The subject disclosure relates to high mobility complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) devices and techniques for forming the CMOS devices with fins formed directly on the insulator. According to an embodiment, a method for forming such a high mobility CMOS device can comprise forming, via a first epitaxial growth of a first material, first pillars within first trenches formed within a dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer is formed on a silicon substrate, and wherein the first pillars comprise first portions with defects and second portions without the defects. The method can further comprise forming second trenches within a first region of the dielectric layer, and further forming second pillars within the second trenches via a second epitaxial growth of one or more second materials using the second portions of the first pillars as seeds for the second epitaxial growth.