Now that failed inspections, government sanctions and a criminal investigation have shadowed the once stellar expectations surrounding the blood-testing company Theranos, the big question is turning from whether the company will eventually prevail to why so many people were so enamored of it in the first place.
Some cite the charisma of the company’s founder, Elizabeth Holmes, and her dream of conducting all blood tests with a finger prick. But other startup founders are charming and have compelling dreams and haven’t amassed hundreds of millions in venture capital. At its peak, the company was valued at $9 billion.
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