’The Dropout’ Part 1: Where ex-Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes got her start

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE OF 20/20: The ambitious young Stanford student dropped out of school to pursue her idea of creating a blood testing device that would run tests on a drop or two of blood. READ MORE: Ex-Theranos employees describe culture of secrecy at Elizabeth Holmes’ startup: ‘The Dropout’ podcast ep. 1 Not so long ago, Elizabeth Holmes was Silicon Valley’s rising star. Like so many of the most successful entrepreneurs before her, she dropped out of college to start a company. But unlike many others, her startup would go on to be valued at almost $10 billion making her the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire. The company was called Theranos, a combination of the words “therapy” and “diagnosis.” It was praised for being revolutionary and for creating a breakthrough that would change the medical industry forever. Her board of directors was a who’s who of government heavyweights that at a time include