Canva is aggressively expanding its footprint beyond graphic design, announcing the dual acquisition of Simtheory and Ortto. These moves signal a major shift toward AI-driven productivity and comprehensive marketing automation, positioning the company as a full-stack business operating system.
The acquisitions bring founders Chris and Mike Sharkey into Canva’s leadership team. The duo, who previously founded the vacation rental service Stayz, will now help steer Canva’s AI and marketing technology initiatives.
Strengthening the AI and Data Core
The addition of Simtheory provides Canva with advanced agentic AI capabilities. Unlike standard chatbots, Simtheory allows teams to build custom AI assistants that understand specific business contexts and execute complex tasks across various software environments. This integration aims to transition Canva from a design-centric tool into a comprehensive AI platform where productivity and automation are central to the user experience.
Ortto, meanwhile, brings a robust customer data platform and marketing automation engine. Serving over 11,000 customers globally, Ortto enables businesses to manage complex customer journeys across email, SMS, and in-app messaging. By integrating Ortto’s event-driven architecture, Canva can better support Canva Grow, its dedicated tool for asset creation and performance tracking.
A Full-Lifecycle Workflow
Canva’s strategy is focused on owning the entire creative and marketing lifecycle. By combining design with data infrastructure and AI agents, users can move seamlessly from the initial brainstorming phase to campaign execution and real-time measurement.
Rapid Expansion and Growth
These deals are part of a massive acquisition streak. In recent months, Canva has integrated several specialized startups:
- Doohly for digital outdoor advertising.
- Cavalry for professional animation.
- MangoAI for ad performance optimization.
- MagicBrief for marketing intelligence.
This momentum follows a landmark 2025, where Canva reached $4 billion in annualized revenue and grew its user base to 265 million, including 31 million paid subscribers.
