Billy Evans, the partner of imprisoned Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, has announced that he is fundraising for a new blood-testing venture called Haemanthus.
According to the New York Times, the startup’s marketing materials say the ultimate goal is “human health optimization,” using wearable versions of the technology.
The startup has received already received its first patent for a small, box-like machine that uses lasers to process blood, saliva, or urine samples which is says can make diagnoses with laser technology. (Haemanthus is Greek for “blood flower.”)
Evans’ father is Bill Evans, whose family company owns multiple local luxury hotels — including Mission Bay’s Bahia Resort, the Catamaran Resort & Spa in Pacific Beach, and the Lodge at Torrey Pines.
Billy Evans has already reportedly raised millions of dollars from investors for the startup, which the company insists is nothing like Theranos — despite their surface similarities.
3/ Setting the record straight. Elizabeth Holmes has zero involvement in Haemanthus. We've learned from her company's mistakes, but she has no role, now or future. NYT & @NPR implied otherwise. We've stayed quiet to build real tech, not conceal. Demonstrating, not promising.
— haemanthus (@haemanthusinc) May 11, 2025
Elizabeth Holmes — with whom Evans has been in a relationship since 2017 — was convicted in 2022 of defrauding investors and patients with a blood-testing technology she knew was unsuccessful but which she continued to pitch and sell regardless.
She was sentenced later that year to more than 11 years in prison and ordered to repay investors more than $450 million. She has always maintained that she is innocent.
She is currently incarcerated in a federal prison in Bryant, Texas.
