Elizabeth Holmes’ Partner Secures Millions for Innovative Biotech Testing Startup: Here’s What You Need to Know

Elizabeth Holmes, the former CEO of Theranos, is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence for defrauding investors. During her time behind bars, her partner, Billy Evans, has raised millions for a new AI-driven health tech startup called Haemanthus, which means “blood flower” in Greek.

The startup aims to create a product for medical testing and other applications. Sources say Holmes has been advising Evans while in prison, although her exact role remains unclear. The team already has about a dozen members, many of whom worked with Evans at Luminar Technologies, a company specializing in sensors for autonomous vehicles.

Evans has primarily raised funds from family and friends so far. This situation certainly adds an interesting twist, considering Holmes was once a celebrated figure in Silicon Valley, boasting comparisons to tech legends like Steve Jobs. Her story turned sour when it was revealed that Theranos’s blood-testing technology didn’t work as promised, leading to her conviction.

As Evans embarks on this new venture, it’s worth noting that Holmes’s involvement comes despite her legal troubles in the same industry. While she continues to fight her conviction, her future in biotech seems to be on her mind. She even told People magazine that she plans to return to the field after her release, claiming she’s been working on patents for future innovations from prison.

Haemanthus aims to harness light detection technology, specifically Raman spectroscopy, known for diagnosing conditions like ALS and various forms of cancer. This technology could even be used to find explosives on battlefields. The goal is to make these tests more accessible and affordable for everyday patients.

The startup’s recent patent mentions using biological materials like sweat and urine for testing, with the potential to conduct analyses using small blood samples. However, the specifics of the consumer product are still in development.

As the company takes shape, public reactions have been varied. Many are skeptical about Holmes’s return to healthcare. Others, however, are intrigued by this new chapter for both her and Evans as they explore the boundaries of innovation in medical technology.

For more details on Raman spectroscopy and its applications, you can read about it in journals like [Nature](https://www.nature.com) and [NCBI](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/).

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