Melanie Perkins is an Australian technology entrepreneur best known as the co-founder and CEO of Canva, the online graphic design platform that has become a global phenomenon. Born in Perth and launching her first startup in her teens, Perkins’s journey from a student tutor with an idea to one of the world’s youngest self-made billionaires is inspiring entrepreneurs worldwide. As of late 2025, her estimated net worth stands at A$14.14 billion (approximately US$5.8 billion), reflecting Canva’s meteoric rise and cementing her status among Australia’s richest women. In this profile, we explore Melanie Perkins’s early life, career milestones, business ventures, achievements, personal life, and the lessons one can learn from her remarkable success story.

Early Life and Background

Melanie Perkins was born in 1987 in Perth, Western Australia, to parents of diverse heritage – her mother was an Australian-born teacher and her father a Malaysian-born engineer of Filipino and Sri Lankan descent. Growing up in the Perth suburb of Sorrento, Perkins displayed entrepreneurial drive from a young age. As a teenager at Sacred Heart College, she trained in figure skating and started her first small business selling handmade scarves at local markets. This early venture demonstrated her knack for identifying opportunities and working hard to bring ideas to life.

After high school, Perkins enrolled at the University of Western Australia, studying communications, psychology, and commerce. While tutoring other students in graphic design, she noticed many struggled with the complexity of professional design software. This frustration planted the seed for a simpler, more user-friendly design solution. Showing characteristic boldness, she left university at age 19 to pursue her entrepreneurial ambitions full-time. In 2007, alongside her boyfriend (now husband) Cliff Obrecht, Perkins launched Fusion Books, a startup enabling schools to design their yearbooks through a simple online platform. This would become the first chapter in her journey to transform the design industry.

Career Highlights

Melanie Perkins’s career is defined by her vision to democratise design and her determination to overcome obstacles. Key highlights include:

  • Fusion Books (2007): At just 19, Perkins co-founded Fusion Books from her mother’s living room, introducing a drag-and-drop yearbook design tool for schools. The venture expanded to New Zealand and France, proving Perkins’s concept that design could be made accessible online. This early success gave her valuable experience in running a tech startup and confidence that her ideas had global potential.
  • Founding Canva (2012–2013): Building on the Fusion Books concept, Perkins envisioned a broader platform where anyone could create professional-quality graphics easily. She and Obrecht spent years pitching the idea to investors – famously enduring over 100 rejections – before finally gaining support. In 2012 they teamed up with tech advisor Lars Rasmussen and engineer Cameron Adams, and Canva officially launched in 2013. Instead of starting in Silicon Valley, Canva was based in Sydney and grew through word-of-mouth. Perkins’s approach of focusing on product quality and affordability (with a freemium model) paid off, as Canva rapidly attracted users worldwide.
  • Canva’s Growth and Milestones: Under Perkins’s leadership, Canva grew from a startup to a tech unicorn (a company valued over $1 billion) within a few years. The platform’s ease of use and library of templates resonated with millions, from students to corporate teams. By 2021, Canva reached a private valuation of $40 billion, making Perkins one of the youngest female CEOs of a company of that scale. Canva also achieved periods of profitability during its rapid scaling. As of 2025, Canva boasts over 240 million monthly active users, with 27 million paying customers, generating annual revenue around $3.3 billion. The company has been profitable for several years and continues to innovate, recently launching AI design tools that have been used billions of times.
  • Recent Developments (2024–2025): Canva’s growth remained strong into the mid-2020s. In August 2025, the company facilitated an employee share sale valuing Canva at US$42 billion, reflecting investor confidence in its future. Perkins and Obrecht, who each retain a significant equity stake (~18% each), saw their combined wealth rise accordingly. Perkins also focused on expanding Canva’s global footprint, opening new offices in cities like Melbourne, Austin, and London, and planning a flagship campus in Sydney by 2026. These moves underscore her commitment to building a worldwide company while rooted in Australian innovation.

Business Ventures

While Melanie Perkins is most famously associated with Canva, her entrepreneurial journey includes multiple ventures:

  • Fusion Books: This web-based yearbook publisher was Perkins’s first startup. Launched in 2007, Fusion Books allowed schools to create their yearbooks using online templates and drag-and-drop tools. Perkins often credits Fusion Books as the prototype for Canva – it taught her how to solve a real problem (streamlining design for non-designers) and gave her a taste of running a tech business. Fusion Books became the largest yearbook publisher in Australia and expanded internationally, validating the concept that easy-to-use design software had a broad market.
  • Canva: Founded in 2013, Canva is Perkins’s flagship venture and one of Australia’s greatest startup success stories. Canva offers an integrated online platform to design everything from social media graphics and presentations to marketing materials, with an extensive library of templates, images, and fonts. Perkins’s vision was to empower everyone to design, regardless of technical skill. By prioritising a simple user experience, collaborative features, and a freemium pricing model, Canva rapidly grew a global user base. The platform has continued to evolve – adding features like one-click resizing, video editing, and AI-generated content – while maintaining its core simplicity. Today, Canva is used in over 190 countries and is a staple tool for small businesses, educators, influencers, and even large enterprises. Its evolution from a scrappy startup to a multi-billion dollar enterprise illustrates Perkins’s ability to scale a business without compromising on mission.
  • Canva’s Business Model and Foundation: Perkins has also ensured Canva’s success translates into broader impact. The company operates a Canva for Education program providing free premium access to schools and students, reflecting her belief in education and access. In 2021, she and Obrecht launched the Canva Foundation as part of their philanthropic commitment (more on that below). Additionally, the couple have pledged to transfer a significant portion (over 80%) of their Canva equity into charitable causes. This approach intertwines Canva’s business growth with social responsibility, a philosophy Perkins advocates.

Aside from her own ventures, Perkins has become an angel investor and mentor in the Australian startup ecosystem, often encouraging young entrepreneurs to pursue big ideas. However, Canva remains her primary focus and the venture that defines her career.

Achievements and Recognition

Melanie Perkins’s achievements have garnered national and international recognition:

  • Youngest Billionaires: In her mid-30s, Perkins entered the ranks of Australia’s richest individuals. She was noted as one of Australia’s youngest self-made billionaires at age 36, a milestone achieved thanks to Canva’s valuation and success. Her story has been particularly inspiring for young women in tech, as she shattered ceilings in an industry still underrepresented by female CEOs.
  • Forbes and Fortune Power Lists: Perkins has been celebrated as a powerful figure in business. In 2023, Forbes ranked her 89th on the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list, highlighting her influence in the tech sector. The same year, Fortune magazine listed her among the Most Powerful Women in business (at #92). These accolades reflect how a company started in Australia’s west coast now has global impact, with Perkins as its driving force.
  • Industry Awards: Earlier in her career, Perkins and co-founder Cliff Obrecht won EY’s Australian Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Emerging Category) in 2015, recognising Canva’s disruptive innovation. Canva itself has won numerous tech awards, including commendations for design and fast growth. While specific awards for Perkins are fewer (given her relatively private persona), the success of her company is often seen as her greatest accolade.
  • Public Speaking and Thought Leadership: As Canva grew, Perkins became a sought-after speaker at international forums. She has delivered keynote speeches on entrepreneurship and innovation, including at Web Summit and other tech conferences. In these appearances, she often shares her story of persistence – famously noting that over 100 venture capitalists initially turned down Canva’s pitch – and encourages founders to remain focused on solving real problems. Her quotable insight that “If the whole thing was about building wealth, that would be the most uninspiring thing I could possibly imagine” has been widely shared, underlining that her motivations are rooted in passion and purpose rather than money alone.
  • Media Coverage: Perkins has been profiled by major media like the BBC and BBC’s 100 Women series, and she’s appeared on business magazine covers highlighting successful women in tech. She tends to keep a low profile day-to-day, often deflecting credit to her team, but her impact has made her an unofficial ambassador for Australia’s startup scene on the world stage.

Personal Life and Philanthropy

Despite her business fame, Melanie Perkins leads a grounded personal life. She married her long-time business partner, Cliff Obrecht, in January 2021 on Rottnest Island in Western Australia. The wedding was a low-key affair befitting two co-founders who value humility. Obrecht, who serves as Canva’s Chief Operating Officer, has been by Perkins’s side since the Fusion Books days, and together they form one of tech’s most influential couples.

The pair share not just a company but also a commitment to giving back. In 2021, shortly after their wedding, Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht joined the Giving Pledge, an initiative started by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett for billionaires to commit at least half their wealth to charity. By taking the pledge, Perkins signaled that philanthropy would be a core part of her legacy. To fulfill this promise, the couple established the Canva Foundation, aiming to direct resources to causes like education, poverty alleviation, and creating opportunities for underprivileged communities. They have publicly stated plans to fund projects that empower others – much like Canva empowers users – whether through technology access or charitable grants.

In practice, Perkins’s philanthropic work has included supporting global education programs and donating to crisis relief efforts. Canva has a history of offering free design services to nonprofits and has partnered with organizations on social campaigns. Perkins also ensures Canva is a socially responsible company, known for its inclusive culture and support for employee volunteering.

On a personal note, Melanie Perkins remains closely connected to her hometown roots. She splits her time between Sydney (where Canva’s headquarters and her residence are) and Perth (where her family lives). She is an avid kite-surfer – an activity that amusingly played a role in Canva’s early funding (she learned kitesurfing to network with investor Bill Tai, who is a kite-surfing enthusiast). In interviews, Perkins has mentioned that outdoor activities help her decompress from the pressures of running a high-growth company.

Perkins’s philanthropy and lifestyle reflect a philosophy of balance and impact. She often notes that success enables the ability to give back, and she encourages other entrepreneurs to bake philanthropy into their businesses early on. This ethos is exemplified by Canva’s participation in the Pledge 1% movement (championed by fellow Aussie tech billionaire Scott Farquhar), through which Canva committed 1% of equity and profits to charitable causes. By combining her personal values with her company’s mission, Perkins is shaping a new model of entrepreneurial responsibility.

Melanie Perkins Estimated Net Worth

Melanie Perkins’s net worth has surged in tandem with Canva’s valuation. As of late 2025, her personal fortune is estimated at USD $5.8 billion. This figure (approximately AUD $9 billion) reflects her roughly one-fifth ownership of Canva and the company’s strong performance. The Australian Financial Review’s Rich List in May 2025 assessed Perkins and Obrecht’s joint wealth at A$14.14 billion, underlining their status as one of Australia’s wealthiest couples. In global terms, Forbes’s real-time billionaire rankings placed Perkins among the world’s richest self-made women in 2025.

It’s noteworthy that her net worth can fluctuate with changes in Canva’s valuation, especially as a privately held company. For instance, after the $40 billion valuation peak in 2021, tech market volatility led to some adjustments, but the 2025 share sale at $42 billion reaffirmed Canva’s high worth. Perkins’s roughly 18% stake in Canva, combined with other assets, accounts for the bulk of her wealth.

What truly distinguishes Melanie Perkins, however, is how she views and uses her wealth. A large portion of her Canva shares is earmarked for charitable initiatives through the Canva Foundation. By pledging to give away at least half her wealth, Perkins has effectively capped the personal fortune she and Obrecht intend to keep. This approach has earned admiration, as it’s relatively unique among young tech billionaires. Instead of extravagant displays, her net worth is often discussed in context of how much positive change it could fuel. In interviews, Perkins has downplayed the significance of money for its own sake, reiterating that her drive comes from creativity and problem-solving, not the pursuit of riches.

Even with that modest perspective, Melanie Perkins’s financial success is emblematic of the opportunities in Australia’s booming tech sector. She is frequently cited alongside Atlassian co-founders in lists of richest Australian tech entrepreneurs. Importantly, she has opened doors for more women in tech and business, showing that massive financial success is attainable and can be paired with altruism.

Where Are They Now?

As of late 2025, Melanie Perkins continues to helm Canva as its CEO, steering the company through its second decade of growth. She remains deeply involved in Canva’s product direction and strategic vision. Recent focus areas for her include integrating artificial intelligence into design tools – Canva’s AI features (like Magic Design and Magic Edit) launched in 2023–2024 have been a major hit, with billions of uses already. Perkins believes AI can further lower the barrier for non-designers to create compelling visuals, aligning with Canva’s mission.

Geographically, Perkins is expanding Canva’s presence. In 2025 the company announced new hubs in Europe and the United States, and a major new campus in Sydney to open in 2026. This expansion is creating thousands of jobs, reinforcing Canva’s position as one of Australia’s most valuable private companies. There is frequent speculation in the tech press about a potential Canva IPO, but Perkins has stated she is not in a rush to go public, instead prioritising long-term “community good” over short-term shareholder pressures.

Beyond Canva, Perkins’s life is busy with philanthropic planning. The Canva Foundation’s projects are ramping up, and she’s involved in selecting and overseeing initiatives that the foundation will support. Perkins also mentors other startup founders in Australia, often providing advice on securing funding and scaling globally from Australia – something she has unique experience in doing successfully.

In the public eye, Melanie Perkins keeps a relatively low profile day-to-day. She does not seek celebrity, but her story continues to attract attention. A planned documentary on Australian tech innovators is said to feature her journey, and she occasionally gives in-depth interviews for major publications. Colleagues describe her leadership style as approachable and mission-focused, and despite Canva’s huge growth, she is known to still personally welcome new employees in onboarding sessions, instilling the company’s values of empowerment and inclusion.

As a testament to her influence, Perkins’s name is increasingly mentioned in discussions about the future of global design, the rise of women in STEM, and Australia’s role in tech innovation. She has become a role model for a new generation of Australian entrepreneurs. Still in her 30s, Melanie Perkins’s “where are they now” is very much “leading Canva to even greater heights” – with no signs of slowing down.

Key Lessons and Takeaways

Melanie Perkins’s journey offers several key lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders:

  • 1. Solve Real Problems: Perkins’s success began with identifying a genuine pain point – the steep learning curve of design software – and creating a solution for it. Canva’s massive adoption stems from the real need she addressed. Takeaway: Great businesses often start by solving everyday problems in a user-friendly way.
  • 2. Perseverance is Crucial: The story of Canva includes over 100 investor rejections before finally securing seed funding. Perkins did not give up when told “no”; she refined her pitch and kept knocking on doors. Takeaway: Persistence and resilience in the face of rejection are often what separates successful founders from those who quit too early.
  • 3. Start Small, Think Big: Perkins’s first venture, Fusion Books, was a modest operation, but it laid the groundwork for a global vision. She has said that even while working on yearbook software, she imagined a platform everyone might use one day. Takeaway: You can begin with a focused niche product, but keep a broader vision in mind for scaling up.
  • 4. Embrace Feedback and Iterate: Canva’s development involved listening to user feedback to continually improve the product. Perkins focused on making design simpler and kept tweaking Canva’s features to serve that goal. Takeaway: User-centric design and willingness to iterate on your product can drive rapid growth and loyalty.
  • 5. Team and Culture Matter: Perkins attributes much of Canva’s success to building a talented, motivated team. Canva’s workplace culture encourages creativity, collaboration, and giving back. Takeaway: Hiring people who believe in your mission and nurturing a positive culture can propel a company forward more than any individual effort.
  • 6. Stay Mission-Driven, Not Money-Driven: Despite her billionaire status, Perkins remains vocal that accumulating wealth was never the primary goal. By focusing on empowering users and improving design accessibility, the financial rewards followed as a byproduct. Takeaway: A strong mission can be a more sustainable motivator than money, and staying true to your mission can also end up creating significant value.
  • 7. Give Back as You Grow: Perkins incorporated philanthropy into her life early, not “after retirement.” By pledging wealth and establishing charitable initiatives, she set a standard for doing good concurrently with doing well. Takeaway: Businesses and founders can have social impact without waiting until the end of their career – success and philanthropy are not mutually exclusive but can reinforce each other.

In summary, Melanie Perkins teaches that age or location is no barrier – you can start a world-class company from Australia in your twenties – if you have vision, tenacity, and a focus on helping others solve problems. Her story also underlines the importance of maintaining humility and purpose even as one achieves great success.

Conclusion

Melanie Perkins’s rise from a Perth teenager selling scarves to the chief executive of a multi-billion-dollar tech company is a testament to innovation and determination. In just over a decade, she has transformed the way people design and communicate, lowering the entry barrier for creativity around the globe. Under her stewardship, Canva has not only become a household name in graphic design but also a shining example of Australian entrepreneurship on the world stage.

What makes Perkins’s journey especially compelling is her blend of business savvy with altruism. She represents a new wave of leaders who measure success not just by profits, but by impact – on users, on employees, and on society at large. By committing to give away much of her fortune and ensuring Canva contributes positively to communities, she has redefined what it means to be a successful entrepreneur. Melanie Perkins’s story is far from over, but it already encourages current and future entrepreneurs to dream big, stay resilient, and use success as a platform for good. In the landscape of tech innovators, she stands out not only for her accomplishments at a young age but for the values-driven way she continues to lead and inspire.

FAQs

Q: How did Melanie Perkins come up with the idea for Canva?
A: Melanie Perkins conceived the idea for Canva while she was a university student tutoring peers in graphic design. She observed that students struggled with traditional design software like Adobe Photoshop and InDesign due to their complexity. Sensing an opportunity, she initially created Fusion Books to simplify yearbook design. This experience inspired her to develop a more general, user-friendly online design platform – which became Canva. In essence, Canva was born from Perkins’s desire to make design accessible to everyone, without the need for extensive training or expensive software.

Q: What is Melanie Perkins’s net worth in 2025?
A: As of late 2025, Melanie Perkins’s estimated net worth is approximately US$5.8 billion. In Australian dollars, this is roughly A$9 billion, though currency fluctuations may vary the exact figure. This wealth is largely derived from her ownership stake in Canva. Notably, the Australian Financial Review Rich List (2025) assessed Perkins and her husband Cliff Obrecht’s combined wealth at A$14.14 billion. Perkins’s net worth has grown rapidly alongside Canva’s valuation, especially after major funding rounds and share sales. However, she and Obrecht have pledged to eventually donate a majority of their wealth to charity, so the net worth figure is only part of her story.

Q: Who is Melanie Perkins’s husband?
A: Melanie Perkins is married to Cliff Obrecht, who is also her longtime business partner and co-founder of Canva. The couple met during university and together launched Fusion Books in 2007 before co-founding Canva in 2013. Cliff Obrecht has been integral to Canva’s operations, serving as the company’s Chief Operating Officer. They got married in January 2021 in a ceremony on Rottnest Island, near Perth. The duo are well-known in Australia’s tech scene as a powerhouse team, and they share not just a business and wealth, but also philanthropic commitments (both are signatories of the Giving Pledge, promising to give away at least half their fortune).

Q: How old is Melanie Perkins and what is her background?
A: Melanie Perkins was born in May 1987, which makes her 38 years old as of 2025. She was born and raised in Perth, Western Australia. Her background is multicultural – her mother is Australian, and her father has Filipino and Sri Lankan roots. Perkins attended Sacred Heart College in Perth and later studied at the University of Western Australia before dropping out to pursue entrepreneurship. Despite not completing her degree, her education in communications and commerce, combined with early business experiences, provided a foundation for her to build a tech startup. Her upbringing in Australia, far from Silicon Valley, did not hinder her; in fact, she often cites the supportive Australian startup community as helpful in Canva’s launch.

Q: What philanthropic work is Melanie Perkins involved in?
A: Melanie Perkins is actively involved in philanthropy, guided by her belief in giving back. In 2021, she and her husband joined the Giving Pledge, publicly committing to donate at least half of their wealth to charitable causes. To facilitate this, they established the Canva Foundation, which focuses on initiatives such as poverty alleviation, education, and empowering disadvantaged communities. Additionally, Perkins’s company Canva participates in programs like Pledge 1%, dedicating 1% of equity, revenue, and employee time to nonprofits and community causes (an initiative started by other Australian tech founders). Canva also offers free premium services to schools and nonprofits. While Perkins tends to be private about specific donations, she has expressed particular interest in educational causes and bridging the digital divide. Her overall philanthropic approach is to integrate giving into the fabric of her company and personal life, rather than treating it as an afterthought to business success.