Bengaluru CEO says products stolen at AI Impact Summit after security clearance. Internet says ‘Need civic sense’

What was meant to be a milestone moment for India’s growing AI ecosystem turned into a distressing experience for a Bengaluru-based founder, who alleged that his company’s product was stolen from its stall during the high-profile India AI Impact Summit in Delhi.

Dhananjay Yadav, co-founder and CEO of NeoSapien, claimed that the company’s AI wearable went missing from its booth at the summit venue after exhibitors were asked to vacate the area ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit.

“Day 1 of the AI Impact Summit turned out to be a pain for us,” Yadav wrote in a post on X, calling the incident “shocking”. He questioned how the theft could have taken place when, according to him, only security personnel were allowed inside the exhibition zone at the time.

The India AI Impact Summit, being held at Bharat Mandapam, is among the most high-profile technology events hosted in the country this year. The five-day summit, inaugurated on 16 February, has drawn global attention with attendees including Sundar Pichai and Sam Altman.

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For Yadav, however, the event took an unexpected turn. He said security personnel began clearing the exhibition area around noon on the first day to sanitise the venue ahead of the Prime Minister’s scheduled visit at 2pm. Yadav said he tried to explain that NeoSapien had developed what he described as India’s first patented AI wearable, capable of tracking conversations and analysing emotions, and requested permission to stay back briefly to showcase it.

While one officer initially allowed him to remain, Yadav alleged that another security team later instructed everyone to leave immediately, pointing to what he described as a lack of coordination. He said he specifically asked whether he should carry the wearable devices with him, but was told that even laptops were being left behind and that security would ensure the safety of items inside the booths.

“Trusting them, I left,” Yadav wrote, adding that he hoped the product might even catch the Prime Minister’s attention. However, he said the exhibition area remained sealed for nearly six hours—far longer than anticipated. When access was restored, Yadav claimed the AI wearables were missing. He later shared images online showing empty boxes at the NeoSapien stall.

“Think about this: We paid for flights, accommodation, logistics and even the booth. Only to see our wearables disappear inside a high-security zone,” he wrote. “If only security and official entourage had access, how did this happen? This is extremely disappointing.”

The incident triggered strong reactions online, with several users urging the founder to file a complaint with the police and demand accountability from the event organisers. Others said the episode raised uncomfortable questions about how safe large-scale exhibitions are for startups investing time and money to showcase their innovations.

For India’s startup community, the episode has struck a nerve. As the country positions itself as a global AI hub, founders say incidents like this underline the need for tighter coordination, clearer protocols and stronger safeguards—especially at events meant to celebrate innovation and entrepreneurship.

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