Startups

Melanie Perkins and Canva: Making Design Simple for Everyone

Reyansh Oswal

06 Feb 2026 — 1 min read

Before Canva, graphic design was complicated, expensive, and reserved for professionals. While teaching design software at university, Melanie Perkins noticed something important. Students struggled for hours to complete simple tasks. She asked a bold question. Why should design be so hard?

That insight led Melanie to start Canva. With no Silicon Valley background and countless investor rejections, the journey was far from easy. She pitched the idea of a simple, drag and drop design tool over a hundred times before anyone said yes. What kept her going was a clear belief. Design should be accessible to everyone.

Canva started with a simple promise. Anyone could design anything, anywhere. From presentations and posters to resumes and social media posts, Canva removed complexity and replaced it with simplicity and speed. Non designers suddenly had creative power.

Melanie focused deeply on user experience. Canva was intuitive, collaborative, and cloud based. As word spread, users grew organically across countries, schools, and businesses. Canva was not just a tool. It became a platform.

Over time, Canva expanded into AI powered design, enterprise tools, and global education initiatives. Yet its core mission remained unchanged. Empower people to express ideas visually without barriers.

Melanie Perkins’ story proves that persistence matters as much as talent. By solving a real problem with empathy and clarity, she built one of the world’s most loved technology companies.

Canva’s rise reminds us that sometimes the most powerful innovations are the ones that make life easier for millions.

LuwakTech’s sharp insights and inspiring startup stories ignite passion, spark ideas, and empower the upcoming bunch of entrepreneurs to chase their dreams.

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Giorgio Armani – Timeless Elegance as a Business Strategy

James Dyson & Dyson – Engineering Persistence

Ingvar Kamprad & IKEA – Frugality as Strategy

Logan Paul, KSI & PRIME: Turning Influence into a Consumer Brand