What is a business model?

A business model is a format of work structure that helps companies define the characteristics of their business. In a business model, a company states what they do and what they create, who they sell to and who buys it, and how much money they make versus how much it costs to produce profits. In other words, a business model helps a company determine how it will create value. Business models tell investors and customers how a particular company plans to solve certain business problems, and in doing so, what the potential upside of the business model might hold. If a company cannot live up to its business model, then it may choose to cease operations.

What is it important to learn about business models?

It's important to learn that business models are the modern assessment vehicle for how businesses are viewed. Learning about business models can help you articulate your own vision down the road when you have great ideas for businesses and need to interest investors in your idea. When a business forms, it needs to develop and make a case for a business model to gather the basic assumptions about the company's business goal. A business model can also help you learn what path a company will take to chase any potential work opportunity.

What careers can I work in by learning business models?

When you learn about business models, the knowledge you gain can help you find career work in technology companies, advertising agencies, financial consultancies, banking, manufacturing, and other fields. This is because researching, developing, and creating a business model requires insightful thought and analysis about the business opportunity, the target market, and the potential for the business model. As you learn about business models, you start to acquire tips and techniques that help define what the business is and in what direction it's headed. That knowledge can help you grow your career faster within a corporation or a startup.

How can taking online courses help me learn about business models?

Taking online courses to learn about business models is a smart way to gain real-world insights into how certain companies have evolved to bring their products into the world. You will be exposed to both business innovators and opportunistic dreamers who figured out a way to sell a business model to investors, customers, and the world at large. When you gain this knowledge, you'll have the tools to go out and develop your own business model to create your own success.

What are the benefits of taking an online Business Model course?

Online Business Model courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your existing knowledge or learn new Business Model skills. With a wide range of Business Model classes, you can conveniently learn at your own pace to advance your Business Model career skills.

What Business Model courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Business Model, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Best Business Model Courses & Certificates [2025]

Explore the Business Model Course Catalog

Kennesaw State University
Business Model Canvas: A Tool for Entrepreneurs and Innovators (Project-Centered Course)
Skills you'll gain: Value Propositions, Business Modeling, Presentations, Customer Analysis, Innovation, Business Process, Customer Relationship Management, Entrepreneurship, Target Market, Marketing Channel, Business Strategy, Strategic Partnership, Cost Management, Revenue Management, Resource Management
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
650 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Pennsylvania
Business and Financial Modeling
Skills you'll gain: Risk Modeling, Financial Statements, Probability Distribution, Mathematical Modeling, Statistical Modeling, Portfolio Management, Regression Analysis, Business Modeling, Financial Modeling, Strategic Decision-Making, Risk Management, Presentations, Decision Making, Data Visualization, Microsoft PowerPoint, Predictive Modeling, Investment Management, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Spreadsheet Software, Google Sheets
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
11K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Virginia
Innovating with the Business Model Canvas
Skills you'll gain: Design Thinking, Innovation, Process Design, Business Modeling, Customer experience strategy (CX), Business Process, Business Strategy, New Product Development, Strategic Partnership, Customer Analysis, Value Propositions, Product Management, Resource Allocation, Lean Methodologies, Market Opportunities
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
305 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Virginia
Business Strategy
Skills you'll gain: Growth Strategies, Business Strategy, Strategic Thinking, Plan Execution, Mergers & Acquisitions, Competitive Analysis, Organizational Strategy, Business Ethics, Peer Review, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Corporate Strategy, Strategic Decision-Making, Governance, Stakeholder Management, New Business Development, Business Research, Analysis, Project Management, Innovation, Market Analysis
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
4.5K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Pennsylvania
AI For Business
Skills you'll gain: AI Personalization, Generative AI, Data Ethics, HR Tech, Data Governance, Big Data, Machine Learning, Personally Identifiable Information, Data Security, Governance, Business Strategy, Human Resources, Organizational Strategy, Customer Data Management, Credit Risk, Risk Management, Tensorflow, Personalized Service, Data-Driven Decision-Making, People Management
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
1.3K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
University of Maryland, College Park
Entrepreneurship: Launching an Innovative Business
Skills you'll gain: Customer Analysis, Commercialization, Business Modeling, Strategic Decision-Making, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Finance, Market Opportunities, Business Planning, New Product Development, Sales Pipelines, Sales Strategy, Ideation, Sales Presentation, Product Development, Team Building, Business Strategies, Design Thinking, Capital Markets, Finance
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
2.2K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

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Status: Free
The State University of New York
Launch Your Online Business
Skills you'll gain: Branding, Marketing and Public Relations, Entrepreneurship, Content Creation, Video Production, Marketing, Copywriting, Business Modeling, Presentations, Customer Engagement, Value Propositions, E-Commerce, Web Design and Development, Photography, Persona Development
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
826 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Maryland, College Park
Building the Business Model for Corporate Entrepreneurs
Skills you'll gain: Business Modeling, Customer Analysis, Business Strategy, Entrepreneurship, Customer Insights, Value Propositions, New Product Development, Target Market, Business Development, Customer Relationship Management, Innovation, Product Strategy, Market Dynamics, Interviewing Skills
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
80 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: AI skills
Microsoft
Microsoft Business Analyst
Skills you'll gain: Microsoft Power Platform, Excel Formulas, Process Flow Diagrams, Business Process Modeling, User Story, Business Requirements, Stakeholder Management, Data Modeling, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Visio, Software Development Life Cycle, Requirements Analysis, Requirements Elicitation, Quality Management, Pivot Tables And Charts, Power BI, Microsoft Power Automate/Flow, Scrum (Software Development), Business Analysis, Project Management
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
946 reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free
University of London
Corporate Strategy
Skills you'll gain: Corporate Strategy, Business Strategy, Organizational Strategy, Strategic Decision-Making, Business Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Growth Strategies, New Business Development, Business Valuation, Resource Allocation, Analysis
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
2.7K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Tableau Learning Partner
Tableau Business Intelligence Analyst
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Exploratory Data Analysis, Requirements Elicitation, Data Presentation, Data Governance, Data Ethics, Tableau Software, Business Analysis, Data Literacy, Data Visualization Software, Data Warehousing, Business Metrics, Dashboard, Statistical Visualization, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Analysis, Spatial Data Analysis, Data Quality, Data Management, Interactive Data Visualization
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
940 reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free
Coursera Project Network
Business Strategy: Business Model Canvas Analysis with Miro
Skills you'll gain: New Product Development, Value Propositions, Business Modeling, Product Development, Business Analysis, Business Process Modeling, Stakeholder Communications, Business Solutions, Presentations, Business Strategy, Innovation
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
137 reviews
Intermediate · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours