Who is this guide for

One of the most common questions we get at Board of Innovation is, ‘How can my company generate new revenue?’


Armed with the right knowledge, anyone can unlock new revenue models that have a direct, substantial impact on their organization’s bottom line. It starts with having the right toolkit: this booklet.


This list of revenue model examples will help you identify sustainable new revenue streams. Use it to challenge revenue streams you have already developed, or to come up with alternative money-making tactics.

This toolkit is most effective if:

  • You have a new idea and you are wondering how you can make it profitable.
  • You’ve already developed your business & revenue model and would like to challenge your current revenue-building strategy. 

5 revenue model examples from this guide.

Freemium: the price of free

Segmenting your user base by users that get the service for free and users that pay is called a freemium business model. The paying customers usually have access to superior features.  

Over the past decade, freemium – a combination of free and premium – has become the dominant business model among internet startups and smartphone app developers.

Exclusivity to attract the crowd

Having something with a certain exclusivity to it can be valuable. Exclusivity has always been like that, and will always be like that. The more people have access to the product, the harder it gets to use this as a value perceiver. 

Satisfied employees lead to satisfied customers 

Employees can be seen as internal clients of the company. Keeping them happy is as important as selling good products/services to external customers. The better you treat them, the better off your clients’ businesses will be. 

Transparency is the new mystery

Open communication and transparency are key trends in business. The more leaders can share with their employees, clients, shareholders and partners, without unveiling ‘real’ company secrets, the more trust they receive. 

Boost sales with subscription-based shopping

A subscription is a service you sell in a certain timeframe. The service can vary: receiving a newspaper every day, using a cloud service (software), being able to call car assistance when needed, etc.

More and more business are turning to subscription-based offerings. Think of all the monthly news, sock, lens, razor blade, and delivery services you see popping up, for instance.