Elizabeth Holmes was a young entrepreneur who started the company Theranos at the age of 19. Holmes was a student at Stanford University when she came up with the idea for Theranos, a healthcare technology company that claimed to have developed a revolutionary blood testing device. The device was supposed to be able to conduct a wide range of blood tests using only a small amount of blood, which would make blood testing more convenient and accessible.

Holmes dropped out of Stanford to pursue her business idea, and quickly gained significant attention and investment for Theranos. The company grew rapidly, and was valued at over $9 billion at its peak. Holmes was hailed as a brilliant and visionary entrepreneur, and was featured on the cover of major magazines.

However, Theranos faced controversy and legal challenges. The company was accused of making false claims about its blood testing technology, and was eventually investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). In 2018, Holmes was charged with multiple counts of fraud by the SEC and the DOJ. She settled with the SEC, agreeing to pay a fine and to be banned from serving as an officer or director of a public company for 10 years.

Despite the controversy and legal challenges, Holmes’ story remains an example of a young entrepreneur who pursued her vision and achieved significant success at a young age. However, the eventual downfall of Theranos serves as a cautionary tale about the risks and challenges of starting a business.