Nothing's CMF Becomes Independent Subsidiary, Makes India Global Hub in $100M Manufacturing JV with Optiemus
CMF released its first earbuds, the CMF Buds Pro and CMF Buds, along with the CMF Watch Pro, in India on September 27, 2023. The CMF Phone1 was launched in July 2024.
- Tech News
- 2 min read
Smartphone company Nothing today announced its sub-brand CMF as an independent subsidiary with India as its new global base for operations, R&D, and manufacturing. In simple words the company has announced CMF- its affordable sub-brand- an independent subsidiary and India serving its manufacturing headquarters.
The announcement was paired with a strategic manufacturing joint venture with leading Indian electronics manufacturer, Optiemus Infracom Limited. The partnership aims to transform India into a global production and export hub for both Nothing and CMF products.
CMF released its first earbuds, the CMF Buds Pro and CMF Buds, along with the CMF Watch Pro, in India on September 27, 2023. The CMF Phone1 was launched in July 2024.
CMF's phones cost less than $200. This makes them perfect for India, where more than 42% of all phones sold (in the second quarter of 2025) fall into the $100 to $200 price bracket, according to data from IDC.
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The joint venture between CMF and Optiemus is backed by a committed investment of over $100 million and is expected to create more than 1,800 new jobs in India over the next three years, says the company. Nothing has already invested over $200 million in the country to date.
“India will play a key role in shaping the future of the global smartphone industry. CMF has been well-received by the market since we launched it two years ago. With our end-to-end capabilities, we are uniquely positioned to now build it into India’s first truly global smartphone brand. Our joint venture with Optiemus is a key milestone toward making that vision a reality,” said Carl Pei, CEO of Nothing.”
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The collaboration leverages Optiemus’s established engineering and production capabilities, which are crucial for scaling up manufacturing and export opportunities.
Ashok Gupta, Executive Chairman, Optiemus, said: “We are extremely excited about this partnership with Nothing; it will allow us to further strengthen our world-class manufacturing capabilities for the products of today and tomorrow. Global brands choosing India to build is a testament to the strength of the Indian ecosystem and the vision of Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat. This partnership goes beyond high-tech manufacturing - it will empower us to create export-ready products that will be designed in India, showcasing the innovation and talent of our people to the world in the coming years.”