Founder of Braind (hiring, learn more)
I'm the Founder and CEO of Braind, a grid-centric workspace with AI at its core. We are a small and deeply technical team.
I'm a product obsessive, engineer, and designer. I went to the University of Piraeus, Greece and studied Economics and Finance and at Cambridge University, UK for a Master's in Global and International Studies at Wolfson College while also spending time working on some cool tech projects.
I grew up both in Moldova and Greece and studied and worked in the UK.
I’ve built my career at the intersection of finance, technology, and innovation. I began in structured finance at Natixis Investment Banking, where I gained exposure to complex capital structuring and investment analysis. Later, I joined FPROP, a London Stock Exchange–listed investment firm, where I developed hands-on experience in investment and asset management.
I then continued my journey with Techstars in Turin, Italy, working closely with early-stage startups to help founders refine their business models, shape their product strategies, and design go-to-market plans.
1. Hack the Pong — Building a Computer from Scratch
I have built a complete computer system entirely from first principles, starting with NAND gates and progressing through logic circuits, assembly language, and a custom CPU architecture. The project culminated in developing a working Pong game, demonstrating a full-stack understanding of how hardware and software interact at the most fundamental level.
2. TechnoFarmers — Smart Agriculture with Machine Learning
I co-founded technofarmers, a mobile application that leveraged machine learning models, satellite imagery, and plant photos to detect cassava and tomato leaf diseases and recommend remedies in real time. The solution aimed to help farmers increase crop yields and reduce losses — and was recognized at the Copernicus Hackathon for its innovative use of Earth observation data.
3. BorderStatus.info — Travel Intelligence During COVID-19
During the pandemic, I developed BorderStatus.info, a real-time platform that informed travelers about destination-specific border restrictions and entry requirements. The platform quickly gained traction, helping over 1,000 users navigate rapidly changing global travel regulations.
Outside of work, I find balance and inspiration through art, music, and the outdoors. I play both the piano and guitar, and I enjoy expressing myself through oil painting, often inspired by impressionism and realism.
If you’d like to take a virtual trip to Venice and explore art, you can visit my virtual gallery, where I exhibit some of my work.
I’m also passionate about sailing, scuba diving, tennis and snowboarding.
Astronomy is another passion of mine, chasing after white darfs on my free time.
Email: andre [at] braindd.xyz
