From Suceava to Harvard — and back.

I grew up in Suceava, Romania, where mathematics olympiads and competitive swimming taught me the same lesson: excellence is a habit, not an accident.

That habit took me to Harvard University, where I studied mathematics, taught as a course assistant in mathematics and engineering, and swam for the university club.

After graduating, I walked away from a career in finance in the United States to work on the problem I care most about: Romanian students deserve a real shot at the world's best universities. In 2017 I founded Upgrade Education (Upgrade Academy), which has since mentored students into top universities across the US and Europe. In 2020 I wrote Study Abroad — Secretele admiterii la universități de top, a book about exactly that.

These days I split my time between building Upgrade, writing, and talking about education in Romania. When I'm not working, I'm training for a race or playing the drums.

What you'll find here

• A daily vlog — in Romanian, short and honest, about what I'm building and learning.
• Articles — in English, longer-form thinking on education, entrepreneurship, and Romania's place in the world.

The best way to reach me is on Instagram.