Canva Launches "Canva for Universities and Vocational Schools (Educational Institutions)" Plan in Japan

Canva Pty Ltd (hereinafter "Canva") is pleased to announce that it has concluded strategic partnership agreements with SoftBank Corp. (hereinafter "SoftBank"), Kaga Solnet Co., Ltd. (hereinafter "Kaga Solnet"), and SB C&S Corp. (hereinafter "SB C&S") for universities and vocational schools nationwide in Japan, in conjunction with the launch of its program for higher education institutions in Japan, "Canva for Universities and Vocational Schools (Educational Institutions)".

In addition, Canva has selected SoftBank and Kaga Solnet as "Market Making Partners" in the Japanese market.

Background of the Strategic Partnership

In Japanese higher education institutions, as the digitalization of education and academic affairs rapidly progresses, there is a demand for evolution beyond mere DX (Digital Transformation) to AX (AI Transformation), an education and business model premised on AI.

Against this backdrop, Canva is launching "Canva for Universities and Vocational Schools (Educational Institutions)" with the aim of transforming the experience of both students and faculty/staff, co-creating new forms of education and academic affairs through visual communication and AI utilization.

SoftBank and Kaga Solnet will jointly promote this initiative as "Market Making Partners" leading the creation of new value in higher education institutions nationwide in Japan. SB C&S will participate as a distributor, ensuring the stability and scalability of the commercial flow and operations.

Details of the Release and Strategic Partnership

The planned collaborative activities under this partnership are as follows:

① Launch of "Canva for Universities and Vocational Schools (Educational Institutions)" Plan

"Canva for Universities and Vocational Schools (Educational Institutions)" is an all-in-one platform for visual communication and collaboration designed for universities and vocational schools.

Under this program, as a special model for Japan, students can use it free of charge without any user limits, while faculty and staff are provided with paid licenses. The minimum contract is 50 licenses for faculty and staff, and with this faculty/staff license agreement, all students can use it without limits.

Provision Model (Special Model for Japan)

Students: Free of charge

Faculty/Staff: Paid licenses (Minimum contract: 50 licenses)

* All students (no license limit) can use it with a faculty/staff license agreement.

This model simultaneously achieves overwhelming penetration among students and full-scale introduction into education and academic affairs, starting with faculty and staff.

② Implementation of a Special Campaign

To coincide with its first deployment in Japan, a special campaign will be implemented targeting the first 50 schools.

In this campaign, all students will be able to use it free of charge for 12 months, regardless of whether a faculty/staff license is contracted.

Target: First 50 schools

Content: All students can use it free of charge for 12 months, regardless of whether a faculty/staff license is contracted.

* Introduction for students only is also possible.

③ Market Creation by Market Making Partners

By combining SoftBank's cutting-edge communication, AI, and digital infrastructure, Kaga Solnet's accumulated knowledge and customer base in the education industry, and SB C&S's role as a distributor in commercial flow and operational functions, the partnership aims to provide integrated support from introduction to operation and sustained utilization, accelerating DX/AX in higher education institutions and creating a sustainable market.

Future Developments

Starting with the launch of "Canva for Universities and Vocational Schools (Educational Institutions)", Canva, SoftBank, Kaga Solnet, and SB C&S will promote the creation of joint projects and co-creation in forms not limited to Canva. The commercial flow and contract forms will be flexibly and non-exclusively designed, aiming to build a sustainable ecosystem that covers universities and vocational schools nationwide in Japan.

Comments from Each Company

Mr. Takashi Yuge, General Manager, New Business Strategy Division, Corporate Business Strategy Headquarters, SoftBank Corp.

We are very pleased to participate in this strategic partnership in conjunction with the launch of "Canva for Universities and Vocational Schools (Educational Institutions)" in Japan. As the environment for fostering student learning and creativity accelerates in universities and vocational schools nationwide in Japan, we aim to further advance the digital utilization in educational settings through this program, which is provided free of charge to all students.

SoftBank has contributed to the realization of smart campuses, efficiency improvements for faculty and staff, and enhancement of student experience through cutting-edge communication technologies and digital solutions. Moving forward, we will work closely with Kaga Solnet, SB C&S, and Canva to promote the smooth nationwide expansion of "Canva for Universities and Vocational Schools (Educational Institutions)" and co-create new educational and academic experiences, looking ahead from DX to AX.