Another .IO Startup Exits as Apiary.io sells to Oracle

When it comes to domain names, .IO has been a favorite among startups. From companies like Keen.io that have raised over $11M to others like Aha.io, Plan.io, and many more that have turned to .IO when they weren’t able to get their exact match .COM.

apiary

Today software giant Oracle announced that it would be acquiring Apiary.io:

On January 19, 2017, Oracle announced that it signed an agreement to acquire Apiary, which creates the most comprehensive API Integration Cloud by adding the leading API design and governance solution. The proposed transaction is subject to customary closing conditions. Until the transaction closes, each company will continue to operate independently. (Source – Oracle)

Prior to the acquisition, Apiary.io had raised $8.55M from some pretty impressive VCs like Flybridge Capital ($560M fund). It’s pretty clear that building their brand on a .IO didn’t impact their ability to raise funding, scale, and then sell to one of the largest companies in the world.

As I’ve said many times before, .COM is my go-to and I think it is for most startups, we’re building our brand – Bold Metrics, on a .COM. That being said, I think it’s become pretty clear that not having the .COM sure doesn’t prevent success and .IO has been a shining example of how many possibilities are out there for startups that can’t get (or afford) their .COM.

While you do run the risk of someone else branding on the exact-match .COM, which I talked about a couple of weeks ago, in the case of Apiary, there’s no confusion. There’s no way you’d land on Apiary.com and get it confused with the .IO so it likely wasn’t keeping them up at night.

Congrats to the whole Apiary.io team, I can imagine there’s a lot of celebrating going on at their HQ today!

Morgan Linton

Morgan Linton