How Prince Harry’s $5 Billion Startup Went South

When the attendee’s photo popped up, “it kind of felt like someone was reading my obituary,” the person said. Last valued at $4.7 billion, BetterUp is perhaps best known for its chief impact officer: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, who joined the corporate team in 2021. But even with a former royal among its ranks, the startup has struggled to maintain its footing. “We’re all there because of the same bullshit story they keep telling us: ‘We’re mission driven, and the mission is going to change the world,’” a recent employee said. Even before this week’s layoffs, BetterUp had been culling or pushing out employees for months, according to three recent staffers.