Sandiaga Uno has issued a clear warning to businesses that grow too comfortable in a fast-changing market. He pointed to Nokia and BlackBerry as classic examples of companies that once dominated their industries but slipped when they failed to adapt quickly enough to new technology.
The message, delivered at the IDE Katadata Future Forum, focused on one central point: size does not guarantee survival. When a company stops innovating and begins to trust its past success too much, it risks being overtaken by faster and more flexible competitors.
Why Nokia and BlackBerry Became the Warning Signs
Nokia and BlackBerry were once among the most recognizable names in mobile technology. Nokia became the world’s largest cellphone maker during the feature-phone era, while BlackBerry won global attention with its push email service, which made mobile communication easier for professionals and government officials.
Sandiaga highlighted that BlackBerry’s push email was once a major breakthrough because it removed the need to manually check and enter email details. But that innovation also shows how quickly market expectations can change when a better product appears.
Nokia’s story is even longer and more layered. The company was founded in 1865 in Finland as a pulp and paper producer before expanding into rubber, cables, electronics, and telecommunications, eventually becoming a mobile phone giant.
When smartphones reshaped the market, Nokia struggled to keep pace. The company later sold its handset business to Microsoft in 2014, a shift that marked the end of its era as a dominant phone maker.
BlackBerry followed a similar path. It started as Research In Motion, or RIM, in the 1990s and rose through wireless communication devices. But it moved too slowly when touchscreen phones and app-based ecosystems became the new standard.
The Real Risk of the Comfort Zone
Sandiaga’s warning was not only about old technology brands. It was about business behavior in general, especially the tendency to treat current success as a shield against future disruption.
That mindset can be dangerous because markets change faster than many companies expect. Consumer habits shift, new startups emerge, and digital platforms can change an entire industry in a short time.
He stressed that companies stay alive because they keep innovating, not because they are already large or well known. Once a business becomes too comfortable, it often stops questioning whether its products are still relevant.
Several lessons from his remarks are especially relevant for companies facing digital disruption today:
- Keep improving products before competitors force a change.
- Watch consumer behavior closely and respond early.
- Build a culture that supports experimentation and fast decisions.
- Treat innovation as a daily process, not a one-time event.
Apple as a Contrast in Market Reading
Sandiaga also used Apple as an example of a company that understands how to stay relevant. He said Apple does not simply follow demand in a passive way, but helps shape what consumers want next.
That approach matters because market leadership often depends on timing and intuition, not just engineering strength. A company that reads shifts early can turn changing habits into new business opportunities before rivals do.
Apple’s success also shows that innovation is not only about advanced hardware. It also depends on design, user behavior, ecosystem building, and the ability to connect products with changing lifestyles.
Nokia and BlackBerry After Losing Dominance
Neither Nokia nor BlackBerry disappeared completely after losing the smartphone battle. Both companies changed direction to survive in different parts of the technology industry.
Nokia now focuses on telecom infrastructure, including 4G and 5G networks, along with patent licensing. BlackBerry has shifted toward software, cyber security, and automotive systems.
That transformation shows another important business lesson: survival sometimes requires leaving behind what once made a company famous. A strong brand can help, but it cannot replace adaptation when the market has already moved on.
Sandiaga’s comments reflect a broader reality in global business, where leadership can change quickly and the list of top companies is never fixed. In that environment, innovation remains the most important defense against stagnation, and the companies most willing to evolve are often the ones that stay relevant the longest.
