And it is that the company that owns popular Photoshop or Illustrator programs has just taken out the portfolio to buy the digital UI and UX design firm Figma, for nothing more and nothing less than 20 billion dollars.
The purchase has been confirmed by both companies through a couple of press releases, after months of rumors about the transaction.
The move is more than strategic and could be the most relevant move of the year within the category if we consider that Figma was shaping up to be a strong rival for Adobe thanks to a growth strategy based on online collaborations between users.
Following this deal, which includes a split cash and stock payment, Figma will continue to operate independently, perhaps driving certain projects and features for Adobe XD, while the design startup will benefit from its new owner’s infrastructure.Figma co-founder Dylan Field has said in a blog post:
“Looking back, I am proud to say that we have made progress in introducing Figma to designers of all ages, geographies and experience levels. Looking to the future, we are just scratching the surface. There is a tremendous opportunity for us to accelerate the growth and innovation of the Figma platform with access to Adobe’s technology, expertise and resources in the creative space,” said Field. “Adobe is deeply committed to keeping Figma operating autonomously and I will continue to serve as CEO, reporting to David Wadhwani.”
Adobe buys Figma what does it mean?
Over the last few years, Figma gained a sizable user base thanks to a suite of cloud-focused collaborative design tools that was a great solution in times of pandemic.
With a decade of history, Fiigma was beginning to position itself as a strong rival to Adobe XD. This purchase removes a competitor with the potential to undermine Adobe’s leadership, while upholding the position of the design giant.
From Bloomberg they indicate that with Figma, Adobe will gain the necessary resources to calm investors’ doubts about its ability to remain a dominant player in the professional design industry.
We’re excited to share our attempt to acquire @Figma. Together, we will usher in a new era of collaborative creativity. Key info: https://t.co/9wDSHhyvE pic.twitter.com/U5SduJUVvc
— Adobe (@Adobe) September 15, 2022