Foundation Builder: Canvas Population & Validation

Overview

Business foundation orchestration system that coordinates 10 specialized agents to build and maintain a validated Lean Canvas - the single source of truth for all strategic decisions.

Primary Mission: Populate and validate all 16 Canvas sections with evidence-based information (including business model mode selection)

Lifecycle:

• Pre-launch: Build foundation (Discovery → Launch)
• Operational: Maintain foundation (Canvas updates from validated learning)

Target Profile: AI-first lean startups operating with minimal human oversight

Final Output: Living Canvas that continuously reflects current business reality

System Architecture

Agent Organization

The system comprises 10 specialized agents organized into two tiers:

Core Agents (Always Active - 7 agents)

1. market-intelligence: Market analysis, competitive landscape, customer segmentation
2. problem-solution-fit: Problem validation, solution design, MVP definition
3. value-proposition: Unique value articulation, positioning, messaging
4. business-model: Revenue design, cost structure, unit economics
5. validation: Assumption testing, experiment design, hypothesis validation
6. go-to-market: Channel strategy, launch planning, growth tactics
7. execution: Task orchestration using Claude/GPT/Copilot, daily operations

Specialist Agents (On-Demand - 3 agents) 8. funding: Fundraising strategy, pitch development, investor targeting 9. regulatory: Compliance requirements, licensing, regulated market entry 10. retention-optimizer: Cohort analysis, churn prediction, optimization experiments

Canvas Population Flow

Each agent populates specific Canvas sections:

Agent	Canvas Sections
market-intelligence	01-context (KBOS), 02-constraints, 03-opportunity, 04-segments, 06-competitive
problem-solution-fit	05-problem, 09-solution, 10-assumptions
value-proposition	07-uvp, 08-advantage
business-model	11-pricing, 12-costs, 13-metrics
validation	10-assumptions (validation status)
go-to-market	14-growth, 15-gtm
funding	strategy/financials/fundraising.md

Information Flow

The system follows a structured progression through pre-launch phases:

Mode      Discovery → Definition → Validation → Execution → Launch
Select        ↓           ↓           ↓           ↓          ↓
  ↓       Market    Value Prop   Validation  Execution   GTM
  ↓       Intel  →  + Business  →  Agent   →   Agent  →  Agent
  ↓       Agent      Model
  ↓          ↓           ↓           ↓           ↓          ↓
Canvas    Canvas    Canvas       Canvas     artifacts/   Canvas
  00      01-06     07-12        10 (val)   Outputs      14-15

Mode determines: Which market research skill (venture vs bootstrap)

---

Orchestration Logic

Phase Detection

Determine the current pre-launch phase by analyzing the request context:

Mode Selection Phase (0)

• Triggers: Initial setup, business model strategy questions, "which mode should I use"
• Action: Create 00-business-model-mode.md with VENTURE/BOOTSTRAP/HYBRID declaration
• Output Focus: Business model mode declaration and rationale
• Canvas Sections: 00-business-model-mode
• CRITICAL: This must be completed before Discovery Phase

Discovery Phase (0a) - MODE-AWARE

• Triggers: Market research, TAM/SAM/SOM questions, competitive analysis, customer segmentation
• BEFORE ROUTING: Check strategy/canvas/00-business-model-mode.md for mode
• Primary Agents:
  • If VENTURE: market-intelligence (TAM focus) + market-research-venture skill
  • If BOOTSTRAP: market-intelligence (spend mapping) + market-research-bootstrap skill
  • Both: problem-solution-fit
• Output Focus: Mode-appropriate market understanding, problem identification
• Canvas Sections: 00-business-model-mode (if not exists), 01-context, 02-constraints, 03-opportunity, 04-segments, 05-problem, 06-competitive

Definition Phase (0b)

• Triggers: Product strategy, value proposition, business model design, pricing strategy
• Primary Agents: value-proposition, business-model, problem-solution-fit
• Output Focus: Clear positioning, revenue model, MVP scope
• Canvas Sections: 07-uvp, 08-advantage, 09-solution, 11-pricing, 12-costs, 13-metrics

Validation Phase (1a)

• Triggers: Testing assumptions, experiment design, MVP validation, pivot decisions
• Primary Agents: validation, execution
• Output Focus: Validated hypotheses, experiment results, pivot triggers
• Canvas Sections: 10-assumptions (status updates)

Execution Phase (1b)

• Triggers: Feature development, sprint planning, MVP build, implementation work
• Primary Agents: execution, validation
• Output Focus: Completed MVP, shipped code, progress metrics
• Outputs: Code, artifacts/ deliverables

Launch Phase (1c)

• Triggers: Launch planning, channel strategy, early user acquisition
• Primary Agents: go-to-market, execution
• Output Focus: Launch playbook, initial traction, first customers
• Canvas Sections: 14-growth, 15-gtm
• Completion: Once you have first customers + validated Canvas → pre-launch work complete

Specialist Scenarios

• Fundraising: funding agent (Seed preparation)
• Compliance: regulatory agent (regulated markets, licensing)
• Retention Analysis: retention-optimizer agent (post-first customers)

Routing Strategy

When a request arrives, follow this decision process:

1. Check Business Model Mode:

   • Read strategy/canvas/00-business-model-mode.md
   • If doesn't exist → Create it first (Phase 0: Mode Selection)
   • Mode determines market research approach and decision criteria

2. Identify Current Phase: Determine where in pre-launch lifecycle (0 → 0a → 1c)

3. Detect Specialist Needs: Check if funding, regulatory, or retention scenarios apply

4. Select Primary Agent(s): Choose 1-2 agents that best match the request

   • For market research: Use mode-appropriate skill
     • VENTURE: market-research-venture (TAM, growth, scale)
     • BOOTSTRAP: market-research-bootstrap (spend, arbitrage, profit)

5. Identify Canvas Target: Which Canvas sections will be populated/updated?

6. Coordinate Multi-Agent Workflows: For complex requests spanning multiple phases, sequence agents appropriately

7. Execute and Document: Route to selected agent(s), update Canvas, preserve context

Multi-Agent Coordination

For requests requiring multiple agents, coordinate in sequence:

Example: Initial Business Model

1. market-intelligence → Define TAM/SAM/SOM, segments (Canvas 01-04, 06)
2. problem-solution-fit → Validate problem-solution fit (Canvas 05, 09)
3. value-proposition → Define unique value and positioning (Canvas 07-08)
4. business-model → Design pricing and revenue streams (Canvas 11-13)
5. validation → List key assumptions to test (Canvas 10)

Example: Pre-Launch Preparation

1. validation → Validate remaining assumptions (Canvas 10)
2. business-model → Finalize pricing (Canvas 11)
3. go-to-market → Create launch playbook (Canvas 14-15)
4. execution → Build launch implementation plan (artifacts/marketing/)

Example: Post-Discovery Pivot

1. market-intelligence → Re-analyze market with new insights (Canvas 01-06)
2. problem-solution-fit → Revalidate problem-solution fit (Canvas 05, 09)
3. validation → Design pivot validation experiments (Canvas 10)
4. execution → Plan pivot implementation

---

Canvas Integration

Canvas as Startup Playbook Output

Path: strategy/canvas/

This skill's primary mission is to populate all 16 Canvas sections with validated information:

strategy/canvas/
├── 00-business-model-mode.md  ← foundation-builder (Phase 0)
├── 01-context.md              ← market-intelligence
├── 02-constraints.md          ← market-intelligence
├── 03-opportunity.md          ← market-intelligence
├── 04-segments.md             ← market-intelligence
├── 05-problem.md              ← problem-solution-fit
├── 06-competitive.md          ← market-intelligence
├── 07-uvp.md                  ← value-proposition
├── 08-advantage.md            ← value-proposition
├── 09-solution.md             ← problem-solution-fit
├── 10-assumptions.md          ← validation (all agents contribute)
├── 11-pricing.md              ← business-model
├── 12-costs.md                ← business-model
├── 13-metrics.md              ← business-model
├── 14-growth.md               ← go-to-market
└── 15-gtm.md                  ← go-to-market

Mode-Aware Note: The 00-business-model-mode.md file determines which market research skill is used and how decisions are prioritized throughout Canvas building.

Assumptions Tracking (Canvas 10)

All agents contribute hypotheses to 10-assumptions.md during pre-launch:

### A1: Target Market Size
**Status:** 📝 DRAFT
**Hypothesis:** AI-powered fashion recommendations TAM is $2B
**Confidence:** 40%
**Source:** market-intelligence agent, Gartner reports
**Test:** Pre-launch survey with 100 target customers
**Validation Criteria:** >60% express strong interest

Status progression:

• 📝 DRAFT → Pre-validation hypothesis
• ⏳ TESTING → Validation experiment running
• ✅ VALIDATED → Experiment confirmed hypothesis
• ❌ INVALIDATED → Experiment rejected hypothesis, pivot needed

Launch Completion

When Canvas is complete + validated:

1. All 15 sections populated
2. Key assumptions (10-assumptions.md) tested
3. First customers acquired
4. Revenue > $0

Then:

• Canvas becomes foundation for operational decisions
• Begin managing business through evidence-based operations

---

Context Management

To maintain effectiveness within subscription constraints:

1. Documentation-First: Every agent interaction produces Canvas updates or artifacts
2. Git Commits: Frequent commits preserve implementation context
3. Session Planning: Plan agent usage to stay within rate limits (~30-45 Claude messages per 3-4 hours)
4. Task Batching: Group related tasks to minimize context switching
5. Canvas-Centric: All strategic decisions flow through Canvas updates

---

Agent Sub-Skills

Each of the 10 agents is implemented as a sub-skill within this orchestrator:

Core Agents

• market-intelligence/ - Market analysis and competitive intelligence
• problem-solution-fit/ - Problem validation and solution design
• value-proposition/ - Value articulation and positioning
• business-model/ - Business model design and unit economics
• validation/ - Hypothesis testing and experiment design
• go-to-market/ - GTM strategy and launch planning

Specialist Agents

• funding/ - Fundraising strategy and investor relations
• regulatory/ - Compliance and regulatory navigation
• retention-optimizer/ - Post-first-customers retention analysis

Note: Sub-skills are invoked by this orchestrator based on the routing logic above. Each sub-skill contains specialized prompts, frameworks, and templates for its domain.

---

Success Metrics

Track these metrics to ensure pre-launch progress:

Canvas Completion: 16/16 sections populated with validated info (including 00-business-model-mode.md) Assumption Validation: >70% of key assumptions validated before launch MVP Velocity: 1.5-2x solo developer productivity Cost Efficiency:

• VENTURE: Burn rate tracked, runway >12 months
• BOOTSTRAP: <$500/month burn, profitable within 3 months Launch Readiness: All go-to-market elements defined and ready

Mode-Specific Success:

• VENTURE: TAM validated >$1B, growth path to $100M ARR clear
• BOOTSTRAP: First customer within 4 weeks, path to $5k MRR defined

---

Usage Examples

Example 0: Business Model Mode Selection

User Request: "I'm starting a B2B SaaS, should I use VENTURE or BOOTSTRAP mode?"

Orchestrator Action:

1. Detect phase: Mode Selection (0)
2. Ask clarifying questions:
   • Are you funded or planning to raise?
   • What's your timeline to profitability?
   • Is this a billion-dollar market or profitable niche?
3. Create: strategy/canvas/00-business-model-mode.md
4. Expected output: Mode declaration (VENTURE/BOOTSTRAP/HYBRID) with rationale

Example Response for Bootstrap:

**Active Mode:** BOOTSTRAP

**Rationale:**
- Self-funded, need profitability within 3 months
- B2B SaaS with clear monetization path
- Targeting profitable niche ($50M market)
- Exit optional, cash flow primary goal

Example 1: Initial Market Discovery (BOOTSTRAP Mode)

User Request: "Help me understand the competitive landscape for AI-powered beauty recommendations"

Orchestrator Action:

1. Check mode: Read 00-business-model-mode.md → BOOTSTRAP
2. Detect phase: Discovery (0a)
3. Route to: market-intelligence agent + market-research-bootstrap skill
4. Canvas targets: 01-context, 02-constraints, 03-opportunity, 04-segments, 06-competitive
5. Expected output:
   • Current spend mapping (who pays what today)
   • Budget holder identification
   • Arbitrage opportunities
   • Competitive pricing analysis
   • Q1 revenue potential

Example 1b: Initial Market Discovery (VENTURE Mode)

User Request: "Help me understand the competitive landscape for AI-powered beauty recommendations"

Orchestrator Action:

1. Check mode: Read 00-business-model-mode.md → VENTURE
2. Detect phase: Discovery (0a)
3. Route to: market-intelligence agent + market-research-venture skill
4. Canvas targets: 01-context, 02-constraints, 03-opportunity, 04-segments, 06-competitive
5. Expected output:
   • TAM/SAM/SOM analysis ($XB market)
   • Market growth rate (CAGR projections)
   • Competitive positioning and moat opportunities
   • 10x scale potential
   • Defensibility assessment

Example 2: Business Model Design

User Request: "How should we price our AI fashion recommendations service?"

Orchestrator Action:

1. Detect phase: Definition (0b)
2. Route sequence: business-model agent (primary) + value-proposition (supporting)
3. Canvas targets: 11-pricing, 12-costs, 13-metrics
4. Expected output: Pricing strategy with 3 tiers, unit economics, key metrics

Example 3: MVP Validation

User Request: "We built the MVP, how do we validate it works?"

Orchestrator Action:

1. Detect phase: Validation (1a)
2. Route to: validation agent (primary) + execution agent (supporting)
3. Canvas target: 10-assumptions (update status)
4. Expected output: Validation experiment design, success criteria, 2-week test plan

Example 4: Launch Preparation

User Request: "We're launching in 3 weeks, what do we need?"

Orchestrator Action:

1. Detect phase: Launch (1c)
2. Route sequence: go-to-market → execution
3. Canvas targets: 14-growth, 15-gtm
4. Outputs: Launch playbook, initial marketing materials in artifacts/marketing/
5. Expected output: 3-week sprint plan, launch checklist, completion criteria

---

Best Practices

For Effective Pre-Launch

1. Start with Discovery: Complete Canvas 01-06 before moving to Definition
2. Validate Before Building: Test assumptions (Canvas 10) before MVP development
3. Document Everything: All strategic decisions go into Canvas
4. Iterate Quickly: Use validation agent frequently to test hypotheses
5. Complete Thoroughly: Don't declare launch complete until Canvas is validated with real customers

For Canvas Population

1. One Section at a Time: Focus agents on completing Canvas sections sequentially
2. Evidence-Based: Every Canvas claim needs source (customer interviews, data, research)
3. Track Assumptions: Every hypothesis goes into 10-assumptions.md with validation plan
4. Update Status: Move assumptions from DRAFT → TESTING → VALIDATED/INVALIDATED
5. Maintain Quality: Clean, complete Canvas is the foundation for post-launch operations

For Budget Optimization

1. Batch Canvas Updates: Update multiple sections in one session
2. Use Right Tool for Right Job: Strategy in Claude, validation in GPT, boilerplate in Copilot
3. Leverage Templates: Reuse Canvas section templates
4. Front-Load Discovery: Thorough discovery (0a) prevents expensive pivots later

---

Launch Completion Checklist

Before declaring pre-launch work complete:

• Business model mode declared (00-business-model-mode.md)
• All 16 Canvas sections populated
• Key assumptions (>70%) validated
• MVP launched to first customers
• Revenue > $0 (even if just $1)
• Customer feedback collected
• Initial metrics tracked (13-metrics.md)
• GTM channels identified and tested (15-gtm.md)
• Business foundation ready for operational scaling

Mode-Specific Completion:

VENTURE Mode:

• TAM validated >$1B
• Burn rate and runway tracked
• Growth path to $100M ARR defined
• Fundraising timeline (if applicable)

BOOTSTRAP Mode:

• First paying customer acquired
• Path to profitability within 3 months clear
• Positive cash flow or near-positive
• Unit economics profitable

Pre-launch work is complete when:

• Canvas is validated with real customer data
• Product-market fit signals are emerging
• Mode-appropriate success criteria met
• Ready to shift from building to scaling

---

Remember

This skill is for building the business from zero to launch. Focus on:

• FIRST: Declare business model mode (VENTURE/BOOTSTRAP/HYBRID)
• Complete all 16 Canvas sections with validated data
• Use mode-appropriate market research (venture vs bootstrap skills)
• Test assumptions before scaling
• Achieve mode-appropriate traction:
  • VENTURE: Validate TAM >$1B, define path to $100M ARR
  • BOOTSTRAP: First customer, path to profitability within 3 months
• Build solid foundation for operational phase

Critical: The business model mode determines:

• Which market research skill to invoke
• How success is measured
• What metrics matter
• Decision prioritization throughout Canvas building

The startup-playbook mission is complete when you have customers, revenue, a validated Canvas, and mode-appropriate success criteria met. Don't rush to operations before the foundation is solid.