AI Impact Summit India 2026: NeoSapien CEO Dhananjay Yadav Slams Management Over Security Protocols and Stolen Wearables

Delhi, February 16: Dhananjay Yadav, the co-founder and CEO of Bengaluru-based startup NeoSapien, slammed the management of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 following a series of events that he described as "shocking" and "painful." Dhananjay Yadav, who travelled to the capital to showcase India’s first patented AI wearable, claimed that his company’s prototypes were stolen from their exhibition booth during a high-security sanitization sweep. The incident occurred on Monday, February 16, at Bharat Mandapam, shortly before a scheduled visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The allegations of theft are coupled with broader complaints regarding the summit's logistical management. While the event was positioned as a flagship showcase for India’s AI hardware and software ecosystem, participants allegedly described a stark disconnect between the summit’s high-tech branding and the "chaotic" ground reality. From conflicting security instructions to a lack of basic facilities like drinking water and digital payment options at food stalls, the first day has triggered a wave of criticism from the very tech community the government aimed to celebrate. India AI Impact Summit 2026: Tech Leaders Urge Professionals to Upskill and Embrace AI to Secure Future Jobs in India.

'AI Impact Summit India 2026 Day 1 Turned Out To Be Pain For Us': Dhananjay Yadav

Dhananjay Yadav Slams Management at India’s Global AI Summit

According to Yadav, the trouble began at noon when security personnel ordered the immediate evacuation of the exhibition hall for a security sweep. Despite being initially told by one group of officers that he could stay, a second group forced a sudden exit, instructing exhibitors to leave behind valuable equipment, including laptops and prototypes. "They said others are leaving even laptops behind, security will take care," Yadav posted on X. "Trusting them, I left... Later we found out our wearables were stolen."

The founder expressed profound disappointment, noting that his team had invested heavily in flights, logistics, and booth costs, only to have proprietary technology vanish inside a supposedly restricted, high-security zone. AI Impact Summit India 2026: Rana Daggubati Says Artificial Intelligence ‘Will Replace All of Us Quite Quickly’ (Watch Video).

Dhananjay Yadav Shares Harrowing Cab Experience

The summit’s challenges began even before Yadav reached the venue. Earlier on Monday, the entrepreneur shared a harrowing experience involving a Namma Yatri cab in Bengaluru while traveling to the airport. Yadav reported feeling "almost like a hostage" after a driver refused to turn on the air conditioning, denied the app’s fixed fare of ₹844, and then physically prevented him from exiting the vehicle to book another ride until he paid the disputed amount.

Following the viral post, Namma Yatri, a government-backed, zero-commission ride-hailing app, issued a formal apology and processed a full refund. However, the incident highlighted the ongoing safety and service quality concerns within the app-based transport sector, casting a shadow over the "Next Silicon Valley" narrative that French AI envoy Anne Bouverot had championed earlier that day.

The AI Impact Summit 2026 is a critical milestone for India, which took over the "Global AI Summit" baton from France. With attendees like Brazilian President Lula da Silva and various global tech giants, the event is designed to project India as a leader in "inclusive and trusted" AI for the Global South. However, the first-day failures serve as a reminder that the physical infrastructure and security protocols must match the digital ambitions of the nation’s burgeoning startup ecosystem.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 16, 2026 11:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).