OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei announced his departure from the company in a blog post on the OnePlus Community forum.

Earlier this week, reports of Pei’s departure had surfaced in the media ahead of the company’s major launch event for OnePlus 8T. TechCrunch had first reported that Pei had left the company to start his own venture.

Android Central and Android Police had further reported that the OnePlus co-founder had left the company a while ago.

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Pei confirmed the news through a blog post that read, “After nearly 7 years at OnePlus, I’ve made the difficult decision to say goodbye.”

Pei had co-founded OnePlus with CEO Pete Lau in December 2013. Pei had been instrumental in designing the OnePlus smartphone line-up. Most recently, Pei had played a key role in heading the company’s affordable smartphone brand, OnePlus Nord, which was launched earlier this year.

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“Having just turned 24 when OnePlus started, it’s where I spent most of my 20s, and also where I grew up. From nervously interviewing my first employee, to facing severe stage fright the first time I presented a product, to learning how to manage a team… The journey has been real,” wrote Pei.

“I am eternally grateful to Pete for taking a chance in this kid without a college degree, with nothing to his name but a dream. The trust, mentorship, and camaraderie will never be forgotten. Thanks for the opportunity of a lifetime,” he added.

Pei did not provide a particular reason for his leaving the company or confirm the reports of him starting his own venture.

“These past years, OnePlus has been my singular focus, and everything else has had to take a backseat. I’m looking forward to taking some time off to decompress and catch up with my family and friends. And then follow my heart on to what’s next,” he said.

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