Nothing

What began as a simple, yet profound, observation about the state of modern technology has blossomed into one of the most talked-about consumer electronics brands of the decade. The journey of Nothing started in late 2020, born from the vision of Carl Pei, who had already made a significant mark on the industry as the co-founder of OnePlus. Feeling that the tech world had become stagnant, passionless, and dominated by monotonous product iterations, Pei embarked on a new venture. He officially announced Nothing in January 2021, fueled by a $7 million seed round from a star-studded list of investors including iPod inventor Tony Fadell, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, and YouTuber Casey Neistat. The mission was clear and audacious: to remove the barriers between people and technology and to make tech fun again.

From its London headquarters, Nothing set out to challenge the giants. A key early move was partnering with the acclaimed Swedish design house, Teenage Engineering, to craft a unique design aesthetic that would become the brand's signature. This collaboration was pivotal, leading to the company's transparent design language, which literally and figuratively aimed to bring users closer to their technology. The first manifestation of this philosophy was the Ear (1) wireless earbuds, launched in July 2021. Their distinctive transparent case and stems offered a glimpse into the intricate engineering within, creating a product that was as much a statement piece as a functional device. This was followed by the highly anticipated Phone (1) in 2022, which introduced the innovative 'Glyph Interface' – a system of LED lights on the phone's rear that offered a new, less intrusive way to interact with notifications. Having sold millions of products and secured hundreds of millions in funding from major players like Google Ventures and Highland Europe, Nothing continues its narrative, driven by community collaboration and a relentless desire to inject artistry and joy back into technology.