One that began with a young woman who didn’t know how to code but dared to challenge the way the world thinks about design.
The Spark of an Idea
Melanie Perkins was just 19 when the idea first struck her. While tutoring fellow students in graphic design at the University of Western Australia, she noticed how many struggled with complex tools like Adobe Photoshop. Most weren’t trying to become professional designers—they simply wanted to create beautiful visuals for school, work, or business.
“There had to be a better way,” she thought.
That insight laid the foundation for what would eventually become Canva—a design platform built not for professionals, but for everyone. It was an idea born out of empathy, fuelled by a vision: to make design simple, accessible, and collaborative.
Timeline: From Vision to a $40 Billion Valuation
- 2007 – Melanie launches her first startup, Fusion Books, an online tool to help students design their own school yearbooks. It becomes a success in Australian schools.
- 2012 – She teams up with Cliff Obrecht and later brings in tech co-founder Cameron Adams. Canva is officially born.
- 2013 – Canva launches to the public. Within a year, it reaches over 750,000 users.
- 2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic accelerates digital communication, and Canva’s user base surges.
- 2022 – Canva generates $3 billion in annual revenue, becoming the highest-valued female-founded and -led startup globally.
- 2023 and beyond – With over 100 million monthly users, Canva continues expanding into new features like whiteboards, websites, and AI-powered tools.
What Makes Melanie Perkins a True WomenIcon
Melanie’s journey is more than a startup success story—it’s a masterclass in persistence, purpose, and people-first innovation. She challenged a male-dominated tech world, pushed past rejection after rejection from investors, and built one of the world’s most inclusive design platforms.
“You don’t need to be a tech genius to start a tech company,” Melanie once said.
“What you need is a problem that needs solving, and a deep commitment to solving it.”
She not only built a company but also a culture. Canva is known for its mission-driven approach and its commitment to equity—offering generous salaries, equity shares to employees, and pledging to donate a significant portion of profits to causes through the Canva Foundation.
Lessons from Her Journey: For Every Aspiring Woman Entrepreneur
- Start with the Problem, Not the Product
Melanie didn’t start with software. She started with a frustration she observed in others—and built a solution around it. - You Don’t Need All the Skills—Just the Right Team
Not being a coder didn’t stop her. She partnered with those who complemented her strengths. - Rejection Isn’t the End—It’s Redirection
Canva was rejected by over 100 investors before getting its first major break. She kept going. - Stay True to Your Mission
Canva’s core mission—to empower the world to design—has never changed. Every feature, hire, and decision reflects that clarity. - Leadership is About Empathy and Vision
Melanie’s story proves that humility and heart can lead just as effectively as ambition and intelligence.
Why Melanie Perkins Matters to the World—and to Women in Business
Melanie’s story is a reminder that you don’t have to fit the mould to make a mark. In a world where tech founders are often celebrated for their technical prowess, she stands out for her emotional intelligence, clarity of vision, and unwavering commitment to empowerment.
For women entrepreneurs around the globe—especially those without a conventional tech background—Melanie is more than a role model. She’s living proof that passion and perseverance can still break ceilings, even in the highest towers of Silicon Valley.
Melanie Perkins didn’t just build a unicorn. She built a movement.
Are you ready to design your own
