[wyldfire]

It seemed to me as if the author semi-sheepishly is admitting being caught up in the fervor surrounding Theranos:

> I used to refer to it pretty regularly as the Blood Unicorn, Elasmotherium haimatos, because it was a Silicon Valley unicorn with a peak valuation of $9 billion that managed to raise $700 million from investors.

I suppose if "unicorn" is meant to describe fundraising activities, it's accurate. They really raised that money.

[osteele]

I believe this[1] is the article in which the author, Matt Levine, introduced the phrase “blood unicorn”. That article continues with a quote about Theranos's “bait and switch”; the author concludes the section with “‘There will be an appropriate time and place to talk about the past,’ said Theranos; my guess is that the place might be court.”

EDIT: This article[2] (also by Matt Levine) predates [1]. “And here is a unicorn being barbecued in what looks like a medieval manuscript that I will just assume prophesies the coming of Theranos. ‘And lo, a Unicorne shall come among ye, and ye shall call it by the name Theranos, or in the Old Tongues, Elasmotherium Haimatos. And it shall take your Bloode, but only a lyttle bit of your Bloode, and it shall do strange Magick upon said Bloode, and tell ye many Things. But then it shall come to pass that its Magick was [makes 'so-so' hand gesture], and that those Things were mostly not true. And ye shall barbecue that Unicorne.’”

[1] https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-08-02/mergers-u...

[2] https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-05-26/libor-cha...

[mathattack]

Matt would appreciate your use of footnotes!

[jeffreyrogers]

He's always been skeptical of them as far as I can remember. The whole "Blood Unicorn" thing is a long running joke in his column.

[DoreenMichele]

At one time, it was valued at $10 billion and being called a dekacorn based on valuation.