Nottingham creative software developer sold to Canva

Nottingham-based developer of software for photo editing, illustration, graphic design and page layout, Affinity, has been sold to global visual communication platform Canva.

Affinity, formerly Serif, has three million users across the world using its software to create everything from complex multi-layered graphics to detailed technical diagrams, art and illustration, logos, mock-ups, documents and magazines through its core products – Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo and Affinity Publisher.

Canva has pioneered the model for simple and effective design and is now used by more than 175 million people across 190 countries and in more than 100 languages.

“Since the inception of Affinity, our mission has been to empower creatives with tools that unleash their full potential, fostering a community where innovation and artistry flourish,” said Ashley Hewson, CEO of Affinity.

He added: “We’ve worked tirelessly to challenge the status quo, delivering professional-grade creative software that is both accessible and affordable. Canva’s commitment to empowering everyone to create aligns perfectly with those values. We couldn’t be more excited about becoming part of the Canva family and can’t wait to see what we will achieve together.”

“Visual communication is now ubiquitous in the workplace and investing in strategies that enhance our B2B offerings is core to the future of our business,” said Canva co-founder and COO, Cliff Obrecht.

“From sales and marketing, to brand and creative teams, the need to create effective and engaging visual content is on the rise. The Affinity team comes with an incredible calibre of talent and technology and we’re delighted to welcome them to Canva as we enter our next phase together.”