Dallas 'Buildathon' tech event canceled amid claims of Wi-Fi sabotage, organizers promise full refund

A major AI hackathon event in Dallas, 'Buildathon,' has been canceled amid widespread participant complaints about mismanagement and alleged sabotage. Attendees took to social media to voice their dissatisfaction, with many claiming the event, which promised to bring together over 1,000 developers, engineers, and AI companies, suffered from a lack of Wi-Fi and other critical resources.

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Don't call it a scam. You will get the full money. The event was organized in good faith.

Ravi Raj Reddy, an organizer and co-founder, attributed the event's failure to "intentional sabotage," stating that individuals repeatedly disconnected the Wi-Fi. He assured participants that they would receive full refunds and urged them not to label the event a scam, emphasizing it was organized in good faith.

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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.

However, attendees recounted significant personal and financial investment, including long drives, hotel stays, and ticket purchases, some costing up to $300 for VIP access. They expressed disappointment over the abrupt cancellation after having already begun working on problem statements, despite issues with promo codes, cloud credits, and platform access. The situation has left many questioning the event's legitimacy and the organizers' handling of the situation.

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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.