Rishi Kishor Gupta, Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa at Nothing, explains that the company has achieved rapid, triple-digit growth in the Middle East, driven by user-centric design, strong community engagement, and innovative products. The launch of CMF has further strengthened its position by offering affordable devices that complement Nothing’s premium brand identity.
Could you walk us through Nothing brand’s adoption journey in the region and how growth has progressed year by year?
Absolutely. Our story in this region has been one of consistent and accelerating growth. While I cannot share specific numbers due to confidentiality, I can confidently say that our trajectory has consistently reflected triple-digit growth year after year. That’s not just healthy growth—it’s rapid, exponential momentum. When we first entered the market, our early launches, particularly Phone (1) and later Phone (2), received an incredible reception. These models significantly outperformed our expectations in this region as compared to other regions, largely because the demand in this region was both enthusiastic and untapped.
2023 was a landmark year—it was when we truly established a stronghold. We solidified our foundation, and since then, we have consistently doubled our growth in every subsequent year. As we move through 2025, we aim to replicate that success once again by achieving a minimum of 100% growth this year as well. That’s the growth rhythm we’re operating on—agile, focused, and ambitious.
What would you say is driving such a strong growth for your brand in this region?
At the heart of it all is the product itself. From day one, our approach has been centered around the user. We don’t see the product and the user as separate entities—they’re part of the same experience. Every decision we make—from product design to software development—is guided by a singular vision: how can we elevate the consumer’s experience? We’re here to bring back that sense of magic that used to come with every new technological innovation.
If you think back to the earlier days of tech—when people first got their hands on a Walkman or when color TVs started replacing black-and-white—it was exciting. There was real anticipation. But over the past decade, we noticed a decline in that spirit. New gadgets would create a buzz at launch, but that buzz often fizzled once people actually used the product. We even saw this with giants like Apple, where hype around the iPhone would peak early and taper off quickly. Our vision was to challenge that—to bring back the anticipation and wonder that made people fall in love with tech in the first place.
What makes your products stand out from the sea of offerings available today?
Design, above all else, is what sets us apart. It’s not just about looking good—it’s about creating a product that feels inherently different. Our design language is deeply embedded in our identity. We’ve had design experts say our phones deserve a spot in a museum, and that kind of feedback validates our philosophy. The transparent design of our phones, especially the back panels, immediately sets them apart in a market where most devices look indistinguishable without branding.
Then there’s our Glyph Interface—a lighting system that goes beyond aesthetics. It tells you who’s calling, notifies you visually about messages or your Uber’s arrival, shows battery levels, and adds a layer of interactivity that most phones lack. Even something as simple as charging becomes more engaging.
On the innovation side, we’re not chasing trends for the sake of it. While everyone is jumping on the AI bandwagon, we’re being intentional about it. Our Essential Space feature brings AI into the experience thoughtfully—it helps organise, declutter, and assist, rather than overwhelm. For example, it can recognise objects in images, recall past interactions, remind you about expiring cards, or decode your own screenshots.
We also take sustainability seriously. Every aspect of our product, from materials to packaging, is designed with environmental impact in mind. Even our software, Nothing OS, contributes to the differentiation. It’s fast, intuitive, nearly bloat-free, and provides users with a refreshing experience. All our devices also work together seamlessly through our Nothing X app, which ties the ecosystem together.
Kindly speak about your community, what role does it play in your brand journey and how do you manage this community?
Our community is one of the strongest pillars of our brand. The connection we share is authentic and deeply collaborative. Take our community edition product, for instance—it was built entirely with input from our users, from the color scheme and materials to the packaging and campaign messaging. Many of these contributors were early supporters, having backed us through crowdfunding.
We even have a community-elected board of observers who receive quarterly updates directly from us. Their feedback helps shape our roadmap. This isn’t surface-level engagement—it’s real, two-way communication that informs our direction.
We primarily operate through Discord. We have a dedicated server where conversations, updates, and collaborations happen in real-time. It’s a hub that brings together community members from all over the world—whether they’re in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, India, the UK, the US, or elsewhere.
Have any notable moments from your community stood out?
Absolutely. One of the most memorable was during a product launch where an Emirati professional from DEWA—who has been with us from the beginning—stood on stage and spoke about his journey with Nothing. He proudly displayed his entire collection of our devices. These aren’t brand ambassadors—they’re real users who believe in our story. We also saw hundreds of people lining up during our pre-launch drop sale at the Dubai Mall. It was surreal, that level of excitement doesn’t happen unless people feel personally connected.
What is the single most compelling reason consumers gravitate toward your products?
Based on all the research and feedback we’ve gathered, the answer is clear—it’s the design. Around 99% of our users cite our design as the main reason they’re drawn to us. It’s the first thing they notice, the aspect that immediately sets us apart, and the factor that ultimately pulls them into our ecosystem.
What challenges did you face entering this market initially?
This region is incredibly diverse, with nearly 200 nationalities, so building broad brand awareness is no small feat. Traditional advertising is expensive here, especially in key locations. And competition is fierce. Established brands have deep pockets and long-standing retail agreements, making shelf space is a tough battleground.
Another challenge was credibility. We didn’t want to rely on paid influencers or reviews, so we focused on authentic engagement, which takes time. We also had to navigate regulatory approvals from telecom operators and government bodies, which itself is a rigorous multi-stage process.
How did you initially capture consumer attention without a big marketing budget?
We started with a campaign in partnership with Sharaf DG. It was our first big retail push, and the response was phenomenal. That early success helped us solidify our place within Sharaf DG’s ecosystem. From there, we expanded our retail presence to partners such as Jumbo, Emax, Lulu, and Amazon, as well as in Saudi Arabia, to Jarir, Extra, and Zain.
A turning point occurred with the launch of our flagship event at Emirates Towers. His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications for the United Arab Emirates, endorsed us on stage, which gave us massive credibility. Then came the Dubai Mall drop sale. People queued from 6 am, and the turnout was so overwhelming that mall security had to step in. That event exploded on social media and set the tone for how different we are.
What’s the scope of your current product portfolio?
We now offer around 30 products across our primary brand and our sub-brand. This includes smartphones, earphones, smartwatches, and other devices.
Why did you decide to create a sub-brand, CMF?
Nothing is our premium brand—it’s about meaningful innovation, but innovation takes time and resources. We didn’t want to dilute that by pushing frequent, non-essential updates. At the same time, we saw a big opportunity with younger users, particularly Gen Z, who loved our design but needed something more affordable. That’s why we created CMF—a brand focused on delivering strong design and material quality at accessible prices.
It allows us to expand more rapidly without compromising Nothing’s premium identity. India played a big role here as well. It’s one of the top three smartphone markets globally, but the average price point is much lower than what Nothing initially offered. CMF gives us a way to reach that massive audience without straying from our core philosophy.
How is CMF performing in the region compared to the Nothing brand?
CMF has taken off particularly well in Saudi Arabia, where the sub-$200 market is dominant. In the UAE, the Nothing brand remains the leader due to its higher ASP and mature market dynamics, but CMF is complementing our growth nicely.
And what does the future of this dual-brand strategy look like?
We will continue to position CMF in the affordable category, exploring additional product types, such as smartwatches, and potentially other form factors. Meanwhile, Nothing will remain focused on the mid-to-premium segments, with its hallmark innovation and design-driven DNA.
What is your customer support and after-sales service like?
We offer a replacement service for any hardware issues, with a 24-hour turnaround time. To date, we have not received any major complaints or issues regarding the quality and performance of our devices. We do not repair devices; instead, we replace them if any hardware issues are detected.
The replacement process is very simple – if there is a manufacturing defect, the customer can just come to the service center and get a replacement device within 24 hours, without having to wait for the device to be repaired.
The company have a focus on providing a hassle-free customer experience, with a quick replacement policy rather than lengthy repair processes.
How do you see the growth of your brands in the region going forward?
We are now focusing on deeper distribution and further building brand awareness. The affinity and loyalty towards the Nothing brand is growing, and we are seeing more upgrades from customers. CMF has also been able to attract the attention of consumers, creating its niche in the region. We are also expanding our presence into new markets, such as Egypt and Pakistan.