INSIGHTS
“Our Japanese customers’ success is key to our global story,” says Marco Palladino, CTO of Kong
We’re delighted to share our interview with Marco Palladino, CTO and co-founder at API and AI platform leader Kong. A Japan Cloud joint venture partner since October last year, Kong is ramping up its business in Japan at full speed. The growing team is passionate about building an API economy in Japan, empowering Japanese businesses to rapidly develop and deliver new services to their customers. Expect to hear more from Kong as they engage their customers and partners to build a vibrant user community and promote their success. The interview has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
Q: What is Kong’s history in Japan?
Marco: Kong has had a notable presence in Japan for some time now, working with significant partners like LY Corporation, which operates Yahoo! Japan. However, our recent joint venture with Japan Cloud marks a new chapter in our journey. By partnering with Japan Cloud, we aim to accelerate the adoption of our unified cloud API platform across the Japanese market. Japan is one of the largest enterprise software markets in the world, and we’re committed to supporting companies here in their transition to an API-first approach. Our Japanese customers’ success is key to our global story.
Q: What would you like to see over the next six months to a year?
Marco: In the next six to twelve months, we’re looking to expand our reach within Japan significantly. This partnership with Japan Cloud will be key in helping local companies adopt our platform, enabling them to build, run, and manage APIs efficiently. I’d like to see more enterprises harness the power of our API technologies, not just for their current needs but also to position themselves for the AI era. We’re also aiming to enhance our API infrastructure solutions to better serve the needs of businesses in Japan, driving more secure, reliable, and faster digital experiences.
Q: What have you learned about customers in Japan?
Marco: Japanese enterprises are increasingly turning to agile software development to deliver top-notch digital experiences. APIs play a crucial role in this transition. However, there is still some room for improvement, particularly in areas like choosing the right tools, understanding the business impact of APIs, and ensuring strong security practices. Japanese customers value reliability and control, and that’s something our platform is built to provide. We’re finding that once organizations adopt an API-first mindset, they unlock new opportunities to innovate and scale.
Q: What’s your message to Japanese customers?
Marco: To our Japanese customers, I say this: The future is API-first, and it’s happening faster than we ever imagined. APIs are the backbone of digital experiences, and as we move into an AI-driven world, APIs become even more critical. At Kong, our goal is to support you every step of the way, whether it’s building new products, integrating AI into your services, or ensuring secure and seamless operations. We’re excited to embark on this journey with you, and we believe that with the right tools and support, you can harness the full potential of AI and APIs to accelerate your growth.
