Jakarta (Indonesia Economic Forum) — CEO of the Indonesia Economic Forum, Sachin V. Gopalan, was the keynote speaker at the Universitas Insan Cita Indonesia (UICI) New Student Admission (PMB) Batch 11 webinar titled Democratizing Commerce Through Open Digital Networks. During the session, he emphasized the importance of transitioning toward a more open, inclusive, and sustainable digital commerce ecosystem.

Sachin noted that today’s digital ecosystem is still dominated by closed platform models that create unequal access and opportunities for both businesses and consumers.

“Digital commerce today is platform-centric. Only the big players can survive, while others eventually fail,” he said.

According to him, the dominance of major platforms has led to market structures that resemble monopoly or duopoly systems, where only a few players control access to digital markets.

UICI Calls for Technology to Reach All Layers of Society

In his opening remarks, UICI Rector Asep Saefuddin stressed that technological development must deliver tangible benefits to all segments of society, not only urban areas but also rural and underserved regions.

He highlighted the persistent gap in access and utilization of technology across Indonesia, particularly in rural communities. He emphasized that technological adoption must be accompanied by real economic impact.

“We need to ask whether technology has reached rural areas and whether its economic benefits are truly being felt,” he said.

Asep added that if current technologies fail to meet these needs, a more inclusive and practical approach must be developed.

“If it has not reached them and has not delivered benefits, then we must find a better model for society,” he continued.

He also reaffirmed UICI’s commitment through its vision Reaching the Unreachable, which aims to expand access to education and technology, including in remote and underdeveloped regions.

Closed Platform Ecosystem Seen as Unsustainable

During his presentation, Sachin explained that closed platform systems limit interactions between buyers and sellers within a single ecosystem. This forces businesses to rely heavily on specific platforms to reach their markets.

Such conditions, he argued, make it difficult for small and medium enterprises to grow, especially when competing against large players with established user bases.

“If you launch a new app, it will likely fail within a year because it cannot compete with large platforms,” he explained.

He also pointed out the high commission fees charged by platforms, typically ranging from 15 to 30 percent, which ultimately burden consumers.

“Platforms may take 15 to 30 percent, but in reality, it is the consumers who pay for it,” he added.

Open Digital Networks Offer a More Equitable System

As a solution, Sachin introduced the concept of open digital networks through the Indonesia Open Network (ION) initiative. This system is designed as an open digital infrastructure that allows direct interaction between buyers and sellers without relying on a single intermediary platform.

Under this model, transaction fees can be eliminated or significantly reduced, making it more efficient for all participants.

“In an open network, transaction fees can be zero. That makes it cheaper, more efficient, and more fair,” he said.

Beyond cost efficiency, open networks also offer greater flexibility. Buyers can access products from multiple sellers within a single system without switching between applications.

Meanwhile, sellers only need to manage one digital storefront that can connect to multiple distribution channels within the network.

Indonesia Has Strong Potential to Lead

Sachin highlighted that the open network concept has already been successfully implemented in India and is now being adopted by several other countries. Indonesia, he said, has strong potential to become one of the fastest adopters.

“India is the pioneer, but Indonesia can become the fastest adopter,” he noted.

He added that the development of the Indonesia Open Network is supported by the government, business associations, and various stakeholders, making it part of a broader national digital transformation effort.

Expanding Job Opportunities and Digital Entrepreneurship

Sachin further emphasized that open digital networks could create a broader economic ecosystem, particularly in generating new job opportunities.

He identified several emerging roles, including digital commerce operators, open network application developers, and product catalog specialists.

“Job opportunities could increase up to five times as more businesses emerge across regions,” he explained.

The model also lowers barriers for young people to become digital entrepreneurs, as it reduces the cost of building and operating digital businesses.

“With open networks, you can become an entrepreneur from your hometown and sell across Indonesia,” he said.

Toward a More Inclusive Digital Economy

The discussion highlighted that the future of digital commerce is not only driven by technological innovation but also by building a more open and equitable ecosystem.

Through open digital networks, access to the digital economy is expected to become more evenly distributed, rather than concentrated among a few dominant platforms.

“Democratizing commerce means enabling everyone to participate in the digital economy,” Sachin concluded.