$1.7 billion earmarked by Cameron Adams for environmental challenges, following Canva cofounder Melanie Perkins’ recent Lifestyles Magazine/Meaningful Influence profile where she announced her intention to donate 30% of her fortune
Canva co-founder and billionaire Cameron Adams has pledged to donate half of his estimated $4.79 billion fortune to tackle what he describes as “urgent” environmental challenges, joining a growing number of tech leaders who have made major commitments through The Giving Pledge.
Adams and his wife, Lisa Miller, announced their decision in a heartfelt letter to the organization founded in 2010 by Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Melinda French Gates to encourage the world’s wealthiest to dedicate much of their fortunes to solving global problems.
“With great fortune comes great responsibility,” Adams wrote, underscoring their shared belief that philanthropy must go beyond one-time acts of charity to address systemic issues and drive meaningful change. “We recognise that the opportunities we have had in life place us in a position to give generously and act with purpose,” he said.
“By joining the Giving Pledge, we aim to emphasise this responsibility and commit our resources to the planet that we all rely on. And this commitment is critical during the next decade.”
Miller, a former zoologist, oversees the couple’s Wedgetail Foundation, which focuses on protecting and restoring biodiversity.
The foundation has supported projects from reforestation to green financing, providing eco-focused loans to coffee and cacao producers in Central America, investing in carbon accounting platforms, and partnering with the University of Tasmania on a 5,000-hectare conservation research property. “We have grown ever more confident that these are issues worth fighting for,” Miller noted, emphasizing the urgency of combining private capital with scientific research to safeguard fragile ecosystems.
Adams has long argued that governments and businesses must play essential roles in reversing ecological decline but believes philanthropy holds a unique position to “drive bold action.” He described inaction in the face of “a dying planet” as “unacceptable,” expressing hope that other technology entrepreneurs and industry peers will follow suit.
The announcement places Adams and Miller alongside other Australian philanthropists who have embraced large-scale giving, including Andrew and Nicola Forrest, who dedicated their fortunes to addressing poverty and modern slavery. It also follows the 2021 commitment by Adams’s fellow Canva co-founders, Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht, who previously joined The Giving Pledge and have since become major advocates for social equity and environmental responsibility.
Perkins, who has emerged as one of Australia’s most influential business figures, was recently featured on the cover of Lifestyles Magazine/Meaningful Influence, where she shared insights into the company’s culture of purpose-driven innovation and Canva’s broader mission to improve access to creativity and education worldwide.
Canva, founded in 2013, has grown into one of the most successful design software platforms globally, with an estimated valuation of US$32 billion. Although much of Adams’s net worth remains in Canva equity—estimated by the Australian Financial Review at around $7 billion—his pledge signals a clear intent to deploy that wealth toward safeguarding the planet’s future.
“In the end,” Adams wrote, “we hope others will recognize the power of philanthropy to create lasting environmental and societal impact by joining us in this commitment.”