Ceros, the cloud-based, no-code design platform powering the most exceptional interactive digital content, announced today its acquisition of Prague-based Avocode, the revolutionary design-to-code platform used by companies including eBay, Panasonic and Tesla.
The purchase allows Ceros to improve the integration of the Avocode Open Design API and eliminate an all-too-familiar pain point for designers — how to bring design files from one platform over to another.
Avocode’s technology, with which Ceros previously had integrated, saves designers time by converting design files from sources such as Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop and Sketch into interactive, online content via the Ceros Studio. This process of taking original design files and bringing them to life online is seamless. It requires no coding on the part of the designer, a hallmark of Ceros products.
Avocode’s technology is perfectly suited to Ceros’ mission of helping the world unlock creativity, Ceros CEO Simon Berg said.
“We are insanely excited about the Avocode team and technology becoming part of the Ceros family,” Berg said. “Our businesses and cultures could not be more aligned, and our shared vision of the future is palpable.”
Avocode CEO Vu Hoang Anh sees Ceros as a leader in the creative industry and has experienced firsthand Ceros’ support for the company’s Open Design API. The Avocode team believes Ceros offers the best way to grow the technology and bring it to a wider audience.
“We’re thrilled to join Ceros today and even more excited to be able to continue our joint mission to unlock design for everyone. Ceros is undeniably the right home and the best possible team to join,” he said. “Not only can we take our mission to the next level, but most importantly, both companies share the same values. We can’t wait to see what amazing products we will create together.”
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Ceros is retaining and expanding the Avocode team members in Prague, many of whom will focus on leveraging the Open Design API to scale the Ceros Studio further, helping users increase time-to-value and reduce time-to-market.
By adding an open design API to its stack, Ceros is accelerating efforts to remove coding from the creative process. This opens up exciting possibilities for semi-autonomous, “headless” design, where content appears via API for display across devices. Plans also include leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to remove laborious and repetitive tasks, all in pursuit of unlocking the creative potential of Ceros clients and the wider community.
“As both a customer and partner of Ceros, I am really pleased to see this move,” said Peter Orlowsky, senior vice president of strategic partnerships for Getty Images. “Getty is known for its creative and innovative approach to business and technology. Ceros shares those values. This acquisition only further demonstrates that fact. I’m excited to see what comes next.”
Ceros plans to build a roadmap that fully realizes the possibilities of the cross-platform movement of design files. The company’s vision is to bring any such file — be it from Adobe, Canva, Sketch or somewhere else — into the Ceros Studio to create interactive, online content quickly and easily.
“Designers don’t think in file formats and code; they think in creative and artistic ways. Removing barriers to unlock that creative potential is key,” Berg said. “The world at large undervalues the importance of design and creativity, and Ceros is determined to change that. With Avocode’s open design API, we are one step closer to a more connected, open and impactful design world for businesses and creatives everywhere.”
The acquisition follows more than 18 months of significant milestones for Ceros, including the January 2020 launch of its visual commenting tool, MarkUp, which recently reached 150,000 users; the July 2020 announcement of $100 million in funding led by Sumeru Equity Partners; and the groundbreaking Release 7 in November 2020.
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