How a 24-year-old student built a $40 billion design empire from scratch
Location: Upper East Side
She started Canva in 2011 with nothing but a vision to make design accessible to everyone. Melanie Perkins is one of the most remarkable founder stories of our generation, and it all began before anyone believed in her. | The Venture #MelaniePerkins #Canva #TheVenture #Entrepreneurship
This episode of The Venture profiles Melanie Perkins, co-founder and CEO of Canva, tracing her journey back to 2011 when she launched the company as a young student in Perth, Australia. Before Canva became a $40 billion design platform used by over 150 million people worldwide, Perkins faced years of investor rejections and built her vision from the ground up. The Venture series examines the early decisions, pivots, and mindset that define world-class founders. This profile explores how Perkins identified a gap in the design software market, co-founded Canva with Cliff Obrecht, and scaled it into one of the most valuable private tech companies in the world. Essential viewing for entrepreneurs, startup founders, and anyone interested in how billion-dollar companies are built from a single bold idea.
Melanie Perkins is the co-founder and CEO of Canva, the online design platform valued at over $40 billion, which she launched in 2011.
The Venture is a series that profiles iconic entrepreneurs and traces the early, untold chapters of how they built their companies.
Melanie Perkins co-founded Canva in 2011 while she was a student in Perth, Australia.
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