Google has acquired Cameyo, a company specializing in virtualization tools that enable Windows applications to run on ChromeOS devices, for an undisclosed sum.

This acquisition is expected to enhance ChromeOS, Google’s lightweight Linux-based operating system, by providing users with greater access to Windows applications without the need for complex installations or updates. This development aims to help businesses modernize their IT infrastructure while preserving their existing software investments.

Cameyo was co-founded by CTO Eyal Dotan and CEO Andrew Miller in January 2018 with the goal of creating a platform to virtualize Windows applications, allowing them to run on non-Windows machines and within web browsers. Cameyo’s technology works by virtualizing applications and then serving them from various environments, including public clouds like AWS, private clouds, on-premises data centers, or hybrid cloud settings.

In a move that hinted at this acquisition, Google partnered with Cameyo last year to introduce features such as Windows app local file system integration and the ability to deliver virtual Windows applications as progressive web apps, which are hosted in data centers and run in browsers.

Tom Warren of The Verge notes that Google has been working to promote ChromeOS in business and education sectors, especially after a lukewarm response from consumers. Cameyo’s technology offers organizations a promising solution for transitioning away from Windows or for integrating both Windows and ChromeOS, particularly as more applications migrate to cloud and web-based platforms.

Cameyo claims that hundreds of organizations, including school districts and financial institutions, already rely on its software.