Cliff Obrecht
Overview
Cliff Obrecht is an Australian entrepreneur and angel investor, best known as the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Canva, a prominent online design platform. He co-founded Canva in 2013 alongside his wife, Melanie Perkins, and Cameron Adams, aiming to simplify graphic design for users worldwide. Under his leadership, Canva has grown to serve over 260 million active monthly users, with a valuation of $42 billion as of August 2025. Prior to Canva, Obrecht co-founded Fusion Books, an online tool that allowed students, teachers, and parents to collaborate on school yearbooks. This venture became the largest yearbook publisher in Australia and expanded into France and New Zealand. The success of Fusion Books provided the foundation for Canva's development, leveraging the insights gained from the challenges faced by ordinary people in graphic design. As an angel investor, Obrecht has been involved in various ventures, focusing on technology and design sectors. His investment strategy emphasizes supporting innovative companies that aim to make a significant impact in their respective industries. His approach combines operational expertise with a commitment to fostering user-friendly solutions, reflecting his experience in scaling Canva from a startup to a global leader in design software.
Investment Focus
- Innovative technology solutions
- Scalable business models
- Strong user engagement
- Experienced founding teams
- Clear market differentiation
Portfolio Companies
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Unlock full contacts →Frequently asked questions about Cliff Obrecht
What sectors does Cliff Obrecht invest in?
Cliff Obrecht invests in Financial Services, Technology, Healthcare, Energy, Consumer Goods and Real Estate, and is based in Australia. Cliff Obrecht is listed as a angel in the ConnectSafely investor database.
What stage does Cliff Obrecht invest at?
Cliff Obrecht backs companies at Seed, Early Stage, Series A, Series B, Growth and Late Stage, writing cheques of 1M - 50M.
Which regions does Cliff Obrecht invest in?
Cliff Obrecht invests across United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Japan and Australia.
What companies has Cliff Obrecht invested in?
Cliff Obrecht's portfolio includes Canva and Fusion Books.
How do I contact Cliff Obrecht?
Cliff Obrecht's contact details — including LinkedIn — are listed in the ConnectSafely investor database, along with its website and the LinkedIn profiles of the team.
Last updated · Source: ConnectSafely investor database
