Azul has announced that it will receive a majority strategic investment from software-focused private equity firm Thoma Bravo, in a deal aimed at accelerating the company’s global expansion and product innovation. Existing investors Vitruvian Partners and Lead Edge Capital will reinvest and retain significant minority stakes alongside Azul employees.
Azul, which positions itself as the only company dedicated entirely to Java, provides high-performance Java runtimes and cloud-optimised tooling used across hybrid infrastructure environments. Its product suite includes Platform Core, Platform Prime and the Intelligence Cloud service, which are used by 36 per cent of Fortune 100 companies and major global financial institutions.
The company said the investment will support increased demand for enterprise-grade Java performance, help scale engineering capability and drive enhancements in runtime performance, observability and security. The funding is also expected to support expansion in global enterprise and cloud markets.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Thoma Bravo at this exciting time for our company and the Java ecosystem,” said Scott Sellers (pictured), co-founder and CEO of Azul. “Thoma Bravo brings the scale, resources, and expertise that align seamlessly with Azul’s vision and aspirations, strengthening our confidence in the significant growth opportunities ahead. We are grateful for their investment as well as for the continued backing from Vitruvian and Lead Edge. Together, we’ll accelerate our global growth, advance innovation across our platforms and deliver even greater value to our customers.”
Thoma Bravo said rising cloud infrastructure costs and industry movement away from legacy Java offerings are driving demand for Azul’s optimised runtime solutions. The firm stated that Azul’s technology base and established management team provide a strong foundation for further growth.
Vitruvian Partners, an investor in Azul since 2019, said it would continue supporting the company through its next phase under Thoma Bravo’s majority ownership.
Legal and financial advisers on the deal include Goodwin Procter and William Blair for Thoma Bravo, and Kirkland & Ellis and Guggenheim Securities for Azul. Debt financing is being provided by Ares Management.
