API requests represent an astounding 83% of all web traffic, and Kong is the startup on a mission to power these connections. Founded in 2017 by Augusto "Aghi" Marietti and Marco Palladino, Kong's open source API platform has been downloaded more than 220 million times. Aghi and Marco started out in a garage in Italy and moved to Silicon Valley to pursue their dream, crashing with new friends like Travis Kalanick of Uber and Brian Chesky of Airbnb. Now, Kong has raised $171 million and was named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies. Aghi shares why a successful startup requires a "good wave, a good surfboard, and a good surfer," how acting as VP of Sales for a few quarters taught him empathy, and why seeing the early days of Airbnb made him prioritize design and community.