamless experience. Procore's strategic partnerships, facilitated by the API, aim to provide new capabilities for clients and expand the App Marketplace, while continuing to prioritize an excellent developer experience.

Ari Paparo, the CEO of Beeswax and lead developer for their API, discusses the company's Bidder-as-a-Service platform, which allows businesses to programmatically purchase digital advertising by creating custom algorithms. The Beeswax API suite includes "Buzz," a RESTful API for managing advertising business objects like campaigns and budgets, and "Stinger," a real-time interface enabling custom ad-buying algorithms in various programming languages. The API is designed to simplify integrating complex ad tech systems, a feature not commonly offered by other ad tech vendors. Customers like Foursquare and Cognitiv utilize these APIs for targeted ad campaigns and deep learning-driven advertising strategies. Developing the API involved navigating intricate business rules, such as Google's requirements for creative pre-registration, to reduce complexity for users. Beeswax continues to evolve its API features, such as customizable data response fields and real-time data streaming, to meet customer demands.