Canva Bolsters AI Capabilities Through Strategic Acquisitions

Design platform Canva has acquired Simtheory and Ortto to strengthen its artificial intelligence and marketing automation offerings. The moves expand Canva's portfolio in agentic AI, data infrastructure, and customer engagement tools for its growing user base.

Canva, the popular online design platform used by millions globally, has announced two significant acquisitions aimed at enhancing its technological capabilities in artificial intelligence and marketing automation. The company acquired Simtheory and Ortto, moves that represent Canva's strategic push into more advanced automation and AI-driven features.

The acquisition of Simtheory brings expertise in agentic AI—systems capable of performing complex tasks autonomously—while Ortto strengthens Canva's position in marketing automation and customer data management. These complementary technologies address growing demands from businesses seeking integrated solutions for content creation, marketing campaigns, and customer relationship management.

Canva's investment in these acquisitions reflects broader industry trends as companies compete to embed artificial intelligence throughout their platforms. The additions to Canva's infrastructure will enable the company to offer more sophisticated tools for data handling and customer engagement, helping businesses automate repetitive marketing tasks while maintaining design quality.

The company has not disclosed specific financial terms of either acquisition, but the moves underscore Canva's commitment to becoming a more comprehensive business platform beyond its core design capabilities. With these acquisitions, Canva positions itself to compete more directly with other all-in-one business software providers that have similarly expanded their AI and automation offerings.

These strategic purchases signal Canva's evolution from a design-focused tool toward a broader marketing and business automation platform, with AI playing an increasingly central role in how the company develops new features and capabilities for its users worldwide.