Canva Expands Creative Suite with Cavalry and MangoAI Acquisitions to Boost Animation and Marketing
Creative platform Canva has made two strategic acquisitions to enhance its capabilities in animation and marketing technology. On Monday, the company announced it had acquired UK-based Cavalry, a startup specializing in 2D motion animation, and MangoAI, a stealth startup focused on improving video ad performance through advanced algorithms. These moves mark Canva’s latest push to expand its Creative OS beyond static design tools.
Cavalry’s 2D animation tools will complement Affinity, Canva’s professional editing suite for photos, vectors, and layouts, which it acquired in 2024. Canva revamped Affinity last year and made it free for all users, resulting in over five million downloads. With Cavalry, Canva aims to close the gap in motion editing, providing professionals with a full suite covering photo, vector, layout, and motion capabilities. “Together, these tools form the foundation of a full-stack Creative OS for professional work,” Canva said in a blog post.
Alongside Cavalry, Canva acquired MangoAI, founded by former Netflix and Roblox data scientists Nirmal Govind and Vinith Misra. MangoAI’s technology uses reinforcement learning to optimize video ad performance, helping brands launch and refine campaigns. Govind will join Canva as its first Chief Algorithms Officer, while Misra will focus on enhancing Canva’s marketing products. These hires signal Canva’s ambition to combine creative tools with data-driven marketing solutions.
Earlier initiatives, like the Canva Grow tool for asset creation and performance measurement, have already seen early success, particularly in static content for Meta platforms. Cliff Obrecht, Canva co-founder and COO, noted at Web Summit Qatar that the company plans to expand video creation and multi-platform deployment. The recent acquisitions aim to strengthen these capabilities, offering marketers more precise measurement tools and creative flexibility.
Canva closed 2025 with $4 billion in annualized revenue, more than 265 million users, and 31 million paid subscribers. With the addition of Cavalry and MangoAI, the company is positioning itself as a leading marketing and creative platform, bridging the gap between design and performance analytics. As Canva integrates motion editing and algorithm-driven marketing insights, it aims to offer brands a more comprehensive, professional-grade Creative OS
source: techcrunch