PREPSOIL Report: Designing Business Models for Soil Living Labs & Lighthouses

The PREPSOIL Report on Living Labs and Lighthouses Model Business Plans provides a detailed overview of the methodology and process used to develop a business models canvas tailored to Soil Living Labs (LL) and Lighthouses (LH) across various land use types, namely agriculture, forestry, post-industrial, and (peri-)urban areas.

The report, available on Zenodo, follows a meticulous three-step methodology: understand, co-design, and evaluate, involving collaboration with PREPSOIL partners and sister projects.

Key Elements of the Business Model Canvas

The Business Model Canvas proposed by PREPSOIL is an essential tool for planning the growth, upscaling, and stability of Soil LL and LH. Key elements of this canvas include:

1. Mission Soil objectives the LLs aim to tackle,
2. Specific land use type that they address,
3. 14 Canvas elements (as shown in the image below); and
4. 41 Spheres of intervention for further specifications under the elements of the BMC.

This tailored Business Model Canvas is designed to enhance the performance and maturity of these initiatives, ensuring they can sustain their impact beyond initial EU funding.

For LLs and LHs to thrive, they must develop sustainable business models that attract diverse funding sources and engage a wide range of stakeholders. The evolution of business models from a profit-centric focus to a broader value creation logic is crucial for adapting to emerging opportunities and threats.

Recommendations on sustainability

To enhance the sustainability of Soil Living Labs and Lighthouses, the report offers several key recommendations:

1. Adopt a collaborative approach with inclusive co-creation and diverse stakeholder participation;
2. Diversify funding sources, exploring hybrid incentives and public-private partnerships;
3. Leverage existing networks and partnerships for awareness and capacity-building;
4. Promote stakeholder engagement across sectors
5. Implement robust governance structures for adaptability;
6. Enhance value propositions, highlighting the benefits of healthy soils;
7. Utilize economic valuation of ecosystem services;
8. Facilitate knowledge exchange and capacity building;
9. Regularly monitor and evaluate to ensure continuous improvement;

The PREPSOIL Business Model Canvas for Soil Living Labs and Lighthouses is also now available as an interactive tool on the PREPSOIL website and will be included in a package of tips and tools to be launched in early 2025. A handy user guide can be found on Zenodo.

 Learn more about how PREPSOIL is supporting the creation of 100 LLs & LHs in Europe

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Article by Ida Brems Sørensen (Aarhus Universitet)