Figma: How a Browser-Based Design Tool Beat Adobe at Its Own Game

A Sketch of Frustration

In 2012, Dylan Field and Evan Wallace had a vision that felt almost delusional at the time: design software that worked in the browser, collaboratively, like Google Docs.

Back then, most designers were glued to Adobe tools, especially Photoshop and Illustrator. Others were shifting to Sketch. But all of them had the same problem: design was stuck on desktops.

No real-time collaboration. No cloud syncing. No simple way to work as a team.

Dylan and Evan believed the web was ready to handle complex vector graphics, and that the future of design was multiplayer.

So they dropped out of college and joined the Thiel Fellowship.

From Stealth Mode to Beta Wave

Figma spent four years in stealth, quietly building a browser-based design engine from scratch. No downloads. No Mac-only limitations. Just pure design on the web.

In 2016, they finally launched their beta.

Early adopters included design-forward startups like Dropbox, Uber, and Airbnb.

By 2019, Figma was a serious Sketch alternative. By 2020, it was the industry default.

How Figma Won Designers

Figma didn’t just win with features. It changed how teams worked:

• Design is now multiplayer: PMs, devs, marketers could all jump into the same file.

• Always up to date: No more exporting PDFs or sending final-final-FINAL.png.

• Community-first: Figma files, templates, plugins, and a vibrant creator ecosystem.

It wasn’t just better design software. It was better collaboration infrastructure.

Funded but Focused

Figma raised $20M+ from investors like Index Ventures and Greylock, but didn’t chase hype.

By 2021, it hit unicorn status.
By 2022, Adobe tried to buy Figma for $20B, a rare moment of a legacy giant conceding defeat.

The deal? Blocked by regulators in 2023. But Figma had already won mindshare.

Startups, agencies, Fortune 500s, they all build in Figma.

A Quiet Revolution in Pixels

Figma didn’t start with a flashy product or a Silicon Valley pedigree. It started with a problem. It solved that problem so well, even Adobe tried to copy it, then buy it.

But the real win? It changed how people work. One browser tab at a time.

Build your own creative workflows, securely.
If you're a startup sharing docs with investors, clients, or teammates, check out Plox – your virtual data room for fast-growing teams.

Try Plox today – secure file sharing that doesn't suck.