Melanie Perkins, the co-founder and CEO of Canva, has become one of the most successful women in tech—yet her journey began far from Silicon Valley, in the suburbs of Perth, Australia. Her rise from a teenage entrepreneur to a billionaire tech leader is a powerful example of vision, persistence, and innovation.
Early Life and Entrepreneurial Spark
Melanie was born in 1987 in Perth. From a young age, she was both creative and driven. As a teenager, she sold handmade scarves in local markets—a hint of the entrepreneurial energy that would shape her future. Her diverse heritage and upbringing gave her a global perspective, even as she grew up in a small Australian city.
While attending the University of Western Australia, Melanie noticed a problem that would change her life. She was tutoring students in graphic design and saw how complex and outdated the design software was. Students often spent months just learning how to use the tools before they could create anything meaningful.
This sparked an idea: What if design could be easier, more accessible, and completely online?
Fusion Books: A Prototype for Success
In 2007, Melanie and her then-boyfriend (now husband), Cliff Obrecht, started Fusion Books, an online tool that allowed students and schools to create their own yearbooks using drag-and-drop templates. Working from her mother’s living room, they slowly built a customer base by cold-calling schools across Australia.
Fusion Books became the country’s largest yearbook publisher and expanded to France and New Zealand. But Melanie had her eyes on a bigger challenge—something that could revolutionize design on a global scale.
The Birth of Canva
It wasn’t easy. For three years, Melanie pitched her idea to investors—over 100 of them said no. But she didn’t give up. Eventually, she secured early funding and brought on co-founder Cameron Adams, a former Google engineer, to help build what would become Canva.
In 2013, Canva officially launched. Its mission was clear: to make design simple for everyone. The platform allowed users to create anything from social media graphics to presentations with easy-to-use templates and drag-and-drop tools.
The response was massive. Canva reached over 750,000 users in its first year.
Building a Global Design Platform
Today, Canva is used by over 180 million people in more than 190 countries. It serves everyone—from students and teachers to small businesses and Fortune 500 companies. The platform continues to expand, offering tools for video editing, website building, team collaboration, and even AI-driven design features.
Canva’s simplicity and powerful tools have helped democratize design, putting creativity into the hands of people who never thought they were “designers.”
Leading with Vision and Purpose
Melanie’s leadership style is grounded in humility and purpose. Despite her wealth, she’s famously frugal and down-to-earth. She and Cliff pledged to give away most of their wealth through philanthropy, committing to initiatives focused on poverty, education, and crisis support around the world.
The Canva Foundation, supported by the company’s success, has already donated tens of millions of dollars to high-impact charities. Melanie has also been vocal about creating a workplace culture focused on kindness, innovation, and impact.
Personal Life
Melanie and Cliff got married in 2021 in a small ceremony on Rottnest Island. They continue to lead Canva together, not just as co-founders but as partners who share a vision of building technology that makes the world a better place.
📌 Key Milestones at a Glance
1987 – Melanie Perkins is born in Perth, Western Australia.
2007 – Co-founds Fusion Books, a web-based platform allowing students and schools to design and print yearbooks.
2012 – Begins building Canva after years of refining her vision and pitching to investors.
2013 – Official launch of Canva with co-founders Cliff Obrecht and Cameron Adams.
2018 – Canva becomes a unicorn, valued at over $1 billion.
2019 – Company’s valuation crosses $3 billion as it expands globally and adds new product features.
2021 – Melanie and Cliff get married; they officially pledge to donate most of their wealth through philanthropy.
2023 – The Canva Foundation donates over $30 million to global charities focused on education, crisis relief, and poverty.
2024 – Canva integrates advanced AI design tools, including Magic Design, Magic Write, and others.
2025 – Canva grows to over 180 million users worldwide and continues to empower creators in over 190 countries.
Conclusion
Melanie Perkins’ story is proof that world-changing ideas can come from anywhere. With persistence, a strong sense of purpose, and a bold vision, she turned a simple frustration into one of the most powerful design platforms on Earth.
Her journey continues to inspire millions around the globe—not just for what she built, but how she leads with empathy, impact, and innovation.
