[1] Born into a farming family in Tuttwil, a small village in the Swiss Canton of Thurgau, Hoepli began his career at 14 as an apprentice at the Schabelitz bookstore in Zurich.

His bookstore quickly became a cultural hub for Milan's educated bourgeoisie, offering rare antique books and scientific and technical texts in multiple European languages.

He collaborated with institutions like the Milan Polytechnic and the Brera Astronomical Observatory to address the lack of scientific and technical literature in Italy.

Additionally, the publishing house produced prestigious works, such as a reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Atlanticus and the monumental History of Italian Art.

[4] In Switzerland, he established the Ulrico Hoepli Foundation, dedicated to supporting public initiatives that promote science and the arts.