The Dropout: How Elizabeth Holmes Built a $9 Billion Lie

Episode Notes Theranos promised to revolutionize healthcare with a device that could run hundreds of tests from a single drop of blood. The technology never worked. But for over a decade, Elizabeth Holmes convinced investors, board members, and patients that it did. This episode traces the anatomy of one of the largest corporate frauds in American history. What You'll Learn The specific technical claims Theranos made -- and why they were impossible How Holmes maintained the illusion through board composition and NDAs The whistleblowers who risked everything to expose the fraud What the Theranos collapse reveals about Silicon Valley's relationship with truth Related Reading 10 Ways to Make Money with AI -- Building real value vs. hype in the technology space AI Affiliate Marketing Strategy -- Legitimate technology business models that actually work Understanding AI Hallucination Problems and Solutions -- When technology promises outpace reality 10 AI Tools for Building Automated Income -- Technology ventures built on real, working products Automate Repetitive Tasks with AI -- The difference between real automation and vaporware What Went Wrong is a podcast by Aevorn.

What this episode covers

Elizabeth Holmes convinced the world she had revolutionized blood testing. She hadn't. We dissect how Theranos maintained a $9 billion valuation on technology that never worked.

NOW PLAYING

0:00 19:38

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Visionary Archetypes for Worldbuilding

Apr 15, 2026 ·28m

Bringing it all together.

Mar 31, 2026 ·54m

Why is the vendor role so contentious in the cyber ecosystem?

Mar 27, 2026 ·14m

But what do you really want?

Mar 24, 2026 ·42m

Strategic approaches to talent: A practical guide.

Mar 20, 2026 ·42m

Mid season reflection with Kim Jones.

Mar 17, 2026 ·41m

Similar Podcasts

LIGHTS, CAMERA, SMILE! Creatives Club Media Lights, Camera, Smile, is a podcast for anyone with a dream to share something with the world, out of the overflow of themselves - be it their mind, their heart, their personalities, and much more. Each of us are alive in this moment in time, with an innate ability to have ideas and create various things to benefit both ourselves and the people around us for a reason, and here, you will find the encouragement, the inspiration, and the motivation to do just that. Hosted by Cicily, founder of Creatives Club, she dives into various topics surrounding creativity and business. Exploring entrepreneurship for creatives in a corporate reality, sharing tips and tricks in a media centered company, answering questions regarding what a creative actually is are just a few of the things discussed on this podcast. Be encouraged to create for yourself as Cicily gets vulnerable by pivoting the camera to herself for the first time.To submit questions for Cicily to answer, or have her address certain t Solving for Change MOBIA Technology Innovations Solving for Change welcomes business and technology leaders to share stories of bold business transformation within complex organizations. In an era when technology and markets are changing around businesses, the key to staying competitive is to evolve in response to those changes. MOBIA’s Mike Reeves and Marc LeBlanc investigate business transformation, deconstructing the challenges, ambitions, and market disruptions that drive companies to embark on transformation journeys, and exploring their unique approaches to achieving meaningful outcomes. What sparks leaders to pursue business transformation? How do they overcome the challenges along the way? What are the keys to creating enduring change? Through in-depth conversations with business and technology leaders, Mike and Marc answer these questions and explore how businesses evolve by pulling four key transformation levers: people, process, technology, and culture. One Man Went To Row PepperDawesMedia Follow the journey, from training to finish line, of a man from Derby, UK who is going from having only ever rowed on a machine to rowing 3000 miles solo across the Atlantic...just after his 70th birthday! CISO Perspectives (public) N2K Networks This season on CISO Perspectives, host Kim Jones explores some of the challenges of leading through uncertainty. We explore the complexity of the changing nature of regulation and working with the federal government, the evolution of privacy and fraud, and how emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing are changing cyber. When you don’t know what questions to ask, you’re afraid to ask, or don’t know who to ask, CISO Perspectives provides the foundation for learning in this brave new world.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of What Went Wrong?

This episode is 19 minutes long.

When was this What Went Wrong episode published?

This episode was published on April 27, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Can I download this What Went Wrong episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.

URL copied to clipboard!