Award-Winning Board Game

Learn Lean Startup by playing it

Teaching innovation must go beyond colorful slides. Playing Lean is the safe simulator where thousands of entrepreneurs and teams learn to build winning products — without risking real money.

Get Playing Lean 2 See how it works ↓
10 hrs to fund on Kickstarter
100+ trained facilitators
Global Oslo to Sydney
About the Game

Your flight simulator for Lean Startup

Playing Lean is the board game where players face the hard choices of innovation without leaving the room. Teams compete as startups, running experiments, building features, and racing to capture market share — all while staying lean.

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Experiment Cards

Each experiment card teaches a real Lean Startup, Lean Canvas, or Value Proposition Design concept — and reveals what customers actually need.

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Build Lean

Every feature adds complexity and cost. You must build only what customers will pay for — a lesson that sticks long after the game ends.

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Created with Alexander Osterwalder

Playing Lean 2 was co-developed with the inventor of the Business Model Canvas, grounding the game in Value Proposition Design.

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Capture the Market

Four startups compete for the same emerging market. Upgrade your company, outsell your rivals, and avoid the innovator's chasm.

Real gameplay, real learning

Used in corporate training, universities, accelerators, and by independent coaches worldwide.

Experiment cards Company board
Gameplay

How it works

Each round, teams make hard tradeoffs — just like real startups. The stakes feel real even though the only thing on the line is your ego.

Run Experiments

Play experiment cards to learn what your target customers actually need. Choose wisely — each card costs resources.

Build Features

Once you know what customers want, build the product features that match. But beware — complexity compounds fast.

Grow Your Company

Bid against rivals to upgrade your Company Blocks each turn. Better blocks mean faster building, experimenting, and selling.

Sell to Customers

Start with individual early adopters and scale toward the mass market. First to the majority market wins.

Win or Learn

Either you capture the market or you fall into the chasm. Either way, you walk away with lessons that actually stick.

Game Editions

Three scenarios, one methodology

Start with the base game, then expand with additional scenarios that add new concepts and replayability.

Playing Lean 2 base game
Base Game

Hospitality Industry

The core Playing Lean 2 scenario, built around the Value Proposition Design framework in partnership with Alexander Osterwalder. The perfect introduction to Lean Startup for any team.

Ride Sharing scenario
Expansion

Ride Sharing

Explore additional Lean Startup concepts through the lens of a competitive ride-sharing market. A great replay for teams who've already completed the base scenario.

Social Media scenario
Expansion

Social Media

Dive into the dynamics of social platform growth and network effects. This scenario extends both the concept coverage and the replayability of your game.

What facilitators say

Trusted by coaches and educators worldwide

Playing Lean is an excellent game to create an understanding of the essence of Lean Startup, providing a hands-on experience that is hard to achieve in any other way.
Caspar Lund Growth Advisor
My client's response after the Facilitator Training was: "It was one of the most valuable workshops I've ever attended." That says it all.
Joeri Timmermans Startup Advisor and Coach
I can highly recommend the Facilitator Training to other coaches who serve executives, Lean practitioners, and startup teams. It changed how I run workshops.
Andrew Kidd CEO & Founder
Playing Lean has very good dynamics that are well connected to real-world practices. It's easy to connect the game experience to everyday innovation challenges.
Miro Hegedic Researcher, Mentor, Founder
Playing Lean is a well-thought-out tool to introduce Lean Startup concepts into new environments, allowing people to experience the Lean approach firsthand.
Jorge Castellote Transformation & Innovation Leader
People who want to learn Lean Startup without reading the book, companies that want to train employees in innovation — this game is the answer for both.
Bert Heymans Business Analyst
Online Course

Playing Lean Facilitator Training

Everything you need to run powerful Lean Startup workshops — used by coaches, educators, and innovation teams worldwide.

  • 🎥 Video walkthroughs of game rules, facilitation, and Lean Startup theory
  • 📄 Ready-to-use templates for in-person and online sessions
  • 🃏 Backstories for all Hospitality Experiment Cards
  • 📦 PDFs, PowerPoints, graphics, and workshop materials
  • 💬 Unlimited access to instructors for rules and workshop advice
€899 One-time payment · Lifetime access
Enroll Now →
Playing Lean Facilitator Training
Playing Lean 2 board game

Get Playing Lean 2

The award-winning board game to teach Lean Startup and innovation — used in universities, corporates, and accelerators worldwide.

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Playing Lean facilitator training

Become a Facilitator

Join hundreds of coaches and educators who have completed the online Facilitator Training and now run powerful Lean Startup workshops.

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See it in action

Watch gameplay

See how teams engage with Playing Lean in workshops, corporate training, and university settings.

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