Canva Expands Portfolio with Dual Acquisition of Simtheory and Ortto
On Wednesday, Canva announced the strategic acquisition of two companies: Simtheory, an AI-driven collaboration and agent management platform, and Ortto, a company specializing in customer data and marketing automation. Details regarding the financial aspects of these transactions remain undisclosed. Canva aims to bolster its commitment to enhancing AI capabilities and marketing infrastructure through these acquisitions.
Leadership Transition for Founders
Simtheory and Ortto were co-founded by Chris and Mike Sharkey, the entrepreneurial duo previously known for establishing the vacation rental service Stayz, which was later acquired by Fairfax Media. The Sharkey brothers will take on leadership positions within Canva, focusing on the integration of AI and marketing technology into the company’s operations.
Enhancing Canva’s Capabilities
Canva highlighted that the acquisitions will enhance its strengths in areas such as agentic AI, data infrastructure, marketing automation, and customer engagement. This evolution allows Canva to transition from a mere design tool to a comprehensive platform where teams can manage their projects from inception through to execution. The combined functionalities will streamline workflows, covering everything from initial concepts to campaign scaling and performance measurement.
Simtheory’s Innovative AI Solutions
The Simtheory platform empowers teams to deploy AI to create personalized assistants that are attuned to their unique business processes, operating across various tools and tackling real-world tasks efficiently. By leveraging advanced models, Simtheory enables organizations to establish customized workflows that fit their specific needs.
Orthto’s Integrated Marketing Approach
Conversely, Ortto merges a customer data platform with marketing automation capabilities, allowing teams to orchestrate customer journeys via email, SMS, push notifications, in-app messaging, and surveys within a single integrated system. Its event-driven architecture and no-code integrations facilitate real-time data activation, making it accessible for more than 11,000 clients across 190 countries.
Strategic Growth through AI Integration
Cliff Obrecht, co-founder and COO of Canva, expressed that the acquisition of Simtheory significantly accelerates the company’s transition into an AI-centric platform with a focus on design and productivity tools. He noted that simultaneously, Ortto will enhance Canva’s ability to streamline the entire marketing and content lifecycle through Canva Grow, facilitating everything from planning and creation to publication and optimization across multiple channels.
Continued Expansion and Revenue Growth
These recent acquisitions form part of Canva’s ongoing strategy to expand its market footprint. Just weeks prior, Canva acquired the digital outdoor advertising startup Doohly, and earlier, the company announced the acquisition of Cavalry and MangoAI, both focused on enhancing animation and advertising performance. With a reported annual revenue of $4 billion for 2025 and a thriving user base of over 265 million, including 31 million paid subscribers, Canva continues to experience a 20% increase in monthly active users, underscoring its robust growth trajectory.