Behind the Site

Canva

canva.com

Online graphic design and visual communication platform used by hundreds of millions worldwide.

  • Software / Graphic Design
  • active
  • Founded 2012
  • Researched Sep 2026
Confirmed
Age14 yearsDomain registered 2001
Confirmed
Based inSydney, AustraliaAlso United States, London, UK, Manila, Philippines, Beijing/Wuhan, China
Likely
Employees5000-6000Reported global headcount of 5,500 in 2025 (Wikipedia infobox / press aggregation)
Likely
FundingVenture fundedSeed $3.0M · Series C $85M · Tender / secondary · Employee tender offer
Confirmed
PlatformsWeb, iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, Browser extension, API
Confirmed
Founders3 foundersMelanie Perkins, Cliff Obrecht, Cameron Adams

The story

Canva was founded by Melanie Perkins, Cliff Obrecht, and Cameron Adams, starting as a Perth-based yearbook design tool idea that grew into a global design platform after launching publicly in 2013. The company expanded through numerous acquisitions (Pexels, Pixabay, Flourish, Affinity, Leonardo.ai) into an AI-powered visual communications suite, and by 2025 was valued at around $42 billion ahead of a potential IPO. It remains privately held and led by co-founder Melanie Perkins as CEO.

Timeline

  1. Founded2012

    Company founded

    Founded by Perkins, Obrecht and Adams in Perth, Australia

  2. Launch2013

    Public launch

    Canva platform launched publicly after years of development

  3. MilestoneMay 2019

    Acquired Pexels and Pixabay

    Bought two free stock photography sites based in Germany

  4. FundingOct 2019

    $85M round, Bond Capital

    Raised $85M led by Bond Capital at $3.2B valuation

  5. AcquiredMar 2024

    Acquired Affinity

    Bought UK image-editing suite Affinity, its largest acquisition

  6. AcquiredJul 2024

    Acquired Leonardo.Ai

    Bought Australian generative AI image startup, 8th acquisition

  7. FundingAug 2025

    $42B tender offer

    Employee stock sale valued Canva at $42B ahead of IPO

Founders

  • Melanie Perkins

    Co-founder and CEO

    Previously co-founded Fusion Books, a web yearbook publisher

    en.wikipedia.org

  • Cliff Obrecht

    Co-founder and COO

    Co-founded Fusion Books with Perkins before Canva

    en.wikipedia.org

  • Cameron Adams

    Co-founder and Chief Product Officer

    Former Google designer, joined 2012 as technical co-founder

    en.wikipedia.org

11 sourcesEvery fact above links back to these.
  1. Canva - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
  2. Melanie Perkins - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
  3. Cliff Obrecht - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
  4. Canva Employee Share Sale Announced at $42 Billion Valuation in Road to IPO - Bloombergbloomberg.com
  5. Canva revenue, valuation & funding | Sacrasacra.com
  6. How Many People Work At Canva 2026: Inside the Teamsqmagazine.co.uk
  7. Canva acquires Aussie startup Leonardo.Ai - AMIami.org.au
  8. Canva acquires genAI startup Leonardo.AI | MarTechmartech.org
  9. The Canva Story | Paperflitepaperflite.com
  10. Canva: How Melanie Perkins built a $3.2 billion-dollar design start-up - CNBCcnbc.com
  11. Canva AI Photo & Video Editor - App Storeapps.apple.com
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