Current Role | Co-Founder & CEO, Canva |
Previous Position | Co-Founder, Fusion Books |
Key Recognition | Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women | TIME 100 | Australia’s Youngest Self-Made Billionaire |
Background and Early Foundations
Melanie Perkins grew up in Perth, Western Australia, with a multicultural background and a dream to simplify design. As a university student, she noticed how difficult traditional design tools like Adobe Photoshop were for non-designers. She dropped out of college to launch Fusion Books, a drag-and-drop yearbook creation platform — the prototype that would evolve into Canva.
With perseverance, a strong pitch, and co-founders Cliff Obrecht and Cameron Adams, she launched Canva in 2013 after over 100 investor rejections.
Today, the Melanie Perkins story is one of grit, vision, and revolution — a self-made creative empire reshaping global design.
Career Milestones and Impact
Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
2013 | Launched Canva from Sydney with seed backing from Silicon Valley investors |
2019 | Canva reached unicorn status; expanded into offices in Manila, Beijing, and Austin |
2021 | Valued at USD $40 billion, making her one of the world’s richest self-made women |
2024 | Canva surpassed 170 million monthly users and launched Canva for Enterprise AI tools |
- Global Reach: Used in 190+ countries, 100+ languages
- Monthly Users: Over 170 million (as of 2025)
- Platform Strength: Real-time design, AI, presentation tools, enterprise collaboration
- Mission-Driven: Donated 30% of equity to Canva Foundation for global impact projects
Leadership Style and Influence
Melanie Perkins leads with radical clarity and compassion:
- Built Canva with a mission-first culture focused on empowering creators everywhere
- Advocates inclusive hiring and gender equity — women hold 41% of Canva leadership roles
- Operates on the belief that “good for the world” and business success aren’t mutually exclusive
She is frequently cited as a new archetype of leadership — one that balances scale with social intent.
Legacy and Future Focus
Melanie’s legacy lies in making design accessible, but her vision stretches far beyond:
- Scaling Canva’s AI capabilities to support education, nonprofits, and enterprise
- Building Canva as a core productivity platform for modern teams globally
- Championing tech for good, sustainable giving, and ethical tech culture
She remains one of the few founders to lead her company from idea to global dominance — without compromising on values.
