Ikigai for founders: what purpose actually looks like in the startups we build
Hyper reflects on how founders find purpose through ikigai, using portfolio company GymGoer's founding story and Canva's origins as examples.
Company
Every investor coverage indicates participated in a round Fusion Books raised.
Companies Fusion Books acquired or merged with, per published coverage. Buying a company is not investing in one: nothing here counts in the deals column.
| Name | Role | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Melanie Perkins | Founder | Hyper Startup Studio, Women's Agenda, SmartCompany |
Stories naming Fusion Books. Where several outlets covered the same round, they are bundled under whichever ran the fullest account.
Hyper reflects on how founders find purpose through ikigai, using portfolio company GymGoer's founding story and Canva's origins as examples.
Women's Agenda interview with Canva co-founder Melanie Perkins on her SXSW Sydney conversation with investor Mary Meeker, covering Fusion Books, Silicon Valley rejections, and the early backers who funded the design platform.
SmartCompany marks a decade of Canva, recounting its Perth origins, the money it raised, its acquisitions of two stock-photo sites, and Blackbird's sale of Canva shares.