Meghan Markle is bringing a royal spin to the world of investing!
The Duchess of Sussex has always made the fight for gender equality the core of her existence long before it became one of her core causes as a royal. Now, she extends this mission to the private sector as she starts to build out a portfolio of startup investments.
According to Fortune, Markle is taking her talents to Clevr Blends, a startup responsible for making instant oat-milk lattes. Led by co-founder and CEO Hannah Mendoza, in a statement of her investment with the brand, Markle makes it clear that she has a huge interest in supporting female-founded companies.
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“This investment is in support of a passionate female entrepreneur who prioritizes building community alongside her business,” Markle told Fortune. “I’m proud to invest in Hannah’s commitment to sourcing ethical ingredients and creating a product that I personally love and [that] has a holistic approach to wellness. I believe in her, and I believe in her company.”
After tasting the company’s oat-milk latte product which made its debut through a Santa Barbara pop-up coffee shop in 2017, Markle reached out to the Clevr team to show an interest.
The Southern California-based business also happens to be headquartered near Montecito, where Markle and her husband, Prince Harry, relocated earlier this year.
“Entrepreneurs need funding, but they also need advisers who care deeply about what they are building,” said Mendoza in a statement. “Her passion for what we’re creating is palpable, and I couldn’t imagine a more aligned partnership. We’re excited for the road ahead.”
Before Markle’s investment, which has yet to be disclosed, the brand had been self-funded.
Clevr will use the investment to not only scale its business but has also made the commitment to donating 1 percent of revenue to organizations fighting for food justice in the U.S., money that currently goes to Santa Barbara’s El Centro SB, a community organization and mutual aid.
