From Outsider to Pharma Industry Pioneer - Angelo Stracquatanio (Part 1 of 3)

In this powerful first installment, Angelo Stracquatanio, Co-Founder and CEO of Apprentice.io, shares how he launched a groundbreaking tech company in New Jersey and began reshaping an industry long dominated by legacy systems. In Part 1, we explore how Angelo got started, built credibility as a newcomer, and proved that a small startup could transform how life-saving medicines are made.

In this episode, Angelo and our host Alfa Demmellash discuss:

Breaking Barriers
How Angelo established himself in a field traditionally controlled by major corporations and paper-based processes, and the steps he took to earn respect as an “outsider” with a bold vision.

Purpose-Driven Beginnings
The real-life challenge on a pharmaceutical production floor that sparked the idea for Apprentice.io, and how a clear mission guided Angelo from day one to modernize the process of making medicine.

About Angelo
A proud Rising Tide Capital entrepreneur and graduate of RTC’s Community Business Academy (Fall 2010), Angelo co-founded Apprentice.io in 2014 after witnessing a critical problem firsthand. He went on to build the world’s first intelligent software platform for life sciences manufacturing.

Under his leadership, Apprentice.io has raised over $200 million and developed an AI-driven, cloud-based system that helps pharmaceutical companies get medicines to patients faster. Angelo’s mission-driven approach shows how innovation can transform industries while strengthening communities. Today, he also serves on Rising Tide Capital’s board, supporting entrepreneurs following in his footsteps.


Links & Resources

🔗 Apprentice.io — Learn more about the platform and mission: apprentice.io
🔗 Rising Tide Capital — Discover how RTC supports thousands of entrepreneurs: risingtidecapital.org

🔔 Subscribe to Future Tide Conversations for more episodes featuring visionary leaders and entrepreneurs. New episodes drop throughout the season as we close out the year together.