AI Impact Summit: NeoSapien CEO Claims His Equipment Stolen
New Delhi, February 16: What was intended to be a landmark showcase for Indian innovation has been overshadowed by a significant security controversy on the opening day of the India AI Impact Summit 2026. Dhananjay Yadav, the CEO and Co-founder of NeoSapien, has alleged that his company’s pioneering hardware was stolen from a high-security zone at Bharat Mandapam, during the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The incident occurred today, amidst the heavy security protocols typical of a global event hosting over 20 Heads of State and 500 global AI leaders. According to Mr Yadav, the day began with genuine excitement as NeoSapien prepared to demonstrate India’s first patented AI wearable. However, the atmosphere shifted at midday when security personnel began sanitising the exhibition area ahead of the Prime Minister’s scheduled 2:00 pm visit.
Mr Yadav claims that a lack of coordination between security teams led to the loss. While one group of officers initially permitted him to stay and showcase the wearable to the official entourage, a second group subsequently ordered an immediate evacuation.
When the CEO questioned whether he should remove his expensive prototypes, he was reportedly told that other exhibitors were leaving laptops behind and that security would “take care” of the equipment.
Dhananjay’s post
“Trusting them, I left,” Mr Yadav stated in a poignant account of the afternoon. “I hoped the wearables would be safe, and if I were lucky, they might catch the eye of PM Modi.”
The security lockdown, which was expected to be brief, lasted six hours. When the NeoSapien team was finally allowed back into the hall at 6:00 pm, they discovered that their unique AI wearables had vanished. The theft has raised serious questions regarding the integrity of the “cordon sanitised” zone, which was accessible only to security personnel and the official government entourage during those hours.
The loss is a bitter pill for the startup, which had invested heavily in flights, accommodation, and booth logistics to support the government’s push for a domestic AI ecosystem. “Only security and official entourage had access; how did this happen?” Mr Yadav asked, describing the ordeal as “extremely disappointing.”
Ironically, the theft occurred on the same day the Prime Minister took to social media to hail the expo as a glimpse into the “extraordinary potential of AI and Indian talent.”
As the five-day summit continues through to February 20, the focus remains on India’s role as a leader in the Global South’s technological dialogue.
NeoSapien is a pioneering Indian deep-tech startup led by CEO and co-founder Dhananjay Yadav, dedicated to advancing the frontiers of artificial intelligence through hardware innovation. The company has distinguished itself by developing India’s first patented AI wearable, a device designed to provide a seamless, hardware-integrated AI experience for the modern user.
