The Value Proposition Canvas helps you answer one of the most important (and trickiest) questions in business:
“Why would anyone care about what we’re building?”

Created by Alex Osterwalder, the same mind behind the Business Model Canvas, this framework digs deeper into just two boxes of the original canvas: Customer Segments and Value Propositions. It’s a focused tool designed to help you make sure your product or service actually solves a real problem for real people — in a way they’ll value and pay for.

Put simply, it helps you build something people want. Not something that just looks good on a pitch deck.

This is especially useful if you’re:

• Validating a new product idea
• Trying to improve product-market fit
• Developing a go-to-market strategy
• Creating better messaging or marketing content
• Or just realising your current offering isn’t landing like you hoped

It forces you to stop thinking like a founder and start thinking like a customer.

At Foundra, we’ve made the Value Proposition Canvas easy to jump into. You can access it in PDF or Google Sheets. It’s built for whiteboarding, quick iteration, and team discussion — not for writing a novel.

The aim? To align what you’re offering (left side) with what your customer actually wants and needs (right side). When that alignment clicks, you’ve got traction. When it doesn’t, you’ve got crickets.

The Business Model Canvas is one of the most widely used tools in startup land — and for good reason. It gives you a complete snapshot of how your business works, all on a single page. Whether you’re just sketching out a new idea or refining something you’ve been building for years, it’s a fast way to bring clarity and focus to your thinking.

The canvas was originally introduced by Alexander Osterwalder in 2005. He wanted to simplify business planning, moving away from 50-page documents no one reads, to something visual, collaborative, and dynamic. It’s since become a global standard, used by startups, corporates, accelerators, and investors.

But this isn’t just for MBAs or consultants. The canvas is designed to be simple enough for anyone to use — whether you're a solo founder, a side-hustler, or a team working on your next product. The aim is to help you answer one big question: “How does this thing make sense as a business?”

At Foundra, we’ve made this tool even easier to use. You can download our Business Model Canvas in PDF, Google Sheets, or Excel format — perfect for brainstorming with your co-founder or pitching to investors.

Here’s what the canvas helps you map out:

• What you’re offering (and why people should care)
• Who it’s for
• How you’re going to reach them
• What you need to make it work
• How it makes money
• And what it’s going to cost

It’s not about being right on Day 1. It’s about getting started. You can — and should — come back to update it regularly.