Canva acquires Simtheory and Ortto to expand AI workflows and marketing automation capabilities

New Delhi: Canva has acquired AI workspace platform Simtheory and marketing automation company Ortto as it expands its capabilities in artificial intelligence and marketing technology. The move is aimed at strengthening Canva’s evolution from a design-focused platform into a broader AI-powered ecosystem that supports both creativity and productivity.

The company announced that Simtheory accelerates evolution from a design platform with AI tools to an AI platform with design and productivity tools at its core, while Ortto strengthens its growing suite of marketing products. 

Both companies were founded by brothers Chris Sharkey and Mike Sharkey, who will now join Canva in leadership roles across its AI and marketing technology teams.

Cliff Obrecht, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Canva, said, “We are excited to welcome Simtheory and Ortto to Canva. They have built exceptional teams and technology, and this acquisition marks an important step towards evolving Canva from a design tool into a system where work happens end to end, whether its a quick idea or a full campaign.” 

Canva highlighted that the acquisitions align with its long-term goal of simplifying workflows for users. The company said, “Our goal at Canva has always been to help our community achieve their goals with as little friction as possible,” adding that it is now taking this vision further by integrating Simtheory and Ortto into its platform.

Simtheory to power AI workflows

Simtheory focuses on helping teams build and use AI agents that can handle real tasks across workflows. As AI tools continue to grow, many teams still struggle with disconnected systems and complex processes. Canva noted, “The explosion of AI tools has made it easier than ever to get started, but generating something is only one step in a much bigger process.”

With this acquisition, Canva aims to bring end-to-end AI workflows into one place. The company added, “Bringing Simtheory into Canva accelerates our evolution into the system where work happens from start to finish, and where AI becomes a powerful partner to help move you from an idea to a finished output.” 

Canva also said it plans to showcase early integrations at its upcoming event on April 16.

Ortto strengthens marketing automation

Ortto brings customer data and marketing automation capabilities into the mix, allowing businesses to manage campaigns across multiple channels from a single platform. This includes email, SMS, push notifications, and in-app messaging.

Explaining the need for such integration, Canva said marketing teams often deal with fragmented tools, adding, “Too often, that means spending more time coordinating than creating.”

It further stated, “Bringing Ortto into Canva supercharges our vision to power the entire marketing and content lifecycle, from the spark of an idea through to creating, publishing, measuring, and optimising content in one place.”

Ortto currently serves more than 11,000 customers across 190 countries, and its 40-member team will continue to build its standalone product while contributing to Canva’s expanding marketing suite.

These acquisitions build on Canva’s recent deals, including MagicBrief, MangoAI, and Doohly, as the company continues to invest in connected tools.