San Francisco, California — Billy Evans, the partner of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, is venturing into the startup world again with a new endeavor aimed at revolutionizing health care through advanced blood testing technology. The startup, named Haemanthus, aims to provide what it calls “human health optimization” by utilizing innovative testing methods.

Recent discussions with two investors who were pitched on the venture revealed details about Haemanthus, which is set to utilize laser technology to analyze blood, saliva, and urine samples. Initial efforts will focus on improving pet health before expanding to human applications, with the company seeking to secure over $50 million in funding to support its goals.

This ambitious pitch mirrors the promises made by Theranos, which claimed it could carry out a multitude of medical tests on minimal blood samples extracted from finger pricks. Holmes, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2022 for defrauding investors, has stated her ongoing commitment to making healthcare more accessible and affordable, despite her troubled past.

Investors have been cautious when approached about this new venture. Notably, Jim Breyer, an early investor in Facebook, expressed skepticism after his team declined to invest, citing concerns similar to those that led them to pass on Theranos twice.

Haemanthus positions itself as harnessing advanced analytics in the medical field, with hopes of detecting serious health issues such as cancer and infections. The projected timeline envisions a careful rollout, starting with veterinary applications before potentially entering the human health sector.

Despite the promising technology, concerns linger about the viability of such ventures in the wake of Theranos’s downfall. The scrutiny over health-tech innovations has intensified, leading investors to proceed with caution, wary of repeating past mistakes.

As Evans and his team work towards launching Haemanthus, the shadow of Theranos hangs heavily over the initiative, reminding stakeholders of the potential pitfalls in the pursuit of groundbreaking healthcare solutions. With aspirations to fundamentally change health diagnostics, the startup’s journey will likely attract both scrutiny and interest in an increasingly skeptical marketplace.