When you think of billionaires, the image that often comes to mind is one of extravagant lifestyles—private jets, superyachts, and gold-plated everything. Yet, beyond the stereotypes, generosity and giving back have become increasingly necessary measures of success.
But one Australian billionaire is flipping the script in an inspiring and jaw-dropping way. Instead of following the usual path of luxury and excess, this leader plans to use his fortune to create meaningful change.
Cameron Adams, co-founder of Australian tech start-up Canva, whose personal fortune is estimated at a cool $7 billion, has just announced he’ll give away at least half of it.
Adams and his wife, Lisa Miller, have joined the ranks of global philanthropic heavyweights by signing The Giving Pledge, a commitment started by Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, and Warren Buffett.
The idea? The world’s wealthiest promise to dedicate most of their fortunes to charitable causes, either during their lifetimes or in their wills. It’s a club with some serious clout, and now, an Australian couple is right at the heart of it.
But the Adams-Miller duo isn’t stopping there. They’ve also signed up for the London-based Founders Pledge, which means they’re committing to give away 25 per cent of their wealth over the next five years.
‘We particularly like the disciplined approach that the Founders Pledge takes towards giving—it’s a good muscle to build into normal operations,’ Adams said.
For those who haven’t used Canva, the online design platform has made creating everything from birthday invitations to business presentations easy.
Launched in 2013 by Adams, Melanie Perkins, and Cliff Obrecht, Canva has become one of Australia’s most successful start-ups, now valued in the tens of billions.
But while the company’s growth has been meteoric, Adams and Miller have kept their feet firmly on the ground.
‘The vast majority of our wealth is still embodied in Canva, so as it continues to grow, so does our potential impact,’ Adams said.
‘We feel an immense responsibility to put the value of Canva back into serving our communities and the world.’
So, where’s all this money going? The couple’s giving is already making waves, with ‘tens of millions’ donated to biodiversity and climate-focused start-ups in recent years.
Their passion for the environment is no accident. Miller, a former zoologist and Australian Museum alum, now runs Wedgetail, a ‘nature positive’ financier dedicated to supporting regenerative projects.
‘Lisa’s background as a zoologist and her work at the Australian Museum give her deep roots in this space, and her love of animals and the environment has rubbed off on me, and our whole family,’ Adams shared.
Their philanthropic focus sharpened during the catastrophic 2019 East Coast bushfires, which saw an estimated three billion animals killed or displaced.
‘That was a pivotal moment for us to start putting our plans together, and it inspired Lisa to focus full-time on establishing Wedgetail and regenerative work,’ Adams said.
It’s not just Adams and Miller making waves. Canva’s other co-founders, Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht, are Giving Pledge signatories.
They gave out $19 million to various causes last year alone. This is a refreshing change from the usual headlines about tech billionaires hoarding their wealth or splurging on vanity projects.
The move by Adams and Miller is part of a broader trend among Australia’s new generation of wealthy entrepreneurs, who increasingly see their fortunes as a tool for positive change. It’s a far cry from the old ‘greed is good’ mentality, and we can all get behind it.
Should more of our homegrown billionaires follow suit? And if you suddenly found yourself with a billion or two, what causes would you support? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Share your comments below.
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If I had a billion or two I would help out those I know, family and friends and donate to charities that I support.