A Strategic Tool for Soil Living Labs and Lighthouses
Effectively creating, delivering, and capturing value is essential for Soil Living Labs (LLs) and Lighthouses (LHs) to secure investments and long-term stability. The PREPSOIL Business Model Canvas (BMC) for Soil LLs and LHs has been designed specifically to support these initiatives in clearly communicating their value proposition to diverse stakeholders, distinguishing themselves from other efforts, and increasing their chances of funding and impact.
Explore the User Guide
Get step-by-step instructions, guiding questions, and definitions for each of the 14 elements in the canvas. This guide is your go-to resource for completing the PREPSOIL BMC with clarity and confidence.
Get Your Working Copy of the BMC
Download your own editable copy of the BMC. Use it to design or refine the business model of your Soil LL or LH. Includes all elements, and space for tailored input.
Browse the Insights Catalogue
Explore a collection of real-world insights from the PREPSOIL’s work with Living Labs. Insights are organized as common to all LLs, common to Soil LLs, or land use-specific, helping you adapt your business model to your unique context.
Why Use a Business Model Canvas?
A Business Model (BM) goes beyond a simple operational plan—it is both a strategic and cognitive tool that helps Soil LLs and LHs clearly define how they create, deliver, and capture value.
Among the various BM frameworks available, the Business Model Canvas stands out for its simplicity, clarity, and adaptability. It provides a visual, collaborative space for innovation—ideal for Living Labs operating in dynamic environments.
The PREPSOIL BMC: Co-Designed for Soil LLs & LHs
The PREPSOIL BMC was developed through a collaborative, year-long process involving three key phases: Understand, Co-Design, and Evaluate. This iterative process ensured the canvas was grounded in both real-world needs and existing best practices.
For a deeper dive into the methodology, consult the PREPSOIL Report on LL/LH Business Model Plans (D4.2).
Structure of the PREPSOIL BMC
The PREPSOIL canvas includes:
- 2 Overarching Components:
- The objective of the LL/LH, aligned with the Mission Soil Implementation Plan
- The land use type where the LL/LH will operate
- 14 Key Elements, each representing a core dimension of the business model
- Spheres of Intervention for each element, allowing tailored input based on context
How to Use the Canvas
Filling in the PREPSOIL BMC follows a logical step-by-step order that helps ensure consistency and coherence across the model.
For detailed instructions, guiding questions, and definitions for each section, check out the Business Model Canvas for Soil Living Labs and Lighthouses: A Guide for Users.
Real-World Insights to Inspire Your Business Model
Through PREPSOIL’s collaborative work with Soil LLs and LHs, a wealth of real-world insights were gathered for each element of the Business Model Canvas. These insights are meant to provide inspiration and practical guidance, helping LLs and LHs shape their own models while taking into account their specific goals, capacities, and contexts.
To make them easier to navigate, the insights have been classified by their relevance. Some are common to all LLs, regardless of their thematic focus or land use context. Others are common to Soil LLs, applicable to any LLs working on soil-related challenges. Finally, some insights are land use-specific, meaning they are particularly relevant for LLs operating in agriculture, forestry, (post-)industrial, or (peri-)urban environments.