'Is this a scam': Major row over Buildathon Dallas event, organizers blame 'intentional sabotage', promises full refund

A major tech event in Dallas, touted to be a pathbreaking hackathon, is at the centre of a major controversy as participants took to social media claiming that there was no Wi-Fi at what was supposed to be a 32-hour AI execution event. They said the event was so mismanaged that it had to be stopped in the middle and the organizers said the event would continue from home. But eventually, the event got canceled and in the wake of major controversy as participants paid for executive tickets, the organizers said there would be a full refund, and it was not a scam.AI Buildathom was promised as an event bringing together 1000+ developers, engineers, founders, recruiters and AI companies to build protection-ready applications. Unlike a traditional hackathon, it said it would do away with resume collecting, pitch decks, demo etc.Ravi Raj Reddy, one of the organizers and a co-founder of Buildathon, said that some people among the participants kept unplugging and plugging the Wi-Fi, crippling the event. The organizers also said they did not get the support of the community. “Don’t call it a scam. You will get the full money. The event was organized in good faith,” Reddy said in a video.One person narrated the ordeal that involved 4-hour driving, hotel fare etc to attend the Buildathon. “Hundreds of students and professionals took leave from work, traveled long distances, booked hotels, and paid significant amounts to attend. I personally drove 4 hours, slept only 2 hours, and paid $300 for a VIP ticket based on the opportunities and recruiter connections promoted before the event,” the person wrote on social media.” The event was abruptly canceled after participants had already started working on problem statements. Many attendees were actively building projects despite issues with promo codes, cloud credits, and platform access. We were then suddenly asked to come downstairs for an announcement and informed that the event was over,” the post added.