Our story
It started at Bocconi.
Astera's story actually started while I was still a student at Bocconi.
It started by accident
I have a degree in International Economics, Management and Finance (BIEMF) from Bocconi University, where I majored in Economics — the subject I had always been most drawn to. I began tutoring almost by accident, helping classmates and friends prepare for exams. What surprised me was how much I loved taking something that felt overwhelming or unnecessarily complicated and finding the explanation that suddenly made it click for someone. Seeing that moment — when a student goes from “I don't understand any of this” to “wait, that's it?” — became incredibly rewarding. And I realised I was good at it.
Tutoring became a craft
What started as helping friends gradually became something much bigger. With every student I taught, I became more interested not only in what to teach, but in how students learn. Where do students consistently get stuck? Which concepts actually need time and which can be simplified? What matters most for the exam? What can we skip? How do you explain something complicated in the clearest possible way — and how do you do all of that efficiently when a student has five other exams competing for their attention? Over the years, tutoring became its own craft for me.
Sofija Sztepanov
Founder, BIEMF, Bocconi University
Today
After more than a decade of teaching, it was time to build something bigger.
A decision to build something bigger
After Bocconi, I explored several different professional paths, including research and investment banking, before ultimately pursuing my other great passion: filmmaking. But throughout that journey, I never stopped teaching. Since 2020, alongside my writing and film work, I continued tutoring and refining the way I teach. Over roughly ten years, I've now worked with more than 500 students. Some came wanting the highest grade possible. Others came saying, essentially, “Please just help me pass this exam.” I loved both.
Good tutoring isn't about forcing every student towards the same definition of success. It's about understanding where that particular student is, where they want to get to, and finding the smartest and most efficient way to get them there.
Eventually, however, I reached a point where I had to make a decision. As my film career grew, I could either slowly leave behind something I had spent almost a decade building — or find a way for everything I had learned to exist beyond the hours I could personally teach. I chose the second. That's where Astera comes from.
The mission
Astera is my way of turning ten years of teaching, more than 500 students, thousands of hours of tutoring, and an enormous library of accumulated knowledge into something bigger than one tutor. I'm taking the notes, methods, explanations, shortcuts, exam knowledge and patterns I've developed over the years and passing them on to a carefully selected team. I personally interview our tutors, and every tutor goes through training before teaching with Astera. Each brings their own strengths, personality and teaching style, while benefiting from the methods, materials and knowledge I've built over years of working with hundreds of students.
The goal is simple: keep the quality, efficiency and personal attention of exceptional one-to-one tutoring, while building an institute capable of helping far more students than I ever could alone.
“Exceptional teaching, built to go further. That is Astera.”
The team
Tutors who've sat the same exams
Meet the team of Bocconi-trained tutors and recent graduates who teach the courses they already know from the inside.
Polina Shamina
BIEF, Bocconi University
Math 1, Math 2, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics
I've always loved helping others understand difficult concepts and seeing the moment when something finally clicks for them. I try to make lessons clear, engaging and adapted to each student — and most importantly, a place where you feel comfortable asking questions.
Fun fact: I love watching sports such as tennis and Formula 1, as well as playing football, tennis and most recently padel!
Dmitry Storozhenko
BIEF, Bocconi University
Mathematics 1, Mathematics 2, Statistics
Dmitry completed the International Baccalaureate at Copenhagen International School with Math AA HL and competed in math olympiads — experience he later used to tutor both IB and Bocconi math. What he enjoys most about teaching is building confidence in students who think they're not math people.
Fun fact: Dmitry is really into chess.
Emma Matuszewska
BEMACC, Bocconi University
Mathematics
I'm a second-year BEMACC student at Bocconi. Through organising high-school physics tutoring, I discovered how rewarding it is to help someone finally understand something that felt impossible. As a maths tutor, I want every concept to feel clear, every session to feel calm, and every student to leave feeling more confident than they arrived.
Fun fact: I'm passionate about visual arts, architecture and music — in my free time you'll find me painting, drawing or playing the piano.
Matei Zarafiu
BIEF, Bocconi University
Microeconomics, Macroeconomics
I'm Matei, currently studying at Bocconi University, with a strong interest in economics and quantitative subjects. I like taking concepts that sound complicated and turning them into something simple and intuitive. My lessons focus on understanding the logic behind things rather than memorising formulas, and I try to keep them practical, visual and relaxed.
Fun fact: I'm really into chess and other strategy games, and I also enjoy running and playing sports.
Venislav Ivanov
BIEF, Bocconi University · MSc Quantitative Finance, University of Amsterdam · MSc Business Analytics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Statistics, Introduction to Econometrics, Mathematics 1 and 2, Financial Economics, Computer Science (Python)
I graduated from Bocconi in 2024 and now split my time between a Master's in Quantitative Finance at the University of Amsterdam, a Master's in Business Analytics at VU Amsterdam, and an internship as a Risk Quant at UBS. I've taught mathematics and English to high-school students for several years and am excited to bring that experience to university-level work. What I enjoy most is seeing a student's understanding develop in real time — before it ever shows up in an exam result.
Fun fact: Outside academics, I'm obsessed with sports — most of my free time is spent training or watching my favourite teams and fighters.
Principles
How we teach
Make the complicated simple
Almost everything on a Bocconi syllabus can be explained in a way that makes sense. If it isn't landing, the explanation needs to change — not the student.
Adapt to the student
Different starting points, different learning styles, different amounts of time. The plan is built after we understand yours.
Teach towards a clear goal
Passing and aiming for 30L require different strategies. We agree on the target first, then work backwards from it.
Never make someone feel stupid for asking
The questions students are embarrassed to ask are usually the ones holding everything else up. Ask them here.
Combine teaching with mentorship
What to prioritise, how to plan a session week, how to handle a bad mock. That guidance matters as much as the content.
Know Bocconi, not just the subject
Course structure, professor expectations, exam format and the way marks are actually awarded. Context changes preparation.
Get started
Tell us what you need help with.
You don't need to know which service is right for you. Describe your course, your exam and where you're stuck — we'll take it from there.