Canva

Canva is an Australian visual communications company offering a web-based platform for graphic design, publishing, and collaboration. Founded in 2012, it enables users of all skill levels to create professional content across digital and print media. The platform is widely used in education, business, and personal design, supporting over 100 languages and hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

Key facts

Founded: 2012
Headquarters: Sydney, Australia
CEO and Co-founder: Melanie Perkins
Employees: ~5,000 (2026)
Valuation: About $32–40 billion (2025–2026)

Origins and growth

Canva was created by Melanie Perkins, Cliff Obrecht, and Cameron Adams to simplify graphic design through an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. The company grew rapidly from its education-focused origins into a global software-as-a-service (SaaS) leader. By 2025 it reported over 220 million monthly active users creating more than 30 billion designs across 190 countries .

Platform and technology

The company’s flagship Visual Suite integrates tools for documents, presentations, videos, websites, and print. Its Magic Studio leverages generative AI for features such as Magic Write, Magic Resize, and AI Image Generator, enabling users to automate tasks and enhance creativity. Canva operates on a freemium model, offering Pro, Teams, Enterprise, Nonprofit, and Education tiers .

Market and adoption

Canva claims that over 95 % of Fortune 500 companies use its platform, including T-Mobile, Salesforce, Disney, and FedEx . It has also integrated with productivity ecosystems such as ChatGPT and Anthropic Claude, extending its tools to AI-driven workflows. In education, Canva for Education provides free access for teachers and students, reinforcing its mission to “empower the world to design.”

Recognition and impact

Canva has received multiple honors, including Fast Company’s Design Company of the Year (2023) and TIME’s Best Innovations (2024) for its AI-powered tools . Beyond software, the company emphasizes sustainability, inclusion, and social good through its “Two-Step Plan” to build a valuable enterprise while maximizing positive global impact.