Anthony Scarpone-Lambert

DREAMS TO REALITY. Anthony Scarpone-Lambert’s journey from Broadway to the healthcare industry is a testament to his determination, work ethic, and the power of setting ambitious goals. From a young age, Anthony has lived by the mantra that if you have a dream and the guts to pursue it, you can make it a reality. This belief has guided him from his early days as a performer on Broadway to his current role as the co-founder of Adni, a groundbreaking AI-powered super app for healthcare workers.

Growing up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Anthony was surrounded by a supportive and encouraging family. These early experiences of putting on shows in his basement and running lemonade stands were the first signs of his entrepreneurial spirit. “I was fortunate to grow up in a very accepting family that I felt I could be myself from a pretty young age,” Anthony recalls.

Anthony’s professional journey began at the age of 11 when he embarked on a career as a Broadway actor. For five years, he performed in productions such as Mary Poppins and The Miracle Worker. This early success on Broadway taught him invaluable lessons about goal setting and perseverance. “Experiencing that goal setting and then actually achieving that goal at such a young age instilled a strong work ethic in me,” Anthony says.

When Anthony returned home at 15, he set his sights on a new challenge: pursuing a career in healthcare. Despite the culture shock of transitioning from Broadway to a public high school, Anthony quickly adapted and set a new goal for himself—attending the University of Pennsylvania. “I set myself the challenge to get into this school that’s super competitive, and I’m gonna work my butt off to do it,” he reflects.

At UPenn, Anthony studied Nursing and Healthcare Management, combining his passion for healthcare with his interest in business. It was during his time as a nursing student that he identified a problem that would lead to his first entrepreneurial venture. He noticed that nurses often had to turn on bright overhead lights during night shifts, disturbing patients’ sleep. This observation led to the creation of Lumify, a wearable light for nurses designed to illuminate their workspace without disrupting patients. “That specific problem was the entry point into the start of my company,” Anthony explains.

Lumify quickly gained traction, and Anthony’s entrepreneurial journey took off. His product was featured in major publications like The New York Times and ABC News, leading to an explosion of interest and sales. “We sold out of our pre-orders and sold 5,000 units in the first two weeks,” Anthony recalls. This success led to acceptance into Y Combinator, where Lumify evolved into what is now known as Adni.

Adni addresses a broader issue that Anthony and his co-founder, Jennifferre Mancillas, discovered through interviews with nurses: a disjointed and expensive professional ecosystem.

RESILIENT INNOVATION. Adni was developed as a super app to unify all the tools and resources healthcare workers need in one platform. “Adni is where healthcare workers can manage their entire professional life,” Anthony explains. The app has gained significant traction, with over 75,000 healthcare workers using it across all 50 U.S. states.

Anthony says his LGBTQIA+ identity has played a significant role in how he has built Adni. “I think a lot of it has to do with empathy,” he explains. “So much of a community, at its core, is about inclusion. It’s about making people feel welcome, that they can bring their full self,” he adds.

Reflecting on his experiences, Anthony offers advice to other LGBTQIA+ founders: “Don’t let the words of others deter you from going for it and thinking big. You just have to believe in yourself, and you just have to go for it.” Anthony’s journey is a testament to one enduring lesson he still holds close from his Broadway days: the show must go on.