Melanie Perkins’ Net Worth in 2025: How Rich Is Canva’s Founder?

Melanie Perkins is the founder and CEO of Canva, a graphic design platform that has become one of the most successful tech companies in the world.

Canva lets people create many kinds of designs, such as social media posts, presentations, and ads, using a simple drag-and-drop feature. The tool became popular fast because it was easy to use, and it has since spread worldwide.

Under Perkins’ leadership, Canva has grown into a company worth billions, making her one of the most successful women in tech.

Perkins’ wealth is primarily tied to her estimated 18% stake in Canva. Although Melanie Perkins’ salary is not publicly disclosed, some indicate that it’s around $700 million.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Who Is Melanie Perkins?
3. Melanie Perkins' Net Worth in 2025
4. What Influences Melanie Perkins' Wealth?
5. Current Projects & Investments
6. Early Ventures & Education
7. Personal Life
8. Philanthropy
9. The Bottom Line
10. FAQs
11. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Who Is Melanie Perkins?
3. Melanie Perkins' Net Worth in 2025
Show Full Guide
4. What Influences Melanie Perkins' Wealth?
5. Current Projects & Investments
6. Early Ventures & Education
7. Personal Life
8. Philanthropy
9. The Bottom Line
10. FAQs
11. References

Who Is Melanie Perkins?

Melanie Perkins is an Australian tech entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Canva.

Born in Perth, Australia, Perkins began her entrepreneurial journey as a university student creating a yearbook design software called Fusion Books. Her idea for a simple, accessible design tool led to Canva, launched in 2013, which quickly gained popularity and has since grown into a multi-billion dollar company.

As one of the youngest female CEOs of a tech unicorn – a privately held startup valued over $1 billion) – Perkins is known for her visionary leadership and dedication to making design easy and accessible.

Below we’ve compiled quick facts about the Canva founder.

Melanie Perkins’ Net Worth in 2025

So, what is the Canva founder’s net worth in 2025?

In 2023, Melanie Perkins’ net worth stood at $3.6 billion.

What Influences Melanie Perkins’ Wealth?

Perkins made her wealth mainly from the success of Canva. Her efforts to make design easy for everyone helped the company grow worldwide. In addition, investments from venture capital firms and more people using Canva have also added to her wealth.

Current Projects & Investments

Perkins is primarily focused on her role as the CEO and Canva, which is valued at $26 billion.

Recently, she has been involved in the following projects:

• Droptober: A launch of AI-powered tools and over 40 new product features, aimed at enhancing creativity, productivity, and collaboration.
• Magic Studio: A product launch integrating various AI capabilities to streamline the design process.
• Design Against Dull: A new campaign in the UK focused on boosting workplace creativity and addressing productivity challenges faced by teams today.

Perkins is on a mission to “empower the world of design.” Her goal for the next decade is to give everyone the ability to design anything they want, using all kinds of tools, in any language, and on any device.

As an angel investor, Perkins has invested in Marlee (Fingerprint for Success), a collaboration and performance AI for individuals and teams. Her latest investment in Marlee was on January 31, 2023.

Early Ventures & Education

Starting as a teen selling scarves, Perkins pursued degrees in communications and commerce in Australia. Noticing the need for simpler design tools, she launched Fusion Books, an online yearbook platform.

Perkins thought up the idea for Canva in 2007 while teaching design programs to other students at the University of Western Australia. She found that many of them found design software hard to use, she wanted to make a tool that was easier and accessible to everyone. In 2013, Perkins launched Canva to the public with her now-husband Cliff Obrecht and Cameron Adams.

Today, Canva is one of the world’s leading design platforms, and Perkins stands as a prominent figure in tech innovation.

Personal Life

Perkins was born on May 13, 1987, in Perth. She has one younger brother. Melanie Perkins’ parents, an Australian-born teacher and a Malaysian engineer, encouraged her entrepreneurial spirit from a young age.

Melanie Perkins married Cliff Obrecht in 2021 on Rottnest Island, just off the coast of Perth. They welcomed their first child in 2022.

They currently live in Sydney, Australia.

Philanthropy

Melanie Perkins is known not only for her success with Canva but also for her commitment to helping others through her charity work. She wants to use her success to make a positive difference in the world.

One of her main goals is to improve education by helping young people access learning opportunities. Perkins also raises awareness about mental health and has donated to organizations that help with mental health issues. Through her work, she encourages others to get involved and make a positive difference in their communities.

Canva has reached a milestone of donating $1 billion worth of products through its free Canva for Education and Canva for Nonprofits programs.

Perkins is also very active in the Canva Foundation, which helps people in need by supporting projects that improve education and creativity through design tools. Perkins and Obrecht set up the Canva Foundation 2020 with Canva co-founder Cameron Adams.

The foundation works to improve education, support mental health programs, and assist people who are less fortunate in getting the resources they need. One important project is providing scholarships for students so they can continue their education.

Through her work with the foundation, Perkins shows how important it is to use her success and resources to help others, highlighting her dedication to making the world a better place for everyone.

In 2021, Perkins and Obrecht joined the Pledge 1% initiative and committed 1% of Canva’s equity, 1% of its profits, 1% of its team’s time, and 1% of product “to be a force for good in the world.”

In addition, Perkins and Obrecht have committed the vast majority of their equity (30% of Canva) to the Canva Foundation “to do good in the world.”

The Bottom Line

Melanie Perkins is a business leader who has made a big difference in the tech world as the co-founder and CEO of Canva. She wanted to make design easy for everyone. Despite facing challenges, she built a company worth billions of dollars that helps millions of people create beautiful images.

Her story shows that having a clear goal, staying focused, and listening to what users need can lead to success.

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