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Melanie Perkins: The Billionaire Underdog from Down Under
She was turned down by over 100 investors, but that didn’t stop Melanie Perkins from building one of the most used startups in the world. Meet the woman behind Canva —and learn how she did it.
Jenny Stojkovic
May 07, 2025
Before she became one of the richest self-made women in the world, Melanie Perkins was a teenager in Perth, Australia, making scarves by hand and selling them at local markets. Today, she’s the CEO and co-founder of Canva, the design software platform that’s used by over 170 million people across 190 countries.
Her story isn’t a tech fairytale. It’s a rare kind of entrepreneurial path—quiet, relentless, and built far outside the usual power centers of Silicon Valley.
From Perth to Global Product Powerhouse
Melanie Perkins was born in 1987 in Perth, Australia. Her father, an engineer of Sri Lankan and Filipino descent, and her Australian-born mother, a schoolteacher, raised her with an emphasis on learning, resourcefulness, and creativity. The family lived simply, but warmly. Melanie often credits her parents for encouraging her curiosity and drive.