How Studying Abroad Launched Leopoldo Angelini’s Startup Journey

From a student–graphic designer at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore to co–founder of Menumal – a story of curiosity, hard work, and turning international experience into a real-world solution for the restaurant industry.

Leopoldo Angelini grew up in a small Italian town. Moving to Milan for a Bachelor degree in Economics at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore felt like a big step – but it was only the beginning of a longer journey. What followed was a series of choices, short stays, and a constant appetite for new perspectives: Maastricht, Berlin, Paris, and the Canary Islands. Each stop added a tool to his kit: language, resilience, curiosity, and the practical know-how to turn a problem into a business.

On campus: where passion met purpose

Leopoldo didn’t walk onto campus as a polished, recruiter-ready graduate. He brought a hobby: graphic design and photography. That passion became his first real job – a graphic designer role with Cattolica International during his studies – and it changed everything. “What's core is that many times job opportunities come from special hard or soft skills you develop on your own,” he says.

Those Milan days were busy: classes, an on-campus job, a girlfriend, and a football team. The rhythm of study and work taught him discipline. The job taught him craft. And the combination created momentum.

First steps abroad: Maastricht as a Free Mover

One of the main motivations behind studying abroad was improving his English. Although Leopoldo had already participated in several study trips abroad during earlier school years, his first international experience through Cattolica International was a semester as a Free Mover in Maastricht, Netherlands – a high-effort, high-reward experiment.

Keeping up with the academic pace wasn’t easy. “I thought I could simply take a Finance 1 exam and found myself facing Finance 2 or 3,” he recalls. “It was quite a shock – a huge marathon to keep up.” There were practical bumps too, such as finding housing after being scammed. Yet the challenge sharpened him. “Learning in another language is extremely educational. When you go to sleep and dream in that language, that’s when you realise something has changed. You’ve gained a new perspective.”

“Even when you come back, you develop a horizontal way of seeing things, with less prejudice. It allows you to see things – and even solutions – differently.” This perspective stayed with him and shaped his approach to both work and life.

Going global: Berlin, Paris, and the Canary Islands

After graduating from Università Cattolica, Leopoldo continued his studies by joining ESCP Business School, studying in Berlin and Paris, with additional time in the Canary Islands during a COVID-era gap year. These experiences gave him insight into work cultures, and food-tech exposure to his academic foundation.

“By living so many different things in different scenarios, you begin to identify problems quickly and implement solutions even faster,” he says – a mindset that would prove decisive in entrepreneurship.

It was also through these experiences that Leopoldo discovered how much environments shape people – mainly himself. “I became what I call an introvert activator,” he laughs. “When I meet someone shy, I’m curious. I want to bring them out, because often those people are the most interesting. Traveling and living abroad taught me to be patient and open – to wait before judging, and to see that what looks like distance or coldness is often just culture.”

Menumal: life as a startup founder

According to Leopoldo, we tend to believe an idea comes in our sleep – out of nowhere. Or when you have a job opportunity and find solutions to a problem in a specific field. In his case, it came from a third-party request.

Menumal grew from that real-world feedback, when a restaurant asked the co-founders – Leopoldo, Leonardo, and Davide – to create a digital menu. They dug in, validated the problem with other restaurateurs, and realised there was a larger market. The result: a SaaS product to help restaurants switch to flexible, accessible digital menus. Menumal is SaaS technology for restaurants that offers new levels of digitalisation and flexibility in managing their menus – without compromising on style.

In the early days, the co-founders wore many hats. “I handled sales,” Leopoldo recalls, “while Leonardo and Davide were writing code like kings.” That hands-on phase taught them to move fast, listen closely to users, and iterate based on their needs.

What Cattolica gave him – and what you can expect

Leopoldo credits his university job with more than pocket money. Working alongside the team gave him structure, feedback from real supervisors, and the chance to push passion into a professional role. That mix of practical experience and international curiosity prepared him for uncertainty – and for entrepreneurship.

He offers one blunt piece of advice to students considering studying abroad: “Starting to travel, having an international experience, is crucial in a self-discovery journey... It shapes the decisions you make, and the happiness connected to them.

How Leopoldo defines success

For Leopoldo Angelini, success is a personal journey, defined by both happiness and the positive impact he has on others. Hence, he views it not as a single milestone, but as an ongoing journey where true fulfillment comes from bringing joy to himself and those around him.Takeaways for future Worldbounders

• Start small, build skills. Leopoldo’s first on-campus role as a graphic designer became a professional springboard.
• Push the language barrier. Studying in another language deepens learning and accelerates growth.
• Validate ideas with real users. Menumal began because someone needed the product.
• Be ready to do many jobs. Early-stage startups demand cross functional grit.
• Let experiences change you. Growth often happens outside your comfort zone – in every new city, every new challenge.

“Whether you’re unsure, you’re between staying stuck or on the move – just move. The way to happiness is complex and requires preparation, and the only way is to see as many things as you can to make the choices that fit you best.”

Join us during International Week and learn how a curious mindset – combined with hands-on experience at Università Cattolica – can spark an entrepreneurial path.