Lean Canvas (2025): How-to & Examples [+ Template]

The Lean Canvas is practical and focused on validating an idea, it ensures that you are not going to bring a service or product to market that no one is waiting for.

Do you want to bring your product or service to market more effectively?

I’m going to explain to you:

1. What the Lean Canvas is
2. Which components the Lean Canvas contains
3. And how to fill out the Lean Canvas

Let’s get started…

What is a Lean Canvas

The Lean Canvas originally comes from the Business Model Canvas, but is more problem and solution oriented:

This difference allows the Lean Canvas to be better used to validate a product or service.

The differences are:

	Business Model Canvas	Lean Canvas
To use for	Existing company	Startups
To use by	Operational people, entrepreneurs, advisors and investors	Entrepreneurs, founders and product-owners
Focus	Focus on delivering to and reaching the customer	Focus on the customer segment
Basis	Gaining market with a value proposition	Gaining an unfair advantage
Applicability	A strategic tool for a business to map it’s strengths and weaknesses	A problem-solution oriented method to approach a market

Don’t feel like reading this blog? Check out this video:

Why use the Lean Canvas?

There are several reasons why you might want to use the Lean Canvas:

1. It focuses on understanding the problem you are trying to solve, this allows you to better understand the customer.
2. It includes a research-based approach, as it focuses on validating your assumptions.
3. Contains key metrics to check that you are sailing the right course.
4. You stay lean, because you focus on speed and traction of your idea.
5. Faster time-to-market because the idea-to-product transition is smoother.
6. The Lean Canvas also focuses on capturing a unique place in the market.

1. Customer Segments.

Not everyone needs your product, it is important to be as specific as possible in choosing your customer segment.

Without a clear customer segment it is also not possible to properly empathize with the customer segment’s problems.

Tip: check out the TAM SAM SOM article.

Early Adopters

The ‘Customer Segments’ section also contains a piece with the Early Adopters, or your most potential customers…

These are the people you are going to approach first to validate your assumptions.

2. Problem

Without a problem worth solving, you have no product or service. For each key customer segment, come up with one to three high priority problems.

Existing Alternatives

The ‘Problem’ section also contains a section with existing alternatives, this is meant to write down your competitors that solve the same problem.

Note, this does not necessarily mean your direct competitors, but really companies that focus on the same problem.

3. Unique Value Proposition

The Unique Value Proposition is your promise of the value you will deliver…

It is the main reason why a customer should buy from you. It also shows where you stand out and why a customer segment should invest time or money in you.

Tip: check out the Value Proposition Canvas.

High-Level Concept

In the High-Level Concept section, there is space to write down briefly and clearly what your product or service represents. This is how your team or customers name your company to their friends, for example as “The Uber for boats”.

4. Solution

You will not find the solution to your problem in your first attempt. The solution is also not in your office, you will find it with the customer. Get Out Of The Building, or in other words, engage with the customer and validate different solutions.

While creating the solution, don’t forget to use the Build – Measure – Learn cycle.

5. Channels

How will you reach your customer segment? In the beginning, it’s not important to look at scalability, but at gathering insights.

Think about what channels you can use to access your customer segment, see where your customers are and try to reach them there.

It is not necessary to be on location with the customer, a solution can also be validated with an MVP, for example. A good example of this is Zappos, a simple website with some shoes that people could order online.

Tip: check out Testing Business Ideas.

6. Revenue Streams

Revenue Streams depend on the revenue model and pricing strategy you choose.

For startups it is normal to lower the price or even offer certain things for free to get traction. Important here is to ensure that you can validate demand for your product or service, it is not very difficult to get people to sign up or do something if it is free.

7. Cost Structure

Write down how much it costs to keep your business running, what is your burn rate, how much does it cost monthly to run your business, how much does it cost to interview customer segments, how much does market research cost, etc.

Try to calculate a break-even point in doing so.

8. Key Metrics

Every business has certain metrics that provide insight into how it is performing. A good way to map the health of your business is the Pirate Funnel Canvas.

It is not always about the part that goes towards the customer, because if you depend on staff, for example NPS can also be a very important metric for your business.

Tip: also check out the Growth Flywheel / Growth Formula.

9. Unfair Advantage

The Unfair Advantage is about a specific part of your company, product or service that your competitors can’t just get or copy.

This could be exclusive access to data, a community, authority, experience or perhaps a particular feature.

How do you complete the Lean Canvas?

First, download the Lean Canvas:

Lean Canvas example

Watch the video at the top of this article for a clear example. Here is a visual example from Uber:

Now it’s your turn…

I’m curious… How far along are you with your business or startup and what are you still running into?

Let me know in a comment!

P.S. would you like some extra help? Let me know at [email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions