The thing that surprises me is that Theranos filed patent applications on it’s (theoretical) developments. Applications that go beyond a provisional application are published at the 18 month mark. So why did they keep saying that it was all so super secret? Most of their so called technology has been available to the public for a while now. Perhaps they were trying to suggest that they had something better than what was in their patent applications….? According to the PTO database, there are 109 applications that have published (so far) that have been assigned to Theranos.
I think the business world was looking for a female Steve Jobs. It didn’t hurt that she was young and blonde. I think she’s at least a little Aspergers and probably could not let go of the idea that she had something great. The money lost is a tax on those who have forgotten the idea that if it seems to good to be true, it probably is.