Prince Harry takes executive role at Silicon Valley health startup Better Up
Prince Harry is said to be taking up a senior role at a Silicon Valley health startup as the outspoken royal taps into new business ventures.
The Duke of Sussex will become chief impact officer of Better Up, a San Francisco-based firm specialising in coaching and mental health, the Wall Street Journal reported.
“I intend to help create impact in people’s lives,” he told the newspaper. “Proactive coaching provides endless possibilities for personal development, increased awareness, and an all-round better life.”
Harry is expected to help the company with initiatives including product strategy and charitable contributions and advocate publicly on mental health issues.
Better Up did not disclose any details about the duke’s compensation for the role.
It is the latest effort by Harry and wife Meghan Markle to cash in on their celebrity status after they stepped down as full-time members of the royal family.
The couple have previously signed a podcast deal with Spotify and an agreement with Netflix to create documentaries worth a reported $100m.
The pair recently threw the royal household into crisis after they made accusations of racism and discussed mental health issues during a prime-time interview with Oprah Winfrey.
While it is not uncommon for companies to tap celebrities to boost their brand, they are more usually appointed to the board rather than an executive role.
But Better Up chief executive Alexi Robichaux said his firm had chosen the C-suite title as it reflected the broad range of responsibilities Harry would take on.
Better Up, which was founded in 2013, offers a range of coaching services to corporate clients including Google and Airbnb.
Last month it raised $125m in a Series D funding round that valued the company at $1.7bn.