Canva Acquires Simtheory and Ortto for Marketing AI Expansion

Jersey City, N.J., April 23, 2026: Canva has acquired Simtheory and Ortto, adding AI-driven workflows and marketing automation capabilities to its platform. The company first announced the acquisitions on April 8, as outlined in its official newsroom announcement.

The acquisitions combine AI agent systems with customer data infrastructure, enabling businesses to create, manage, and execute marketing campaigns within a unified environment, according to this industry news coverage.

Simtheory’s platform enables businesses to build and deploy AI agents that can perform tasks across workflows, including coordinating tools and executing operational processes. These systems extend AI usage from content generation to operational execution within business environments.

Ortto provides a customer data platform combined with marketing automation, allowing teams to manage customer journeys across channels such as email, SMS, and in-app messaging. The platform is used by more than 11,000 businesses globally and supports real-time campaign orchestration.

Both companies were founded by Chris and Mike Sharkey, who will join Canva in leadership roles across AI and marketing technology teams. Canva said the additions strengthen its ability to manage the full marketing lifecycle, from planning to execution.

In a statement, Cliff Obrecht, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Canva, said the acquisitions represent a step toward building a system where teams can manage work from initial ideas through to full campaign execution.

The acquisitions follow a series of recent deals by Canva across advertising, animation, and marketing intelligence, reflecting a broader strategy to build a unified platform for creative and marketing workflows. The company reports more than 265 million monthly users and approximately $4 billion in annualized revenue, based on figures cited in recent tech coverage.

For business and technology leaders, the development signals a shift toward consolidation across creative, data, and marketing execution tools. Platforms are increasingly combining these functions into unified systems, reducing reliance on fragmented software stacks.

For marketers, the move indicates that design platforms are evolving into operational tools that support campaign delivery and customer engagement. The integration of AI agents with customer data systems suggests a shift toward more automated and data-driven workflows.

The acquisitions reflect a broader trend in the software industry, where AI capabilities are being embedded directly into execution layers rather than limited to content creation or analytics. As companies compete to offer integrated solutions, the ability to connect design, data, and automation may become a key differentiator in marketing technology platforms.

Pranali Shelar