Anca Copaescu is a globally recognized leader and innovator in clinical business operations management. As the CEO and Founder of Strategikon, she has been instrumental in transforming the industry through technology-driven solutions. Her pioneering work led to the development of Clinical Maestro, a groundbreaking platform designed to enhance efficiency, transparency, and strategic decision-making in clinical trial budgeting, sourcing, and vendor management. With over two decades of experience spanning both pharmaceutical companies and Contract Research Organizations (CROs), Anca has dedicated her career to optimizing clinical outsourcing and performance management.

Early Career & Entrepreneurial Foundation

Anca’s journey into the pharmaceutical industry began during her time as a Master’s student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she won First Prize in the prestigious Steven Burrill Business Plan Competition. This milestone set the foundation for her entrepreneurial career, as she collaborated with leading university professors, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), and the university’s licensing department to develop the business case for an antimicrobial drug discovery company. This initiative led to the creation of eMetagen, the first startup in the university’s history to be founded through a partnership between a professor, a student, and WARF’s technology licensing program.

Strategic Leadership in Clinical Development & Outsourcing

Building on her entrepreneurial experience, Anca transitioned into the pharmaceutical sector, joining PharmaNet Development Group (now part of Syneos Health) in corporate development. There, she played a pivotal role in evaluating and integrating first-generation eClinical technologies, including Electronic Data Capture (EDC), Electronic Trial Master Files (eTMF), and Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS), which have since become industry standards.

Anca then advanced her career at ICON Clinical Research, further expanding her expertise in corporate strategy, business expansion, and SaaS technology evaluation for clinical trial management. Her work in this space solidified her deep understanding of clinical outsourcing and technology-enabled operational efficiencies.