Finnish technology giant Nokia has acquired Rapid’s technology assets, including its API hub, to bolster its network API solutions.  

Financial terms of the transaction, which also includes Rapid’s research and development (R&D) unit, were not disclosed. 

This acquisition aligns with Nokia’s strategy to expand its network API product road map and lead the API ecosystem, enabling operators, systems integrators, independent software vendors and hyper-scalers to leverage 5G and 4G network capabilities. 

An API is a set of protocols and tools that facilitate communication between different software applications.  

With investments in 5G, operators are using network APIs to monetise their network assets by enabling access to network functions to developers.  

This allows developers to create and sell new consumer, enterprise and industrial applications. 

Rapid’s API technology features a public marketplace, enterprise services and an enterprise-grade API hub.  

This hub enables companies to design, build, test and share APIs within their organisation and with external partners.  

It also allows developers to list and monetise their APIs and connect with numerous other APIs. 

Integrating Rapid’s API technology with Nokia’s Network as Code platform and developer portal is expected to enable operators to integrate networks, manage API usage, enhance life cycle management and collaborate with Rapid’s developer base on the public API marketplace. 

Since launching the Network as Code platform in September 2023, Nokia has partnered with 27 global entities such as BT, DISH and Google Cloud. 

Nokia president of cloud and network services Raghav Sahgal said: “Operators need a bridge to connect to thousands of developers to drive enterprise and consumer value creation and monetise their networks.  

“Rapid’s technology and talented R&D [research and development] team, together with Nokia, will allow us to bring a robust API infrastructure platform to accelerate network API-related product development and drive adoption across its broad global developer community.” 

Rapid CEO Marc Friend said: “We are pleased to join forces with Nokia. The combination of Rapid’s API technology and R&D expertise with Nokia’s scale and network and API domain expertise will enable us to expand the broader API ecosystem.” 

Last month, Nokia collaborated with NTT DATA to bring Private 5G transformation to global airports, marked by the first North American private 5G network deployment in Brownsville, Texas.