The 2024 I Wish Report reveals that 60% of Irish teenage girls believe that gender inequality is the biggest barrier preventing them from pursuing careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), highlighting an urgent need for more inclusive and supportive environments.

While this figure has dropped from 83% in the 2021 annual I Wish Report, it underscores that, despite some progress, systemic change is still required in both society and education to ensure equal opportunities for girls in STEM.

The I Wish 2024 Survey of Female Students' Perspectives on STEM also reveals that 33% of teenage girls say stereotypes - such as the belief that boys are inherently better at maths, engineering, or technology - continue to discourage girls from entering STEM fields. Moreover, only 68% of all-girls schools offer STEM subjects beyond Maths and Science, compared to 87% in mixed schools and 96% in boys' schools.

The STEM subject gender gap is most evident in subjects like engineering, where boys represent 91% of those studying engineering at second level.

The report comes as I Wish gears up for its largest-ever STEM Showcase on 6 February 2025 at the RDS Dublin. For its 11th year, 4,000 female students from across the entire island of Ireland will attend the event, offering them the chance to connect with inspiring women from leading global companies in STEM. Registration is now open at iwish.ie/register.

Speaking on the Report, Gillian Keating, I Wish co-founder, said: "The World Economic Forum 2024 report warns that by 2025, 97 million jobs could be displaced by AI, yet only 28.2% of the current STEM workforce is female. We must empower girls to pursue careers in STEM to cultivate a diverse and innovative future workforce. We have found that from 2018 to 2022, there has been a 37% increase in girls engaging with at least one STEM subject.

While this progress is encouraging, we must intensify our efforts."

"We are advocating for a holistic, society-wide approach to tackle these challenges. This includes integrating stories of women in STEM into all subjects at primary level and promoting STEM-focused community projects as part of the sixth-class curriculum. For secondary education, I Wish calls for introductions to locally based female STEM professionals, equality of access to STEM subjects across single-sex and mixed schools and training to tackle gender stereotypes."

This year's report also reflects the success of the I Wish newly launched Primary Programme, aimed at boosting girls' confidence in STEM from a younger age through role models and industry visits. After participating, 100% of primary students said they felt capable of studying STEM. In comparison, the 2024 survey found half of teenage girls lacked self-confidence in their ability in STEM subjects.

Caroline O'Driscoll, I Wish co-founder, added: "The survey findings reflect what we at I Wish have observed over the last 11 years: while girls often show confidence in their abilities at a young age, this confidence dips as they transition from tween to teen. This could be attributed to factors such as rising social media usage, a lack of role models, stereotypes, and unconscious gender bias.

While early intervention in primary education is necessary - hence our expansion into a primary school programme - it is crucial we maintain a focus on the teenage stage, where confidence is particularly vulnerable. By intervening at this critical juncture, we can help girls retain their confidence in their abilities and view STEM as a space where they can excel, ultimately leading to a more equitable and innovative future."

An Taoiseach, Simon Harris, said: "The I Wish programme is a powerful catalyst for change. Female role models aren't just inspirations - they're unlocking doors to a future where more young women can thrive in STEM fields that are crucial to Ireland's economy. This report from I Wish demonstrates that early intervention works, and we must also ens...

The Netskope SASE, Secure Access Service Edge, Summit is finally arriving in Ireland on October 24th, 2024 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Netskope's global SASE Summit Tour has been taking place for 3 years, in over 30 cities around the globe. This will be the first time the summit has been in Ireland.

The idea for the Summit is to bring together Security, Infrastructure, Networking & Operations Professionals from across Ireland to discuss and learn about SASE architecture. Topics covered will include risk, business agility, costs, and user experience.

At the Summit, there will be a wide variety of events:

A Q&A on modernizing the network with special guests, including the CISO of World Rugby and the CIO Aperm Group.

The latest in AI and machine learning in cyber security

Actionable guidance for creating a connected security ecosystem, building a zero-trust strategy, and dealing with legacy technology

Insights on creating a connected security ecosystem from Mimecast, Crowdstrike, Integrity 360, Pure Networks, Cloud Rise, BT, and Sentinel One.

Take advantage of the networking opportunities as well as the presentations- there are some incredibly experienced CISOs, CIOs, and teams attending the event.

According to Netskope, Secure Access Service Edge is a network architecture model that integrates wide-area networking capabilities with comprehensive security services. SASE is a cloud-based solution. It combines secure web gateways, cloud access security brokers, firewall-as-a-service, and zero-trust network access.

All these components are unified into one system. This convergence enables consistent security enforcement and optimal performance, providing users with seamless and secure access to applications and data regardless of their location.

Attendance for the event is free, but you must register to secure a spot. You can secure your spot in this rapidly filling up event here.

2023 saw the highest sighting rates and numbers of minke whales yet recorded in the Hebrides, but the lowest known for basking sharks according to a new report by the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust.

Published by Scotland's nature agency NatureScot, the report presents findings collected during the Trust's marine research expeditions onboard its research vessel, Silurian, over the past three years, together with sighting rates and numbers for minke whales and basking sharks from the 20 years the programme has been running.

The latest findings suggest changes in sightings rates for minke whales and basking sharks, and a possible association between these two highly mobile and long-lived species. When sighting rates for basking sharks are high, they are low for minke whales, and vice versa.

The reasons are as yet unexplained, and the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust says more work is needed to analyse the trends over time and to investigate potential causes such as climate change.

"Scotland's west coast seas are a global hotspot for cetaceans and basking sharks. Our findings highlight the importance of long-term monitoring of these species and the threats facing them," said Dr Lauren Hartny-Mills, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust's Science and Conservation Manager.

"In the face of the nature and climate emergencies, gaining new insights and understanding into what is happening in Scotland's seas is vital, so we can better protect these remarkable animals and this world-class region of marine biodiversity."

Scotland's west coast seas are internationally important for whales, dolphins and harbour porpoises - collectively known as cetaceans - and the globally endangered basking shark. The Isle of Mull-based Trust has been monitoring marine life by running expeditions since 2002, with members of the public joining its research vessel, Silurian, to survey Hebridean seas.

Sighting rates of minke whales soared to 1.57 per 100 km last year - the highest in the two decades of the unique research programme. Minke whale numbers reached a record 167.

In contrast, rates for basking sharks fell to 0.07 sightings per 100 km in 2022 and 2023, the lowest recorded by the Trust since its monitoring began. Just seven basking sharks were recorded in both summers.

Minke whales migrate to western Scotland's seas each summer to feed in the exceptionally rich waters. Despite the encouraging increase in sightings of minke whales, rates do fluctuate over time and there are serious issues affecting this vulnerable species.

With marine life at risk from human activities including climate change, entanglement, pollution, underwater noise and habitat degradation, the Trust says ongoing, long-term research is crucial to improve understanding of the impacts, and how best to protect and restore biodiversity.

Rona Sinclair, Marine Mobile Species Monitoring Advisor at NatureScot, said: "This valuable research is allowing us to track how whales and basking sharks are faring over the long-term in the Hebrides. Without collaboration with organisations like the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, it would be much more difficult to assess the health of these species, why changes are happening, and what's necessary for future research and conservation, including within Marine Protected Areas.

"The decrease in basking shark sightings is worrying, and there could be many reasons for this, likely linked to the availability of their food, zooplankton. However, they may also still be there at depth and just not visible. Continued collaboration with researchers is vital, helping us to know how these giant beasts - the world's second-largest fish - are faring, so we can respond appropriately."

The new report, 'Hebridean Cetacean Research Programme 2021-24', documents data gathered during the Trust's research expeditions carried out from April 2021 to March 2024 on Silurian.

During this time, 49 surveys covered a total of 22,645 km, with 10 species of mammal recorded in m...

Bo, maker and developer of the world's safest and stylish urban micro-mobility vehicle, announces its first international expansion into Ireland, one of Europe's most progressive transport nations with Lifty Electrics confirmed as the official Dublin based retailer and service centre.

Bo co-founder and CEO Oscar Morgan said; "Whilst the UK sadly lags behind much of the world in legalising the use of e-Scooters on the public roads, Ireland has taken that exciting first step in embracing a new era in how we travel through cities such as Dublin."

He continued: "Since Ireland announced the legalisation of e-Scooters back in May 2024 we have been making regular visits to meet riders in Dublin and Cork. With production of the Bo M now in full flow, we are excited to announce Dublin as our first direct expansion into an international market."

In 2024, the Irish Government cemented Dublin's status as a hub for progressive transport solutions, making it the ideal first international market for Bo's expansion. The passing of The Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 created a new vehicle class for e-scooters called powered personal transporters and legalised their use on public roads from the 20th May 2024.

Dublin was carefully selected for Bo's expansion due to the city's forward-thinking urban mobility strategies, including efforts to reduce car use, the recent legalisation of electric scooters, and its extensive bike lane infrastructure.

The Irish National Transport Authority has, however, just introduced legislation restricting e-scooters from public transport, applying brakes to the wider sector, but not for the bo M which is designed for end to end journeys, with it's exceptional riding dynamics, extended range, and lifestyle enhancing features, like Lock and Load.

Bo exists to create the single best way to travel in the city. Over the past four years, the Bo M has been painstakingly designed and engineered to reach this ambition.

Bo was founded by two engineers, formerly of Williams F1 Advanced Engineering, and a Jaguar Land Rover designer, giving the company a fundamental understanding of vehicle dynamics and manufacturing, which has been uniquely applied to the Bo M, the first product in a transformative range of Bo lightweight electric vehicles.

The Bo M showcases a ground-up focus on robust and intuitive features, designed in order to improve every urban journey. It utilises the ultra-tough fixed Monocurve Chassis and the unique patented Bo SafesteerTM technology to create a confidence-inspiring ride, combined with category-leading motor torque and power ratings, plus novel functional innovations to deliver the most sophisticated urban riding experience of its kind.

Monocurve Chassis and Design

Bo's unique Monocurve chassis represents a foundational shift in vehicle design and engineering - the single greatest sector advancement since electric scooters arrived in our cities. The Monocurve chassis is a single piece of high strength Aluminium, from the handlebars to the wheels, which not only benefits the ride by providing the most solid and planted ride feeling in its class, but also seamlessly integrates all of the features into a singular beautiful form.

These intuitive, unbroken lines of the Monocurve chassis create the first unibody structure in this sector, designed to true automotive principles, seamlessly combining function with design. The design allows for the steering to be separated from the chassis, forming a robust mounting point for the Lock and Load cargo solution whilst also providing a stable platform for Bo riders.

Bo co-founder and CTO Harry Wills, said; "We want to make wobbly e-scooters a thing of the past so intentionally designed the Bo M with an unbroken Monocurve unibody chassis to provide the most robust, confidence-inspiring ride experience possible. We've equipped the M with technology we have developed from the ground up that truly enhances the urban riding experience, day or night, rain or shine, hil...

Logicalis, a global IT solutions and managed services provider, has announced the launch of a new sustainability offering - a comprehensive Sustainable IT solutions blueprint, designed to propel organisations towards a more environmentally conscious and carbon efficient IT infrastructure.

The Logicalis 2024 CIO report, which surveyed over 1,000 CIOs globally, found that 93% see challenges in attaining their environment goals. One such challenge, cited by 43% of respondents, relates to the collection of data distributed across the organisation. Meanwhile, more than half (57%) are not confident that their company knows how its digital estate is performing against environmental goals.

While there are challenges, the research found that sustainability is a priority for CIOs with 92% investing in such initiatives or technologies this year and 96% of tech leaders already involved in their company's overall sustainability planning and target setting. In terms of achieving these goals, 93% believe 'IT is core to the success of their organisation's sustainability goals'.

The Sustainable IT solutions blueprint, available initially in Ireland and the UK, is designed to help customers evaluate, navigate and mitigate carbon in their environment through a data-driven approach to carbon reduction and circularity.

This offering is set to redefine the approach to IT infrastructure and management. By seamlessly integrating sustainability into every stage of the digital transformation journey, Logicalis UK&I is enabling organisations to achieve their sustainability goals, reduce their environmental impact, optimise resource utilisation, and drive long-term business value.

The blueprint launch encompasses five key Sustainable IT solutions, with the portfolio to be further developed in the coming months:

1. Sustainability maturity assessment: A thorough evaluation of an organisation's current IT sustainability practices, identifying areas for improvement and optimisation.

2. Sustainable network transformation: Implementing cutting-edge network solutions that reduce energy consumption and enhance operational efficiency.

3. Smart and sustainable building solutions: Integrating intelligent technologies to create eco-friendly, energy-efficient workspaces.

4. Circular IT solutions: Offering take-back programmes and remanufactured equipment options to minimise e-waste and promote resource conservation.

5. Sustainable managed services: Leveraging the Digital Fabric Platform to deliver a carbon score on the IT in an environment while offering further recommendations to optimise IT Health.

Neil Eke, CEO of Logicalis UK and Ireland, commented on the launch: "Our Sustainable IT solutions launch exemplifies Logicalis' commitment to becoming the sustainable IT partner of choice in the Ireland and the UK. In the transition to a low-carbon economy, our customers are looking for comprehensive tools and expertise to meet regulatory requirements and advance IT sustainability.

By addressing the unique challenges organisations face, we're empowering businesses to turn sustainability into a driver of innovation and growth, aligning perfectly with our mission to architect change in the digital world"

Bob Bailkoski, CEO of Logicalis, added: "With the tech industry accounting for 14% of global emissions by 2040, our Sustainable IT solutions represent a significant step in empowering organisations to achieve their environmental goals whilst delivering efficiencies in their IT infrastructure. I'm delighted to see the UK and Ireland leading the way in Sustainable IT.

By integrating sustainability into every aspect of the IT lifecycle, we're not just transforming businesses; we're contributing to a more sustainable future."

For more information about Logicalis' Sustainable IT solutions blueprint and how it can benefit your organisation, please visit https://www.logicalis.com/solutions-and-services/business-outcomes/sustainable-it.

Enterprise Ireland has today published the 'Space Activities in Ireland 2023' Report, highlighting the growing participation and success of Irish companies in the European space sector. By the end of 2023, 109 Irish companies were actively engaged with ESA, demonstrating the significant expansion of Ireland's role in this high-growth industry.

In 2023, ESA awarded contracts worth €9.9 million to Irish companies primarily focused on industrial activities. Industrial co-funding of €2.2 million further supported these enterprises. Throughout the year, 25 companies, including three newly space-active businesses, were supported in developing products and technologies across sectors, including telecommunications, earth observation, and space exploration.

A key highlight of the year was the successful launch of the Educational Irish Research Satellite 1 (EIRSAT-1), Ireland's first satellite, on 01 December 2023, marking a significant milestone. EIRSAT-1 is a student-led project from University College Dublin (UCD) and was developed in collaboration with Irish technology companies.

Commenting on the 2023 report, Minister Emer Higgins, Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, said:

"2023 was a momentous year for the Irish space sector. The increasing number of Irish companies working with ESA, alongside the launch of EIRSAT-1, highlights Ireland's strong position in this fast-growing sector.

"As Ireland's space community continues to innovate and collaborate with European and global partners, the future of the country's space sector looks brighter than ever. The Irish Government is committed to continuing its support for innovation and enterprise in the space sector as we look to build on these successes and further strengthen Ireland's role in the global space economy."

Marina Donohoe, Head of Research and Innovation at Enterprise Ireland, added:

"The strong growth in Irish companies engaging with ESA, now reaching 109, is a clear indicator of Ireland's expanding footprint in the global space economy. This year's report demonstrates the progress and impact Irish companies are making through collaboration with ESA, not only in advancing space technology but also in driving innovation in sectors with downstream applications.

Enterprise Ireland is committed to supporting these companies and the growing number of research teams actively involved in space-related developments supported by ESA."

The space economy was valued at $630 billion in 2023 and is forecast to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, with an average annual growth rate of 9%, significantly outpacing global GDP growth. This rapid expansion, driven by both public and private sector investments, has opened new opportunities for 'NewSpace' companies developing innovative space-related products and services.

In a demonstration of Ireland's position at the front rank of space technology development, ESA's new rocket the Ariane 6, which launched smoothly in July this year, used two technology systems designed and built by Irish space engineering company Réaltra. Enterprise Ireland's ESA Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC) Ireland also had a successful year, welcoming seven new start-ups.

These companies are focused on developing both upstream and downstream applications, further bolstering Ireland's contribution to the burgeoning space sector.

Another key development for the sector in 2023 was the establishment of the Irish Space Association (ISA), a new organization designed to foster collaboration among space-active companies and research organizations in Ireland. This collaborative network will play a pivotal role in the future growth of Ireland's space sector by promoting knowledge-sharing and enhancing the country's competitive edge in the global space market.

The ESA End of Year Activities Report 2023 underscores the significant progress being made by Irish companies and researchers as they collaborate with ESA and European partners. With Irish companies continuin...

Excitement is building for GamerFest Winter 2024, as Ireland's leading gaming and esports festival returns to the RDS this October 19th and 20th with gamers from across the country set to gather for an unforgettable weekend.

From game exclusives to a VR Horror Experience just in time for Halloween, there's something for everyone, from dedicated gamers to family visitors.

There's a whole host of activities set for this winter's edition - check out the top 7 things to check out at the RDS this October!

Dare to enter the GamerFest VR Horror Experience

Step into a spine-chilling GamerFest Halloween VR Horror Experience in association with Zero Latency VR! Brand new to GamerFest Winter 2024, this 360-degree immersive and terrifying experience will leave you breathless, heart racing and questioning what's real and what's supernatural. Perfect for thrill-seekers and horror fans alike!

Be the first in the UK and Ireland to play Mars Attracts

Based on the cult classic 90s movie Mars Attacks, you can be among the first to sample the new game 'Mars Attracts'. This UK and Ireland exclusive gives gamers the opportunity to see the various colourful environments above and below the surface of Mars, with familiar characters from the iconic 90s movie!

Test your skills at the Fortnite Zone

Get ready to drop into the Fortnite Zone at GamerFest Winter. Jump in to test your skills, show off your building, battling and survival strategies. Welcoming both seasoned players and those new to the game, the Fortnite Zone is the perfect place to prove your expertise, earn impressive rewards and meet fellow Fortnite fans.

Formula 1 Sim Racing Competition

This is one for the racing fans - Formula 1 racing simulators will return this season! Test your racing nerve and take to the virtual racing track in the Curry's Sim Racing Zone, with massive prizes up for grabs.

Meet Ireland's leading YouTubers, TikTokers and streamers

Some of Ireland's leading content creators will appear at GamerFest across the weekend, making it a go-to event for gaming enthusiasts to see their favourite creators.

Attendees can meet leading personalities including Ryan Mar, Shauna Davitt and TheGaraShow and many, many more. The Mooju Creator Stage will be home to loads of gaming activities, as well as creators going head-to-head with lucky members called from the audience!

Esports Action on the Esports Live Stage

The GamerFest Esports Stage, sponsored by Pringles, will have an electric atmosphere all weekend as Ireland's top esports competitors face off to be crowned GamerFest Champions across a range of games including Tekken 8, Valorant, Counter Strike 2 and EA FC25!

Check out Ireland's Indie Game Developers

Shining a spotlight on Ireland's talented local game developers, GamerFest's Indie Developer Zone is dedicated to showcasing the incredible talent and creativity of Ireland's indie game designers.

Visitors will be able to play prototypes of new games, chat to the developers themselves, and learn more about the game development process. It's a must see for those interested in a career in gaming, with Pulse College and Black Shamrock Studio available on the day to chat about education and career pathways in the games industry.

Stuart Dempsey, CEO of GamerFest, says: "We are delighted to be returning to the RDS with GamerFest Winter to give gamers what they want - game exclusives, immersive experiences and a chance to engage with the gaming community. Along with a packed weekend of gaming entertainment, our Indie Developer Zone will give those interested in an education or career in the games industry a chance to speak with professionals about the incredible opportunities available in the gaming space."

See more stories here.

My heart sunk when I heard the awful news that Steve O'Hear had passed away. I was instantly shocked and upset.

Steve and I were long term friends. Anyone who knows Steve well, will know how he comically hated using the word "friend" especially with people in the tech startup ecosystem, an arena in which he presented a persona which was defined by his concise, carefully chosen, meticulously measured words, direct manner, with his unique sprinkle of sharp humour and an air of enigmatic mystique.

He wanted to be known as all about business, zero bullshit, with high standards and excellence in his crafts, all of which were absolutely true, but there was so much more depth to Steve, that most people didn't get to know. So I feel it's important to enlighten others about that, as he really was such an amazing and inspirational guy.

Steve was a huge character, with relentless focus, tenacity, a razor sharp intellect and he was super talented in many ways. He was also one of the most decent, genuine and helpful guys in the European startup ecosystem. He always carried himself with solid class, dignity, ethics, integrity, humanity, humility, morals and professionalism.

As I got to know Steve, we kept in touch on a daily basis and we'd frequently chat for hours on end, which usually was a combination of us discussing our personal lives, our ambitions, dreams, essentially acting as symbiotic sounding boards for each other and also discussing all the crazy goings on in the startup ecosystem.

Steve is most widely known for his second tenure at TechCrunch and at the point when he rejoined them, he was pretty much burnt out and emotionally drained from his time as CEO/Founder of his startup Beepl. Most people had no idea given his professional poker face, but his confidence was low and he was very stressed about his health and future.

He often said to me how grateful he was that Mike Butcher not only gave him the opportunity to rejoin TC, but also how Mike was super supportive, both in terms of his work and also his health.

Steve was open with me about how he had to be very realistic about his Muscular Dystrophy, meaning he'd have a limited life expectancy, many with the same condition, sadly don't reach their 30's or 40's. Understandably, he struggled emotionally with this, but even more so as he had huge ambitions and wanted to leave his mark on the world, but he also was acutely aware that as his condition progressed the expense of his care would increase and he felt the pressure of that.

He would always tell me and I quote "I need to make some fucking coin HJG, before it's too late"

Obviously journalism isn't known to be lucrative (and is essentially more like an expensive hobby in terms of renumeration, than a wise career choice for financial gain) but that's why the greatest journalists need to live, breathe and love what they do, which is nearly always shown in the quality of their work and the smartest use journalism as a springboard to fulfil various other ambitions.

I could see why Steve was feeling worried and lacking confidence, but I also saw his brilliance and potential.

I told him that he needed to let go of what he couldn't control, define where he wanted to get to, map out each of the individual milestones he needed to in order to get there and even though he potentially wouldn't have all of the years that would take, he needed to operate on the basis he would have, as I really believed so long as he kept his spirits high and kept doing what he loved, he would.

He told me his ultimate goal was to become a VC and maximise his earnings along the way to mitigate the inevitable growing expense of his care. So I told him I believed in him and felt what he needed to do was use his time at TechCrunch to make his mark, build his network and thus manifest his milestones.

At that time TechCrunch was such a strong name and doing good work, but if we're being honest was vastly different to it's earlier DNA growing in tandem with the ...

Cato Networks, a Climb Channel Solutions vendor, is the leading Secure Access Service Edge provider in the world, having pioneered the cloud-native architecture which is improving online speeds and security while moving away from a reliance on data centres. The company recently announced that it had surpassed $200 million in ARR - doubling ARR in under two years.

This means they are the fastest company to reach this milestone since LinkedIn. Cato Networks recently attended a Climb Channel Solutions event in Dublin and I spoke to Mark Draper, EMEA Channel Cato Networks.

Mark talks about his background, SASE, the Cato cloud, Gartner and more.

More about Mark Draper:

Mark Draper is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in channel management across the EMEA and UK&I regions. Currently serving as Vice President of EMEA Channel at Cato Networks, previous positions include Director of EMEA Channel at Cato Networks, Sr Manager of EMEA Channel at Gigamon, and Sr Manager of UK&I Channel at Juniper Networks.

Mark also held the role of Channel Lead for UK&I at FireEye, Inc. and was a Partner Account Manager at Juniper Networks, showcasing a strong background in channel strategy and partnership development.

See more podcasts here.

Azul, the only company 100% focused on Java, has announced that Azul Platform Prime, the company's award-winning High-Performance Java Platform based on OpenJDK, delivers record performance against industry benchmarks, outperforming other OpenJDK distributions by an average of 37%.

The company also introduced its Java Performance Engineering Lab, which collaborates with global Java developers and customers' technical teams to deliver enhanced Java performance through continuous benchmarking, code modernisation recommendations and in-depth analysis of performance impacts from new OpenJDK releases.

Why a High-Performance Java Platform Matters

Today's enterprises are challenged to deliver against lofty expectations for Java application performance and customer experience. Companies typically over-allocate compute resources in the cloud and on-prem in an effort to increase code speed and improve stability and availability, a problem which only worsens with fluctuating peaks in demand throughout the business day.

These cloud cost overruns are especially acute in high-performance sectors like trading, payments, fraud, SaaS, retail/ecommerce, gaming and ad tech.

With Azul Platform Prime, enterprises can dramatically improve application performance and responsiveness, reduce their cloud/infrastructure compute costs and increase DevOps productivity - all without recompiling or changing their application code.

Examples of recent customer achievements using Azul Platform Prime include:

Global travel technology and distribution platform company - reduced a query application's response time by 80%, lowered its error rate and eliminated slower and stalled transactions.

Workday - improved its SaaS operational efficiency by 95%, eliminating over 42,000 person hours across an 18-month period. This saved Workday millions of dollars while freeing its developers to do more productive work.

British video game developer - eliminated ticks over 600ms, erasing any pauses a gamer can detect while playing - this improved the platform's gaming performance by 20% and improved the overall gaming experience.

Global retailer/e-commerce company - experienced 40% compute reduction for 70+ e-commerce Java applications transitioned to Azul with no code changes.

"Azul's Platform Prime offering plays in the market for high-performance Java platform capabilities that deliver faster and more predictable execution, greater consistency, and improved resource efficiency, which high-spending cloud infrastructure customers require," said William Fellows, research director, Cloud-Native, 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence

Critical Capabilities of a High-Performance Java Platform

Azul Platform Prime is part of an emerging category of products called High-Performance Java Platforms, which include a JDK distribution that is compatible with the Java SE spec for a given LTS release, and have enhanced JDK characteristics that provide superior speed, start-up and warm-up, and consistency vs typical OpenJDK distributions.

High-Performance Java Platforms may also add centralised services capabilities external to client JVMs for greater performance and operational efficiency than what stand-alone JDK distributions can provide.

The critical capabilities for this product category are classified into three main groups: JDK Characteristics, External Services and Compatibility. To be considered a High-Performance Java Platform, a distribution must have one or more enhanced JDK Characteristics and meet all three Compatibility critical capabilities.

The critical capabilities of a High-Performance Java Platform include:

Critical Capabilities vs. OpenJDK

Description

Azul Platform Prime Feature

JDK Characteristics

Code Execution Speed

Steady-state and top speed of JIT compiled code

Falcon JIT compiler

· Delivers improved speculative optimisations with a better LLVM-based JIT compiler; runs Java code 20-50% faster

Start-Up and Warm-Up

Time to peak performance

ReadyNow; O...