Why Figma is selling to Adobe for $20 billion, with CEO Dylan Field
Nov 8, 2022
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Dylan Field, the co-founder and CEO of Figma, discusses the game-changing $20 billion acquisition by Adobe. He shares insights into Figma's evolution as a collaborative design tool and the importance of maintaining its unique identity within Adobe. The conversation dives into future innovations, including the exciting potential of VR design and the implications of artificial general intelligence. Field's expansive thinking highlights the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for designers in a rapidly changing tech landscape.
The acquisition of Figma by Adobe presents exciting possibilities for the future of design software, including the integration of Adobe's tools and services
Figma's success is attributed to its utilization of the web and WebGL technologies, enabling accessibility and collaboration in design work
Figma aims to expand its product offerings beyond design and collaboration tools, focusing on photo editing, seamless integration with Adobe, and accessibility for a wider range of users and industries
Deep dives
Figma's Acquisition by Adobe: A Transformative Deal
Figma, a popular web-based design tool, recently made headlines with its acquisition by Adobe for $20 billion. This deal has sparked discussions about the future of Figma and its impact on the design industry. One key point is the potential for Figma to integrate Adobe's tools and services, such as photo editing, into its platform, offering users a more seamless and comprehensive design experience. Another insight is the aim to expand Figma's reach and impact by leveraging Adobe's vast resources and market influence. The acquisition also raises questions about competition and market dynamics, as Figma has emerged as a strong competitor to Adobe in recent years. Overall, this acquisition marks a significant milestone for Figma and presents exciting possibilities for the future of design software.
The Power of the Web and WebGL in Figma's Success
Figma's success can be attributed, in part, to its utilization of the web and WebGL technologies. By building a web-based design tool, Figma has created a platform that offers accessibility, collaboration, and seamless sharing of design work. The use of WebGL, a graphics processing standard, has enabled Figma to provide a powerful and performant user experience on the web, even for complex design tasks. This reliance on the web platform has allowed Figma to constantly evolve and improve its offerings, benefiting from the web's inherent ability to reach a broad audience and adapt to changing technologies. Figma's bet on the web has paid off, leading to widespread adoption and establishing it as a major player in the design industry.
Exploring the Future Possibilities for Figma and the Design Industry
The acquisition of Figma by Adobe opens up new possibilities and potential directions for the company and the design industry as a whole. One key area of focus is the expansion of Figma's product offerings beyond its current design and collaboration tools. Figma aims to enhance its capabilities in areas such as photo editing, seamless integration with other Adobe tools, and the development of new products for different creative mediums. Additionally, Figma's vision of making design accessible to all suggests opportunities for the platform to cater to a wider range of users and industries. While the future of design may encompass emerging technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and the metaverse, Figma is currently focused on improving its core offerings and ensuring a seamless user experience. As Figma continues to evolve within Adobe, it will be exciting to see how the company shapes the future of design software and pushes the boundaries of creativity and collaboration.
Importance of Autonomy and Independence
The podcast episode explores the importance of maintaining autonomy and independence for Figma, even after the acquisition by Adobe. The CEO emphasizes that discussions with Adobe have revolved around preserving Figma's culture, goals, and operating model, ensuring that the company remains independent. Although there is no legally binding contract, there is an agreement on an operating model that includes the autonomy of Figma. The podcast highlights the significance of this autonomy in allowing Figma to continue building an exceptional product and serving their customers.
Continued Focus on the Web and Emerging Technologies
The podcast delves into the challenges that Figma faces as a web-based product, particularly in the face of potential threats from major tech companies trying to control the web platform. The CEO highlights the importance of continually innovating and leveraging technologies like WebGL to ensure Figma's performance across various devices, including low-end hardware. The episode also touches on the potential of emerging technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) in the design industry. Figma's CEO is excited about exploring new mediums and leveraging AI to enhance the creative process; however, he acknowledges the need to strike a balance between AI assistance and preserving the value of human expertise in design.
Dylan Field is the co-founder and CEO of Figma, which makes a very popular design tool that allows designers and their collaborators to all work together right in a web browser. You know how multiple people can edit together in Google Docs? Figma is that for design work. We just redesigned The Verge; we used Figma extensively throughout that process.
So for years, people have been waiting on the inevitable Figma vs. Adobe standoff since Figma was such a clear upstart competitor to Photoshop and Illustrator and the rest. Well, buckle up because in September, Adobe announced that it was buying Figma for $20 billion. Figma is going to remain independent inside Adobe, but you know, it’s a little weird.
So I wanted to talk to Dylan about the deal, why he’s doing it, how he made the decision to sell, and what things he can do as part of Adobe that he couldn’t do as an independent company.
Dylan’s also a pretty expansive thinker, so after we talked about his company getting the “fuck you” money from Adobe, we talked about making VR Figma for the metaverse and AGI, which is artificial general intelligence, or the kind of AI that can fully think for itself. This episode takes a turn. I think you’re going to like it.
