Theranos
Disgraced blood company
Theranos was an American health technology company founded in 2003 that claimed to have developed revolutionary blood-testing technology requiring only a finger prick.
The company collapsed in scandal when investigations revealed its technology didn't work as promised.
Founder Elizabeth Holmes was convicted of fraud in 2022.
The name now serves as shorthand for Silicon Valley hype and deception: Another Theranos situation where the product never existed.
Intentional criminal trickery
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
- SECStock market regulator
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- convictionFirmly held belief
trial · whistleblower · cover-up · lies · misrepresentation · investors · due diligence · red flags
Ruinous excessive confidence
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- ethicsStudy of right conduct
- transparencyState of being see-through
- corporate governanceCompany direction and control
journalism · Wall Street Journal · documentary · downfall · collapse · bankruptcy · lessons · regulation
Analyzing drawn bodily fluid
- diagnosticsMethods identifying problems
- fingerprickPuncture to draw blood
- phlebotomyExtracting blood medically
- lab resultsData from diagnostic analysis
clinical testing · Walgreens · patients · misdiagnosis · FDA · CMS · laboratory · turnaround time
Bay Area tech corridor
- unicornMythical one-horned horse
- valuationAssessment of monetary worth
- venture capitalStartup growth financing
- disruptionForceful interruption of process
pivot · burn rate · board of directors · due diligence · pitch deck · scaling · founder · dropout
High-collared pullover
- Steve JobsApple's co-founder and longtime CEO
- StanfordCalifornia private research university
- Palo AltoCalifornia tech city
- mystiqueAura of fascination
deep voice · magazine covers · Forbes · Fortune · Henry Kissinger · media darling · girlboss · techno-utopianism
fraud
Intentional criminal trickery
- deceptionIntentional misleading of others
- SECStock market regulator
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
conviction · trial · whistleblower · cover-up · lies · misrepresentation · investors · due diligence · red flags · hype
hubris
Ruinous excessive confidence
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- ethicsStudy of right conduct
- transparencyState of being see-through
corporate governance · journalism · Wall Street Journal · documentary · downfall · collapse · bankruptcy · lessons · regulation · oversight
blood testing
Analyzing drawn bodily fluid
- diagnosticsMethods identifying problems
- fingerprickPuncture to draw blood
- phlebotomyExtracting blood medically
lab results · clinical testing · Walgreens · patients · misdiagnosis · FDA · CMS · laboratory · turnaround time · point-of-care
Silicon Valley
Bay Area tech corridor
- unicornMythical one-horned horse
- valuationAssessment of monetary worth
- venture capitalStartup growth financing
disruption · pivot · burn rate · board of directors · due diligence · pitch deck · scaling · founder · dropout · turtleneck
turtleneck
High-collared pullover
- Steve JobsApple's co-founder and longtime CEO
- StanfordCalifornia private research university
- Palo AltoCalifornia tech city
deep voice · mystique · magazine covers · Forbes · Fortune · Henry Kissinger · media darling · girlboss · techno-utopianism
- Defunct BrandsPan Am, Enron, Woolworth's, Circuit City, RadioShack
- Famous Failuresflop, bomb, dud, turkey, lemon
- financial fraudsecurities fraud, bank fraud, accounting fraud, defalcation, embezzler
- Financial ScandalsEnron, Bernie Madoff, Ponzi scheme, insider trading, securities fraud
- scandalsscandal, controversy, coverup, cover-up, disgrace
- tech satireSilicon Valley, buzzword bingo, tech bro, startup culture, hustle culture
TheranosJohnson & Johnson
Healthcare and consumer goods conglomerate
Mayo Clinic · LabCorp · Cleveland Clinic · Genentech · Medtronic
Theranosevidence-based medicine
Clinical care guided by research
Mayo Clinic · NIH · CDC · LabCorp