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✅ Why this step ensures you have what it takes to execute
You can’t deliver your value proposition without the right ingredients.
The Key Resources section of the Business Model Canvas outlines the physical, digital, financial, and human assets required to develop, deliver, and support your product or service. It's about identifying what you must have in place—from skills to systems—to actually make your business model work.
📘 What you’ll define
- People with critical skills (engineers, designers, sales, ops, legal)
- Equipment, tools, and lab setups for prototyping or production
- Digital infrastructure (servers, APIs, platforms, licenses)
- Financial resources (funding, credit lines, runway)
- IP, brand, certifications, or unique assets
🛠️ Tools and methods
✅ Key Resources Checklist
List human skills essential for product development and delivery
Identify any proprietary IP, patents, or technical enablers
Document physical tools and systems (labs, rigs, 3D printers, test gear)
Track digital services and platforms (SaaS tools, cloud hosting, APIs)
Include funding or cashflow requirements to sustain operations
Map which resources are internal vs. partner-provided
Example Resource Table
| Resource Type | Example | Role in Model |
| Human | Embedded systems engineer | Core firmware development |
| Digital | AWS IoT + analytics dashboard | Device data storage + visibility |
| Physical | Rapid prototyping lab + jigs | Validate mechanical designs quickly |
| Financial | Seed funding + grant for tooling | Enable first production run |
| Intangible | CE certification + brand trust | Market entry + competitive edge |
- Pair with Key Activities to ensure full delivery support
- Use Notion, Airtable, or a spreadsheet to track readiness or gaps
⚠️ Pitfalls to avoid
- Only listing team members—tools, IP, and finance matter too
- Assuming resources are available without checking cost or access
- Skipping intangible assets (brand, trust, community, data)
- Not aligning resources with partners and activities
💡 From resource-conscious startups
“We had the talent—but no access to certified labs. That bottleneck shaped our launch timeline more than the tech ever did.”– CTO, Wearable HealthTech Venture
💡 Key resources often determine what’s possible—more than ideas or ambition.
🔗 Helpful links & resources
- BMC Resource Mapping Template
- Download: Resource–Activity Alignment Grid
- Article: What You Really Need to Make a Product Happen
- Follow-on: Cost Structure
✍️ Quick self-check
Do we have all the core human, physical, and digital resources we need?
Have we mapped out which resources are owned, rented, or partnered?
Are resource costs and gaps reflected in our budget?
Are critical certifications, IP, or brand assets accounted for?
🎨 Visual concept (optional)
Illustration: A toolkit diagram with icons for “Engineer”, “Cloud Dashboard”, “3D Printer”, “Brand Asset”, and “Funding Pot”. Arrows link each to sticky notes labelled “Firmware”, “Launch”, “Market Access”.
Visual shows how Key Resources are the essential inputs that make your product—and your business—possible.