List of acquisitions by Adobe explained

Adobe Inc. is an American computer software company headquartered in San Jose, California. In 1982, John Warnock and Charles Geschke left Xerox PARC and established Adobe to develop and sell the PostScript page description language.^[1] Apple Computer licensed PostScript in 1985 for use in its LaserWriter printers, which helped spark the desktop publishing revolution.^[2] The company has acquired 25 companies, purchased stakes in five, and divested six, most of which were software companies. Of the companies that Adobe has acquired, 18 were based in the United States. Adobe has not released the financial details for most of these mergers and acquisitions.

Adobe's first acquisition was Emerald City Software in March 1990. In August 1994, the company acquired Aldus Corporation, a Seattle-based software company credited with creating the desktop publishing industry with its PageMaker software.^[3] The company's products were integrated into Adobe's product line later in the year, and re-branded as Adobe PageMaker and Adobe After Effects;^[4] Aldus also owned the TIFF file format, transferring ownership to Adobe.^[5] In October 1995, Adobe acquired the desktop publishing software company Frame Technology for US$566 million, and re-branded its FrameMaker software to Adobe FrameMaker.^[6] Adobe acquired GoLive Systems in January 1999 and obtained its CyberStudio HTML editor software, releasing it as Adobe GoLive.^[7] In May 2003, Adobe acquired Syntrillium Software and its digital audio editor software Cool Edit Pro, and merged it into its product line, re-releasing it as Adobe Audition.^[8]

In the 1990s, Adobe purchased a minority stake in four companies, and it purchased a stake in one company in the 2000s. Adobe has also divested six companies, in which parts of the company are sold to another company. All of its divestments were made in the 1990s, with its most recent divestment made in August 1999 when it sold Macromedia Pathware to Lotus Software.

Acquisitions

Number	Company	Country	Acquired on	Acquired for (USD)	References
1	Emerald City Software			—	^[9]
2	BluePoint Technologies			—	^[10]
3	LaserTools-Language Tech^[11]			—	^[12]
4	OCR Systems			—	^[13] <	--	-		OCR Systems^[14]	Software		—	^[15] -->
5	Nonlinear Technologies		1992	—	^[16]
6	After Hours Software		1993	—
7	Compumation		1994	—
8	Aldus Corporation			$	^[17]
9	LaserTools			—	^[18]
10	Photoshop			—	^[19]
11	Frame Technology			$	^[20]
12	Ares Software			—	^[21]
13	Sandcastle			$	^[22]
14	HyWay Ferranti			—	^[23]
15	DigiDox			—	^[24]
16	GoLive Systems			—	^[25]
17	Fotiva			—	^[26]
18	Accelio^[27]			$	^[28]
19	Syntrillium Software			—	^[29]
20	Yellow Dragon Software-Tech^[30]			—	^[31]
21	Q-Link Technologies, Inc.			—	^[32]
22	OKYZ			—	^[33]
23	Macromedia			$	^[34]
24	Navisware			—	^[35]
25	Trade and Technologies France			—	^[36]
26	Pixmantec			—	^[37]
27	InterAKT			—	^[38]
28	Serious Magic Inc.			—	^[39]
29	Scene7			—	^[40]
30	Virtual Ubiquity			—	^[41]
31	YaWah			—	^[42]
32	Business Catalyst			—	^[43]
33	Omniture			$	^[44]
34	Day Software			$	^[45]
35	Demdex			—	^[46]
36	EchoSign			—	^[47]
37	Iridas Technology			—	^[48]
38	Nitobi			—	^[49]
39	Typekit			—	^[50]
40	Auditude			$	^[51]
41	Efficient Frontier Technology			—	^[52]
42	Behance Inc.			—	^[53]
43	Neolane			$	^[54] ^[55]
44	Satellite		July 31, 2013	—
45	Aviary			—	^[56]
46	Fotolia			$	^[57]
47	Mixamo			—	^[58]
48	Livefyre			—	^[59]
49	TubeMogul			$	^[60]
50	Sayspring			—	^[61]
51	Uru			—	^[62]
52	Magento			$	^[63]
53	Marketo			$	^[64]
54	Allegorithmic			—	^[65]
55	Workfront			$	^[66]
56	Frame.io			$	^[67]
57	ContentCal			—	^[68]
58	Abstract Notebooks			—	^[69]

Indirect acquisitions

Adobe also owns the assets of numerous companies, through less direct means, through the mergers or acquisitions of companies later acquired by Adobe.

• Company of Science and Art (CoSA)
  • Acquired by Aldus
• Allaire Corporation
  • Acquired by Macromedia
• Live Software
  • Acquired by Allaire Corporation
• Authorware Inc
  • Merged to form Macromedia
• MacroMind
  • Merged to form MacroMind-Paracomp
• Paracomp
  • Merged to form MacroMind-Paracomp
• Altsys
  • Acquired by Macromedia
• MacroMind-Paracomp
  • Merged to form Macromedia
• iBand Software
  • Acquired by Macromedia
• FutureWave Software
  • Acquired by Macromedia
• Andromedia Corporation
  • Acquired by Macromedia
• Presedia
  • Acquired by Macromedia
• eHelp Corporation
  • Acquired by Macromedia
• nHabit.com
  • Merged with GoodHome.com (Scene7)
• Engage
  • Assets acquired by Scene7
• Cascade
  • Acquired by Scene7
• MidSystems
  • Acquired by Scene7
• TrueSpectra
  • Acquired by Scene7
• Touch Clarity
  • Acquired by Omniture
• Visual Sciences, Inc. (formerly WebSideStory)
  • Acquired by Omniture
• Offermatica
  • Acquired by Omniture
• Mercado
  • Acquired by Omniture
• Context Optional
  • Acquired by Efficient Frontier
  • Wrike***

Failed acquisitions

• Figma - After 15 months of regulatory review, the acquisition of Figma for $20 billion was abandoned after no longer seeing a path toward regulatory approval.^{[70] [71]}

Stakes

Date	Company	Business	Country	Value (USD)	References
	Verity	Computer consulting		—	^[72]
	Crosswise	Applications software		—	^[73]
	Siebel Systems	Application services provider		—	^[74]
	Fractal Design	Graphics software		$	^[75]
	Skysoft	Online digital music services		$	^[76]

Divestitures

Date	Acquirer	Target company	Target business	Acquirer country	Value (USD)	References
	Paracomp	MacroMind	Software		—	^[77]
	—	Luminous^[78]	Graphics software		—	^[79]
	INSO	MasterSoft	Publishing software		$	^[80]
	Creative Internet Solutions	ChangeMedia	Internet service provider		—	^[81]
	Calian Technologies Ltd.	Why Interactive	Multi-media company		$	^[82]
	Lotus Development	Macromedia Pathware	Internet software		—	^[83]

See also

• List of largest mergers and acquisitions
• Lists of corporate acquisitions and mergers

External links

• Adobe
• Clipping Path
• Photo Editing Service

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2008-10-03. How Adobe launched a revolution . San Jose Mercury News. 2006-10-30. Blitstein, Ryan .
2. Web site: 2008-10-19. Opinion: Adobe's DNA is part of Apple. Macworld. 2007-09-11. LePage, Rick. 2012-01-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20120104162206/http://www.macworld.com/article/59940/2007/09/adobeandapple.html. dead.
3. Web site: 2008-10-03. Adobe and Aldus Plan a $500 Million Merger . The New York Times. 1994-03-16. Lewis, Peter H. .
4. News: Adobe Makes a Move for the Future Fremont Site. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 1998-04-13. Lewis, Jay B..
5. Web site: 2008-10-03. Inside Adobe's New Digital Negative Format . Macworld. 2004-09-30 .
6. News: Adobe Systems Announces Adobe FrameMaker for Windows 95 and NT. PR Newswire. 1996-06-03.
7. Web site: 2008-10-03. Adobe Discontinues GoLive . PC World. 2008-04-28. Cohen, Peter .
8. News: Adobe Audition 1.0 sounds like a new program, but this multitrack recorder/editor is the offspring of Syntrillium's Cool Edit Pro 2.1.. PC Magazine. 2003-11-25.
9. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires Emerald City Software . . 2008-10-03 . 2012-02-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120214233323/http://www.alacrastore.com/storecontent/Thomson_M%26A/Adobe_Systems_Inc_acquires_Emerald_City_Software-162639020 . live .
10. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires BluePoint Technologies . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03 . 2012-02-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120214233356/http://www.alacrastore.com/storecontent/Thomson_M%26A/Adobe_Systems_Inc_acquires_BluePoint_Technologies-167911020 . live .
11. Acquired from LaserTools
12. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires LaserTools-Language Tech from LaserTools Corp . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
13. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires OCR Systems Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
14. Only Non-Linear Tech was acquired from OCR Systems Inc
15. http://www.alacrastore.com/storecontent/Thomson_M&A/Adobe_Systems_Inc_acquires_OCR_Systems_Non_Linear_Tech_from_OCR_Systems_Inc-262231020
16. Web site: Adobe Annual Report 1994 . 2023-12-06 . Adobe. p. 36.
17. Web site: Adobe Annual Report 1994 . 2023-12-06. p. 31.
18. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires LaserTools Corp . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
19. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires Photoshop . CNET . 2010-02-15 . 2012-07-14 . https://archive.today/20120714233516/http://news.cnet.com/2300-10798_3-10002523.html . live .
20. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires Frame Technology Corp . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
21. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires Ares Software Corp . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
22. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires Sandcastle Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
23. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires HyWay Ferranti . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03 . 2013-11-05 . https://archive.today/20131105050757/http://news.cnet.com/Short-Take-Adobe-acquires-DigiDox/2110-1001_3-203294.html . live .
24. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires DigiDox Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
25. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires GoLive Systems Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
26. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires Fotiva Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
27. Acquired from Adobe Systems Canada
28. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires Accelio Corp from Adobe Systems Canada Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
29. Web site: 2008-10-03. Cool Edit Pro is now Adobe Audition . Adobe .
30. Acquired from Yellow Dragon Software
31. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires Yellow Dragon Software-Tech from Yellow Dragon Software Corp . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
32. Web site: Adobe Acquires Q-Link Technologies . Adobe . 2004-05-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20040507025808/http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressreleases/200405/050304QLINK.html . 2004-05-07 .
33. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires OKYZ SA . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
34. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires Macromedia Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
35. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires Navisware . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
36. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires Trade and Technologies France . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
37. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires Pixmantec ApS . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
38. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires InterAKT . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
39. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires Serious Magic Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
40. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires Scene7 Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
41. Web site: Adobe to Acquire Virtual Ubiquity. 2008-10-01. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080909011125/http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressreleases/200709/100107VirtualUbiquity.html. 2008-09-09.
42. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires YaWah ApS . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
43. Web site: Adobe Buys Business Catalyst / GoodBarry . 31 August 2009 . TechCrunch . 2009-09-16.
44. Web site: Adobe To Acquire Omniture For Approximately $1.8 Billion . 15 September 2009 . TechCrunch . 2009-09-16.
45. Web site: Adobe Adds Leading Web Content Management Software to its Portfolio of Solutions to Create, Deliver and Optimize Customer Experiences . Adobe . 2010-07-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100730124650/http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressreleases/201007/072810AdobetoAcquireDaySoftware.html . 2010-07-30 .
46. Web site: Adobe Acquires Demdex – Brings Audience Optimization to $109 Billion Global Online Ad Market . Omniture . 2011-01-28.
47. Web site: Adobe Acquires EchoSign – Leading Web-based Signature Solution Joins Document Exchange Services Platform . Adobe . 2011-07-18 . 2020-08-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200803071146/https://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressreleases/201107/071811AdobeAcquiresEchoSign.html . live .
48. Web site: Adobe Acquires IRIDAS Technology Company Extends Leadership in Professional Video with the Acquisition of Premium Tools for Digital Color Grading and Enhancement. Adobe. 2011-09-08. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110925002422/http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressreleases/201109/090811AdobeAcquiresIRIDASl.html. 2011-09-25.
49. Web site: Nitobi Enters Into Acquisition Agreement with Adobe . Adobe . 2012-01-20 . 2012-02-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120218185732/http://blogs.nitobi.com/andre/index.php/2011/10/03/nitobi-enters-into-acquisition-agreement-with-adobe/ . live .
50. Web site: Adobe acquires Typekit . Typekit . 2012-02-10 . 2012-02-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120207173605/http://blog.typekit.com/2011/10/03/adobe-acquires-typekit/ . live .
51. Web site: Adobe acquires video ad platform Auditude for $120M (updated). November 2011.
52. Web site: Adobe Acquires Efficient Frontier To Boost Its Digital Marketing Solutions. 30 November 2011.
53. Web site: Adobe Acquired Portfolio Service Behance For More Than $150 Million In Cash And Stock. 21 December 2012.
54. Web site: Adobe Completes Acquisition of Neolane.
55. News: Adobe to Buy Neolane for $600 Million to Add Marketing Tools. Bloomberg . June 28, 2013. www.bloomberg.com.
56. Web site: Adobe Acquires Photo-Editing Platform Aviary . 22 September 2014 . Techcrunch.
57. Web site: Adobe Completes Acquisition of Fotolia . Adobe Systems.
58. Web site: Unlocking The Power of 3D for The Creative Community – Adobe Acquires Mixamo . Adobe Systems .
59. Web site: Adobe Completes Acquisition of Livefyre Adobe. 2016-05-10. en-US. 2016-08-10.
60. News: Adobe is acquiring ad tech company TubeMogul for $540 million. Business Insider. 2016-11-10.
61. News: Adobe Bets on Voice with Sayspring Acquisition. 2018-04-18. 2018-04-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20180418221458/https://theblog.adobe.com/adobe-bets-on-voice/. dead.
62. News: Adobe acquires Uru, an AI startup that embeds ads in videos. 2018-12-22.
63. Web site: Miller. Ron. 2018-05-21. Adobe to acquire Magento for $1.68B. 2020-12-23. TechCrunch. en-US.
64. News: Adobe gets its company, snaring Marketo for $4.75 billion. TechCrunch. 2018-09-22. en-US. 2020-07-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20200701112016/https://techcrunch.com/2018/09/20/adobe-gets-its-company-snaring-marketo-for-4-75-billion/. live.
65. Web site: Gagliordi. Natalie. 2019-01-23. Adobe acquires 3D texture firm Allegorithmic. 2020-12-23. ZDNet. en.
66. Web site: Miller. Ron. 2020-11-09. Adobe acquires marketing workflow startup Workfront for $1.5B. 2020-12-23. TechCrunch. en-US.
67. News: Adobe to Acquire Frame.io. 2021-08-19. businesswire. en-US.
68. News: 2021-12-08 . Adobe buys social media marketing startup ContentCal . 2024-02-13 . en-US.
69. Web site: The next chapter for Abstract Notebooks: Adobe. 2022-01-10. www.abstract.com. en. 2022-01-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20220110111247/https://www.abstract.com/blog/the-next-chapter-for-abstract-notebooks-adobe. dead.
70. Web site: Adobe to Buy Collaboration-Software Company Figma for About $20 Billion. 2022-09-15. The Wall Street Journal. Lombardo. Cara. limited. en.
71. Web site: Weatherbed . Jess . 2023-12-18 . Adobe abandons $20 billion acquisition of Figma . 2023-12-18 . The Verge . en.
72. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires a minority stake in Verity Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
73. Web site: Adobe Systems Inc acquires a minority stake in Crosswise Corp . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
74. Web site: Adobe Ventures acquires a minority stake in Siebel Systems Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
75. Web site: Adobe Ventures acquires a minority stake in Fractal Design Corp . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
76. Web site: Adobe Sys Software Ireland Ltd acquires a minority stake in Skysoft Co Ltd . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
77. Web site: Paracomp Inc acquires Macromind Inc from Adobe Systems Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
78. Adobe retained a 19.9% stake in Luminous
79. Web site: Investor Group acquires Luminous Corp(Adobe Systems) from Adobe Systems Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
80. Web site: INSO Corp acquires Adobe Systems-MasterSoft Prods from Adobe Systems Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
81. Web site: Creative Internet Solutions acquires ChangeMedia(Allaire Corp) from Adobe Systems Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
82. Web site: Calian Technology Ltd acquires Why Interactive Inc from Adobe Systems Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.
83. Web site: Lotus Development Corp(IBM) acquires Macromedia Inc-Pathware Bus from Adobe Systems Inc . Thomson Financial . 2008-10-03.