Canva, the popular graphic design platform, is bolstering its capabilities with the acquisition of two companies: Cavalry, a UK-based motion animation studio, and Mango AI, a startup focused on improving video ad performance. The moves signal Canva’s ambition to become a comprehensive “Creative OS,” offering a full suite of tools for professional creatives and marketers alike. This expansion comes as the company continues to observe significant growth, closing 2025 with $4 billion in annualized revenue and over 265 million users, including 31 million paid subscribers.
The acquisition of Cavalry will integrate 2D motion animation tools into Canva’s existing Affinity suite, which itself was acquired in 2024. Affinity, offering photo, vector, and layout editing, became free to all users last year and has since been downloaded over five million times, according to Canva. The company aims to bridge the gap in motion editing capabilities, providing a complete professional toolkit. “By bringing Cavalry alongside Affinity, we’re closing that [motion editing] gap and unlocking a complete professional suite spanning photo, vector, layout, and now motion editing,” Canva stated in a blog post. “Together, these tools form the foundation of a full-stack Creative OS for professional work, although preserving the depth and control professional creatives rely on.”
Alongside Cavalry, Canva has also acquired Mango AI, a stealth startup that developed reinforcement learning systems to optimize video ad performance. Mango AI’s technology helped clients launch and analyze ad campaigns to improve future results. Notably, Mango AI was founded by Nirmal Govind, former Vice President of Data Science & Engineering at Netflix, and Vinith Misra, a former data scientist at both Netflix and Roblox. Canva announced that Govind will assume the newly created role of Chief Algorithms Officer, while Misra will focus on enhancing Canva’s marketing products.
This isn’t Canva’s first foray into marketing intelligence. In January 2025, the company acquired Magicbrief, a marketing intelligence startup. Later that year, Canva launched Canva Grow, a tool designed for asset creation and performance measurement. According to Canva co-founder and COO Cliff Obrecht, speaking at Web Summit Qatar, Canva Grow is performing “incredibly well,” particularly in the creation of static content for Meta platforms. Obrecht indicated plans to expand the tool’s capabilities to include video creation and multi-platform deployment, noting a loyal user base and significant spending from major brands.
Expanding the Creative Ecosystem
These acquisitions demonstrate Canva’s strategy of building a comprehensive creative platform. The company is moving beyond simple design tools to offer a more robust ecosystem for professional creatives and marketers. The integration of motion graphics through Cavalry and AI-powered ad optimization through Mango AI positions Canva to compete more directly with established players in the video and advertising technology spaces. The company’s focus on a “full-stack Creative OS” suggests a vision of a unified workflow, spanning design, animation, marketing, and performance analysis.
The Rise of AI-Powered Marketing Tools
The acquisition of Mango AI highlights the growing importance of artificial intelligence in the marketing landscape. Reinforcement learning, the technology at the heart of Mango AI’s platform, allows for continuous optimization of ad campaigns based on real-time data. This approach promises to deliver more effective advertising and a higher return on investment for marketers. Canva’s appointment of Nirmal Govind as Chief Algorithms Officer underscores the company’s commitment to leveraging AI to enhance its product offerings.
Canva’s continued expansion and strategic acquisitions suggest a long-term commitment to innovation and growth within the creative technology sector. The company’s success in attracting a large user base and its increasing focus on professional features position it as a major player in the evolving landscape of design and marketing tools. The integration of these new technologies will be key to watch as Canva continues to refine its “Creative OS” and compete in a rapidly changing market.
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