By Meghna Sharma BlackBerry Limited is a Canadian multinational software company, headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The company was once known for its iconic smartphones and was a leading smartphone brand in the first decade of the 21st century. However, BlackBerry has since transitioned to software and services. It offers specialised solutions in Internet of Things, cybersecurity and communications to governments, enterprises and industries. Blackberry’s customers include automakers, financial institutions and defence firms.
| Details | Info |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Founder | Mike Lazaridis and Douglas Fregin |
| Headquarters | Waterloo, Ontario, Canada |
| CEO | John Giamatteo |
| Sector | Software |
Company Profile
BlackBerry Limited was founded in the year 1984 as Research In Motion by Mike Lazaridis and Douglas Fregin. It commenced operations as a technology startup focused on wireless communications. RIM became the pioneer of wireless data network in North America in the year 1988. The company entered mobile communications by launching pager 900, a 2-way messaging device, in the year 1996.
RIM introduced the BlackBerry brand in 1997 by launching BlackBerry 850 and 950 pagers. In the year 2000, the company launched BlackBerry 957, an early smartphone with features like email, contact management and calendar. Subsequently, RIM launched multiple BlackBerry models, including 5810, 6710, Pearl and Curve. By the year 2008, BlackBerry held nearly 50% share in the US smartphone market.
RIM rebranded as BlackBerry Limited in the year 2013, ending smartphone production in the year 2016. It transitioned fully to software and services in the 2018-22 period. Current offerings of BlackBerry Limited include Unified Endpoint Management for devices and app management, SecuSUITE for secure mobile communications, QNX real-time operating system and AtHoc for critical event management.
Origin Country
BlackBerry Limited has its origins in Canada, where it was established as Research In Motion. It continues to function as a Canadian company. The company is currently serving thousands of clients in more than 190 countries worldwide.
Market Cap
Market capitalisation of BlackBerry Limited, as of October 2025, is USD 2.74 billion. Its current share price is USD 4.64.