The Brief:
Allens advised Canva on four acquisitions between June 2025 and April 2026, targeting AI, advertising tech and marketing automation.
Lead partner Dominic Anderson steered the deals as Canva pushes toward a potential IPO.
Before Canva goes public, it’s going shopping.
Between June 2025 and April 2026, the tech giant made four acquisitions, each one tightening its grip on AI and marketing technology. Allens was across all of them.
The deals
The spree opened with MagicBrief in June 2025 — a Sydney-based AI advertising analytics startup that Canva bought for $22.5m.
Doohly came next in March 2026. The Melbourne outdoor advertising technology business went for $30m, adding a platform used by Mitre 10, Rebel Sport and Darwin International Airport.
April 2026 brought two more in quick succession. Simtheory, an AI-driven workspace for building custom agents. And Ortto, a customer data and marketing automation platform co-founded by brothers Chris and Mike Sharkey — the duo behind holiday rentals site Stayz. The Ortto deal is understood to be among Canva's largest since its US$250m purchase of Leonardo.Ai in 2024.
Who’s acting
Allens advised Canva, led by Dominic Anderson, with Joe Power, Jacqueline Downes, Madeleine Hunt, Ria Neilson, Pabiola Choi, Quynh McGrath, Jessica Flatters, Renee Preketes and Matthew Joffe.
Allens advised on all aspects of MagicBrief, Doohly and Simtheory — DD, regulatory, documentation and completion. For Ortto, structured as a multi-jurisdictional transaction, the firm advised on Australian law matters.
The mandates build on a longstanding relationship. Canva was an early client of Allens Accelerate, Allens’ dedicated practice for startups and high-growth companies. And the firm has kept close as the business has scaled toward a potential public listing.
Source: Allens