Known as the youngest female self-made female billionaire, Elisabeth Holmes has been through tough times. The 31-year -old blood testing company founder crawled her way up for her to eventually earn her success. She dropped out of Stanford to start her own company.
She then started working on her vision:
"I don't want to make an incremental change in some technology in my life. I want to create a whole new technology, and one that is aimed at helping humanity at all levels regardless of geography or ethnicity or age or gender."
Holmes founded "Theranos" at the age of 19, which is a blood testing company that offers a cheaper blood testing alternative. She was able to come up with a technology that uses a single drop of blood, which can eventually be used for multiple tests at a cheaper price. [TedMed]
Though "Theranos" may sound helpful and cost efficient, it is however said to be a sham. As per Celebrity Net Worth, the test results being done using Theranos doesn't show accurate results and it often leads to misdiagnosis.
A report from Wall Street Journal then cited that "'Theranos' was exaggerating the efficient results of their technology. Several former patients who've used the 'Therano's tests in Walgreens Wellness Centers received very inaccurate results."
The website then added that a biochemist working for 'Theranos,' Ian Gibbons, told his wife that none of their technology worked. Gibson then committed suicide last 2013.
In one of her interviews, Elisabeth Holmes defended herself in a statement saying:
"This is what happens when you work to change things. First, they think you're crazy, then they fight you, then you change the world."
"Theranos" then responded to the accusations against the company by releasing an official statement which stated that the whole scandal is "factually and scientifically erroneous and grounded in baseless assertions by inexperienced and industry incumbents."