This CEO is out for blood

Post by w1ntermute » Thu, Jun 26, 2014, 10:37 PM UTC

Igglyboo wrote: post #39

tekacs wrote: post #31

> she started her first business while still in high school, selling C++ compilers to Chinese universities. Along with the rest of the weirdness being mentioned by others, some of this really doesn't begin to make sense to me. o_O Custom compilers have been a thing a few times in the past, but in the late 90s, what possible reason could there be for this?

The only thing I can think of was that the Chinese had some new architecture with no compiler out there for it. But if they had their own architecture they could surely build their own compiler.. Sounds fishy tbh

Post by w1ntermute » Thu, Jun 26, 2014, 10:39 PM UTC

Procrastes wrote: post #7

> “I realized that I could have just as well been looking into the eyes of a Steve Jobs or a Bill Gates.” > Though Theranos is largely unknown even in Silicon Valley, that is about to change. > Precisely how Theranos accomplishes all these amazing feats is a trade secret. > The analyzers look like large desktop computer towers. Holmes declines to explain how they work, or even allow them to be photographed, citing th…

Post by Alupis » Thu, Jun 26, 2014, 10:40 PM UTC

DaniFong wrote: post #47

Alupis wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems rather sad state of our Patent system here in the US where a 19 year old with no prior technical background, who was a Chemical Engineering student, a sophomore no less (meaning barely finished or finishing General Ed. requirements and just starting Major courses), can write and file for a highly-technical patent involving radios, sensors, embedded devices, and the like. > And we could put a cellphone chip on i…

Seems like a rather sad state of Hacker News when there is so much doubt heaped on a woman's technical ability just because of her age, and the fact she was unlikely to have completed the relevant formal education. There is rarely an invention 101. Many people can teach themselves.

Post by throwaway3264 » Thu, Jun 26, 2014, 10:51 PM UTC

throwaway0626 wrote: post #52

caycep wrote: post #43

There have been hints and whispers of Theranos here at HN for a while, here at least is more information about it, puff piece or no. The board is quite impressive; I suspect they have gotten at least some DoD money, i.e. DARPA, through which perhaps some of those connections were made...

The CEO is definitely out for blood, and her employees apparently aren't exempt... Here's some more information about Theranos... I interviewed with these guys recently. One of the things the interviewer stressed is that the programmers there typically work 60-hour weeks, and would I be okay with that. He said he was very proud of the fact that they used to work 80-hour weeks but had gotten it down to about 60. I pas…

Post by gohrt » Thu, Jun 26, 2014, 11:07 PM UTC

jonnathanson wrote: post #20

rayiner wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I skimmed through the first part, but based on your comment I went back and read the article. > As a bonus, board meetings are also attended by the company’s de facto legal adviser at large, trial lawyer David Boies. Boies represented the DOJ in the Microsoft antitrust proceedings and Al Gore in Bush v. Gore. What an odd cast for a startup board. I wonder what connects all these people, other than all being high-prof…

"What an odd cast for a startup board. I wonder what connects all these people, other than all being high-profile." Government relations. Influence with policymakers and thought leaders. Makes total sense for a med-tech company. This is an industry where "non-market factors" (government regulation, threat of competitive lobbying or lawsuits by incumbents, etc.) play an enormous role. If I were starting a med-tech com…