India, Sept. 18 -- Carl Pei's Nothing has officially entered unicorn territory with a $200 million Series C funding round led by Tiger Global featuring Nikhil Kamath and Qualcomm Ventures, GV, Highland Europe, EQT, Latitude, I2BF and Tapestry, valuing the London-based tech company at $1.3 billion. When Nothing arrived on the scene in 2020, in the midst of that tumultuous pandemic era, many dismissed it as just another smartphone focused brand.

Nothing (no pun intended) could be further from the truth. For a company that started with transparent earbuds and distinctive smartphone designs, this milestone marks more than just financial validation. With it also comes the need for a transformation, from being design-focused product company to...