Lean Canvas for Internal Projects

Use the Lean Canvas for Internal Projects to easily apply Lean Startup principles to internal company projects.

Lean Canvas for Internal Projects

Lean Canvas for Internal Projects

What's it for?


Innovation projects don’t just mean developing new products and services for external, paying customers. More and more companies are wanting use Lean Startup principles to deliver innovations to “internal customers” – to their fellow employees.

But how can you adapt the language of the Lean Canvas for internal project delivery?

The Lean Canvas for Internal Projects (and related instructions) has a handful of changes that help internal project teams apply the Lean Canvas using language they are more familiar with.

Use the Canvas to create an internal ‘business model’ for your innovation project that excites your internal customer. One that inspires them to eagerly ‘pull’ and implement new solutions themselves, rather than having to ‘push’ your project deliverable onto a reluctant and change-averse audience.

How to Use the Lean Canvas for Internal Projects


Step 1.

We'll assume you're already familiar with the Lean Canvas. In this adaption for internal projects, start in the same way, with customer segments and then their problem.

Step 2.

Continue filling in the canvas as you would have done before, but notice that a few of the boxes have changed titles. Revenue has become Value Created. Cost Structure has become Cost Structure / Budget. Unfair Advantage has become Buy-in / Support.

Step 3.

For a complete explanation of all the changes (and how to apply 'alien' concepts like channels and customer segments to internal projects) read our detailed guide: How to use the Lean Canvas for Internal Projects.

Want to develop your intrapreneurial skills? Check out the Intrapreneurship Mastery Training Program.

Like this tool? Share it with others...

More Intrapreneurship Resources


Pitch Checklist and Pitch Planning Canvas

Use the Pitch Planning Canvas to build the outline of your pitch. We’ve simplified the entire pitch creation process into a one-pager that shows you how to take an audience of budget-holders and stakeholders from skeptical to enthralled.

The Corporate Entrepreneurship Roadmap Poster

Discover a systematic and repeatable process that you can use to take your ideas and develop them into new products and services that customers really want, and will pay for... as fast as a startup.

Lean Startup Experiment Board

This is the Trello kanban board that we use ourselves to track and manage lean experiments in our business. It saves a ton of time (and paper) and works really well across when collaborating different sites.

Sticky Notes

Customer Persona

Use the Customer Persona Canvas to build a 360° view of your ideal customer that your whole team can get behind. With your completed canvas you'l be able to guide product development and target marketing messages specifically to your customers' needs.

Intrapreneur Skills Framework Poster

Understand the core traits and skills of an experienced intrapreneur and devise your own intrapreneurial development plan with the Intrapreneur Skills Framework.

Target Market Evaluation Canvas

Systematically evaluate candidate market segments for your idea. Select the one beachhead market that gives you the best chance of success based on your ability to execute, your ability to enter the market and the potential for profit.

Problem Statement Canvas

Use the Problem Statement Canvas to get 100% clear on the problem you plan to solve, why it's a big enough problem to care about, and the potential opportunity to be won if you're successful.

Customer Journey Meeting

Segment your potential customer base into groups with similar characteristics who are likely to use your new product or service in the same way.

Lean Canvas for Internal Projects

Use the Lean Canvas for Internal Projects to easily apply Lean Startup principles to internal company projects.

Let's Start Something New
Say Hello!

At Intrapreneur Nation we're on a mission to enable all businesses to become as entrepreneurial as the world's best startups. To join us (or just ask us a question), fill in the form below and member of our team will get back to you.
Let's start something new today.

0 of 350

CFPB v2

Success message!
Warning message!
Error message!