Joseph Sapien grew up in the vibrant border community of El Paso, Texas, where art, culture, and resilience shaped his entrepreneurial spirit. An artist and tech enthusiast from an early age, Joseph first learned business from his older brother—selling airbrush T-shirts in the neighborhood, then quickly evolving into building websites during the early days of the internet.
Determined to merge creativity and technology, Joseph pursued a B.A. in Computer Animation at the Art Institute of Phoenix and is certified Brand Strategist by Professor Scott Galloway. His career began at Workforce Solutions Borderplex, where he rose from a communications specialist to an executive leader. During that decade, he mastered operations, communications, and technology while building programs that generated millions in support for workforce development across West Texas.
In 2018, Joseph launched the STTE Foundation, a tech and startup nonprofit recognized nationally as an Ecosystem Builder of the Year by Inicio Ventures, a Google partner. Under his leadership, STTE produced groundbreaking initiatives such as AR Career Mirrors, an immersive installation with 250K+ visitors, and the AI in the Borderland Hackathon, which brought together 180 participants to prototype 32 cross-industry solutions. He also spearheaded EdTechConnect.org, a platform that aligns school district superintendents and higher-ed leaders with systemic innovation strategies.
In addition to leading STTE, Joseph has founded two startups—ventures that pushed the boundaries of DeathTech and entertainment—giving him firsthand experience in building from the ground up, navigating funding challenges, and scaling solutions that deliver impact. These entrepreneurial journeys cemented his reputation as a builder who knows how to turn bold ideas into operational realities.
Today, Joseph is channeling his experience into his newest venture, MoveThePlan.com—a platform designed to transform how organizations build and execute strategy by embedding AI-powered agents into living strategic plans. With a network that includes the leading development shops and his “superpower” of world-class developers, Joseph is building MoveThePlan into a one-person powerhouse—a unicorn-in-the-making through strategic moves and relentless innovation.
Known for his ability to blend vision with execution, Joseph has built trust with executives, investors, and community leaders alike. His specialty is innovation: from AI to AR, from civic entrepreneurship to digital storytelling. Looking forward, he is especially excited about the possibilities of smart glasses and how the future will look through lenses that merge the digital and physical worlds.
Joseph Sapien’s journey—from airbrushed T-shirts on the border to building nationally recognized innovation ecosystems—shows his unique blend of creativity, business acumen, and technological foresight. He is committed to helping businesses and communities not just adapt to the future, but shape it.