The Business Model Canvas (BMC) for Soil Living Labs (LLs) and Lighthouses (LHs) was developed by the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL) under the EU funded project PREPSOIL. It is a tailor-made tool created to support these initiatives in designing strategies for long-term stability. Built with the specific needs of Soil LLs and LHs in mind, the canvas offers a structured yet flexible framework to guide decision-making and communicate value to stakeholders. [Click here to read more]
As part of the PREPSOIL process, practical insights were gathered across a range of activities supporting LL and LH business model development. These examples reflect the lived experience of LLs and have been mapped to the various elements of the BMC.
To help users navigate this knowledge, the insights have been classified based on their relevance:
In this page, you'll find a filterable catalogue of insights linked to specific BMC elements and spheres of intervention. You can browse by:
For example, an agricultural LL looking for real-world insights of private sector engagement can select “Agriculture” under the Focus filter, and “Private Sector” under the 4. Key Stakeholders element.
These insights are intended to guide and inspire LLs and LHs as they build their own business models—recognizing that each lab’s ambition, capacity, and local context is unique.
Projects funded under the EU Mission Soil initiative should also ensure that their business models reflect the objectives outlined in the Mission Soil Implementation Plan, as well as the land use type they aim to address. This focus is essential for shaping effective and sustainable strategies.
To enrich the catalogue with new, practical insights, we invite soil experts, Mission Soil projects, Living Lab practitioners, and related initiatives to share their experiences and examples connected to key BMC elements and intervention areas. You can contribute your inputs and insights through this link.
A deeper dive into the methodology and development process behind the BMC.
Detailed instructions and guiding questions for completing each section of the canvas.
If part of the LL, inflow of cash from pilot activities (e.g. food trucks, menus in restaurants and canteens)
Implement erosion prevention techniques to stabilize the soil and prevent nutrients loss (e.g. reforestation, planting cover crops, constructing terraces, and maintaining riparian buffers)
Improve soil literacy in society
Improve soil literacy on urban soils
Improve soil structure to enhance soil biodiversity
Improve soil structure to enhance soil biodiversity
Improve the social awareness on sustainable food
Improve the social awareness on sustainable food
Improved land owner´s public image
Improved soil fertility and structure through sustainable urban practices
In case the LL counts on value chain analyses as part of the performance, number of restaurants, food shops and canteens involved, as well as number of products labelled to reward fair practices
In case the LL counts on value chain analyses as part of the performance, number of restaurants, food shops and canteens involved, as well as number of products labelled to reward fair practices