# Cloud Elements

Cloud Elements is a cloud API integration platform that enables developers to publish, integrate, aggregate and manage all of their APIs through a unified platform. Developers can use the platform to connect categories of cloud services (e.g., CRM, documents, finance) using uniform APIs or simply synchronize data between multiple cloud services (e.g. Salesforce, Zendesk and Quickbooks) using its integration toolkit.
Founded in October 2012, Cloud Elements is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, but serves customers worldwide.
Cloud Elements facilitates API integrations through an API Hub technology providing uniform APIs that developers use to make APIs work together.
Cloud Elements was acquired by UiPath in March 2021.

## History

In October 2012, Cloud Elements was founded by CEO Mark Geene, CTO Vineet Joshi, and vice president of product development Atul Barve. Cloud Elements has grown to over 100 employees.
On July 18, 2014, the company announced receiving US$3.1 million in a Series A funding round. Investors include Virginia-based Grotech Ventures, California-based Icon Venture Partners, along with Galvanize Ventures.
On January 9, 2017, the company announced receiving $13M in funding to reach Series B. The funding was led by Harbert Growth Partners to allow Cloud Elements to continue their revenue increase of nearly 40% quarter-over-quarter.
During Sapphire Now 2018, SAP launched SAP Cloud Platform Open Connectors, an API integration platform leveraging the Cloud Elements \connectors to over 150 enterprise SaaS applications.
In March 2021, robotic process automation company UiPath acquired Cloud Elements to advance API-based automation in the enterprise.

## Technology

Cloud Elements was created to offer cloud applications or "hubs" that provide RESTful APIs with JSON payloads. Cloud Elements "differentiates itself with its one-to-many API which lets developers integrate and maintain several services or "elements" in a category." Within the hubs, each connector or “Elements” provide a variety of advanced features built-in.

### Virtual Data Resource

Virtual Data Resources (VDR) provide a canonicalized view of data objects while eliminating the need for point-to-point mapping of data to new applications. Putting data models at the center of the application ecosystem enables the management of the company's data. The API models are maintained by Cloud Elements to map from defined resources, to the required endpoints.
Traditional integration platforms are point-to-point, meaning each new application needs to be connected directly to every other application in the ecosystem. Point-to-point integration is not the best solution for external integration embedded in a platform and makes it difficult to scale. To effectively use CE's VDR, they created a UI that easily maps a domain model to the cloud services in use or they allow you to directly write to the integrations. They also offer VDR templates, which are pre-written templates of the more common resources used by their customers, by pre-mapping them to multiple endpoints.

## Recognition

* Outside Magazines "Best Places to Work" (2015, 2017)
* Winner of CTA's Top Technology Startup of the Year (2013)
* Winner of Built in Colorado Top 100 Digital Companies
* APEX Technology Startup of the Year (2013)
* Lead 411 Winner Hottest Company Award Colorado
* Featured in Ovum's 'On the Radar' Report (December 2013)