Azul gains momentum on enterprise Java cloud demand
Azul reported strong momentum in FY26, driven by enterprise demand for Java in complex cloud environments.
The business added customers across all product lines, with new bookings rising sharply in sectors where performance, reliability and compliance are core requirements. Finance grew 43% year on year, while healthcare rose 606%, retail rose 120%, and telecommunications rose 241%.
Customers in those sectors used Azul Prime, Azul Core and Azul Intelligence Cloud to run Java applications under enterprise workloads. Azul attributed the gains to demand for better performance, lower cloud spending, application modernisation, and tighter control over Java pricing and licensing costs.
Product moves
During the year, Azul introduced JVMI Inventory in Azul Intelligence Cloud, a service that catalogues running Java Virtual Machines and helps organisations identify Oracle Java installations for migration or removal.
When combined with the Azul Migration Toolkit, it is intended to help companies identify Oracle Java instances, classify them for replacement, and detect newly running instances for compliance monitoring. Azul also highlighted a large customer deployment using Prime Optimiser Hub across more than 10,000 JVMs, with hundreds of applications and microservices managed through a single hub instance.
In another customer example, Australian electricity distributor Ausgrid migrated to Azul Core. According to Azul, the move reduced Ausgrid's Oracle Java audit exposure, cut licensing costs by 80%, and lowered Java-related vulnerabilities by 99%.
Investment and acquisition
Late in 2025, Azul entered a definitive agreement for a majority strategic investment from Thoma Bravo. The backing is expected to support expanded engineering work and broader reach in enterprise and cloud markets.
After the investment closed, Azul acquired Payara, a provider focused on Jakarta EE-based applications. The deal extends Azul's reach beyond its Java runtime and tooling portfolio, giving it a broader platform for organisations running mixed Java estates.
Partner network
Channel and alliance partnerships accounted for half of Azul's business in FY26, according to the company. Its PartnerConnect programme increased the number of strategic value-added resellers and alliances by 73% across EMEA, APAC and the Americas, bringing the total number of channel partners to 346.
Azul also launched a Managed Services Provider programme for Azul Intelligence Cloud, allowing partners to offer services around Java optimisation, licensing, security risk assessment and compliance analytics.
It expanded co-selling with cloud service providers, including AWS, and added technology partnerships focused on developer workflows, DevOps, security and cloud cost management.
These partnerships include work with Moderne to identify and remove unused code, JetBrains on Kotlin runtime performance, and Chainguard on container security for Java workloads. Other tie-ups include RapidFort on Java container images, CastAI on workload and cloud cost optimisation, and ActiveViam on reducing cloud infrastructure costs for financial analytics deployments.
Recognition
Azul said its products received 12 industry awards during the year. Among them were awards for Prime in cloud infrastructure and cloud cost management, and four awards for Intelligence Cloud in DevOps analytics and business technology categories.
The company also highlighted individual recognition for Scott Sellers and Simon Taylor, Vice President of Global Channel & Alliances. Taylor was named to CRN's Channel Chiefs list, while PartnerConnect was included in CRN's Partner Program Guide.
Azul operates in a market where companies are reassessing their Java estates as cloud costs rise and software licensing scrutiny increases. For many large organisations, Java remains embedded in core applications, making migration and compliance decisions financially significant.
"FY26 was a defining year for Azul as enterprises increasingly relied on our platform to run Java with greater performance, predictability and cost control in complex, cloud-first environments," said Scott Sellers, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Azul. "Our momentum reflects strong customer adoption, rapid innovation across our product portfolio and exceptional execution in our go-to-market strategy that positions Azul for continued strong growth and leadership as global enterprises demand best-in-class Java solutions."