BMC – Key partners

✅ Why this step identifies who you need to succeed

You don’t build in a vacuum. Every successful product relies on trusted partners.

The Key Partners block of the Business Model Canvas defines the external organisations, suppliers, or collaborators that help you deliver your value proposition. They can reduce risk, speed up development, lower costs, or unlock channels. Choosing the right partners—and knowing why you need them—is essential to making your model work.

📘 What you’ll identify

  • Suppliers of core components, materials, or tools
  • Technical partners who provide platforms, integrations, or development help
  • Manufacturing or logistics providers
  • Channel or distribution partners
  • Compliance bodies or legal enablers (e.g. CE test labs, certification)
  • Strategic alliances to share risk or co-develop

🛠️ Tools and methods

✅ Key Partners Checklist

List all external parties essential to delivering your MVP or product
Identify their role (supply, compliance, dev, distribution, etc.)
Clarify the risk or dependency they manage
Note relationship status: known, contacted, confirmed, onboarded
Link each partner to your cost structure and value proposition
Define any shared incentives or risk-sharing terms

Example Partner Table

Partner TypeName / TypeRole in ModelNotes
ManufacturingLocal contract manufacturerPCB assembly and testing6-week lead time, CE ready
Tech PlatformAWS IoTDevice connectivity backendPay-as-you-go SaaS model
Channel PartnerTrade distributor (UK + EU)Product marketing and B2B fulfilment10% margin, own packaging
Compliance LabUL / TÜVCE / UKCA / FCC testingNeeded pre-launch
  • Use a partner map or checklist to track status and risks
  • Revisit after MVP and before scaling

⚠️ Mistakes to avoid

  • Assuming DIY is always better—partners often accelerate growth
  • Relying on one supplier with no fallback
  • Treating partnerships as “set and forget”—they need managing
  • Not including legal, logistics, or compliance as partners

💡 From supply and ops teams

“Our CE testing partner flagged an issue before launch. That relationship saved us from a major delay.”

– Hardware Ops Lead, Wearables Startup

💡 Good partners don’t just deliver—they help you spot problems early.

🔗 Helpful links & resources

  • Partner Mapping Canvas
  • Download: Partner Tracker + Risk Scoring Grid
  • Article: Who You Need on Your Side: Partnerships for Product Startups
  • Follow-on: Cost Structure

✍️ Quick self-check

Have we listed every partner critical to delivering, selling, or certifying our product?
Do we understand what each partner does—and what risk they reduce?
Are any partnerships under development or unconfirmed?
Do we have a plan to track partner reliability and relationship strength?

🎨 Visual concept (optional)

Illustration: A partnership diagram shows nodes for “PCB Supplier”, “Test Lab”, “Platform API”, and “Logistics”. Arrows link each to “Our Product” in the centre, with tags like “Certification Enabler”, “Revenue Share”, and “Joint Risk”.

Visual shows how Key Partners make your business model possible—not just easier.
Scroll to Top