lean canvas 1 page business plan

Deconstruct Your Big Idea on 1-Page

Business plans take too long to write, are seldom updated, and almost never read by others. When you're going really fast and under conditions of extreme uncertainty, you need dynamic models, not static plans. The Lean Canvas replaces long and boring business plans with a 1-page business model that takes 20 minutes to create and gets read.

Lean Canvas is used by over a million people that span startups, universities, and large enterprises.

What is a Lean Canvas?

Lean Canvas is a 1-page business plan template created by Ash Maurya that helps you deconstruct your idea into its key assumptions. It is adapted from Alex Osterwalder's Business Model Canvas and optimized for Lean Startups. It replaces elaborate business plans with a single page business model.

Why Lean Canvas versus Business Model Canvas?

Lean Canvas: How To Create a Business Plan that People Will Actually Read

Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth… – Mike Tyson

Which, let’s face it, happens to most start-ups and entrepreneurs. Around 75% in fact.

You have the best idea. You spend days, weeks, and months perfecting a 40-page business plan filled with five-year forecasts, 18-month roadmaps, and in-depth marketing strategies. You confidently pitch it to stakeholders and investors.

Then you get punched in the mouth.

Potential investors go quiet or “ haven’t had time to read it ” and you’re left with an expensive, wasted deliverable and a chunk of time that you’ll never get back. Worse still, your product isn’t any nearer launching and you haven’t secured any buy-in or investment.

What. A. Waste. Of. Time.

Traditional business plans are of little use to start-ups, and of no real interest to investors.

But what’s the alternative?

A one-page business plan inspired by Eric Ries ’s Lean Start-Up methodology and specifically designed for emerging entrepreneurs: The Lean Canvas.

The Lean Canvas is a living framework that allows you to quickly capture your idea or concept, thoroughly validate it, and then continuously share, improve, and most importantly move on it.

Ok, I know what you’re thinking:

How can a one-page Lean Canvas possibly replace a 40-page business plan?

How can i tell the entire story of my business on one-page, is a lean canvas really enough to help me secure investment or buy-in.

I have the answers to all these questions and more in this Process Street post.

Ready to dodge some punches?

Creating a detailed business plan (complete with comprehensive forecasts, roadmaps, and strategies) and pitching it to investors has always been the first step new businesses and entrepreneurs take to secure buy-in or investment, right?

Why business plans don’t work for start-ups

During the early stages of an idea or a business, all you really have is a strong belief, a clear vision, and a lot of untested assumptions: You believe there’s a market for it. You think your pricing will generate $X in revenue, and you hope your product roadmap will look a certain way.

But you don’t really know. How can you? You haven’t tested the concept.

Of course, your business model might be based on similar businesses, products, or concepts, which allow you to hypothesize the future. But you can’t provide any concrete proof or evidence that your idea is going to work.

Which is surely the sole purpose of a business plan?

Plus, a business plan typically takes ages to write as it requires lots of detailed, accurate information. And, it becomes obsolete incredibly quickly, as and when you encounter the various operational and marketing challenges that inevitably arise.

So, instead of being a clear, factually accurate, representative proposition, a start-up’s business plan tends to be a wishy-washy, out-of-date, speculative document.

And, what do investors, Angels, and stakeholders hate more than anything…? Exactly.

The alternative to speculative, inaccurate, & obsolete business plans

Start-ups face a vicious circle: You can’t prove your concept without investment, but you can’t get investment without proof.

The original concept of a business plan was to break this circle and give investors the information they needed to justify a decision on whether to fund the idea or not.

But as we’ve already established, not only is a start-up’s business plan incredibly time-consuming to create, it’s difficult to digest and full of guesses rather than reassuring facts. As a result, all that hard work can often get bypassed by investors.

The answer to this dilemma is the Lean Canvas. The Lean Canvas is an actionable, entrepreneur-focused, one-page business plan.

Inspired by Alex Osterwalder ’s Business Model Canvas and the principles behind the Lean Start-Up movement and eradication of waste , Ash Maurya developed the Lean Canvas framework specifically for start-ups.

He felt that spending time creating a business plan that was often inaccurate, obsolete, and ignored was unproductive and a wasteful.

“ Waste is any human activity which absorbs resources but creates no value. ” – James Womack , Leanstack , Bootstrapping + Lean Startup = Low-burn Startup

So, he developed the Lean Canvas; a one-page, easy-to-digest document that:

As you can see, the Lean Canvas is a set of nine blocks:

• Value proposition
• Unfair advantage
• Key metrics

Each block presents clear, concise, and accurate information in a digestible format. It takes less time to complete, it’s easy to keep up-to-date, it gives investors the information they need, and it paints a clear picture of the business or idea on one page (instead of 40).

What’s not to like?

OK, you get it: It’s a waste of time creating a semi-fictional business plan that won’t get read. But, seriously ? How can you convey how fantastic your idea is on one, single page?

To answer this, we’ll need to look at each of the nine components that make up the one-page Lean Canvas framework.

Lean Canvas component #1: Customers ‍ ‍

The first block to fill out is all about your customers. As you might do with a business plan, you need to determine who your user base is and understand what makes them tick.

Go deep and build up a customer profile for each group of customers you’re targeting. Get under their skin and get to know them as people:

• Who is your intended audience?
• What type of person are they?
• What are their likes, dislikes, and pain points?
• What’s their average day like?
• What makes them happy?
• What frustrates them?

One thing you must do during this exercise is define who the early adopters of your product are likely to be.

Identifying this group of people is essential because you can use them to validate your ideas.

Ask them questions, send them feedback surveys, and get them to trial your product. Collect these valuable insights and use them to iterate your Lean Canvas, determine the direction you take your product in, and justify your ideas.

Real customer opinions and feedback are valuable proof points that investors will trust.

Lean Canvas component #2: Problem

The next step you need to take should be in the shoes of your customer. Walk a mile in your customer’s shoes so you can identify the problems they might face with (and also without) your product.

Conduct interviews, carry out tests, or send out surveys to help you uncover the real issues they’re likely to face or are already facing.

Interact with your product yourself, or ask an unrelated third party to give it a try. Consider the experience from your customer’s point of view and objectively identify what works and what doesn’t.

Take this back to your Lean Canvas and tweak your idea accordingly. Use it as evidence to prove the concept you’re pitching.

Lean Canvas component #3: Solution ❗

Next, you need to describe what your product is going to do. What will it solve? What’s the ultimate vision?

You might feel that your product solves several problems and is the answer to everything. But, remember, this needs to be clear and concise.

So, play around with each solution to see what sticks. Assess your features and capabilities, carry out research, collect feedback, and brainstorm with your team so you can narrow it down to one or two solid solutions that are grounded in evidence.

Lean Canvas component #4: Channels

How will your customers find your product? How will they come into contact with you or your product?

List every single channel or touchpoint that you could use to get your product in front of your audience.

You might want to use a mixture of paid channels, like Facebook ads or trade fairs, and free channels like SEO or blog posts. Create a content strategy to help you decide where best to center your efforts and show investors that you’re able to provide the best experience to your customers at every step of their journey.

Lean Canvas component #5: Value proposition ⚡

Write out a punchy statement that explains the core value of your product.

Think: Why would your target customer care about it? What will it do for them? What problem does it solve? Why is it a better option than the competition?

Sell the end-benefit not the solution, and keep it short, catchy, and powerfully persuasive (eg. the film ‘Alien’ isn’t a film about aliens, it’s “ Jaws in Space ”).

Three words of warning though:

• Don’t confuse a value proposition with a tacky slogan. For instance, M&M’s “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand…” is a slogan, not a value proposition.
• Don’t write a sentence that’s all hype and no substance. For example, “The best product EVER made” is pure hype. There’s nothing to back it up and investors will see straight through it.
• Don’t use meaningless buzzwords or jargon. You might think that phrases like “value-added interactions” make you sound like a prestigious expert, but they don’t. They make you sound like a pretentious airhead.

This block is one of the most important ones to get right. Your value proposition is how investors will see you and your product, and how they will describe you to other partners and investors.

Lean Canvas component #6: Unfair advantage

Whether you know it or not, you have an unfair advantage over your competitors. All you have to do is find out what it is!

What makes you stand out? What puts you streets ahead of your competitors? What do you have that others can’t replicate or acquire?

It might be your internal team; it might be in-depth knowledge or inside information; or it could be your unique position within a community.

It’s there somewhere. Dig it out and put it on display.

Lean Canvas component #7: Revenue

This is where you’ll need to identify the sources of income that will keep you and your business afloat.

Create a simple pricing model and test it out on your early adopters. Does it work for them and for you?

You might charge a subscription fee; you might generate income through advertising on your platform; or maybe you’ll get customers to pay for their usage. Maybe it’s a combination of all three!

Just remember to keep it as simple as possible, test it out, and keep iterating until it’s perfect.

Again, testing it out on early adopters backs up your concept.

Lean Canvas component #8: Costs

I probably don’t need to tell you that over 90% of start-ups fail because they don’t consider the proper costs of launching and running their business.

So, list all of your expenses.

Consider everything, from customer acquisition and retention costs, to distribution and office overheads. And to make sure you don’t miss any key costs, work through each of the nine blocks in your Lean Canvas and consider the costs that each might bring.

Lean Canvas component #9: Key metrics

To be able to prove the success of your product, you’ll need to set clear, easy to measure metrics.

Outline what you plan to track and why.

Identify the indicators that will demonstrate how well your company is doing. For instance, you may choose to measure the number of users, downloads, or social followers you get; or you may focus on retention figures, brand interactions, or costs, etc.

Fill in this section of your Lean Canvas with the metrics that are most critical to the problem you’re trying to solve with your product.

Now you’ve seen what goes into a Lean Canvas, can you see how it’s possible to tell the whole story of your business on one page?

Key things to remember when creating your Lean Canvas

The trick to creating an effective Lean Canvas that fits onto one page is to:

• Fill in all 9 blocks in the above order and work your way through each one logically.
• Fill each block with concise notes and link-out to images, documents, and other related information.
• Remember it’s a fluid, working document that’s not set in stone.

To test the Lean Canvas out before you share it with investors, go through each step and relay the story to yourself:

We will help [customers] solve [problem] by providing them with our [solution] . They will know about us through [channels] and they will be convinced to join us because [value proposition] and because we [unfair advantage] . We will charge them by [revenue] which will cover our [costs] . We will measure our performance by tracking [key metrics] .

It should all flow nicely, like a story where everything is linked. If it doesn’t, it needs more work before you show it to investors.

But wait a minute. Don’t investors expect to see a business plan? Will they take a one-page Lean Canvas seriously?

Why the Lean Canvas works for start-ups

The Lean Canvas is centered around validation and justification. It’s about working the idea out, asking for feedback, and using that feedback to iterate your plan until your idea becomes a valid one.

Your Lean Canvas then becomes living proof that your concept will work. Investors will value proof of concept 10X more than 40 pages of empty promises and unfounded statements.

Not only that, but it’ll take you hours, not months to put together. So, if you get punched in the mouth again, it’s no biggie. Just go back and rework it based on investor feedback.

And it’s quick and easy to update; it moves as you move, allows you to pivot, and it means that you can get your product out to market quickly. These are all reliable indicators for VCs, Angels, and investors that a start-up can take off.

“ It lets you focus on building your business faster, by capturing your idea, collecting feedback, and iterating on it dynamically. ” – Infolio , How to Create a Lean Canvas

To prove the Lean Canvas concept even further, let’s take a look at it in action.

The Lean Canvas in action

Below are two hypothetical Lean Canvas examples from a couple of familiar companies who, although it’s difficult to believe, were start-ups themselves once…!

In summary, Google’s Lean Canvas story (if the Lean Canvas existed back in 1998!) might have gone a little like this:

We will help all web users to find what they’re searching for easily by providing them with technology that allows them to search and find relevant content . They will know about us through other users and they will be convinced to join us because they’ll be able to find what they’re looking for quickly (unlike with competitors) and because we have an innovative combined citation-ranking system . We will make money through investment and advertising revenue which will cover our hosting and development costs . We will measure our performance by tracking the number of search requests and the percentage of users who end their search on the first page .

And, Facebook’s Lean Canvas might have gone like this back in 2004:

We will help all college students to communciate with their peers online by creating an online communication platform that will allow them to connect with their friends, share photos, and chat . They will know about us through referrals from other students and they will be convinced to join us because it’s a student orientated communication platform and because we have invented a new type of website: A social network with social features! We will make money through investment and advertising revenue which will cover our hosting, development, and payroll costs . We will measure our performance by tracking the number of daily, weekly, and monthly active users .

To conclude…

Despite the obvious benefits of the Lean Canvas, it has to be said that:

“A one-page document of this kind may not satisfy every potential investor at every financing stage. But many investors will consider a document like this to be more than adequate. ” – BSchools , Can a Lean Canvas Replace a Traditional Business Plan?

I think we can all agree that the moral of this story is: don’t waste months agonizing over a hefty business plan that no one is likely to read.

Instead, create a Lean Canvas. Tell the story of your business with key information that’s up-to-date and backed by research, testing, and customer proof. Get the ball rolling in one afternoon, with one page.

Think of it this way, which would you rather do:

“ Spend 6 months pitching investors so you can refine a story based on an untested product? Or, spend time pitching customers so you can tell a credible story based on a tested product? ” – Ash Maurya , Leanstack , Bootstrapping + Lean Startup = Low-burn Startup

I’d rather roll with the punches with a Lean Canvas. You?

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What do you think of the Lean Canvas? Have you used it before? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Amanda Greenwood

Amanda is a content writer for Process Street. Her main mission in life is to write content that makes business processes fun, interesting, and easy to understand. Her background is in marketing and project management, so she has a wealth of experience to draw from, which adds a touch of reality and a whole heap of depth to the content she writes.

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Lean Canvas Template

Build a business plan concisely and practically with the Lean Canvas Template. Present your business idea clearly and precisely.

Trusted by 65M+ users and leading companies

About the Lean Canvas Template

The Lean Canvas Template helps you quickly build a business plan without the complexity usually involved in business plan templates. It’s a practical and concise way to present your business idea.

What is a Lean Canvas?

A Lean Canvas is a 1-page business plan invented by Ash Maurya to provide a more straightforward business opportunity evaluation. It’s a simplified version of the business model canvas template and helps your team break down your idea into key assumptions, replacing cumbersome, time-consuming business plans.

How to use the Lean Canvas template

The Lean Canvas template consists of boxes you must fill out to complete the plan. Go through each prompt in turn, doing your best to articulate the answers in a simple, straightforward way. Don’t be afraid to iterate on your Lean Canvas.

Begin by selecting this Lean Canvas Template. You can edit any of these sections, changing them as necessary. You can fill the blocks with sticky notes, links, and files such as photos, videos, and PDFs. Share your board with others and invite them to collaborate with you.

In the Lean Canvas Template, you will find:

In the first row:

The questions you should ask:

What problem does your product or service seek to solve?

How common is this problem, and how many people have it?

How much would people be willing to pay to fix this problem?

What are the top three features of your product or service that work toward solving the problem?

Describe what makes your business innovative and creative inside your field or industry.

Unique value proposition

What are you bringing to the table that your competition is not?

How many competitors in this space are there, and what can you do to separate your business from theirs?

Unfair advantage

How can you ensure people will not copy your product?

What steps are you taking to maintain a competitive advantage?

Customer segments

Who are your prospects, and how do they connect to the problem?

In this step, you should identify specific personas among your potential customer base, how they perceive the problem you’re solving, and the unique value prop you can offer.

In the second row:

Existing alternatives

Are there any products or services that solve your business problem?

What are the current solutions available today?

Map out your competitor’s landscape and how people are currently adopting or not their solutions.

Key metrics

What indicators can you use to determine whether your product or service is working correctly and your business is succeeding?

Your key metrics can mix engagement statistics, revenue, and customer satisfaction scores.

High-level concept:

Explain your idea in a simple X for Y analogy (e.g., “Vegan meat options for vegans”).

What paths do you need to take to reach customers?

Understanding your customer segments is critical to informing this step. Know where your audience is and how to reach them. It can be over social media, content marketing, billboards, etc.

Early adopters:

Here is where you describe your ideal customer and who will adopt your product or service right away. They might help with spreading the word.

In the bottom row:

Cost structure

List all operational costs here.

What is the cost of customer acquisition?

What about distribution cost?

Identify key partners in your venture and look up costs of potential suppliers or manufacturers, shipping, and other logistical partners to get at the true cost of operating.

Revenue streams

What is your revenue model?

Gross margins?

What is the lifetime value of your product or service?

Make sure not just to model how much you will earn initially but recurring revenue and how much value you expect from each customer over time.

How to review your Lean Canvas template

Step back and consider everything you’ve mapped, and share with your team for alignment. Use this information to spot your business’s weaknesses and strengths and hone your overall strategy.

Remember, the biggest difference between the Business Model Canvas and the Lean Canvas is that the first focuses on a specific product while the latter focuses on a specific problem.

Benefits of using the Lean Canvas Template

A Lean Canvas is an easy way to brainstorm the various factors in determining the potential profitability of a business model.

1. Easy to complete: One of the significant advantages of the Lean Canvas Template is that it’s very simple and low-cost to create, unlike many other business tools. The most important thing is that you bring in all the relevant parties in your business to inform each canvas step.

2. A high-level overview of your business: It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day minutia of running a business and lose sight of the overall picture and goals. Using a Lean Canvas example keeps you focused on overall strategy and potential threats and opportunities to your business.

3. Incorporate internal and external factors: The Lean Canvas Template explores the internal strengths of your business and potential external threats and factors that may affect profitability. Then, you can use it to improve and update internal processes according to external factors.

Can I use a Lean Canvas template for existing businesses, or is it only for startups?

Although startups commonly use Lean Canvas, it can also be implemented by existing businesses, particularly when introducing new products, penetrating new markets, or pivoting the business model.

How often should I update my Lean Canvas?

The frequency of updates depends on the stage of your business. Startups may update it more frequently as they iterate through ideas, while established businesses might update it when undergoing significant changes or launching new initiatives.

Can I share my Lean Canvas with investors or stakeholders?

Sharing your Lean Canvas with investors or stakeholders is common. It provides a quick overview of your business concept and can be a discussion starting point.

Get started with this template right now.

App Wireframe Template

Works best for:.

UX Design, Wireframes

Ready to start building an app? Don’t just imagine how it will function and how users will interact with it—let a wireframe show you. Wireframing is a technique for creating a basic layout of each screen. When you wireframe, ideally early in the process, you’ll gain an understanding of what each screen will accomplish and get buy-in from important stakeholders—all before adding the design and content, which will save you time and money. And by thinking of things in terms of a user’s journey, you’ll deliver a more compelling, successful experience.

Mad Sad Glad Retrospective

Brainstorming, Ideation

It's tempting to measure a sprint’s success solely by whether goals and timelines were met. But there’s another important success metric: emotions. And Mad Sad Glad is a popular, effective technique for teams to explore and share their emotions after a sprint. That allows you to highlight the positive, underline the concerns, and decide how to move forward as a team. This template makes it easy to conduct a Mad Sad Glad that helps you build trust, improve team morale, and increase engagement.

Lean Coffee Template

Agile Methodology, Product Management, Meetings

What makes a great meeting (other than donuts)? It’s appreciating everyone’s skills, resources, and time by making the very best use of them. That’s what the Lean Coffee approach is designed to do. Great for team brainstorms and retrospectives, Lean Coffee breaks the meeting into three basic stages: what to discuss, what’s being discussed, and what’s been discussed. This template makes it easy for you to collect sticky notes and to update the columns as you go from topic to topic.

Ansoff Matrix Template

Leadership, Operations, Strategic Planning

Keep growing. Keep scaling. Keep finding those new opportunities in new markets—and creative new ways to reach customers there. Sound like your approach? Then this template might be a great fit. An Ansoff Matrix (aka, a product or market expansion grid) is broken into four potential growth strategies: Market Penetration, Market Development, Product Development, and Diversification. When you go through each section with your team, you’ll get a clear view of your options going forward and the potential risks and rewards of each.

Lean UX Canvas Template

Desk Research, Product Management, User Experience

What are you building, why are building it, and who are you building it for? Those are the big pictures questions that guide great companies and teams toward success — and Lean UX helps you find the answers. Especially helpful during project research, design, and planning, this tool lets you quickly make product improvements and solve business problems, leading to a more customer-centric product. This template will let you create a Lean UX canvas structured around eight key elements: Business problem, Business outcome, Users and customers, User benefits, Solution ideas, Hypothesis, Assumptions, Experimentation.

Example Mapping Template

Product Management, Mapping, Diagrams

To update your product in valuable ways—to recognize problem areas, add features, and make needed improvements—you have to walk in your users’ shoes. Example mapping (or user story mapping) can give you that perspective by helping cross-functional teams identify how users behave in different situations. These user stories are ideal for helping organizations form a development plan for Sprint planning or define the minimum amount of features needed to be valuable to customers.

Learn more about ADHD, Dyslexia, & Autism

Learn about our open source solutions

Read more about AI, Strategy, ADHD, and more.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

In the ever-changing world of innovation, a well-defined roadmap is essential to steer a startup towards financial sustainability. The Lean Canvas model does just that – it is a valuable one-page template for brainstorming early-stage business models.

It’s designed to be an ever-evolving blueprint that assists entrepreneurs in validating their ideas, mitigating risks, and iterating their business models. Its approach calls for concise content, making it a practical framework to outline your business concept. And most importantly, it enables you to align strategies with market demands.

Below we take a look at how to complete the Lean Canvas tool.

How To Use the Lean Canvas Template for Business Model Development

As mentioned above, the Lean Canvas is a strategic management tool that helps startups and entrepreneurs develop a concise and actionable business plan. It is divided into several blocks, each focusing on crucial aspects of a business model.

Let’s take a look at each block:

Identifies the top 3 problems and pain points that your target audience experience. The end goal is to understand their problems better and identify how your solution solves their problems / and alleviates the pain.

Clearly outline your business solution and/or product offering that solves the problems your customers are experiencing. Describes how your solution effectively meets the market’s demands.

Learn More: Lean Canvas Model: Crafting Solutions and Prioritizing Features

Key Metrics

Determines the key performance indicators to help you measure your business’s performance and progress. These metrics inform your business development.

Unique Value Proposition (UVP)

Define what sets your business apart from competitors and why potential customers will choose your product or service.

Read More: What Is Unfair Advantage in Lean Canvas?

Highlights the channels you intend to reach and engage your customers. This may include online platforms, partnerships, or direct sales channels.

Customer Segments

Specifies the different market segments you plan to target. This block helps you understand your primary audience, which is critical for tailoring your offering. Learn how ‘ customer segment s’ can impact your business success and optimize your strategy accordingly.

Cost Structure

This breaks down the expenses involved in operating your business. This includes production costs, marketing expenses, and other relevant financials.

Read More: The Cost Structure Lean Canvas

Revenue Streams

Outline the sources of revenue for your business . This may include sales, subscriptions, licensing fees, or any other means through which your business generates income.

What are the benefits of using the Lean Canvas?

Ash Maurya pioneered the Lean Canvas model as an invaluable tool for startups using the Lean Startup methodology. By filling out the one-page lean canvas, you can clearly define your business model and identify any weaknesses or gaps in your strategy.

Read More: Startup Project Management: The Key to Success

The main benefit of the lean canvas is that it forces you to synthesize your business idea down to its core components. This includes identifying your target customers, the problem you are solving for them, your unique value proposition, the channels you will use to reach customers, and your revenue streams. Going through this exercise early on ensures your entire team has alignment on the fundamentals of your business.

Another advantage is that the lean canvas lends itself well to experimentation and iteration. As you test parts of your business model and gain new customer insights, you can quickly update your canvas to reflect pivot decisions. This builds momentum by keeping your team focused on the right metrics and priorities.

Tools to create a Lean Startup model

The advice has been, traditionally, to print out a lean canvas and post it somewhere to fill with sticky notes. This can often be challenging as teams are frequently remote and may need access to the information outside the office because the lean canvas should be tracked alongside progress.

Tools to create a Lean canvas online include project management tools like Leantime and tools like Leanstack.

Leantime Features Include

• Task Management
• Idea Management
• Goals Tracking
• SWOT Analysis, Empathy Maps, Project Briefs
• Time tracking
• AI Task Prioritization
• Strategy Management
• Program Plan management
• And much more

Being able to map out your initial business model and then immediately connect it to a growing business is a unique value proposition of using a tool like Leantime. It’s an ideal companion to both growing and developing your business ideas simultaneously. Quickly see the progress and keep the growth on track with our features .

In Summary – Optimize Business Development with the Lean Canvas

Overall, the lean canvas model perfectly complements the Lean Startup approach. Enabling fast learning and adaptation increases your chances of finding product-market fit and launching a sustainable, scalable business.

Completing the Lean Canvas template helps create a comprehensive understanding of your business model and guides strategic decision-making. Regularly revisiting and revising (also known as iterating), the canvas keeps your business strategies aligned with market dynamics and ensures that you’re on the path to scale and grow.

Using the Lean Canvas framework is a proactive way to advance your business model, sets the stage for informed decision-making, and helps define an adaptable business model that stands the test of time.

Explore More About Lean Startup Philosophy — we’re passionate about helping you navigate the world of entrepreneurship and innovation through the lens of the Lean Startup methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

The 9 sections are Customer Segments, Problem, Unique Value Proposition, Solution, Channels, Revenue Streams, Cost Structure, Key Metrics, and Unfair Advantage.

It’s best to complete your initial lean canvas during customer discovery and before building your minimum viable product (MVP). Revisit and iterate on it throughout product development.

The goal is to summarize your business model at a high level on one page. Capture the essential elements without going into too much depth.

The lean canvas is meant to complement a business plan, not serve as a comprehensive plan itself. Use it to align your team and identify gaps before creating your full plan.

Yes, the canvas should evolve as you learn from experiments and make pivots. Review and update it frequently to stay on track.

Here are some other links you may be interested in…

• Lean Business Solutions
• Understanding the Lean Canvas: The Blueprint of Modern Lean Innovation
• Creating a successful startup: Business development tools to prevent failure
• Crafting Solutions and Prioritizing Features with the Lean Canvas Model for Effective Business Development
• Communicating Business Development with the Lean Canvas

Jenny Jackson

Jenny Jackson, a seasoned Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR), brings a wealth of expertise in innovation process, design thinking, and research & development. Since 2019, she has demonstrated her commitment to fostering business growth as a dedicated Business Mentor for Charlotte Launch (formerly Ventureprise Launch) and as a leader guiding two research teams in the prestigious National Science Foundation’s (NSF) iCorps program.Jenny's journey in entrepreneurship and innovation has been marked by a series of impactful roles. Prior to joining the dynamic team at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at UNC Charlotte, she provided invaluable support to startups, labs, and incubators, showcasing her dedication to fostering emerging ventures.Jenny holds a Master's in Organization Development from Queens University of Charlotte and a Bachelor’s in Industrial Technology with a concentration in Graphic Communications from North Carolina A&T State University.Beyond her professional achievements, Jenny is an advocate for children's rights and autism acceptance, reflecting her dedication to making a positive impact in the world. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. she continues to champion causes that align with her values.#InnovationExpert #DesignThinking #StartupMentor #BusinessGrowth #ResearchandDevelopment

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9 components of the Lean Canvas technique | Free Template included

This post is also available in: German

What is a lean canvas? 

The lean canvas is a concise one-page business plan that evaluates all the main elements of your business opportunity. It is an adaptation of the Business Model Canvas designed specifically for Lean Startups . The framework is divided into nine key sections that together provide a thorough overview of the overall strategy.

Completing a lean canvas online template enables remote teams to easily collaborate and share their ideas with ease. The finished document can be continually updated, shared, downloaded and exported as a PDF.

In this article, we cover

• Completing your own lean canvas online 

How do you create a lean canvas?

• How to use our free lean canvas template

What is the difference between lean canvas and business model canvas?

Create your lean canvas with an online template.

Use our completely customizable lean canvas template for free. Simply click the image below to get started. Then you can invite colleagues to collaborate with you, share it with your team, or download it as a PDF or image.

The lean canvas template is divided into nine sections, with two subsections, that should be completed in order. Working through each section alone or collaboratively with your team, add your assumptions to each prompt as sticky notes. Don’t be afraid to continually iterate and build on those assumptions over time.

Create your own lean canvas by following the 9 steps outlined below. Once finished, share the link with your team or export it as a PDF.

Start by asking yourself: What is the problem we are trying to solve? What is the customer pain-point we want to solve? How prevalent is this problem? 

The founders of Uber, Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp, couldn’t get a ride on a cold night in Paris. They wondered how great it would be if they could book a taxi directly from their phone. That’s when the idea for Uber was born. 

Existing Alternatives

What are the existing alternatives to the problems outlined? Taking the Uber example further, the founders would’ve written down taxis or chauffeurs in this section. 

2. Solutions

How do your proposed solutions ease existing pain points? How does it make the lives of your customers better? Summarize your product or service in this section. 

For example, Amazon’s lean canvas would read as ‘Enable our customers to buy any product from the comfort of their home, at the click of a button’.

How will you define success for your startup? What are the KPIs you want to aim for? For a service-based start-up, these may be metrics that involve growth and adoption such as motivation, revenue, Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) and Customer Lifetime Value (CLV).

4. Cost Structure 

Irrespective of whether your startup has received seed funding or if it’s bootstrapped, every startup needs to have its finances under control. Consider operational costs, both variable and fixed, so you have a clear idea of your runway . While the numbers only need to be indicative, make sure you do some initial research into manufacturing and distribution costs to give some weight to the numbers. 

5. Unique value proposition

What are you going to be doing that is different to existing products? Will you differentiate on service, price, quality, or some other way. If you get stuck, try the value proposition canvas to gain a more profound understanding of how to craft a compelling value proposition 

High-Level Concept

The high-level concept subsection conveys the value proposition in the most succinct manner possible. List your X for Y analogy. E.g. YouTube = Flickr for videos.

6. Unfair Advantage

What’s your secret sauce? What do you have that will ensure that your product or service cannot be copied? Maybe it’s a new technology, like Google’s advanced secret search algorithm. Or Allbirds new fabric that makes ‘the world’s the most comfortable shoes’. It’s about what gives you an edge over the competition.

7. Customers

Your customers are the beating heart of every business. It’s important to have a very clear idea of who your ideal customers are. Highlight key demographic, psychographic and behavioral attributes of your customer segment in this section. Go a step further with the help of our user persona template and customer journey map .

Having passionate early adopters will help you achieve viral growth, so identifying who your early adopters will be and how you’ll reach them is key. For a lean start-up, this customer segment will also provide valuable early user feedback.

8. Channels

How do you plan to reach your customers? Which channels will you use to connect with your target market? Consider the media and channels your key demographic uses, and who they trust: TV news, magazines, social media, influencers or major retailers.

9. Revenue Streams

Which revenue model will you use? Depending on your product or service, you may opt for subscriptions, advertising or freemium. On top of that, consider what the lifetime value of your product will be, recurring revenue, customer value and gross margins.

The Lean Canvas is a more concise, faster, portable, and effective adaptation of the Business Model Canvas. The Lean Canvas is adapted from The Business Model Canvas and designed by Ash Maurya. It is based on a lot of assumptions, rather than hard facts. Its concise design means that you can get a clear idea of the strengths and weaknesses of a potential business idea in just 30 minutes!

A Business Model Canvas is a more elaborate document that includes 5-year financial projections, market sizing data, etc. It is also designed to serve more as a product roadmap . Meanwhile, the lean canvas prioritizes experimentation over execution. It focuses on identifying how to get the product to market, while the business model canvas includes final details of executing the launch plan.

Unlike the static Business Model canvas, the Lean canvas is dynamic and evolves with every iteration. 

Lean Canvas Example

We’ve filled out our lean canvas template based on Uber’s business model to showcase what a completed template could look like. 

Keep the momentum going, and explore our 10 most popular business strategy templates you can use right now.

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2 Comments . Leave new

The links on this page to try out the template (both the image and the Use Template button) lead to a 404 error. The correct URL should be https://app.conceptboard.com/load/lean-canvas

Thank you Thomas! The link is now fixed. Have fun using the Template!

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Unraveling the Lean Canvas: A Comprehensive Guide

5 minutes read

Part 1. What is the concept of Lean Canvas?

Lean Canvas is a concise and visual one-page business plan that serves as a strategic framework for startups and entrepreneurs. It encapsulates key elements of a business model, such as customer segments, problems addressed, unique value propositions, channels, revenue streams, cost structure, and key metrics. Developed by Ash Maurya, Lean Canvas focuses on rapid iteration and quick visualization, facilitating efficient communication and adaptation of business ideas in a dynamic market environment.

Part 2. What are the components of Lean Canvas model?

• Problem:   This block describes the top three problems that the target customer segment faces. It focuses on the pain points that the business aims to address.
• Solution:   Outlines the unique value proposition or solutions the business offers to solve the problems identified in the "Problem" block.
• Key Metrics:   Identifies the key performance indicators (KPIs) that are most critical to monitoring and assessing the success of the business.
• Unique Value Proposition (UVP):   Clearly articulates the unique value that the business provides to its customers, differentiating it from competitors.
• Unfair Advantage:   escribes the distinctive advantages or assets that make it difficult for competitors to replicate or surpass the business.
• Customer Segments:   dentifies the target customer segments for the business, specifying the customers who will benefit the most from the product or service.
• Channels:   escribes the various channels through which the business will reach and engage with its target customers, including distribution and communication channels.
• Revenue Streams:   pecifies the ways in which the business will generate revenue, including pricing models, sales strategies, and monetization approaches.
• Cost Structure:   dentifies the key costs and expenses associated with operating the business, including fixed and variable costs.

Entrepreneurs use the Lean Canvas as a dynamic tool for continuous iteration and refinement. It encourages a focus on the essentials of the business model, allowing for quick adjustments as the startup learns more about its customers and market. The Lean Canvas is particularly popular in the startup community for its simplicity and effectiveness in facilitating strategic thinking and planning.

Part 3. Why is a Lean Canvas important?

A Lean Canvas provides clarity on what drives your business and helps identify potential risks early on. It's an excellent tool for communicating your business idea succinctly within your team or to potential investors. A Lean Canvas is crucial for several reasons:

• Concise Planning:   Enables entrepreneurs to distill complex business ideas into a one-page plan, fostering clarity and focus.
• Rapid Iteration:   Promotes quick adjustments to business models, allowing startups to adapt swiftly to changing market dynamics and customer feedback.
• Efficient Communication : Facilitates clear communication of business concepts to stakeholders, team members, and investors, fostering better understanding and collaboration.
• Resource Optimization:   Helps allocate resources effectively by identifying and prioritizing key elements of the business model, reducing waste.
• Validation of Assumptions:   Encourages entrepreneurs to test assumptions early on, minimizing risks and increasing the likelihood of creating a viable and sustainable business.

Part 4. When should you do a Lean Canvas?

A Lean Canvas is most effective at the early stages of a venture, including:

• Startup Ideation:   When brainstorming and refining initial business ideas to create a solid foundation for development.
• Business Validation:   Before committing significant resources, to validate assumptions, ensuring alignment with market needs.
• Strategic Planning:   During strategic planning, to provide a visual framework for decision-making and resource allocation.
• Pivoting or Iterating:   When considering a pivot or adapting the business model based on feedback or changing market conditions.
• Continuous Improvement:   Regularly throughout the business lifecycle to foster a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability.

Part 5. What are the unfair advantages of Lean Canvas?

In Lean Canvas, an "unfair advantage" refers to a unique strength or advantage that gives a startup or a business an edge over its competitors. This concept is one of the nine building blocks in the Lean Canvas, a one-page business model template developed by Ash Maurya as an adaptation of Alex Osterwalder's Business Model Canvas.

The unfair advantage is something that is difficult for competitors to replicate quickly or easily. It can be a proprietary technology, exclusive access to key resources, a strong brand, unique expertise, strategic partnerships, or any other factor that gives the business a distinct advantage in the market.

Identifying and leveraging an unfair advantage is crucial for the success of a startup or business, as it helps to create a sustainable and defensible position in the market. It contributes to the overall viability of the business model and enhances the likelihood of long-term success. When developing a Lean Canvas, entrepreneurs are encouraged to explicitly identify and articulate their unfair advantage to demonstrate why their business is uniquely positioned to succeed.

Part 6. What is key activities in Lean Canvas?

In the Lean Canvas methodology, "Key Activities" is one of the nine building blocks used to describe the most important activities a business must engage in to make its business model work. The Key Activities section focuses on the core operations and processes that are essential for delivering value to the customer and sustaining the business.

Key Activities may include a range of operational and strategic tasks, such as:

• Production:   If your business involves creating or manufacturing a product, the key activities would include the production process.
• Problem Solving:   Activities related to addressing challenges and solving problems that arise in the course of business operations.
• Platform Development:   If your business operates on a digital platform, developing and maintaining that platform would be a key activity.
• Sales and Marketing:   Activities related to promoting and selling the product or service, such as advertising, marketing, and sales efforts.
• Customer Service:   Providing support and addressing customer inquiries and concerns is a crucial activity for many businesses.
• Distribution:   If your business involves physical products, activities related to the distribution and logistics of those products.
• Partnerships:   Building and managing partnerships and collaborations with other businesses.
• Research and Development:   If innovation is a key aspect of your business, activities related to research and development would be included.
• Regulatory Compliance:   Ensuring that the business complies with relevant laws and regulations is a key activity, especially in regulated industries.

When filling out the Lean Canvas, entrepreneurs are encouraged to identify and prioritize the most critical activities that will drive the success of their business model. This helps to focus attention on what truly matters and ensures that resources are allocated efficiently to support those key activities.

Part 7. Build Lean Canvas with Boardmix

Boardmix is a cutting-edge, user-friendly online whiteboard platform, specifically engineered to foster collaborative endeavors. It's particularly effective for tasks requiring collective input and brainstorming, such as the creation of lean canvases. Its intuitive design coupled with a suite of robust features make Boardmix an ideal tool for facilitating teamwork, encouraging creative problem-solving, and driving strategic planning sessions.

Steps to build a lean canvas with Boardmix:

3. Click Use to apply this template.

Grasping and harnessing the potential of the Lean Canvas can profoundly amplify your strategic planning process. It provides a clear, concise roadmap to navigate your business venture's complexities. With innovative tools like Boardmix , crafting this potent document becomes not just simpler but also more efficient. Its user-friendly interface and robust features streamline the process, making it accessible to all. So why wait? Embark on your journey of strategic planning and start constructing your Lean Canvas with Boardmix today!

Join Boardmix to collaborate with your team.

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Lean canvas template

Distill a business plan in a streamlined business model canvas

Use the lean canvas template to outline the advantages, targets, challenges, risks, cost structures, and opportunities of a business strategy. The lean canvas is a visual framework popular with entrepreneurs, startups, and articulate their business model and identify key components necessary for success.

Created by Ash Maurya, The lean canvas provides a straightforward way to evaluate your business opportunities. It helps you break down your business idea into key factors and gives you a visualization of your business strategy. It’s also easier for others to read through and give feedback on than a standard business plan.

The lean  canvas template helps you:

• Brainstorm and articulate the core strategy of a business model
• Streamline cross-functional collaboration with stakeholders
• Create a straightforward, one-page business plan
• Leverage customer insights to gain a competitive advantage

How to create a lean canvas step-by-step:

To create a lean canvas model, you only need to answer the nine elements. They include: 

1. Define the problem

What is the problem that your company intends to solve? What pain points do your target customers or personas face, and how do they relate?

Clearly express what the problems are, and how your solution can address them.

2. Propose a solution

The solution your product or service provides that solves the problem(s) you wrote down in the “Problem” step. 

In other words: What does your product or service do, and why would someone be interested? Highlight the unique features or benefits that differentiate your solution from competitors.

3. Craft a unique value proposition

Your unique value proposition is what makes your brand different from similar brands that already exist. Develop a clear and compelling value proposition that communicates the unique value your business provides to customers. This helps you convince people to buy from your brand instead of a competitor’s. 

4. Identify your unfair advantage

Identify any unique advantages or strengths that set your business apart from competitors. This could be proprietary technology, key partners or strategic relationships, industry expertise, a known history of strong customer relationships, or a strong brand reputation.

5. Identify your customer segments

The segments of people you’re targeting with your product or service. These are the people who would get the most value from your brand. 

Are they early adopters of technology? What technology do they use? Go into detail about their characteristics, habits, attitudes and more to create actionable personas.

6. Define your key metrics

The metrics you can use to measure how successful your business is and whether your product is effective. These could include customer acquisition cost, customer lifetime value, conversion rates, or revenue growth milestones.

Note: Key metrics can be a mix of general metrics like “units sold” and more product-specific metrics. 

For example, if your product is a solution for productivity or time management, one product-specific metric you could measure is “time saved on tasks.” 

7. Design your channels

Determine the most effective channels of communication you will use to reach your target customers and deliver your solution. Consider both online and offline channels that align with your customer's preferences. 

Common channels include your website or social media profiles, with other examples being live events, an app, and email, or out-of-home advertising.

8. Determine the cost structure

This includes everything cost related you need to account for, like marketing and promotion, manufacturing or production, technology, and your people. 

Will customers pay for your product or service? How much will you charge? Will there be different pricing models for different customer segments?

9. Identify revenue streams

Outline how your business will generate revenue. Some common examples are product sales, speaking engagements, and consulting services.

Tips for creating a lean canvas

• Keep it concise : The lean canvas is designed to be a one-page framework, so prioritize brevity. Focus on the essential elements and avoid unnecessary details. Be clear and concise in your descriptions.
• Conduct and use customer research : To create an accurate and insightful lean canvas, conduct thorough customer research. Talk to your target audience, gather feedback, and validate your assumptions. This will ensure a solid foundation for your canvas.
• Collaborate with your team : The lean canvas benefits from diverse perspectives. Involve your team members and stakeholders in the process. Encourage open discussions and brainstorming sessions to gain different insights and ideas.
• Test and validate assumptions : The lean canvas is an effective tool for testing and validating your high-level concept for a new business. Use lean experiments, prototypes, and minimum viable products (MVPs) to gather real-world feedback and refine your canvas accordingly. ‍
• Iterate and revise : Treat your lean canvas as a living document that evolves with your business. Regularly revisit and update your canvas as you gather new insights and validate assumptions. Embrace a continuous improvement mindset.

How to create a Lean canvas template

Get started with this template right now.

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Lean canvas template frequently asked questions

What is a lean canvas, what is the difference between a lean canvas and a business model canvas, in what order do you fill a lean canvas.

Template by Ash Maurya

Ash Maurya works to create better, faster ways for building successful products. He started to apply and test his findings, which went into a blog, then into a book, and finally into a series of products with his company LeanStack - aimed at helping entrepreneurs raise their odds of success.

Mural is the only platform that offers both a shared workspace and training on the LUMA System™, a practical way to collaborate that anyone can learn and apply.

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The Lean Canvas guide: what it is – and how to use it

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Writing out a business plan? Any business owner should give the perspective of their project. Business plans are references to what you’re doing, why, and how.

However – business plans come with a problem. That is, they’re inefficient.

They take way too long to write. After all, a business plan is a multi-page document listing the foundations of a project.

They’re also not adaptable. A business plan is “theoretically” a reference point, but few people use it that way.

So it ends up being a guide thrown to investors who want to understand a project – nothing more.

But, you can get more out of a business plan. All you have to do is reshape it, and make it simpler. And this is where the lean canvas comes in!

What is a Lean Canvas?

It’s a 1-page business plan, that is segmented into blocks, each representing a key category of your project.

Lean canvas often includes 8 to 9 blocks , each representing the same number of categories.

From there, you fill each block with essential information only. This lets you plan projects without complexity.

How blocks are laid out

Blocks are divided into two segments . The first plans out the product , and the second looks at the money .

Product segments include the following blocks:

• Key Metrics
• Unique Value Proposition
• Unfair Advantage

Customer segments include the following blocks:

• Cost structure
• Revenue stream

We’ll elaborate on the previous one below. We’ll discuss the pros of using a lean canvas, and each category/block in detail!

The 6 benefits of using a Lean Canvas

It’s a one-page model that you can fill out instantly. You don’t have to overthink many details, since the model naturally prevents that.

Compare that to average business plans. You may need weeks (if not months) just to finish a final draft.

(2) Trial and Error

You can afford to draft out and optimize without rewriting your entire business plan.

Speaking of optimization, you can better utilize feedback. Considering how compact a lean canvas is you can share and get expert opinions quickly.

(3) Risk Testing

You get to test your riskiest ideas without much commitment.

See all the info related to the project on a single page. This helps you better decide whether an idea’s worth it or not.

(4) Problem Assessment

Your canvas might be picturing a business problem that you think is grave or severe.

After completing the canvas, you may discover that the issue is easily solvable, requiring fewer resources than previously thought.

This helps you better see alternatives. You can better see alternative markets, better metrics, and different dimensions to a problem.

(5) Customer-Focused

Lean canvas blocks are designed to apply the customer’s perspective when planning.

But that doesn’t mean you’re surveying customers. A lean canvas sheet is designed to make you think of customer needs when approaching each category.

This helps you formulate an educated business plan that’s based on what the market wants or may want.

(6) Key Metrics

So what are “key metrics” in lean canvas design?

That’s a category you’ll have to fill out, and it tackles a core problem. That would be knowing how to measure a project’s success.

You can list the key metrics you’ll use. This ensures you don’t divert into unnecessary metrics when gauging project performance.

(7) Startup-Friendly

Lean canvas are friendly for beginners with little experience drafting a business plan.

They can be used for any type of project. It can be commercial or service-based, online or offline, and the model will apply.

How to create a Lean Canvas?

Just use a premade template.

You don’t want to create a layout from scratch. This adds more complexity to the process, thus robbing its benefits.

Templates are everywhere, but some of the best can be found on Weje . Here are two to try:

• Basic layout ( use this if you’re a beginner ). It’ll familiarize you with how lean canvas look
• Sample ( use this for reference )

Weje offers online layouts. You can complete a canvas on app before printing it out. It’s also viable for business meetings. Just open the app, connect your screen to a projector, and fill out the blocks!

But now that you’ve got a template, it’s time to break the lean canvas down to the detail.

We’ll look at each block/category below. This’ll give you an idea on how to fill them out, and the details required!

First – Product Segment

The product segment contains 7 blocks , which are:

First Block – Problems 

Here, you mention the purpose of the lean canvas. You describe the problem(s) you’d like to solve.

We recommend writing down one major problem . Under it, in bullet points, break the problem down into three minor ones.

For example…

(Major Problem): Not enough visitors to an online store

• Problem One: Online store SEO isn’t optimized
• Problem Two: Online checkout system is inefficient
• Problem Three: Direct Ads aren’t generating desired results

List three minor problems at most. Adding any more will make your lean canvas more complex.

Second Block – Solutions

Here, outline ideas on how you’ll solve each problem in the first block.

We recommend listing one idea per problem. So going back to the previous example…

• Problem One: Hire an SEO specialist for store
• Problem Two: Finde a web developer to optimize checkout system
• Problem Three: Redesign online ad strategy with SEO specialist help

Third Block – Key Metrics

In a lean canvas, this is placed directly under the second block. You’ll fill this in conjunction with it too. 

Why? Because you’ll need a way to track the effectiveness of each solution.

Again referencing the previous example:

• Problem One: Experience level – price per hour
• Problem Two: Loading speed – Bug removal/fixes
• Problem Three: Conversion rates

Fourth Block – Unique Value Proposition

This block introduces competition. It compares your product to a competitor’s.

Write your UVP as a sales pitch. It’s preferable if you don’t reference competition directly. Just outline the key strength your final product should have.

Referencing the previous example, your UVP can be something like

“Simple and Smooth Shopping Experience – Find the Product You Want Fast, Buy it Faster.”

Think of your UVP as what your product should look like after the previous three blocks are filled in.

Fifth Block – Unfair Advantage

Unfair advantages are the unique pros you have that competition lacks.

An unfair advantage cannot be bought or developed easily. It’s also hard to copy without losing brand authenticity.

Examples of unfair advantages include:

• Community . How the market views your identity, members who value you, etc.
• Network . Mutually beneficial connections that you can leverage for desired results
• Unique Factor . Things about your business that can’t be copied – like authority, trendiness, etc.

Sixth Block – Channels

This is placed right under the fifth block, since it somewhat ties into it.

Your unfair advantages can be leveraged as selling points. They give you access to markets that other competitors may struggle to reach.

Channels aren’t just selling points though. They can be places to promote your brand.

For example, you might be connected to an online influencer. You can use that as a channel to promote your brand more.

Or maybe you already have a large following on a social media platform. That’s also a channel to promote your products.

Seventh Block – Customer Segments

Here, you define your target customer in detail.

You should have a few profiles ready on who’s most likely to buy. List those, as it’ll be key in how you execute your business plan.

Second – Money Segment

Two more blocks are left. However, the next two incorporate a lot more details than the previous.

Product blocks are often concise. But, money blocks breakdown the “business plan’s financing” to the detail.

So to start off…

Eighth Block – Cost Structure

That’ll be how you finance the project. You’ll need to list details such as:

• Customer acquisition cost . How much you pay per buying customer. Try to compare that to a ratio, where you represent that cost in relation to how much average customers spend.
• Distribution cost . How much you pay in shipping, storage, and anything “supply chain” related.
• Hosting . That’ll be your online presence, domain costs , and server costs – often paid monthly or yearly.
• Salaries . How much you pay employees ( part or full time ). You can also add in employee benefits as part of salary calculations. If you don’t have employees, you can set a budget on freelance or consultant hiring.
• Workspace . That’ll include the brick and mortar, usually office costs, and the bills you’ll pay to sustain the space.

Ninth Block – Revenue Stream

This outlines the details of your income. It’s a viability check on the project. Details here include:

• Revenue Model . What’s the income type of the project? Is it subscriptions? Is it affiliate and ad-based income? Or does the income come from sales?
• Life Time Value . Do you have a projection on how much value a customer can offer in a lifetime?
• Revenue . Here, you discuss your revenue model in detail. For example, if your income is from sales, what kind of sales are they? Is it direct, or is it web-based? Is it a dropshipping model when you find dropshipping suppliers , or do you operate as a retailer?
• Margin . What’s your profit margin on the product your project offers?

Now you know what a lean canvas meaning is. It’s a model you’ll apply for all kinds of business projects.

Whether you’re selling a product or optimizing one, a lean canvas makes it simple, time efficient, and cost-effective!

Egor Okrepilov

Avoid people who didn't make mistakes, as they just got lucky with the circumstances. Appreciate those who have made hundreds of them and learned how to find solutions to any situation.

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Lean Canvas - 1-page business plan

The Lean Canvas is a tool that replaces long and boring business plans with an engaging 1-page model. It takes just 20 minutes to complete, so you'll never have trouble finding time for it.

It is adapted from Alex Osterwalder's Business Model Canvas and optimised for Startups.

For an explanation on how I use it check out this article.

Made by Niall Maher .

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Lean Canvas

The Lean Canvas is a version of the  Business Model Canvas  and it is specially designed for StartUps and Entrepreneurs. The Lean Canvas focuses on addressing broad customer problems, solutions, key metrics, competitive advantages and delivering them to customer segments through a  unique value proposition .

It is also called a one-page business plan template. It was adapted from Alex Osterwalder’s Business Model Canvas by  Ash Maurya  and optimized for the Lean Startup methodology with an emphasis on finding customer problems worth solving — specifically by building a solid foundation on the customer, problem, and solution assumptions before anything else. Lean Canvas promises an actionable and entrepreneur-focused business plan. It focuses on problems, solutions, key metrics, and competitive advantages.

How to use this canvas?

Ash Maurya has explained the customer-centric approach about using the Lean Canvas as follow (You need to follow sequence) :

1. Customer Segment

As this canvas is targeted at StartUps and the early adopters that first need to be reached, you have to outline an identifiable early adopter group that is part of the overall customer segment you think you should be targeting. This is in all canvases, but in this variant narrowed down. While writing this section you also have to consider writing the Problem section, because the “Problem-Customer” pair usually drives the rest of the canvas which is why you should tackle them together.

Along with the Customer-Segment section you need to describe the Problem section. The focus in Lean StartUps and in this canvas is identifying problems worth solving. In this section, you list the three main problems you intend to solve. This element was added to address the nature of startups; ‘ most startups fail , not because they fail to build what they set out to build, but because they waste time, money, and effort building the wrong product.’

2. Unique Value Proposition

Dead-center in the Lean Canvas is a box for your Unique Value Proposition (UVP). This is one of the most important boxes on the canvas and also the hardest to get right. Your compelling promise or offer that is solving the number 1 problem, includes a finished story benefit value after a job done. This element is included in all canvases.

3. Solution

This is how you intend to deliver value. The solution is what most entrepreneurs and product developers are most passionate about. You are now ready to tackle solution possibilities. As all you have are untested hypotheses, I don’t recommend getting carried away with fully defining a solution just yet. Rather simply sketch out the top features or capabilities next to each problem. Bind a solution to your problem as late as possible.

4. Channels

The good news is that following a “Customer Discovery/Interview” process forces you to build a path to customers early. Unfortunately, unless you are in a direct sales business, that path may not scale beyond Problem/Solution Fit. In short describe your Marketing Strategies,  Pricing Strategies , and any other strategy that leads you towards your customers.

5. Cost Structure

Describe fixed,  variable , and direct costs associated with your StartUp. You can also Calculate your BreakEven point put it here.

6. Revenue Streams

How do you make money? List your sources of revenue.

7. Key Metrics

Find the key number that tells you how your business is doing in real-time before you get the sales report.

8. Unfair Advantage

This is usually the hardest section to fill which is why I leave it for last. Most founders list things as competitive advantages that really aren’t. A real unfair advantage is something that cannot be easily copied or bought. You may initially have to leave this box blank but it’s here to have you really think about how you can make yourself different and make your difference matter.

The Lean Canvas is a version of the business model canvas  and it is specially designed for StartUps and Entrepreneurs. The Lean Canvas focuses on addressing broad customer problems, solutions, key metrics, competitive advantages and delivering them to customer segments through a  unique value proposition .

It is also called a one-page business plan template. It was adapted from Alex Osterwalder’s Business Model Canvas by Ash Maurya and optimized for the Lean Startup methodology with an emphasis on finding customer problems worth solving — specifically by building a solid foundation on the customer, problem, and solution assumptions before anything else. Lean Canvas promises an actionable and entrepreneur-focused business plan. It focuses on problems, solutions, key metrics, and competitive advantages.

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Is your company getting ready to start a new project? Have you decided to start your own business? Are you developing a new product?

Whatever you’re thinking of doing, you are going to need some kind of business plan. And the type of plan you need will depend on what your goal is, what type of activity you are planning, and what level of detail you’ll need to present to stakeholders.

A traditional business plan, a lengthy document that includes detailed information such as a market analysis, marketing plan, etc., may be more than you need at this time. Writing a traditional business plan can take several weeks or months to complete. Fortunately, there are alternatives to business planning that don’t involve writing a book.

In 2008, Alex Osterwalder, a Swiss business theorist, developed the Business Model Canvas as a way for businesses to quickly visualize and map out a business model using a one-page document. A few years later, an entrepreneur named Ash Maurya adapted the Business Model Canvas to focus on addressing customer problems and solutions.

In this article, we will discuss the Lean Canvas model and how to use it. But first, we’ll explain what the original Business Model Canvas to help you understand the differences.

What is the Business Model Canvas?

This document is designed to be a visual representation of what you need to make or keep a business successful. It lets you quickly summarize how your business should work based on the information you have. The Business Model Canvas is intended to be a living document that you can easily update on the fly as you test theories and assumptions.

The Business Model Canvas contains the following categories to help you answer important questions about your business:

• Value proposition:  What value does your product or service bring to the customer?
• Key partners:  Who are your suppliers and partners?
• Key activities: What do you need to do to make this business model work?
• Key resources: Who or what are the most important assets that you will need to make this model a success?
• Customer relationships: What will your relationship with customers and potential customers be?
• Customer segments: Who will buy your product?
• Channels: How will you reach your chosen customer segments?
• Cost structure: What costs will you incur to operate your business model?
• Revenue streams: How will you generate revenue from each customer segment?

When would you use a Business Model Canvas?

The Business Model Canvas is useful for strategic planning and can be used to visually focus on the most important elements of your business.

You also may want to use this model to understand your competition. Make a sketch of your competitor’s business plan and examine their strengths, weaknesses, and limitations. This practice allows you to build a model that addresses the areas where the competition is lacking.

What is a Lean Canvas?

A Lean Business Model Canvas, or Lean Canvas, is based on the Business Model Canvas. When Maurya adapted the Lean Canvas, he was looking for a better, faster way to develop and build successful products that address and solve customer problems. The Lean Canvas is more focused on entrepreneurs who are starting a new business.

Like the Business Model Canvas, the Lean Canvas includes nine boxes on a one-page template. At first glance, the Business Model Canvas and the Lean Canvas look exactly alike, but there are key differences, noted below:

This box replaces the key partners section in the Business Model Canvas.

Identify what the problem is. Many businesses fail because they spend too much time, money, and resources on building the wrong product. You need to understand the customer’s problem first. To get started, list your customers’ top three problems and then list alternatives that may already exist that these customers use to solve these problems today.

This box replaces the key activities section in the Business Model Canvas.

After you have identified each problem, outline possible solutions you can use to solve them. These solutions can include new products/services and improvements to existing products.

• Unique value proposition

Develop a message that is compelling, clear, and concise. This message should be able to turn unaware visitors into interested prospects.

Use this box to list what you propose to offer customers, and the value that this offering will provide. Think about what makes your offering different from others who are trying to solve the same problems.

• Unfair advantage

This box replaces the customer relationships section in the Business Model Canvas.

This is where you identify your competitive advantage, the differentiator that makes your product or business unique and that is not easily copied.

• Customer segments

You must understand who your customers are. You can’t know what they need or what their problems are if you don’t know who they are.

Describe your target audience and define what your relationship will be with them. You may have many customer segments, and you need to realize that they are tied together with their problems. You may need to think of problems and customers at the same time.

• Key metrics

This box replaces the key resources section in the Business Model Canvas.

Metrics are a way to measure performance and to monitor progress toward achieving your business goals. List current numbers that describe how your business is doing today.

In addition, you may want to define the key metrics that you will use as indicators to measure future success. For example, how many units of a product need to be sold in order to earn a profit?

What channels will you use to reach your customers? List the marketing and advertising methods that you will use, such as print, radio, SEO, TV, and so on.

• Cost structure

You have to spend money to make money. This section is where you list the costs that your business will have in order to develop and market your product, including research, technology, human resources, and so on. Be sure to include one-time and recurring costs.

• Revenue streams

In this box, you will list where your money is going to come from. How are you going to price your product or service to ensure that you make a profit? You need to consider how much people are willing to pay and what the minimum is that you can charge in order to make a profit.

When would you use a Lean Canvas model?

The Business Model Canvas approaches business planning from a strategic angle. The Lean Canvas shifts to a problem/solution paradigm, which allows you to focus more on addressing customer needs. This is a good tool for startup businesses and entrepreneurs to use. Once you identify your customers and their problems, you can find solutions, describe value propositions, define your revenue streams, and so on.

How do you make a Lean Canvas model?

The best place to start working on a Lean Canvas is Lucidchart, where you can find a template to meet your needs. After you’ve opened a blank canvas, how do you fill it out? What is the correct order to use when filling in the boxes?

Ash Maurya, the person who developed the Lean Canvas, says that people frequently ask him, “Why isn’t the Lean Canvas laid out more logically?” According to Maurya, the main reason for the Lean Canvas layout was legacy. Instead of completely changing the layout of the original Business Model Canvas, Maurya chose to adopt a self-imposed design constraint where he replaced existing boxes with new boxes (for example, Problems replaced Key Partners).

If you have never filled out a Lean Canvas before, you might think that you should fill out the canvas from left to right. However, Maurya has suggested the following order:

Over the years, Maurya has tweaked his suggested fill order in an effort to get a better flow. When asked which fill order is correct, his answer is simple: There isn’t one.

You may want to start with a suggested fill order until you have a better idea of what works best for you and your company. For some plans, it may make more sense to start with identifying your customer segments and then moving on to your customer’s problems. Other times, it may be more appropriate to start with the problem that needs to be addressed.

However you decide is the best way to fill out your Lean Canvas model, be sure you work with Lucidchart. Start out with one of our templates to flesh out your ideas and to collaborate with team members.

About Lucidchart

Lucidchart, a cloud-based intelligent diagramming application, is a core component of Lucid Software's Visual Collaboration Suite. This intuitive, cloud-based solution empowers teams to collaborate in real-time to build flowcharts, mockups, UML diagrams, customer journey maps, and more. Lucidchart propels teams forward to build the future faster. Lucid is proud to serve top businesses around the world, including customers such as Google, GE, and NBC Universal, and 99% of the Fortune 500. Lucid partners with industry leaders, including Google, Atlassian, and Microsoft. Since its founding, Lucid has received numerous awards for its products, business, and workplace culture. For more information, visit lucidchart.com.

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• Lean Startup Business Plan Guide

How to Create a Lean Canvas

• Startup Basics

Last Updated: January 17, 2024 By Michaela Dale

Business planning isn’t typically the part of entrepreneurship people look forward to. Fortunately for startup entrepreneurs, there is another option: lean startup business plans. These templates are less in-depth than their traditional counterparts while still allowing you to go through the necessary steps to set the groundwork for your business. If an alternative method of business planning appeals to you, you’ve come to the right place to get started with our lean business plan guide .

Recommended: Read our full guide on how to start a startup  and our review of the best business plan software tools .

Writing a Lean Business Plan for a Startup

One benefit of launching a startup is that entrepreneurs can go outside the box to plan their business. Lean business plans are a less intensive option for startup entrepreneurs to establish their business goals and determine how they can make them happen in a fluid, simple format.

What Is a Lean Startup Business Plan?

A lean startup business plan is a short roadmap that outlines the startup’s goals and the steps to reach them. Concise in nature, sometimes only as long as one page, a lean startup plan starts by identifying a problem and solution. As beneficial as it is to have a business plan to secure investors, a lean startup business plan is also a template for entrepreneurs to think out and document their business strategy.

Lean Startup Plan Pros

• Traditional business plans are time-consuming, and lean startup plans offer entrepreneurs a way to document important business information and goals without going through the process of writing a traditional business plan.
• Lean startup plans are concise enough to pitch to an investor or grab a customer’s attention in a matter of seconds.

Lean Startup Plan Cons

• Some investors may want a more in-depth business plan provided prior to funding your startup.
• Lean startup plans offer less foundational business planning than their traditional counterparts.

Lean Plan vs. Traditional Business Plan

A traditional business plan is an in-depth, detailed blueprint of your startup’s first three to five years in business. In contrast, a lean startup plan is more of a diet-business plan, meaning it includes fewer details, less in-depth analysis, and is much shorter than a traditional business plan. While the two business plans are different in length and detail, they typically include the same nine sections at varying lengths.

Lean Canvas vs. Business Model Canvas

Lean Canvas is an adaptation by Ash Maurya of Alexander Osterwalder’s widely-used business model canvas. Both are templates for the strategic management of a business’s important information. Business model canvas is for all new and existing businesses, while Lean Canvas is created specifically for lean startup entrepreneur’s use. In their approach, they differ as well; business model canvases focus on the infrastructure of a business, while Lean Canvases start with a problem and work toward a solution using an actionable template.

Lean Business Plan Sections Explained

A lean business plan includes valuable information about a startup for both the founder and relevant business partners. Unlike traditional business plans which are a more detailed business plan, lean business plans are concise, typically only one page, and include only the most pertinent information such as target market, marketing strategy, and pain point being solved. 

These are the sections you should include in your lean business plan template.

A lean startup plan starts the same way many successful startups do — by identifying a problem. In this case, it’s a good idea to start by identifying one to three problems and listing them in your Lean Canvas. The intention of starting your business plan with a list of problems is to ensure there is a market for your product. Think about it this way, if you create a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist or isn’t widespread, who will buy it?

Your startup’s task is to create a solution to the problem(s) you’ve identified. This section of your Lean Canvas outlines the solution for each problem you posted in the first section. Include a minimum viable product (MVP) that coincides with your proposed solution. Keep your solutions concise and easily digestible.

Key Metrics

Key metrics, the numbers that tell you how your business is performing, vary depending on your startup model and product. For example, some startups may include an ideal subscription percentage, while others may include an ideal amount of downloads in the first week. These goals will be used as a point of reference for you and your investors to assess your startup’s viability and success.

Unique Value Proposition

Describe in a single sentence why your startup is unique and valuable. Ideally, your unique value proposition will demonstrate to customers the promise that your startup solves their problem in an easily marketable way.

Unfair Advantage

What gives your startup a competitive advantage? Describe the edge your startup has that cannot be bought or copied by others — setting you apart from your competition.

Marketing Strategy

List the marketing strategy you’re planning to use to attract customers. This can be inbound or outbound channels to reach customers. Your strategy should be supported by market research and market analysis, as all these factors can impact the success of campaigns.

Customer Segments

Establishing your target market is absolutely essential to effectively marketing your product and keeping your startup afloat. Include your target customers as well as early adopters (otherwise known as the ideal customers) that your startup will initially appeal to. Be sure to include information about the marketing strategy that will be or is used to attract these users. 

Cost Structure

What your startup will be paying continuously without change (fixed costs) as well as costs that can change over time (variable costs) should be listed here. Essentially, any expense your startup will incur doing business should be considered in the cost structure to budget accurately and secure the necessary funding.

Revenue Streams

You know your costs. Now, you need to make a list of the revenue streams you have to cash roll your startup. These are your revenue streams, and they can be anything from business loans to venture capital.

Steps After Creating a Lean Startup Plan

Now that you have created the plan for your startup, it’s time to put it to the test. As much as startup plans can help entrepreneurs prepare for the road ahead, there is always room for improvement as the startup grows and adapts.

The ultimate test of your startup plan is to get to work. In lean startup methodology , entrepreneurs are encouraged to place their product on the market in order to rapidly improve upon their product and business as a whole. Therefore, in order to get an idea of what needs to be adjusted, you’ll need to put your business plan to the test.

Get a clear understanding of customer reception and feedback you receive about your startup’s products and services. You don’t need to take every suggestion; however, this feedback should help inform the adaption of your product to make it more consumer-friendly. Be open to criticism and ask questions. Listening to the response to your initial products can help you develop new strategies to improve.

Implement your findings from reviewing feedback by revising your business plan and rethinking product elements. Don’t be afraid to go back to the drawing board when you need to reimagine a business plan. The benefit of using a lean startup business plan is that there is a great deal of flexibility available to business owners to reassess their vision.

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Irrelevant search results of existing search engines, hard to find what you're searching for

Develop a technology that would allow users to search and find relevant content

Key Metrics

Number of search queries, percentage of users that end their search on the first page

Unique Value Proposition

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Unfair Advantage

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Revenue Streams

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What is a Lean Canvas?

A Lean Canvas is a strategic management and entrepreneurial tool that helps businesses to create and validate their business models. It was developed by Ash Maurya, an entrepreneur, and author of the book "Running Lean." The Lean Canvas is a one-page business plan that summarizes the most important aspects of a company's business model, such as the target market, the value proposition, revenue streams, cost structure, and key metrics. The Lean Canvas is based on the Lean Startup methodology, which emphasizes rapid experimentation and iterative development to reduce risk and uncertainty in the early stages of a business. The Lean Canvas is designed to be a flexible tool that can be easily adapted and updated as a company's business model evolves over time. It is often used in conjunction with other tools, such as customer development and agile development, to create a comprehensive approach to building successful businesses.

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Every small business should have a business plan and the Lean Canvas Template one-page plan is a great place to start. It is one of the best ways to map out the goals for your business and how you plan to reach these goals. A condensed business plan can also be used to pitch your business idea to potential investors, partners, or customers. While you may need a full business plan later, your one-page plan serves as an excellent introduction to your business. The Lean Canvas helps determine if you have a viable business concept by asking questions that an investor, lender or customer might ask.

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