Today we want to highlight Leonardo Lupiano, whose journey from international student to startup law
innovator began right here in Southern Utah.
For Leonardo Lupiano, Southern Utah wasn’t just a place to study, it was where everything began. After
moving to the U.S. from São Paulo, Brazil during high school, he later enrolled at Utah Tech University,
where he pursued a degree in Business Administration and Criminal Justice. He graduated as
Valedictorian and was named Male Student of the Year for 2020-21 — the first international student in
the university’s history to receive those honors. During his time at Utah Tech, he also became involved
in the local startup ecosystem through the Atwood Innovation Plaza, supporting dozens of early-stage
ventures and helping them connect with investors.
Leonardo went on to complete his MBA at Southern Utah University with a focus on Business Analytics.
The experience helped him bridge business and data strategy with real-world startup challenges —
insights he now applies in his current work.
After completing his MBA, Leonardo decided it was time to pursue his longtime goal of attending law
school. Although he was accepted to law schools across the nation, including Florida, Massachusetts,
and North Carolina, Leonardo chose to stay in the region that helped shape him. He is now pursuing
his J.D. at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, building on the foundation he laid in Southern Utah
and focusing on the legal side of entrepreneurship.
“I wanted to stay close to the community that gave me so many opportunities,” Leonardo says. “My goal
is to help make business formation and startup growth more accessible, especially for first-time
founders.”
To that end, he launched Founder’s Docket, a legal publication that features startup founders,
entrepreneurs, and business law professors. The project highlights stories from Southern Utah and Las
Vegas, focusing on what it takes to build strong legal foundations — from entity formation to investment
strategy. Although the publication is still new, it is already developing content with local founders, legal
professionals, and early-stage investors.
In parallel, Leonardo is developing a platform to simplify business formation, investment readiness, and
cap table management — designed to help founders launch and grow their companies with confidence
and legal clarity.
“I’m combining everything I’ve learned, from business and analytics to law and startup support, into
tools that are actually useful,” he says.
Leonardo’s journey shows how a strong start in Southern Utah can lead to meaningful impact — and
how local talent can shape the future of entrepreneurship.
Once his business formation platform is launched, he looks forward to bringing it directly to the
community. In the meantime, you can explore stories, insights, and practical guidance for founders and
business builders at Founder’s Docket: https://medium.com/founders-docket.
