Inside India's First AI Wearable with NeoSapien's Founder, Dhananjay Yadav

EDITOR’S NOTE

Dear future-proof humans,

Imagine carrying a wearable that remembers things you said, learns your voice, and acts as your second brain.

Neo‑1 by NeoSapien shifts how we think about notes and ideas. Instead of jotting things in apps or relying on your memory. Neo‑1 listens to your conversations, transcribes and tags them, tracks your tone, and stores them securely. It blends wearable hardware with generative AI guided by voice fingerprinting and emotion tracking.

At Nanobits, we believe the best insights come from direct conversations with the people building AI's future. After last year's podcast series, we're experimenting with virtual fireside chats, creating space for deeper discussions with AI leaders about the innovation happening right now.

So, in this issue of Nanobits, we speak to Dhananjay Yadav, founder of NeoSapiens. He shares how Neo‑1 came together in Bengaluru under lean hardware odds. We highlight a live demo: pressing the pendant to capture memory, 18-hour battery life, cloud-based transcript storage, emotion-aware alerts, and models like Gemini, Claude, and ChatGPT behind the scenes. 

Here is why Neo 1 may change how we think about human‑AI memory.

THE BACKSTORY AND VISION

Until now, most notes and memories lived inside apps or inside our heads. We typed meeting notes and used them to tag files. We stored most details inside calendars or docs and never thought about them again. That method felt familiar. It also failed often. Important ideas slipped away. Follow-up reminders fell through the cracks. We scrolled through old apps or browser tabs to find threads we mentioned the week before.

Today, Neo 1 fuses voice capture with AI models and wearable feedback to turn every spoken idea into a memory hub. It listens, transcribes speech, tags details, and links them across sessions. It learns your voice tone and mood. It organizes threads by topic and person. It becomes a second brain, not just another recorder.

NeoSapien began in 2024. Founders Dhananjay Yadav and Aryan Yadav introduced Neo 1 on Shark Tank India season 4. Namita Thapar invested ₹ 80 lakhs for 4% ownership.

Neo 1 runs on a live-learning OS called Second Brain. It adapts as you use it. It captures every meeting and merges it with past context. Over time, it becomes your long‑term memory companion.

THE NEO1: A PENDANT THAT THINKS

The Neo1 resembles a sleek pendant that could pass for a military dog tag, but this completely in-house designed device packs AI capabilities that set it apart from any wearable today. Voice fingerprinting technology distinguishes your voice with the same precision as traditional fingerprinting. Conversations get transcribed in the cloud, but raw recordings are deleted immediately. Only encrypted text transcripts remain.

Live Demo Highlights

Dhananjay showcased the device, capturing his morning conversation with a climate tech founder. The transcript appeared as structured notes, including specific queries about target customers and expansion plans. Information that typically vanishes into memory now becomes searchable data.

The magic happens when conversations pause for 20 seconds. The device automatically broke discussions into discrete memories tagged with context and participants. Users could then double-tap to manually create memory points during critical moments.

The app offered smart suggestions based on conversation patterns. On being asked, "What are my priorities with the team?" it drew connections across multiple discussions for personalized insights.

Technical Specifications

Dhananjay shared that the battery lasts two to three days with regular use. A soft LED pulse signals when the device is listening. He said the system reaches over 90% speech accuracy even in noisy environments by separating voice locally.

Neo1 filters noise on the device, then sends cleaner audio to the cloud, where it uses Gemini, Claude, and ChatGPT for deeper processing. Basic tasks like detecting pauses run locally. Features like building a personal knowledge graph happen through the companion app.

This mix of local and cloud processing balances speed, accuracy, and power use without draining the battery.

Core Features

• Searchable memories: Neo1 automatically breaks down conversations into segments you can revisit anytime.

• Contextual advice: It learns your communication patterns to connect related conversations and offer timely prompts.

• Voice fingerprinting: The device identifies who is speaking with biometric-level accuracy.

• Trust Light: A soft LED shows when the mic is on. You can double-tap the pendant to pause recording.

• Cloud transcripts: All data is stored indefinitely, and users retain full ownership.

• Multilingual support: Neo1 can switch between English, Hindi, and other Indian languages during live conversations.

PRIVACY FIRST: ADDRESSING THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

The most pressing question during our session came from multiple participants: How do you handle privacy when recording conversations with others who haven't consented?

Dhananjay drew a distinction between recording and transcribing, comparing Neo1 to taking notes during meetings. "When you're transcribing anything, you don't need permission," he explained. "I wouldn't ask you if I can write notes while we speak."

To further explain this, he also outlined how NeoSapien handles data processing.

Data Security and Control

NeoSapien encrypts all conversation data before reaching SOC2-certified cloud infrastructure. No one within the company can access user data. Only the user holds the decryption key. Voice recordings are deleted immediately upon transcription. Only text transcripts persist in encrypted cloud storage.

He also explained the Trust Light feature, inspired by Meta's Ray-Ban glasses, that lets users know when Neo1 is listening. A double-tap immediately stops all processing. The light disappears and the device enters sleep mode until reactivated.

"For the first time, privacy will be something you can actually control," Dhananjay emphasized, contrasting this with current mobile ecosystems where data flows to platforms without meaningful user oversight.

While he argued that smartphones already listen to our environment for advertising, suggesting his device isn't fundamentally different, there are more nuances to it. Smartphones use audio fingerprinting to detect TV shows or ads for targeting, not capturing actual conversation content. This is fundamentally different from what NeoSapien does - which is capturing, transcribing, and storing the actual content of your conversations (even if they delete the audio).

Privacy in NeoSapien’s future roadmap

NeoSapien plans to eliminate cloud dependency within the next couple of years. All processing will shift to local device storage, meaning conversations never leave your pendant. "Everything will be processed on your device itself," Dhananjay explained, contrasting this with smartphones that automatically sync to iCloud or Google Drive.

The privacy approach reflects a broader industry shift. As AI wearables from Google, Meta, and ChatGPT enter the market, NeoSapien believes established norms will emerge, similar to how mobile privacy standards developed through industry collaboration.

WHO ACTUALLY USES NEO1?

NeoSapien's target market revealed surprises that even the founders didn't anticipate. While they expected tech-savvy founders and productivity enthusiasts, the reality proved more diverse.

The Core Users

Traditional entrepreneurs became the strongest early adopters, particularly second and third-generation business owners in textiles, diamonds, and real estate. These users manage 20-24 conversations daily across multiple deals and client relationships. Neo1 solves a fundamental business problem: tracking critical details across dozens of impromptu conversations.

"They would ask things like, 'What did I speak with the builder from Ahmedabad? How could I convert this client?'" Dhananjay explained. These users quickly moved beyond note-taking to relationship management, asking Neo1 for advice on deal conversion and communication strategies.

Solopreneurs and creators form the second major segment. They juggle everything alone, making conversation tracking critical for managing client relationships and project details.

Unexpected Applications

Some of the most unexpected interests came from healthcare and public service. Dhananjay shared that the Andhra Pradesh government contacted them about testing Neo1 with frontline workers and Anganwadi staff who have 20-30 daily interactions. He also noted growing hospital interest in using the device for patient conversation management..

Neo1 also found a home in mental health and memory care. Families are using it for loved ones with dementia. Therapists are testing it with autistic clients who struggle with social cues. One of the attendees of the fireside chat, who works with a therapy service provider, asked if it could help track emotional changes across sessions. It can.

Trauma survivors are another emerging group. For them, Neo1 acts as a private record keeper that remembers what they’re not ready to say out loud. It notices patterns. It can offer guidance without judgment.

Governments and institutions have begun reaching out. They're interested in how Neo1 can support teachers, caseworkers, and customer service teams, anyone who speaks to too many people to remember everything.

REALITY OF BUILDING HARDWARE IN INDIA

"Building a hardware company in India is very difficult. When I got into this, I did not realize this would be that difficult," Dhananjay admitted. His experience reveals stark challenges facing hardware entrepreneurs in India's ecosystem.

The White-Label Problem

The fundamental issue starts with market expectations. "Majority of the products in India are white label or copied," Dhananjay explained. Even established hardware companies import products from China and rebrand them with Indian company names. This creates an ecosystem that lacks expertise in original hardware development and views innovation with skepticism.

Investor Desert

The funding landscape proves equally challenging. "Even today if you tell investors what you are building, they say we don't have hardware expertise," Dhananjay noted. Most VCs openly admit they lack technical knowledge to evaluate hardware startups, creating a vicious cycle where fewer entrepreneurs attempt hardware ventures.

NeoSapien's Strategy

Faced with these limitations, NeoSapien developed a hands-on approach. They design everything in-house except batteries, went through four prototypes, and partner with nearby manufacturers for assembly. The Panasonic partnership provides battery supply and validation from an established hardware company.

Despite current challenges, Dhananjay sees change ahead as more hardware startups succeed and validate original product development.

BEYOND NOTE TAKING: THE PLATFORM PLAY

When asked about competing with apps like Granola, Dhananjay drew a sharp distinction. "We are not a note taker. We are your second brain. We are your personalized intelligence."

The difference lies in connection and context. Granola captures meeting notes but can't understand that today's conversation relates to last month's pricing discussion. Neo1 builds a knowledge graph connecting every conversation, creating intelligence that compounds over time.

"If you continuously use Granola on your phone, your battery will run out in 3-4 hours. However, NeoSapien can typically last for 2-3 days," explained Dhananjay.

Traditional voice assistants suffer from context amnesia. Each interaction starts from scratch, requiring users to re-explain their situation. Neo1 maintains continuous context, understanding relationships, preferences, and ongoing projects without repeated prompts.

While competitors like Humane AI Pin ($699) or Limitless Pendant ($199) focus on individual features, NeoSapien is building a platform. The developer platform launching in 9-12 months will allow Swiggy, Zomato, and other services to access conversation context with permission. Instead of manually placing orders, you'll say "I'm hungry," and Neo1 will order based on preferences and recent food conversations.

PUBLIC PERCEPTION IS A MIXED BAG

Users on the internet have expressed a wide range of views on Neo1. Many are intrigued by the idea of an AI that can remember conversations and offer emotional context. Some praise the long-term vision. But they feel that certain aspects, like cost, data privacy, and performance gaps, have room for improvement. Others remain unconvinced about the product’s business viability. A few believe the product could succeed if it addresses privacy concerns and delivers more consistently. Overall, the sentiment reflects early curiosity mixed with cautious skepticism. The conversation is ongoing, shaped by user expectations and the pace of product improvement.

NEOSAPIEN’S VISION

NeoSapien's roadmap focuses on three key milestones. Voice responses launch next quarter, eliminating the need to check the companion app for most interactions. The developer platform opens in 9-12 months, allowing services like Swiggy and Zomato to access conversation context with user permission.

The biggest shift arrives in 18-24 months: complete local processing. "Everything will be processed on your device itself," Dhananjay explained. This eliminates cloud dependency and creates unprecedented data ownership.

Hardware evolution includes smart glasses and watches alongside the pendant, creating a comprehensive personal AI ecosystem. 

The ultimate target: 500 million users in India using Neo as their foundational intelligence layer.

KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR AI BUILDERS

Beyond the product demo and business insights, reflecting on NeoSapien's development, Dhananjay highlighted some crucial insights and valuable lessons for fellow AI builders:

Hardware creates seamless data capture that apps can't match. Phone-based solutions like Granola drain batteries in 3-4 hours, while dedicated hardware runs for days. The friction of manually starting apps kills spontaneous conversation capture.

Privacy transparency becomes a competitive advantage. Trust lights, double-tap controls, and clear data ownership policies address user concerns upfront rather than hoping privacy issues disappear.

Unexpected use cases often drive adoption more than planned targets. NeoSapien found success with traditional entrepreneurs and healthcare workers rather than tech founders, highlighting the importance of staying open to market feedback.

Platform thinking from day one helps defend against big tech replication. Building developer APIs and ecosystem partnerships creates switching costs that pure feature copying can't replicate.

Context continuity beats AI sophistication. Users value devices that remember previous conversations over more advanced AI that starts fresh each time, suggesting memory and connection matter more than raw intelligence.

LOOKING AHEAD

NeoSapien signals a fundamental shift toward AI-native wearables that augment human memory. This trend extends beyond startups to policy discussions about cognitive assistance technology and societal implications.

The wearable AI market is accelerating. Google, Meta, and OpenAI are developing similar devices, suggesting this represents the next computing platform after smartphones. Memory assistive technology is gaining traction in healthcare policy discussions, particularly for Alzheimer's patients and cognitive rehabilitation.

The challenges remain significant. Social acceptance of always-listening devices, cross-border data flows, and establishing industry standards for consent and privacy all need resolution. How we handle these questions will determine whether AI wearables become empowering tools or intrusive surveillance devices.

The next two years will shape whether this technology enhances human capability or creates new digital dependence.

END NOTE

Our conversation with Dhananjay revealed both the ambitious vision and practical challenges of building India's first AI wearable. From Neo1's voice fingerprinting technology to its knowledge graph approach, NeoSapien is tackling the fundamental problem of lost conversations. We explored privacy concerns around always-listening devices, the hardware challenges facing Indian entrepreneurs, and unexpected use cases spanning healthcare to neurodiversity support.

The competitive landscape showed how NeoSapien differentiates from note-taking apps through contextual continuity, while their platform strategy targets 500 million users in India. Technical roadmaps promise local processing within 18-24 months and developer APIs for service integrations.

Some food for thought

Several intriguing questions emerged from our discussion. How will NeoSapien address social acceptance when their pendant form factor stands out more than smart rings or glasses that blend with regular outfits? What exactly is "semantic memory compression," and how does it help users retain more meaningful information beyond simple transcription?

Most importantly, how does an independent player like NeoSapien build a category-defining company when tech giants like Google, Apple, and Meta could potentially replicate their features? If AI wearables represent the future of human-computer interaction, we should celebrate that an Indian company is making a serious hardware play.

Try It Yourself

Congratulations to Dhananjay and the entire NeoSapien team for building something truly revolutionary. Whether or not AI wearables become mainstream, their work is pushing the boundaries of human-AI collaboration in meaningful ways.