Canva has acquired Simtheory and Ortto, adding AI agent management and customer data infrastructure to its platform as it expands beyond design into broader workflow and marketing operations.
The financial terms of both deals were not disclosed. Canva said the acquisitions are intended to strengthen its investment in AI and marketing infrastructure, extending its platform across the full lifecycle of content creation and campaign execution.
Expansion Into AI Agents And Workflow Automation
Simtheory provides tools that allow teams to build AI assistants capable of understanding business context, working across software tools, and executing tasks. The platform supports agentic workflows, enabling teams to apply AI models across different operational use cases.
Cliff Obrecht, co-founder and COO of Canva, said the addition of Simtheory supports the company’s transition toward a more AI-centric platform. “Simtheory accelerates our evolution from a design platform with AI tools to an AI platform with design and productivity tools at its core,” he said.
Customer Data And Marketing Integration
Ortto brings customer data platform capabilities combined with marketing automation. Its system enables teams to manage campaigns across channels including email, SMS, push notifications, in-app messaging, forms, and surveys.
Canva said Ortto’s event-driven architecture and no-code integrations allow real-time data activation. The platform currently serves more than 11,000 customers across 190 countries.
The integration strengthens Canva Grow, the company’s tool for asset creation, campaign execution, and performance measurement. Obrecht said Ortto enhances Canva’s ability to manage the full marketing lifecycle, from planning and content creation to publishing and optimisation.
Leadership Integration And Background
Simtheory and Ortto were both founded by Chris and Mike Sharkey, who previously co-founded Stayz, later acquired by Fairfax Media. The founders will join Canva in leadership roles focused on AI and marketing technology.
Ongoing Acquisition Strategy
The deals are part of a broader acquisition strategy by Canva. In recent weeks, the company acquired digital outdoor advertising startup Doohly, as well as animation platform Cavalry and ad performance startup MangoAI. Earlier, it acquired marketing intelligence company MagicBrief in January 2025.
Business Scale And Growth Metrics
Canva reported $4 billion in annualized revenue at the end of 2025, with more than 265 million users globally, including 31 million paid users. The company also recorded a 20% increase in monthly active users.
The acquisitions reflect Canva’s effort to expand its platform from a design-focused product into a broader system supporting end-to-end workflows across content creation, marketing, and data-driven operations.
Featured image credits: aprimo
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