The Repository of

Ill-Advised Ventures

A collection of relics from frauds, fiascos, and ambitious ideas that should have been stopped much earlier.

View collectionAbout the collection
Several items in the Repository of Ill-Advised Ventures collection arranged around large FAST letters.
Permanent collection

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The collection

RIAV 001Donated 2019
Theranos-branded centrifuge, front view
A Theranos-branded Drucker model 842VES centrifuge and two Forbes photoshoot prints by Ethan Pines

Theranos

Blood-testing backed by boardroom prestige.

Open exhibit
RIAV 002Acquired 2020
An image of a Juicero juicer
A Juicero Press

Juicero

A $700 juicer for pre-squeezed packets.

Open exhibit
RIAV 003Donated 2020
Front view of the Florida voting machine
A Florida voting machine from the 2000 presidential election

Bush v. Gore

Democracy interrupted by butterfly ballot.

Open exhibit
RIAV 004Acquired 2022
Enron plaque and pin, front view
An Enron Executive Impact & Influence Program plaque and an Enron Field pin

Enron

An honesty award from Enron.

Open exhibit
RIAV 005Acquired 2022
FAST hoodie and sticker
A Fast Checkout hoodie, matching sticker, and foam office letters

Fast Checkout

One of the many one-click commerce startups that didn't get much commerce.

Open exhibit
RIAV 006Donated 2022
FTX cards and koozies together
Two FTX koozies, a few Joe West baseball cards displaying the FTX umpire patch, 2 FTX backpacks, one Alameda Research backpack, 4 sweatshirts, 4 T shirts, an Alameda Research recruiting pamphlet, a mousepad, 2 hats, and a staff uniform from FTX arena

FTX

Sports sponsorships and merch from the most trusted crypto empire.

Open exhibit
RIAV 007Acquired 2021
Pryme Vessyl on its stand
A Pryme Vessyl "intelligent" cup

Vessyl

A cup that promised molecular certainty.

Open exhibit
RIAV 008Donated 2022
Front-facing photo of a Chrisley Knows Best water bottle
A "Chrisley Knows Best" water bottle

Chrisley

Reality-TV merchandise with white-collar crime flair.

Open exhibit
RIAV 009Acquired 2022
JUUL device, angled view
A JUUL e-cigarette

Juul

A sleek nicotine device. For kids!

Open exhibit
RIAV 010Donated 2009
Front view of the Spalding New Ball
A Spalding composite "New Ball"

Spalding Synthetic Basketball

Proof that a bad redesign is the one thing that can unite NBA players.

Open exhibit
RIAV 011Acquired 2022
Lehman Brothers seal, star view
Four Lehman Brothers corporate seals circa 2008

Lehman Brothers

Stamps for documents that didn't last long.

Open exhibit
RIAV 012Acquired 2022
Pets.com sock puppet, angled view
A Pets.com sock puppet

Pets.com

The dot-com bubble came with good mascots.

Open exhibit
RIAV 013Acquired 2021
uBiome kit contents together
A uBiome SmartFlu kit

uBiome

Gut science, billing science, marital secrecy.

Open exhibit
RIAV 014Donated 2025
Framed drawing by Anna Delvey
Professional photos coming soon
A framed drawing by Anna Delvey

Anna Delvey

A piece of post(?)-scam artwork.

Open exhibit
RIAV 015
Abstract painting by John Hinckley Jr.
Professional photos coming soon
"Modern Life" by John Hinckley Jr.

John Hinckley Jr.

A painting by a would-be assassin.

Open exhibit
RIAV 016Donated 2023
Black-and-white portrait photograph of Bernie Madoff
Professional photos coming soon
A 1988 Bernie Madoff portrait by Yousuf Karsh

Bernie Madoff

A photo from before the fall.

Open exhibit
RIAV 017Donated 2025
First Republic-branded umbrella, open view
Professional photos coming soon
A First Republic-branded umbrella

First Republic

Confidence, embroidered.

Open exhibit
RIAV 018
Folded pair of Fyre Fest sweatpants
Professional photos coming soon
A pair of Fyre Festival sweatpants

Fyre Fest

Luxury-disaster loungewear that came with a cheese sandwich.

Open exhibit
RIAV 019Acquired 2025
CueCat barcode scanner in its packaging
Professional photos coming soon
A CueCat barcode scanner in its packaging

CueCat

Why type a URL if you can awkwardly scan one?

Open exhibit
RIAV 020Acquired 2025
Friend pendant box
Professional photos coming soon
A Friend wearable pendant

Friend AI pendant

An AI companion gadget with no companionship.

Open exhibit
RIAV 021Acquired 2025
MoviePass membership card
Professional photos coming soon
A MoviePass membership card

MoviePass

A relic from the subscription miracle that let me buy dollars for 99 cents.

Open exhibit
RIAV 022Acquired 2025
Rabbit R1 in its box
Professional photos coming soon
A Rabbit r1 handheld device

Rabbit R1

The future of personal computing for about two days.

Open exhibit
RIAV 023Acquired 2025
Humane AI pin on its charging dock
Professional photos coming soon
A Humane AI Pin with charging dock

Humane AI

Also the future of personal computing for about two days.

Open exhibit
RIAV 024Donated 2025
Two MicroStrategy-branded bags shown side by side
Professional photos coming soon
Two MicroStrategy-branded bags

MicroStrategy

Bags to hold your bitcoin bags.

Open exhibit
RIAV 025
Exhibit coming soon
Oil from the spill and the report to the president

Exxon Valdez

An oily daily brief.

Coming soon
RIAV 026
Exhibit coming soon
Milli Vanilli tour book, record, and concert ticket

Milli Vanilli

Lip-syncing, professionally amplified.

Coming soon
RIAV 027
Exhibit coming soon
Photograph of Tonya and Nancy on ice together after the scandal

Tonya Harding

A photo finish after the injury.

Coming soon
RIAV 028
Exhibit coming soon
The first and last issues of George magazine

George magazine

Celebrity politics before it was chic.

Coming soon
RIAV 029
Exhibit coming soon
A WorldCom-branded watch

WorldCom

A watch from a company that lost track.

Coming soon
RIAV 030
Exhibit coming soon
Repair kit from the emissions scandal

Volkswagen emissions scandal

Clean diesel, dirty software.

Coming soon