A decision to stop drinking while studying abroad in Italy inspired California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) agricultural business senior John Piro to create Tango, a mocktail mixer designed to bridge the gap between social presence and physical well-being. 

​“I was desiring a drink that I could have in social gatherings that would match my energy without making me feel like garbage the next day,” Piro said. 

Tango is a low-sugar, sparkling mocktail and mixer, formulated with clean ingredients and electrolytes. 

Piro first developed the formula for the lime jalapeño margarita-flavored beverage while studying abroad, using ingredients from local Italian grocery stores for preliminary taste tests. “When I got back to the States that winter, I got advice from different flavor houses, sourced ingredients from suppliers and started putting real work into the formula,” he said. 

Around the same time, Piro was seeking a business partner. He decided to reach out to a highly entrepreneurial Cal Poly business administration senior, Nate Donovan, who also happened to be one of his best friends. 

Doubling as business partners and roommates, the Tango team said they have enjoyed the constant drive to continue growing their startup. “It’s awesome,” Piro said. “We always get to hang out, whether we’re in the office or at home, and the ideas are constantly flowing.” 

​The team decided to apply to the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s (CIE) Summer Accelerator because of the available resources and financial support to help develop their business further. 

The Accelerator is a 10-week intensive program that provides Cal Poly students and recent graduates with resources to turn their innovative ideas into full-fledged startups. Participants receive $10,000 in seed funding, mentorship, an entrepreneurial workshop, and a dedicated workspace in the HotHouse, the CIE’s downtown San Luis Obispo office.

“You get the entire summer to focus without any other obligations,” Donovan said. “The environment of working with other people who are doing similar things is the best space to create a company in.”

Tango co-founders John Piro (left) and Nate Donovan (right)

Piro said he is “very new” to the entrepreneurial scene at Cal Poly and has appreciated all the guidance available to help start a business through the CIE.

“To be honest, I’m 21 years old. I don’t know a lot about what goes into starting a business, so having these resources as a foundation is a blessing,” Piro said. “The CIE offers everything you would need.”

Donovan described the Accelerator as fast-paced but rewarding, saying guest speakers with expertise across industries have helped the team identify potential problems before encountering them on their own.

Currently navigating user feedback, the Tango team has focused on identifying its target audience. “Not everyone is going to love the product or the branding, but it’s all about finding the segment of people who do love it, focusing on them, and scaling it beyond them,” Donovan said.

Developing their product with long-term goals in mind, Piro describes Tango as a “safe haven,” eager to help others facing similar challenges in their relationship with alcohol or social environments where drinking can feel expected.

“The more our company grows, the more people we can help who are struggling with the problem that we are tackling,” Donovan said.

​As the Tango team continues building its business, Piro and Donovan agree that the Accelerator has provided guidance while giving them room for trial and error. By Demo Day, they aim to have their actual product in customers’ hands.

​“A truth of business and life is to just take it one day at a time,” Piro said. “It’s important to plan, but if you’re not focused on what you can do today, you won’t be able to get to tomorrow.”

Watch Tango and our six other Accelerator startups pitch live at Demo Day here.

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About the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship:

The CIE opens a world of entrepreneurial opportunity to Cal Poly students, faculty and community members and promotes entrepreneurial activity and dialogue across the university and throughout San Luis Obispo County. For more information, visit cie.calpoly.edu.