About the Business Model Canvas Essentials certification

The Business Model Canvas, developed by Alexander Osterwalder, is a visual tool used to describe, analyze, design and develop business models. It presents nine interconnected building blocks on a single page, so teams can see how a business creates, delivers and captures value, spot weak points and communicate their strategy to investors, partners and employees.

The BMCEPC™ is designed as a first step. It does not require prior experience, a paid course or a membership. You study the official material at your own pace, take the exam online when you feel ready, and only pay if you decide to make your result official.

• Business model design
• Value proposition design
• Customer segmentation
• Revenue streams and cost structure
• Strategic thinking
• Lean Canvas
• Business model innovation

How to get the BMCEPC™ certification

Two free steps. No sign-up fee and no credit card needed.

1. Step 3: pass with 60% or moreAnswer at least 12 of 20 questions correctly.
2. Step 4 (optional): make it officialClaim the official certificate and digital badge after you pass. See what is free and what is paid.

Why business model skills matter

Figures come from the independent sources linked on each card.

What you'll learn

1. Introduction to the Business Model Canvas

   What a business model is, why the canvas fits it on a single page, and how it helps teams sketch new ideas and hold better strategic conversations.

2. The nine building blocks

   Customer segments, value proposition, channels, customer relationships, revenue streams, key resources, key activities, key partners and cost structure.

3. Building each block

   The guiding questions for each block, such as who you create value for, which problems you solve and which costs matter most.

4. Filling in the canvas

   A recommended sequence for completing the nine blocks so that each one builds on the others.

5. Real business model examples

   Complete canvases for Tesla and Netflix that show how each block works in a real company.

6. Using the canvas in practice

   How to use the canvas to communicate a business idea, analyze an existing business model, and iterate and improve it with tested ideas.

7. The Lean Canvas

   Ash Maurya's one-page template adapted from the Business Model Canvas for startups, with Problem, Solution, Key Metrics and Unique Advantage blocks.

8. Lean Canvas vs. Business Model Canvas

   Why the Business Model Canvas looks at the model as a whole while the Lean Canvas focuses on validating hypotheses, and how to use both together.

The official study guide is organized in eight sections, from the introduction and the nine building blocks to the Lean Canvas, and it includes worked canvases for Tesla and Netflix plus a hands-on workshop.

Who this certification is for

• Students and beginnersA first, recognizable strategy credential for your résumé.
• EntrepreneursVisualize and test your business idea on a single page before you invest in it.
• Product managers and consultantsUse a shared visual language to analyze and improve business models with your team or clients.
• Project managers and career changersUnderstand how the projects you work on connect to the way a business creates and captures value.

BMCEPC™ exam format

BMCEPC™ vs. Lean Startup vs. Design Thinking

These approaches are often used together, but they serve different strategic purposes.

Ready to go further? CertiProf's Business Agility Professional Certification (BAPC™) shows how entire organizations adapt their business models to rapid market shifts.

What is free and what is paid

Taking the BMCEPC™ exam costs nothing. You only pay if you pass and decide you want official proof of your result.

Want several certifications? See all certification options, including the bundle.

Frequently asked questions