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title: 'Product: Canvases'
tags: [Blogpost]

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tags: Blogpost
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# Product: Canvases
![](https://i.imgur.com/WaphA9W.jpg)

New functionality is continously added to Alkemio. A big step forward was taken recently when we launched Canvases.

## What is a Canvas?
A Canvas on the Alkemio platform is essentially a whiteboard whereby users can **create and collaborate visually**. It is similar to well known tools such as Miro, but adapted to support the flows needed for Alkemio users. Canvases can be based on various Templates that are designed at the Hub or Challenge level. When a collection of Templates is set at the Hub level, they are automatically available to all Challenges within that Hub.

The data for Canvases in Alkemio is stored within the platform and managed within the context of a Challenge or Hub. It does not reside on the servers of yet another service. The data is yours and you can download it / use it elsewhere.

## What can I do with them?
Canvases are a great way to **share best practices**, for example on how to brainstorm around your potential business model, creating a storyboard or describing your key customers. Instead of searching for ways to do so, you can choose one of the available Templates and start immediately. Furthermore, they can **provide the core material** that should be used by people working on Challenges within a particular context. Let's show you three examples!

First, the Template below can be used to *create personas*. It allows you to define the most important characteristics of key stakeholders.
  <img src="https://i.imgur.com/lR5r3vp.png" alt="drawing" width="400" style="display: block; margin: 0 auto"/>

Second, the following Template can help you brainstorm about the core elements of a business model. As you can see, the Template can also *include useful icons* for such a process. 

![Business Model Template](https://i.imgur.com/duvaQBp.png)

Third, you can also *add guidelines* on how to use the Template as shown in this example of the Triple Diamond Model.

![](https://i.imgur.com/UPooMO2.jpg)

You can find some more Canvases in the following [Challenge](https://hub.alkem.io/open-innovation/challenges/canvas-templates/canvases) where we will be sharing additional Template examples.

## How can I create them?
The Canvases in Alkemio are built on top of the Excalidraw component. You can see many more examples of what can be done on that platform via their own online hosted environment (**tip**: browse their [libraries](https://libraries.excalidraw.com/?target=_excalidraw&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fexcalidraw.com%2F&useHash=true&token=RM8c2HaxtZ5dajcEvn9LU&theme=light&version=2&sort=new)). Kudos to the Excalidraw team for what they have created, and very much looking forward to helping them take their platform further.

To conclude, Canvases are a very powerful addition to the Alkemio platform, which we will develop further in the coming months. For now please [sign up](https://hub.alkem.io/identity/registration) and explore. We are looking forward to seeing what Templates are created and shared!