{"slug":"theranos","name":"Theranos","sector":"Biotech","country":"USA","founded":"2003","died":"2018","year":2018,"causeCategory":"fraud","raised":"$945M","founderName":"Elizabeth Holmes","archetype":"The Fraud","flamePct":98,"famePct":2,"peak":"$9B valuation","tagline":{"en":"Blood testing. Miniaturized. Fictional.","es":"Análisis de sangre. Miniaturizado. Ficticio."},"cause":{"en":"Theranos failed because its Edison blood-testing device never worked. The company raised $945M while falsifying results using conventional machines. A 2015 Wall Street Journal investigation by John Carreyrou exposed the fraud. Elizabeth Holmes was convicted in January 2022 and sentenced to 11 years in prison.","es":"Theranos fracasó porque su dispositivo Edison nunca funcionó. La empresa recaudó 945M$ falsificando resultados con máquinas convencionales. Una investigación del WSJ en 2015 expuso el fraude. Elizabeth Holmes fue condenada en enero de 2022 a 11 años de prisión."},"lesson":{"en":"The product must work. \"Fake it till you make it\" ends at the FDA boundary. No amount of narrative replaces a working device.","es":"El producto debe funcionar. \"Fake it till you make it\" termina en el límite regulatorio. Ninguna narrativa reemplaza un dispositivo funcional."},"verdict":{"en":"Hall of Flame · All-Time · Fraud · $945M Lost","es":"Hall of Flame · All-Time · Fraude · 945M$ Perdidos"},"unicornburn":{"en":"In UnicornBurn Season 0, Theranos triggers PRODUCT_VALIDATION_FAILURE before reaching Seed round. The simulation validates product claims before unlocking funding rounds — unlike Theranos investors.","es":"En UnicornBurn Season 0, Theranos activa PRODUCT_VALIDATION_FAILURE antes de llegar a Seed. La simulación valida las afirmaciones del producto antes de desbloquear rondas de financiación."},"faqEn":[{"q":"Why did Theranos fail?","a":"Theranos failed because its blood-testing technology never worked. The Edison device falsified results using conventional machines while the company raised $945M. The fraud was exposed by the Wall Street Journal in 2015."},{"q":"How much did Theranos raise?","a":"Theranos raised approximately $945M from investors including Rupert Murdoch, Betsy DeVos, and the Walton family before the fraud was exposed."},{"q":"Was Theranos a fraud?","a":"Yes. Elizabeth Holmes was convicted of fraud in January 2022 and sentenced to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison."},{"q":"What happened to Elizabeth Holmes?","a":"Elizabeth Holmes was convicted on four counts of fraud in 2022 and sentenced to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison."}],"faqEs":[{"q":"¿Por qué fracasó Theranos?","a":"Theranos fracasó porque su tecnología de análisis de sangre nunca funcionó. El dispositivo Edison falsificaba resultados mientras la empresa recaudaba 945M$. El fraude fue expuesto por el WSJ en 2015."},{"q":"¿Cuánto recaudó Theranos?","a":"Theranos recaudó aproximadamente 945M$ de inversores como Rupert Murdoch, Betsy DeVos y la familia Walton."},{"q":"¿Qué le pasó a Elizabeth Holmes?","a":"Elizabeth Holmes fue condenada por fraude en enero de 2022 y sentenciada a 11 años y 3 meses de prisión federal."}],"url":"https://unicornburn.com/autopsy/theranos"}