Top 10 Business Model Canvas Key Activities Examples in 2025: Best Practices for Startups
Top 10 Business Model Canvas Key Activities Examples in 2025: Best Practices for Startups
In 2025, creating an effective Business Model Canvas (BMC) is more essential than ever for startups looking to gain a competitive edge. The BMC is an invaluable tool that helps visualize a startup's key business activities, ensuring all critical elements are in place for success. One of the most crucial components of the BMC is the Key Activities section. This article will dive deep into ten best practices for identifying key activities in a Business Model Canvas, providing insights, examples, and a step-by-step guide for startups.
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Why Are Key Activities Important in a Business Model Canvas?
Key Activities are central to the operations of any startup. They are the most critical tasks that a business must perform to fulfill its value proposition, develop products, reach customers, and generate revenue. These activities significantly impact the efficiency, effectiveness, and overall success of a business model. For startups, clearly defining these activities is crucial for resource allocation, strategic planning, and operational execution.
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Top 10 Business Model Canvas Key Activities Examples in 2025
1. Product Development
Focus on activities such as creating new products, improving existing ones, and conducting continuous quality assurance. For example, BusinessDojo outlines key product development activities for software ventures, including coding, testing, and user experience design.
2. Customer Relationship Management
Activities aimed at building and maintaining relationships with customers. This includes customer support, feedback collection, and loyalty programs. For more insights, see Key Activities Business Model Canvas - FourWeekMBA.
3. Marketing and Sales
Executing marketing campaigns, developing sales strategies, and engaging with customers through various channels. UpGrad provides examples of how marketing campaigns can be key activities in various business models.
4. Content Creation
Creating valuable content such as blogs, videos, podcasts, and social media posts to attract and engage customers. This is crucial for businesses that operate heavily online or rely on content marketing.
5. Supply Chain Management
Managing the supply chain to ensure the timely procurement of raw materials and delivery of finished products. This includes logistics, inventory management, and supplier relationship management.
6. Platform/Network Management
For companies that operate digital platforms, managing the platform's technical infrastructure, and ensuring it remains user-friendly and secure is vital. DigitalBizModels highlights key activities for digital business models.
7. Research and Development
Investing in R&D to innovate and stay ahead of competition. This includes technological research, market research, and experimental development projects.
8. Human Resources and Training
Recruiting, training, and retaining employees. Ensuring that the team has the skills and resources needed to meet business objectives.
9. Compliance and Legal Work
Ensuring that the business complies with all relevant laws and regulations. This includes activities like filing patents, trademarks, and maintaining corporate governance.
10. Financial Management
Tracking financial performance, managing budgets, and securing funding are crucial for any startup's longevity and growth.
How to Use a Business Model Canvas: A Step-by-Step Guide
Define Your Value Proposition: Understand what makes your product or service unique for your customers.
Identify Key Activities: List the tasks that are vital to delivering your value proposition and maintaining operations.
Determine Key Resources: Identify the assets necessary to perform your key activities.
Identify Key Partners: Determine which external companies or individuals you need to work with to perform your key activities.
Define Customer Segments: Identify who your customers are and how to reach them effectively.
Outline Customer Relationships: Plan how you will build and maintain relationships with your customers.
Select Channels: Determine through which methods you will deliver your value proposition to your customer segments.
Calculate Cost Structure: Identify the costs associated with all activities, resources, and partnerships.
Identify Revenue Streams: Determine how your business will earn revenue from its value proposition.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Ignoring Market Changes: Always adapt your key activities to changing market conditions.
Overlooking Team Input: Ensure that all team members contribute to identifying key activities.
Neglecting Continuous Improvement: Regularly revisit and refine your key activities to ensure ongoing relevance and efficiency.
Conclusion
Defining and executing key activities accurately is vital for the success of your business model. In 2025, leveraging tools and frameworks like the Business Model Canvas can provide the clarity and structure needed to navigate the complex startup landscape. Make use of the F/MS Business Model Canvas Tool to streamline your planning process and ensure all critical activities are aligned with your business goals.
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FAQ
1. Why are Key Activities important in a Business Model Canvas (BMC)?
Key Activities are central to fulfilling a startup's value proposition, developing products, reaching customers, and generating revenue. They significantly impact the efficiency, effectiveness, and overall success of a business model.
2. What are some examples of key activities in product development?
Key activities in product development include creating new products, improving existing ones, and conducting continuous quality assurance. Examples for software ventures include coding, testing, and user experience design. Explore more insights on product development
3. How does customer relationship management fit into key activities?
4. What marketing and sales activities should be included in a BMC?
Marketing and sales activities include executing marketing campaigns, developing sales strategies, and engaging with customers through various channels. Discover marketing campaigns and strategies
5. Why is content creation a vital key activity?
Content creation is crucial for attracting and engaging customers online through blogs, videos, podcasts, and social media posts, especially for businesses that rely heavily on content marketing.
6. What does supply chain management involve in key activities?
Supply chain management activities include the timely procurement of raw materials, delivery of finished products, logistics, inventory management, and supplier relationship management.
7. How do startups manage platform and network key activities?
Managing platform and network activities involves overseeing the technical infrastructure of digital platforms, ensuring they are user-friendly and secure. Insights on platform management
8. What role does research and development (R&D) play in key activities?
R&D activities involve investing in innovation to stay ahead of the competition, which includes technological research, market research, and experimental development projects.
9. Why are human resources and training important key activities?
Key activities in human resources and training include recruiting, training, and retaining employees to ensure the team has the skills and resources needed to meet business objectives.
10. What are the main compliance and legal work activities in a BMC?
Compliance and legal work activities involve ensuring adherence to relevant laws and regulations, such as filing patents and trademarks, and maintaining corporate governance.