Theranos and Silicon Valley
Tech Life
BBC
4.3 • 227 Ratings
🗓️ 14 January 2022
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
What does the conviction of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes tell us about tech startup culture? The BBC's James Clayton is joined by NPR tech reporter Bobby Allyn to ask if any lessons are being learned by Silicon Valley, where startups are encouraged to promise world-changing technology, and investors demand sky-high valuations. We discuss the impact of the Theranos scandal with one of the whistleblowers involved, the venture capital companies funding exciting new tech companies, and the biotech startups who say blood testing technology still has a bright future.
(Photo: Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes arriving in court in November, Credit: Getty Images)
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Hello, you're about to listen to a BBC podcast, so I'd like to tell you where you'll find more just like it. |
| 0:05.6 | I'm Izzy Lee Poulton, an assistant commissioner for BBC Sounds, which means I'm involved in the whole podcast making process. |
| 0:12.2 | Whether that's developing fresh formats or facilitating eye-catching artwork, I helped project manage all the details that make our podcast stand out. |
| 0:19.7 | At the BBC, we've got access to storytellers and experts across a huge range of subjects. |
| 0:24.4 | It could be psychologists, comedians, celebrities or journalists. |
| 0:28.6 | No podcasts or day looks the same here. |
| 0:31.6 | So no matter what you like, check out BBC Sounds. |
| 0:34.1 | There's probably another podcast on there that you're absolutely love. |
| 0:41.5 | No. sounds. There's probably another podcast on there that you're absolutely love. Hello, this is TechTent from the BBC World Service. I'm James Clayton, the BBC's correspondent |
| 0:46.9 | in Silicon Valley. And on this week's show, one big story, the scandal of blood testing |
| 0:52.6 | company Theranos. This month, its founder, Elizabeth Holmes, |
| 0:56.4 | was found guilty of fraud. Now, there's been a lot of inks built about this case, a lot of news |
| 1:01.6 | packages, explainers and podcasts. So I'm really keen not to cover old ground today, but to look at |
| 1:07.9 | some of the questions that the verdict raises for Silicon Valley startup culture, |
| 1:12.5 | whistleblowing, investing in new tech, and also this sort of cloak of secrecy that seems to |
| 1:18.1 | permeate companies at every level here. Where is the line between hyping up a company and straight up |
| 1:24.8 | fraud? Well, with me now is Bobby Allen. He's a tech reporter for NPR here |
| 1:29.2 | in the US, and he's been following the trial of Elizabeth Holmes almost obsessively. Hi, Bobby. |
| 1:34.8 | Hey, James. How's going? Here's what's coming up. The objective was definitely to scare me. |
| 1:39.2 | If you sign this document, you will make a world of suffering disappear. I don't think Silicon Valley |
| 1:43.2 | invented fake it till you make it, |
| 1:45.0 | but I think that they have absolutely perfected it. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.