Nothing Launches First Physical Store in India

Nothing has officially inaugurated its first retail location in India, marking a strategic expansion into what the company identifies as its most significant market. The new two-story storefront is situated in Bengaluru, a city that hosts a substantial portion of the brand’s global user base.

Beyond being a traditional point of sale, the space serves as an immersive experience where customers can purchase hardware and merchandise, as well as access select customization services. The design aims to bridge the gap between the consumer and the manufacturing process.

A Behind-the-Scenes Retail Experience

Co-founder and CEO Carl Pei described the store as a “fun space” designed to reflect the brand’s industrial roots. Visitors can observe elements inspired by the company’s factory floor, including displays that simulate product testing environments, such as USB port and water resistance verification.

The inventory within the store includes devices from both the flagship Nothing brand and its sub-brand, CMF. According to Pei, the two lines maintain distinct identities:

• Nothing: Positioned as a higher-priced, more niche offering.
• CMF: Geared toward the mass market, focusing on high-quality design rather than generic rebadged hardware.

Strategic Growth in India

The choice of Bengaluru follows a period of rapid momentum for the startup in the Indian market. Data from IDC indicated that by Q2 2025, Nothing achieved an 85% year-over-year growth in shipments, capturing over 2% of the country’s smartphone market share.

This expansion represents the first time the company has established a retail footprint outside of its London headquarters. While the Bengaluru location is the current focus, the startup has confirmed intentions to open two additional stores in Tokyo and New York, though specific launch dates remain unannounced.

The brand’s physical retail push arrives as other major hardware manufacturers continue to scale their presence in the region; notably, Apple is preparing to open its sixth store in India this month.

To date, Nothing has secured $450 million in total funding. Its most recent financial milestone occurred last year with a $200 million Series C round, which brought the company’s valuation to $1.3 billion, backed by investors including Tiger Global, GV, Highland Europe, EQT, Latitude, I2BF, and Tapestry.