Nothing’s CMF to become an India-based company, targets 100 million phones a year
Follow UsCMF will be majority Indian-owned, headquartered in India and operated by its own local team, with Nothing remaining a shareholder and partner.
Nothing has already invested in expanding manufacturing and exports from India, including a partnership with Optiemus involving more than $100 million.
CMF has a long-term ambition to scale to 100 million phones a year and become a global consumer electronics brand.
Nothing is spinning off its affordable CMF brand into a standalone company with India at the center of its global operations, research and development. The London-based consumer technology company already announced its plans for India including manufacturing a few months back. Now, Nothing CEO Carl Pei said the new company will be majority Indian-owned, headquartered in India and backed by its own local team and R&D operations. Nothing will remain a shareholder and partner in the business. The company sees CMF as a potential India-born consumer electronics brand with ambitions to expand globally.
SurveyCMF becomes an Indian company
Under the new structure, CMF will operate independently from Nothing, while continuing to benefit from the parent company’s engineering expertise, software capabilities and supplier relationships. Pei said the goal is to create a business that is owned, managed and engineered in India rather than simply assembling products for the Indian market.
Nothing has already established manufacturing operations in the country and has previously announced a partnership with Optiemus Infracom involving more than $100 million in investment and over 1,800 jobs.
Why India matters to Nothing
Pei stated that India has already built a large electronics manufacturing base but now needs stronger domestic R&D capabilities and global consumer brands. He pointed to the evolution of China’s smartphone supply chain, where local brands pushed suppliers to develop increasingly advanced components and technologies.
Nothing has also been expanding India’s role in its own global operations. The company began exporting smartphones manufactured in India to the US earlier this year and plans to use the country as an export hub for several international markets.
CMF targets global scale
Pei said CMF’s long-term ambition is to reach 100 million phones a year, arguing that such a scale would allow the company to develop its own software, camera technology and hardware capabilities while working more closely with component suppliers.
The move comes as CMF continues to expand beyond smartphones into audio and wearable products. The brand was launched by Nothing in 2023 and has since become an important part of its product portfolio.
