Cristiano Ronaldo is now not just a world football icon, but also a major player in the digital health industry.
The Portuguese star reportedly invested $7.5 million to own a 10% stake in HBL Pro2col Software, LLC, a subsidiary of Herbalife that controls the Pro2col technology.
Pro2col is developed as Herbalife's next-generation digital health operating system that aims to change the way users manage their personal well-being through data and smart technology.
The system tracks users' daily habits and nutrition to provide a health plan tailored to their lifestyle.
Ronaldo's investment is not just in the form of capital. He is also committed to providing services and sponsorship rights to Pro2col, thus demonstrating his seriousness in advancing the concept of data-based personalized nutrition.
This development further strengthens Herbalife's position in the global health market through a combination of technology and an extensive distributor network.
Herbalife has been working with Ronaldo for a long time since 2013, including the launch of the Herbalife24 ® CR7 Drive sports drink specially designed for athletes' nutritional and performance needs.
However, this latest investment marks a deeper and more strategic level of collaboration.
Herbalife CEO Stephan Gratziani described Ronaldo’s investment as a surprise that demonstrates his high confidence in Pro2col’s technology, and the potential for data-driven wellness to transform the industry.
The Pro2col system uses Pro2Score, a proprietary wellness assessment system that measures users’ progress across key health metrics.
This is not just any app, it combines artificial intelligence (AI) and personal data to shape effective and sustainable behavior change.
From an economic perspective, Ronaldo’s move is a smart move to break into the rapidly growing health technology sector.
However, the question is, can this investment overcome the competitive market challenges, as well as skepticism about the direct sales business model?
Herbalife needs to prove that Pro2col is not just a marketing gimmick, but a true revolution in digital wellness.
