Akamai buys web site acceleration company Blaze Software

The company aims to bolster its web acceleration services with the acquisition.

Akamai Technologies Inc. says it will bolster its web site acceleration services with the acquisition of Blaze Software Inc. Akamai says it bought Blaze in a cash transaction but declines to say how it much it paid for the company.

Blaze’s technology enables sites to load faster, regardless of whether consumers access those sites on PCs, tablets or smartphones, Akamai says. Blaze’s technology uses remotely hosted servers—what is commonly called the ‘cloud.’ Akamai says it will integrate Blaze’s technology into its own offerings.

"As businesses provide rich, interactive web experiences online and across devices, it is vital that end users receive a consistently high-performing site," says Rick McConnell, Akamai’s executive vice president of products and development.  "The team at Blaze will be an important addition to our focus on site acceleration."

Blaze, based in Canada, was founded in 2010, Blaze says.

The acquisition follows an announcement in December in which Akamai said it would buy Cotendo, a competitor, for approximately $268 million. Akamai said it would close the deal by summer.

Akamai provides content delivery services to 154 retailers in Internet Retailer’s Top 500 Guide, including Amazon.com Inc., No. 1, and Apple Inc., No. 3.