Global Design Platform Eyes Vietnam

Australian design unicorn Canva — valued at over USD 25 billion — is officially expanding its presence in Vietnam, with the goal of transforming the market into a center for digital creativity and education in Southeast Asia.

“We are building an official team in Vietnam after seeing so many local creators already active on Canva,” said Elle Liu, Canva Vietnam’s Country Representative, in an interview with Business Forum Magazine.

“We want to formalize our local creator community and create content tailored for Vietnamese users. In the coming months, you’ll start seeing more localized, Vietnam-inspired content,” she added.

According to Liu, Canva Vietnam is expected to launch officially in early 2026, with a mission to deliver more culturally authentic Vietnamese designs.

“Localization doesn’t just mean translating or optimizing. We hope to create templates and design elements for the Vietnam market, by Vietnamese designers — from day one,” Liu said.

Vietnam is becoming an attractive destination for Australian creatives, and Canva expects this expansion to significantly increase its user base. The company is also integrating local payment systems such as MoMo, ZaloPay, and VNPay to make upgrades to premium plans more accessible.

Beyond the creative segment, Canva is targeting education, which already represents a large portion of its users. Canva believes that Vietnam is a highly promising market for educational technology (EdTech), where the platform can leverage its strengths in designing lesson templates and learning materials tailored to local needs.

“We can provide not just software, but also content, training, and secure integration for Vietnamese schools. If implemented properly, Vietnam could become a regional model for creative, AI-powered learning,” Liu emphasized.

Vietnam’s Booming EdTech Opportunity

According to the Vietnam EdTech White Paper 2025, the domestic EdTech market is valued at USD 5 billion, generating around USD 360 million in revenue in 2024, with projected annual growth of 11–13% during 2025–2026.

More than 750 EdTech enterprises are currently operating in Vietnam, offering solutions ranging from online learning platforms to automated assessment tools. About 60% of local EdTech products now integrate AI, particularly in language learning and test preparation — signaling a shift from experimentation to large-scale deployment.

Vietnam’s government has identified education as one of eight priority sectors under the National Digital Transformation Program to 2030, which targets digitalizing 70% of universities and providing AI training to 70% of secondary school teachers by 2027.

“With over 25 million learners and a young workforce, Vietnam has the potential to become Southeast Asia’s EdTech hub,” said Jonathan Saw, Trade and Investment Counsellor at the Australian Government’s Austrade, in an interview with Business Forum. “The goal is not merely to import technology but to build local capacity for a sustainable digital education ecosystem,” he added.

A New Pillar in Digital Education Cooperation

Australia is emerging as a strategic partner for Vietnam in education and digital transformation. The Austrade Landing Pad, launched in 2017, has supported numerous Australian startups expanding into Southeast Asia. This year, Austrade led a delegation of 16 Australian EdTech firms — including Canva, Moodle, and Janison — to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from October 23–24 to explore partnerships and investment opportunities.

While Canva focuses on design and visual learning, Janison, which manages Australia’s national assessment program (NAPLAN), is seeking to introduce AI-enabled online evaluation tools in Vietnam.

“Vietnam’s strong digital infrastructure and clear policy direction provide an excellent foundation,” said Matt Linn, Head of Global Assessments at Janison.

The Vietnam–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, upgraded in 2024, emphasizes education, digital economy, and innovation as its three core pillars. EdTech sits at the intersection of all three, as Vietnam aims to modernize its education system and develop a digital-ready workforce, while Australia seeks to export its advanced education technologies and models.

“The collaboration potential is immense,” said Jonathan Saw. “Vietnam doesn’t just want to import technology — it wants to co-design solutions that align with its own values and needs. That’s where Australia’s strength in education and technology truly shines.”