Angelo Moriondo was born into a family deeply rooted in the entrepreneurial spirit. His family included successful business owners who dealt in wine, liquors, and chocolate. This background likely fostered his own innovative thinking and provided the resources necessary to pursue his inventions later in life.

Moriondo followed in his family's footsteps and took an active role in managing some of their successful businesses. He owned and operated a popular chocolate shop and a bar in Turin's central Galleria Nazionale. This experience gave him firsthand knowledge of what customers desired and what business innovations were needed.

Moriondo recognized that customers often had to wait for their coffee drinks, which negatively affected the flow of business. To address this issue, he created and patented a machine that could brew coffee quickly and efficiently, in larger quantities. The patent, titled 'New steam machine for the economic and instantaneous confection of coffee beverage, method A. Moriondo,' marked the official beginning of his invention and his lasting contribution to coffee history. The machine was built by a mechanic named Martina, working under Moriondo's direct supervision.

After receiving the patent, Moriondo continued to refine and improve his espresso machine. However, he didn't pursue mass production. Instead, he opted to manufacture a limited number of machines, which he used in his own establishments to offer a unique selling proposition to his clients.

While Angelo Moriondo's coffee machine design served as a foundation, he chose to concentrate on running his chocolate and bar establishments. He understood the need to adapt to and drive new trends within the businesses, with limited resources.

Angelo Moriondo passed away in his hometown of Turin, Italy. Although his espresso machine wasn't widely distributed during his lifetime, his invention played a crucial role in the evolution of espresso technology, paving the way for the sophisticated machines we see today. His invention was a stepping stone toward creating the cafe culture we have today.