Allens has advised Canva on a series of strategic acquisitions that build upon its artificial intelligence capabilities and expand its platform offering.
The acquisitions, completed between June 2025 and April 2026, include:
- Simtheory (April 2026), an AI‑driven workspace and collaboration platform for the development of custom agents;
- Ortto (April 2026), a customer data and marketing automation platform;
- Doohly (March 2026), an outdoor advertising technology business focused on digital out-of-home campaign planning and optimisation; and
- MagicBrief (June 2025), an AI‑powered advertising platform enabling marketers to analyse, create and optimise high‑performing advertising campaigns.
Across the MagicBrief, Doohly and Simtheory acquisitions, Allens advised on all aspects of the transactions, including due diligence, regulatory considerations, transaction documentation and completion. For the Ortto acquisition, Allens advised Canva on specific Australian law matters as part of a broader multi‑jurisdictional transaction.
'These acquisitions demonstrate how established technology companies are using M&A to rapidly enhance their AI capabilities and respond to an increasingly dynamic market for AI talent,' said lead partner Dominic Anderson.
'We are seeing a marked acceleration in transactions where businesses are acquiring specialist AI technology and teams to strengthen their AI capabilities.
'Canva's recent acquisitions reflect its evolution from a design platform with AI tools to an AI platform with design tools, and highlight the growing role of strategic M&A in shaping the next phase of the global technology landscape.
'It has been a pleasure working closely with the Canva legal team on these acquisitions.'
The advice builds on Allens' longstanding relationship with Canva, which was one of the firm's earliest Allens Accelerate clients. Allens continues to advise leading technology companies on complex domestic and cross‑border M&A transactions, with growing emphasis on AI, data and digital platforms.
