OnePlus cofounder's new smart device startup Nothing acquired Andy Rubin's troubled, now-defunct Essential brand

• Carl Pei's London-based consumer tech firm Nothing acquired Andy Rubin's defunct Essential brand.
• The OnePlus co-founder has raised roughly $22 million; it's unclear how he'll use the trademarks.
• Essential shut down in February 2020 following poor sales and misconduct accusations against Rubin.

Nothing, the smart device startup that OnePlus co-founder and CEO Carl Pei $4, has acquired the branding of Andy Rubin's defunct firm Essential, $4.

Nothing took ownership of multiple Essential trademarks on January 6, records from the $4 show, although it's unclear how the firm plans to use them. The London-based consumer tech startup announced on January 27 that it plans to $4 in the first half of this year, with scant other details. It has raised roughly $22 million in funding.

Essential, meanwhile, $4 following its $4 as well as sexual misconduct accusations against Rubin from his time as a Google executive, which $4 report.

Allegations that the Android founder received a massive exit package when he left Google despite a credible sexual misconduct complaint against him $4 in late 2018, and, eventually, $4 over how the company's board $4. Rubin has previously $4

Filings show that Nothing now owns Essential's name and logo, including the PH-1 brand, which was what $4

Pei $4 in October 2020 when he departed OnePlus, the Chinese electronics manufacturing company he co-founded in 2013, which was best known for $4.

His new venture, Nothing, raised $7 million in funding in December from big-time tech names like iPod inventor Tony Fadell, YouTube personality Casey Neistat, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, and Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin.

"Nothing's mission is to remove barriers between people and technology to create a seamless digital future," Pei said in a $4. "We believe that the best technology is beautiful, yet natural and intuitive to use. When sufficiently advanced, it should fade into the background and feel like nothing."

Shortly after, Nothing $4 led by Alphabet's venture arm GV (formerly Google Ventures).

The firm on Monday also teased some upcoming news on Twitter, sharing a picture of a sweatshirt bearing the word "investor":

—Nothing (@nothing) $4

Nothing did not immediately respond to a request for comment about how it plans to use the Essential brand. Rubin also did not respond to a request for comment.