Startup Value Chain Framework
You're not building a product. You're taking ownership of a broken link.
What You'll Learn
This module shows you how to map the full arc of the problem you're solving - from origin to resolution - and identify where your startup creates the most leverage in that chain.
TLDR
- •startup value chain framework: map from raw input to money‑in; target leverage points with margin pools.
- •Choose tool, wedge, or platform; price to value created.
- •Design switching incentives for upstream/downstream players.
- •Prove one controlled slice before expanding.
Intro
Startups don't exist in a vacuum. Your product lives inside an ecosystem - and that ecosystem has stages, players, ownership, and friction. This module forces you to see the full sequence: from when a problem originates, to how it develops, to where your product actually intervenes. Then it pushes further: what happens after you succeed? Who owns the solution? What new challenges emerge?
Myths & False Signals
Value chain traps that blind founders.
- •Your product is the whole value chain — you're one link in a larger system.
- •You can ignore adjacent players — adjacent players become competitors or partners.
- •Value chains are static — they shift with technology, regulation, and customer behavior.
- •Capturing more of the chain means more value — controlling the right link matters more than controlling many.
Frequently Asked Questions
People Also Ask
Key Terms
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