55+ Business Model Pattern Cards
55+ business model patterns as a card set for systematic ideation and recombination.
PURPOSE
Engaging with business model patterns in a purely theoretical way often remains abstract and fails to inspire sufficiently. The Pattern Cards make the 55+ patterns tangible and enable playful combination and ideation within a team. They lower the barrier to business model innovation and encourage creative thinking through hands-on interaction.
HOW TO USE
In a workshop, the cards are laid out and the team selects relevant patterns or draws them randomly. Each card describes a business model pattern with an explanation, examples, and variants. Participants transfer the patterns to their own context and combine different cards to generate new business model ideas.
WHAT IT IS
The 55+ Business Model Pattern Cards are a physical card set from the BMI Lab at the University of St. Gallen. Each card describes a proven business model pattern such as Freemium, Razor and Blade, Subscription, or Platform. The card set is the tactile companion product to the Business Model Navigator and is used for ideation workshops and innovation workshops.
EXAMPLE
Example: In an innovation workshop, your team is tasked with developing new business model ideas for an insurance company. You lay out the 55+ Business Model Pattern Cards on the table and each team member draws three random cards — such as 'Freemium', 'Crowdsourcing', and 'Subscription'. The creative combination leads to the idea of a community-based insurance with a free basic coverage tier.