Business Frameworks

Business Frameworks gives your startup seven planning canvases to fill in, edit and share. You can write them yourself or let AI draft each section from your startup profile.

Find them in the app under Resource Center → Business Frameworks. They are available on startup accounts.

Which framework to use

  • Business Model Canvas. Map the nine parts of your business, from customer segments to costs, on one page.
  • Lean Canvas. A one-page plan for an early idea: problem, solution, key metrics and unfair advantage.
  • SWOT Analysis. Your internal strengths and weaknesses, and the external opportunities and threats.
  • PESTLE Analysis. Political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors outside your control.
  • Architecture Communication Canvas. Explain a software architecture: stakeholders, quality requirements, context and components.
  • Data Strategy Canvas. Plan how you source, refine and use data, and the people and tools that takes.
  • Digital Marketing Canvas. Plan online marketing: audience, value proposition, channels and activities.

Not sure where to start? Use the Lean Canvas if you are still testing the idea, and the Business Model Canvas once you have customers. Hover over the info icon on each card in the app for a short description.

Fill in a framework

  1. Open Business Frameworks and click the framework you want.
  2. Turn on Edit Mode with the switch at the top.
  3. In each section, type your points. Click Add more for another point. The placeholder text in each section gives examples of what belongs there.
  4. Or click Use AI on a section to have it drafted from your startup profile. Read the draft and edit anything that is wrong or vague.

There is no save button. Changes save automatically half a second after you stop typing, as long as Edit Mode is on.

Use AI writes from your startup questionnaire, so a complete profile gives a much better draft. It needs the Go or Pro plan. Filling frameworks by hand, downloading and sharing them is free on every plan.

Download and share

Each framework card has two buttons under it.

  • Download saves the framework as a PDF.
  • Share sends the framework by email. Enter the recipient's address and they get the PDF as an attachment. They do not need a Startupply account.

If you don't see these buttons, your team role may not include download or share permission. Ask the account owner to check your role under User Management.

Common questions

The AI draft is generic.

The draft can only be as specific as your profile. Add detail to your problem, target customer and competitors in the startup questionnaire, then click Use AI again.

Can I use frameworks without a startup?

No. Frameworks belong to a startup. If you are using an individual profile, switch to your startup or create one first.

For a longer explanation of each framework, see our business frameworks guide.