&quot;How does a company, founded by someone with no realistic credentials or experience, raise so much money on what may never be delivered? Who decides it gets so much press coverage? Surely the VC&#x27;s are performing their due-diligence and there are adults minding the store?&quot;<p>I think there&#x27;s so much money being thrown around by the rich boys, they start to look at it like gambling.<p>Instead of &quot;How it works?&quot;.  It&#x27;s more about preceived value? All to wow a very gullible public?  It&#x27;s that perceived value that brings up stock price?   It&#x27;s those carefully carfted speeches.  It&#x27;s having the right look--the right back story. How many great ideas were lost because the founder didn&#x27;t have the right look&#x2F;dubious credentials(affilited at one time with an Ivy League School), wealthy friends, and a air of brilliance--usually just a turtleneck, or a very meticulous appearance.  (It&#x27;s funny how this industry has changed.  You used to need to be overweight&#x2F;underweight, and dress terribly in order to gain investment attention.)<p>Of course, the junk bond boys have their hidden stash, and the right LLC.  When it all crashes, they will still have the best of everything.  They will wait a few years, and set up shop.  It&#x27;s the retail investors that will be left holding the bag.<p>And, if you are pimping a complex scientific product, all the better, especially if you have a fall person?  See a product that&#x27;s kinda hard to understand, but has the o.k. of the paid pseudo science boys; that&#x27;s gold!  Create a product that people can&#x27;t prove doesn&#x27;t work--brilliant.  Can&#x27;t divulge trade secrets--great.  Can&#x27;t give up patents--great.   I still wouldn&#x27;t want to be on that Theranos BOD.<p>And to the dude who emailed me at home--don&#x27;t!