Canva Commits to UK Expansion to Power Up AI Communication
By implementing AI, businesses are hopeful that it will expand their creative capabilities within the workplace.
That is exactly the strategy that graphic design company Canva is hoping to emulate, as it works to expand further into Europe. As an all-in-one AI visual communication platform, Canva is eager to commit to the London technology sector by expanding its presence in the UK.
The new office space that the company has acquired comes as a result of Canva’s London HQ having experienced more than 100% growth in the past 12 months. This movement is vital to its commitment to strengthen its operations further in Europe.
Continued growth aims to boost European success
Originating as a startup business, Canva has undergone unprecedented global growth in recent years. The company recently hit 185 million monthly active users and surpassed US$2.2bn in revenue globally.
The company was founded in 2013 as a platform that provides tools for creating social media graphics, presentations, promotional merchandise and websites. Its service offers design tools that are easy-to-use for individuals and companies alike.
Canva’s London office space and the current European HQ is currently home to more than 200 employees since it first opened in May 2023. Its large growth can be attributed to the company’s easy-to-use products and its cost effectiveness.
Expanding across the UK is a vote of confidence for Canva, having recently acquired the UK design platform, Affinity. Expanding further into London is a milestone for the company, which is currently used by more than 90% of Fortune 500 companies.
“Since opening our European campus in London last year, our team and community have grown significantly,” comments Duncan Clark, Head of Europe at Canva. “The UK remains one of our key markets, and with Canva’s recent acquisition of Affinity coupled with the demand from non-profits and educational organisations to use our space for events, we’re excited to expand our presence here by adding two new spaces to our Hoxton base.”
The opportunities of AI in design
According to Canva’s newly ranched Visual Economy report, 71% of UK business leaders believe that visual communication has improved business performance. Likewise, more than three-quarters (77%) surveyed agree that AI design tools have directly improved productivity and creativity across their organisation.
Canva highlights that an increased need to communicate visually within a business is ultimately leading to increased demand for interoperable visual communication tools.
Although there is much public anxiety about AI taking jobs away from industries like design, AI instead can act as a contemporary tool to enhance creative potential and help designers come up with more powerful and impactful designs. From a business perspective, this can enhance productivity and efficiency.
Duncan adds: “Our goal is to create a collaborative campus to bring together our regional teams and strong user communities, enabling us to further our growth as we increase our efforts to empower everyone, in every organisation to design.”
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