Highlights of the Week (September 10, 2021)

I was too young to watch the OJ Simpson trial, arguably the first televised court drama and the tv program to ignite the reality tv boom of the last 20+ years. Thankfully, I’m able to “tune in” this time, through a steady stream of news articles and thought pieces, to the Elizabeth Holmes trial currently playing out in San Jose, California. For those who don’t know, Elizabeth was the Steve Jobsian, black turtleneck-wearing CEO of Theranos, a healthtech company determined to build a device that could determine health outcomes from a drop of blood. That idea, along with misleading evidence, attracted $724MM in investments, leading to a $9BN valuation. The company came crumbling down when an exposé in The Wall Street Journal reported false and misleading claims, ultimately resulting in a liquidation of the company and fraud charges for Elizabeth Holmes and the company’s president. HBO made a documentary about the bizarre founder and the company's trajectory.

The trial will likely reveal more context for the fascinating climb of a Silicon Valley woman who crafted social cues (eg, not blinking & a deep voice) to convince powerful men to hand over capital. It will also seek to clarify where ambition and intention break off into fraud, a path her defense is taking. Stay tuned!

Here’s a look back on the topics from this week’s Daily Stack:

• We examined the EdTech industry and where it stands as kids head back to school 1.5 years after the start of the pandemic. Spoiler–it’s still chaotic across many districts. As in-person instruction becomes the goal, what is to come of the educational technologies fast-tracked in recent years? Find out here.

• The NFT market rebounded in August, challenging the critics calling it a trend. But is the art market being democratized? Are more artists upgrading their lifestyles from ‘starving artists’? Find out how artists stand to benefit (or not) and what the Feds think of this Wild West in the art world. Read about it here.

• Harvesting the sun’s rays for electricity is beating out analysts’ expectations of consumer adoption. More households are choosing to turn rooftops into energy sources. But still, solar energy only amounts to 4% of all energy consumed. The Biden administration is seeking to change that statistic. We looked at the solar industry in yesterday’s edition. Check it out.