Nothing opens its first retail store in India

Source: TechCrunch

Nothing Opens First Retail Store in India

Nothing, the hardware company backed by Tiger Global, is opening its first retail store in India, its biggest market. The two‑story location is in Bengaluru, where a large chunk of the company’s user base is concentrated.

The store will showcase Nothing’s products and other projects. Customers can buy hardware and merchandise, and select items can be customized.

“We wanted to create a fun space,” co‑founder and CEO Carl Pei said. “It’s kind of inspired by all the parts that are related to the brand. For instance, the factory: if you buy a product, there’s like a production line where the product comes out. We also show machines where phones go through testing, like USB port testing or water resistance testing. So we just wanted to bring that world together.”

Products on Offer

The store will feature products from both Nothing and its budget brand CMF, which was spun off last year (TechCrunch). CMF is headquartered in India and has a joint venture with local ODM Optiemus.

Pei explained the differentiation:

“Nothing is more niche with a higher price. CMF is more targeted toward the mass market. You know it’s mass, but it’s not just off‑the‑shelf rebrand products that usually appear at this price point. They are also products that we put a lot of care into.”

Market Context

India is Nothing’s strongest market, with over 2 % of the smartphone market share, according to IDC. IDC also reported that Nothing was the fastest‑growing brand in the country in Q2 2025, with 85 % year‑over‑year shipment growth.

Competition: Other Retail Stores

Other hardware makers are also building aspirational retail stores in India. For example, Apple is set to open its sixth store in the country this month, located in Borivali, a suburb of Mumbai (Times of India).

Expansion Plans

This is the first Nothing store outside of London, where the company is headquartered. The startup said it plans to open two more stores in Tokyo and New York, though timelines were not provided.

Funding

Nothing raised $200 million in a Series C round last year at a $1.3 billion valuation, led by Tiger Global and joined by investors such as GV, Highland Europe, EQT, Latitude, I2BF, and Tapestry. To date, the company has raised $450 million. (TechCrunch source)