Introduction
Canva Create is more than an event, it’s a global celebration of creativity, design, and innovation. Hosted annually by Canva, one of the world’s most influential design platforms, Canva Create draws a massive audience of designers, marketers, entrepreneurs, and enterprise leaders to experience the company’s latest product innovations, hear from visionary speakers, and engage with Canva’s dynamic global community.
In 2024, Canva set out to host its most ambitious Create event yet. The goal: to launch its next generation of AI-powered tools and its new enterprise platform to both its loyal user base and a growing community of business decision-makers. With nearly 4,000 attendees gathered onsite and over 115,000 tuning in virtually, Canva needed an event technology partner capable of scaling across continents, formats, and devices, without compromising on experience. BigMarker powered the digital infrastructure behind Canva Create 2024, from the first registration click to the final product reveal. Together, we delivered a seamless, unified event experience that delighted onsite and online audiences alike, without requiring attendees to download a mobile app.
The challenge
Canva's vision for Create 2024 was bold: a true hybrid event where both in-person and virtual attendees could enjoy the same level of access, engagement, and production quality. But turning that vision into reality meant overcoming several operational challenges. First, Canva needed a flexible registration system that could intelligently route attendees based on their event type, collecting rich attendee data for those joining in person, while keeping the online registration short and conversion-friendly. Second, they sought to avoid requiring attendees to download a mobile app to access the event experience. Instead, they sought a browser-based solution that would deliver the same functionality as an app—maps, schedules, real-time updates—accessible via phone or computer. Finally, Canva required flawless live streaming to extend Create to a global audience of over 100,000 online attendees. With multiple stages, 50+ speakers, and 10+ product launches, the stakes were high, and the broadcast had to perform at the highest level.
The solution
To achieve these goals, Canva partnered with BigMarker to create a highly customized, scalable solution spanning registration, attendee experience, and livestream delivery.
Adaptive registration journeys
Canva deployed a BigMarker-powered multi-path registration solution that used conditional logic to deliver personalized flows based on the attendee’s selected experience. In-person registrants followed a detailed, multi-step process that captured essential information such as accessibility needs, dietary preferences, and additional event logistics, all leading into a streamlined checkout for paid tickets.
Online attendees, by contrast, were routed through a simplified registration path. This stripped down unnecessary fields and barriers, allowing users to register quickly and easily, optimizing for high-volume conversion. The result was a frictionless registration experience tailored to each audience, improving data quality and reducing drop-off across the board.
Browser-based attendee hub
Rather than relying on a traditional mobile app, Canva and BigMarker co-developed a browser-based Attendee Hub that worked on any device. With a clean, intuitive interface, the Attendee Hub offered all the features of a mobile app—event schedule, venue maps, session access, and real-time updates—but was instantly accessible via a link, with no downloads required.
This approach was especially powerful for onsite attendees. Instead of requiring them to download an app on arrival, they could simply scan a QR code or click a link to access all event materials on their mobile browser. Meanwhile, online attendees enjoyed the exact same interface, ensuring a unified and consistent experience for everyone, no matter how they participated.
Enterprise-grade live streaming
To reach the event’s enormous online audience, Canva relied on BigMarker’s proven live streaming capabilities. With four stages running concurrently, eight breakout experiences, and over 50 speakers, the event featured hundreds of hours of live content.
BigMarker’s platform delivered every session in high-definition with minimal latency, while offering built-in audience interaction tools to keep virtual attendees engaged. As new product features were revealed live on stage, BigMarker’s infrastructure ensured that online viewers could experience each moment in real time. No lag, no buffering, no missed details.
Results delivered
The result of this collaboration was a hybrid event experience that truly set a new bar for digital-first production and engagement.
For Canva’s in-person audience, check-in was smooth, fast, and intuitive. Attendees received the information they needed before the event, then used the Attendee Hub throughout the day to explore sessions, navigate the venue, and receive real-time updates. The decision to go browser-based paid off: adoption of the Attendee Hub was exceptionally high, with users praising its ease of use and functionality.
For the global online audience, the livestream experience was equally polished. With over 115,000 virtual attendees tuning in, Canva was able to extend the impact of its product announcements far beyond the venue walls, delivering the same high-energy experience to a worldwide audience.
Just as importantly, the unified event interface enabled seamless coordination across both audiences. There were no separate systems, no discrepancies in access, and no “lesser” experience for those joining virtually. Everyone, regardless of geography or device, was welcomed into the Canva Create universe.
