Applications
Google buys new startups-Emu and Directr
MUMBAI: Google recently acquired two start-up companies; a movie making app Directr and a messaging app Emu. The acquisitions were made to augment its messaging technology and its video advertising business.
The move was confirmed by the Emu team on its website. The announcement said, “As of 25 August 2014, we’ll be shutting down the Emu app. It will no longer be available in the App Store and existing users won’t be able to send, receive or download messages.”
Founded by a former employee of Apple and Google Gummi Hafsteinsson and Dave Feldman, who previously worked for Microsoft and Yahoo, Emu, the instant mobile messaging app also integrates Siri or Google Now-like virtual assistant.
“We know it’s an inconvenience and we regret that,” Emu said on its website.
The Emu messenger app made its debut on Android in October last year, while the Emu for iPhone app began in April this year.
Google’s YouTube unit acquired a mobile-video app Directr- a two-year old company used by small businesses to create marketing promotional videos. According to an announcement by the company, the app will now be available free without the in-app fees, which was up to $500 for the premium offering.
Corroborating the acquisition, the Directr team said “We are incredibly excited to take the next step on that journey and announce that we are joining the video ads team at YouTube. For now, everything you love about Directr is staying the same and we’ll continue to focus on helping businesses create great video quickly and easily. One immediate bonus: Directr will soon be all free, all the time.”
Directr offers a mobile app for Apple iOS platform that makes it easy for small businesses to shoot, edit and upload short videos. It assists users with frame selection and building a storyboard, adding background music, and subtitles. The Directr iOS apps come in two variants; one for personal use and one for business.
YouTube also declared the acquisition on Google+ saying, “Directr is joining the YouTube ads team, where they’ll help us make it easier for advertisers to create and upload awesome videos.”
Applications
Canva acquires animation and AI startups Cavalry and MangoAI
The deals strengthen Canva’s push into enterprise and AI-led design workflows
AUSTRALIA: Global visual communication platform Canva has stepped up its acquisition drive, buying UK-based 2D animation platform Cavalry and US-based AI startup MangoAI to deepen its AI-powered creative stack.
Cavalry, whose tools are used by brands including Amazon, Meta, Google and Netflix, will strengthen Canva’s motion design capabilities. The deal builds on Canva’s 2024 acquisition of Affinity, which has crossed four million downloads since launch. With Cavalry, Canva now counts seven Europe-based acquisitions, underscoring its global expansion strategy.
MangoAI, an early-stage startup focused on video advertising optimisation, will integrate its reinforcement learning systems into Canva AI. The move aims to enable brands to generate personalised marketing content in real time, cutting production cycles while improving campaign performance. MangoAI co-founder Vinith Misra will join Canva as reinforcement learning lead in its research lab.
Canva co-founder and chief operating officer Cliff Obrecht said the acquisitions reflect the company’s ambition to make professional-grade creative tools more accessible without sidelining human creativity. The goal, he said, is to bring everything from vector to motion design into a single, integrated suite.
The company now reports 265 million active users, including 31 million paid subscribers, and $4 billion in annualised revenue, up 36 per cent year on year. The latest buys further position Canva against rivals such as Adobe and Apple’s Creator Studio as it pushes deeper into enterprise workflows.
Canva head of pro design marketing Liam Fisher, said AI is intended to act as a creative assistant rather than a replacement, reinforcing the primacy of craft and individual design judgement.
