Canva has grown into a $32 billion startup known for its easy-to-use design tools that help users create images, marketing materials, and presentations. Now, with its 12th acquisition, the company is entering the analytics space. Canva announced Tuesday that it is acquiring MagicBrief, a company that provides technology to analyze ad performance. MagicBrief helps businesses track spending, engagement, and competitor strategies.
Strengthening Marketing Capabilities with AI
With around 240 million users, Canva competes with Adobe’s Creative Cloud and has been steadily expanding its AI features, including photo editing, coding assistance, and chatbots. Cliff Obrecht, Canva’s co-founder and COO, said AI enables them to democratize marketing, allowing marketers to achieve more with fewer resources.
The company plans to integrate MagicBrief into a broader product expected to launch later this year, moving further into marketing analytics just as competitors like Adobe and tech giants such as Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Reddit invest heavily in AI-driven advertising tools.
Founded in 2022 and based in Sydney, MagicBrief has 14 employees and recently raised $2 million with backing from investors including Blackbird, Canva’s first investor. The startup generates tens of millions of dollars in annualized revenue. Canva itself, founded in 2013, employs 5,500 people and earns over $3 billion annually.
Though venture capitalists view Canva as a strong IPO candidate, Obrecht said an offering won’t happen this year. Instead, the company is focused on long-term growth over the next decade rather than quarterly results.
What The Author Thinks
Canva’s acquisition of MagicBrief signals the growing importance of combining creative design and marketing analytics into one seamless platform. This integrated approach meets the needs of modern marketers who want data-driven insights alongside easy content creation tools. Canva’s emphasis on long-term growth rather than immediate IPO gains suggests confidence in building a sustainable ecosystem that could reshape how businesses plan and execute campaigns.
Featured image credit: Plann
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