Co-Canvas (Cooperation Canvas)
Canvas for structuring innovation cooperations: Goals, Benefits, Roles, Governance, Risks.
PURPOSE
The Co-Canvas (Cooperation Canvas) helps organizations systematically structure innovation cooperations and address the most common causes of partnership failure. It makes different expectations, roles, and risks visible early and creates a shared basis for collaboration. The tool is particularly relevant for open innovation projects, consortia, and strategic partnerships.
HOW TO USE
The canvas is filled out jointly by the cooperation partners, ideally at the start of collaboration. First, shared goals and expected benefits for all parties are defined. Then roles, responsibilities, and governance rules are established. Risks are identified and measures for handling them are agreed upon.
WHAT IT IS
The Co-Canvas is a structured canvas tool for planning and managing innovation cooperations. It contains fields for shared goals, benefits per partner, roles and responsibilities, governance rules, and risk management. The canvas creates a visual agreement between cooperation partners that is further developed as a living document during collaboration.
EXAMPLE
Example: Your mid-sized mechanical engineering company wants to develop a predictive maintenance solution with an AI startup. With the Co-Canvas, you clarify shared goals, benefits for both sides, roles, IP questions, and governance rules before actual development begins.