Adobe rival Figma sets up international base in London
Silicon Valley software starlet Figma has selected London as the site of its new international headquarters, opting to go ahead with the move despite the increase in remote working.
London will be Figma’s new base for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, currently playing host to a staff of 14 working from home.
Unicorn startup Figma — valued at $2bn with backing from giants such as Sequoia and Index — allows teams of designers to collaborate remotely on visual projects, challenging a rival product owned by Adobe.
The firm said it had seen an 86 per cent increase in sign-ups from the UK this year, as lockdown increases demand for digital products and the need for remote working tools.
Figma chief executive Dylan Field said it also wanted to be closer to some of its clients in the region, such as BT and Deliveroo in London and Zalando in Berlin.
“Knowing that so many of us (including everyone at Figma) will continue to work remotely for the foreseeable future, we considered waiting to share the news until we felt comfortable welcoming Figmates back for in-person work,” he said.
“But the reality is that opening an office is so much more than a physical space. It’s also about sharing a time zone with more of our users, attracting diverse talent as Figma continues to grow, and understanding local nuances in order to support design communities across the world.”
Field added that the London headquarters will remain closed until the company feels safe asking its employees to return to work.
Other tech giants are also choosing London as their favoured European headquarters, with Facebook, Apple and Google all constructing major new sites in the capital.
Meanwhile short-form video app Tiktok is said to be preparing a similar move in the city, but the government is unsure whether to let it proceed.
Ministers are reportedly divided over whether to accept the plans by the Chinese-owned giant to set up its main base outside of Beijing in the UK, given its increased scrutiny and tension in the US.