Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast Nothing founder Carl Pei: ‘If you’re serious about hardware, you should spend time in China’
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Nov 27, 2025 
In this discussion, Carl Pei, the visionary founder of Nothing and co-founder of OnePlus, dives into the future of hardware and AI. He reveals insights from his time in China, emphasizing the importance of learning rapid prototyping. Pei outlines Nothing's innovative approach to creating personalized devices and the strategic need for smartphones in building their ecosystem. He also shares his enthusiasm for India’s booming market and the opportunities it offers, while addressing the challenges European startups face in hardware innovation.
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Phones Stay Central, But New Devices Will Rise
- The smartphone remains central but won't capture all context needed for AI to work best.
- New lightweight devices will emerge to collect richer contextual signals for AI.
Experiment Fast, Control Cost
- Test hardware quickly with low-cost experiments and iterate from user feedback.
- Keep individual experiments time- and cost-controlled to avoid catastrophic failures.
Prototype In A Workshop, Not Just On Paper
- Build rapid prototypes in-house using a workshop and 3D CAD to avoid slow external cycles.
- Use foam, 3D prints and metal cutting to iterate fidelity quickly before scaling.