FLOP No. 42 – Theranos Demo Day (2013–2015)
Gatheringpoint.new: The 50 Biggest Flops in Event History
Click Here to see entire list
The Promise: A sleek, disruptive medical tech product capable of testing hundreds of conditions from a single drop of blood—unveiled in investor demos and Walgreens partnerships.
What Happened: The devices were fake. Demos were staged. Results were generated by third-party machines off-site. The live presentations were showbiz smoke—and later, courtroom evidence.
What Failed: There was no real product. The events were lies in lighting.
What We Learned: If the core doesn’t work, the show is an illusion.
What an Event Pro Would’ve Advised: Don’t stage fiction. Vet tech with rehearsals. Design accountability into every demo.
