Elizabeth Holmes’s partner

Billy Evans, has launched a new blood-testing startup called Haemanthus, which aims to revolutionize diagnostic tests. Here’s what’s known about the company ¹:

– Company Goal: Haemanthus seeks to develop a device that can test blood, saliva, and urine samples using lasers and deep learning models to detect diseases like cancer and infections.

– Initial Focus: The startup plans to begin testing on pets before moving to human trials, targeting the $75 billion veterinary diagnostics market.

– Funding: Haemanthus is seeking to raise over $50 million in funding, with initial investments already secured from a few investors, including Matthew E. Parkhurst.

– Device Development: The company’s device bears a resemblance to Theranos’s infamous Edison machine, which was central to Elizabeth Holmes’s fraudulent claims.

– Regulatory Clarity: Haemanthus has received a letter from the USDA stating that its proposed product may not fall under the agency’s regulatory jurisdiction.

Notably, Billy Evans’s connection to Elizabeth Holmes, who is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence for fraud related to Theranos, hasn’t been mentioned in Haemanthus’s investment presentations. Evans has assembled a team of around 10 employees, mostly from Luminar, a struggling self-driving car company. The success of Haemanthus remains to be seen, but its ambitions are certainly bold ².