Becoming a startup founder is kind of similar to setting sail into uncharted waters. There are very few stories of startup founders that combine all the things that shouts entrepreneurship success and Melanie Perkins is one of them. Whoever you are, a blogger, marketer, or business owner, you have surely used Canva as a go-to tool for creating stunning graphics for your business or personal projects. The visionary founder of Canva is Melanie Perkins.
Melanie Perkins transformed a bold idea into a global phenomenon, exploring her insights on raising capital, scaling the business, and emerging as one of Australia’s most successful founders.
Canva’s founder story
Melanie Perkins’ journey to becoming the youngest self-made tech billionaire is awe-inspiring. Melanie Perkins became one of the youngest female tech unicorn founders, at just 30 years old, when her company, Canva, was valued at $1 billion only five years after its launch in 2013. Canva has seen continues expansion and Melanie pursued ambitious goals, through which the company’s valuation rapidly increased. This made Melanie Perkins one of the most successful founder in Sydney since Atlassian.
Melanie Perkins Canva’s success
Today, Canva is valued at a staggering $25 billion, making it one of the most successful startups in history and one of the earliest to quickly reach this level of success. Entrepreneur Melanie Perkins has also committed to donating her 30% ownership in Canva to charitable causes and intends to make a difference in the world by combating poverty. But behind these impressive numbers lies an incredible story of perseverance, creativity, and a passion for breaking down barriers in design.
Canva’s CEO Melanie Perkins wealth
In May 2021, Melanie Perkins was considered one of the wealthiest women in Australia, with a net worth of $6.5 billion. Then, she was honored by being inducted into the 30 Under 30 Hall of Fame in 2022 and, later on, was featured on Forbes’ Billionaires list for 2023. And this all despite not having a college degree.
Entrepreneurial spirit at young age
Melanie Perkins, the co-founder and CEO of Canva, spent her childhood in Perth, Australia. Born in 1987, she exhibited an entrepreneurial spirit from a young age. Inspired by her mother’s art teacher profession, Perkins showed an early interest in design and creativity. Melanie was born in Perth, Australia, in 1987. She was always passionate about figure skating and would normally wake up at 4:30 a.m. every day for training. Engaging in sports instilled in her a mindset of setting and striving for objectives and cultivating an ambitious attitude.
At the age of 14, Perkins started her first business selling handmade scarves at markets and shops throughout Perth, which she considers to have developed her entrepreneurial drive.
Fusion Books
Melanie and Cliff initially started a business called “Fusion Books” in 2007. Fusion Books allowed students to design and print their school yearbooks.
Canva’s creation was rooted in Melanie Perkins’ unyielding belief in democratising design. The journey began during her college days when she and co-founder Cliff Obrecht envisioned a platform to make graphic design accessible to all. Despite initial setbacks and rejections, Perkins maintained her focus, stating, “I didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. I just kept going and kept fighting for the vision.”
Beginning of Canva
While running Fusion Books, Perkins and Obrecht had the idea to create an online tool to simplify the design process for a broader audience. In 2012, they teamed up with Cameron Adams and launched Canva.
Canva began as a platform focused on graphic design and allowed users to create a wide range of visual content, including presentations, social media graphics, posters, and more. It quickly gained popularity due to its user-friendly interface and the ability to create professional-looking designs without advanced design skills. Canva has grown into a highly successful and widely used design platform with millions of users worldwide.
Funding for Canva
Melanie Perkins’ ability to secure funding was instrumental in turning Canva into a global powerhouse. Her unwavering belief and the platform’s user-centric design helped her attract support from prominent investors. One notable early investor in Canva was Bill Tai, a venture capitalist and entrepreneur known for his involvement in various successful startups. Over time, Canva has gone through multiple funding rounds, attracting investments from various sources and achieving unicorn status with a valuation exceeding $39 billion.
Global expansion
Canva’s global expansion was marked by localisation efforts, making the platform accessible to diverse cultures and languages. Perkins’ strategic foresight propelled Canva from a startup to a worldwide brand, proving that scalability is not just about growth but about adaptability and relevance on a global scale.
One of the strengths of Canva has been its continuous product development, continually expanding its features, and becoming a versatile and widely embraced design platform.
Canva CEO Melanie Perkins’ initiatives
Perkins has actively participated in various initiatives and events to empower entrepreneurs, particularly women, to pursue their business ambitions. Through her leadership at Canva, Perkins has emphasized on diversity and inclusion, actively promoting opportunities for women. Melanie Perkins’ advocacy for diversity and her commitment to supporting startups, serves as an inspiration and example in the tech and business communities.
Her achievements challenge stereotypes and catalyze more women to venture into the startup arena.
Melanie Perkins is a true inspiration for entrepreneurs to follow dream and making it into a goal, by having vision, perseverance, strategic thinking. Melanie Perkins crafted a global brand and paved the way for aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women, to dream significant and shatter ceilings. Her unwavering dedication and perseverance have led to the creation of one of the world’s most successful design platforms.
