08. The miniLab

Dated May 21, 2018; last modified on Sun, 14 Mar 2021

The miniLab, 4S for short, stemmed from the need for a device that could perform more than just one class of tests. Theranos value prop was now minituarization, as opposed to invention. Current blood analyzers used too much blood and did too few tests.

Kent, de-facto Chief Architect of the miniLab, had raised $215k on Kickstarter for his bike lights side project. Elizabeth and Sunny wanted the patent to be transferred to Theranos. The compromise was a leave of absence.

Elizabeth at Christmas Party: The miniLab is the most important thing humanity has ever built. If you don’t believe this is the case, you should leave now.

Statements like this skirt the boundary of vision and delusion.

Most companies go through 3 prototypes before market, but here Sunny was, placing orders based on a first, untested prototype.