Custom software
that works,
long after launch.
I design, build and look after the websites, apps and infrastructure growing businesses run on. Lead engineer on every project, calm communication, real ownership of the outcome.
- ✓Free first call, no pitch deck
- ✓Lead engineer on every project
- ✓You own the code, always
The gap between idea
and working software.
Most growing teams know what they want to build. The hard part is the system underneath: the architecture, the workflow, the launch plan. That gap is where projects stall and budgets quietly disappear.
Your website looks lovely but isn’t winning new customers.
Manual workflows are slowing the whole team down.
You have a product idea, and need a real plan to build it.
Software you inherited is fragile, slow, or hard to update.
You need a real partner, not a chain of project managers.
Astrion turns scattered ideas, outdated systems, and manual processes into polished software your business can actually use.
Five areas of work,
one shipping studio.
Most projects start with two or three of these. I pick the right combination for your situation, and tell you when something isn’t worth doing.
Custom websites & apps
From marketing sites to customer-facing products. Beautiful, modern software that’s easy to use and easy to update.
- Marketing websites
- Web applications
- Mobile apps (iOS & Android)
- E-commerce
- Internal tools & portals
Cloud & reliability
Hosting, deployment, monitoring, security, backups. The unglamorous things that decide whether software is a calm asset or a constant fire.
- Hosting & deployment
- Performance & speed
- Monitoring & on-call
- Security & backups
- Migrations & cleanups
Product & UX design
Strategy-led design that turns customer needs into screens. From first sketch to a maintainable design system.
- Brand & visual identity
- Product design (UI/UX)
- Design systems
- User research & testing
- Prototyping
AI & automation
Practical AI woven into workflows you already use. Automation that compounds, not flashy demos that fade by Q3.
- Customer support automation
- Document & data processing
- Internal AI assistants
- Workflow automation
- Reporting & insights
Strategy & growth
Hands-on advice on roadmaps, vendors, and team structure. Available as a fractional CTO or a quiet sounding board.
- Technology roadmaps
- Vendor & build-vs-buy
- Fractional CTO
- Team & hiring advice
- Project rescues
Not sure which fits?
Book a free 30-minute call and we’ll figure out together whether, and how, Astrion can help.
Book a free callA repeatable path
from idea to shipped.
No surprise scopes, no mystery weeks. Every engagement runs through the same five-stage cadence, calibrated to your timeline and risk tolerance.
Listen
I learn the business, the goals, and what 'done' actually looks like, in your language, not mine.
Design
Sketches, then prototypes, then near-final visuals. Cut scope before code, not after.
Build
Hands-on, weekly demos, every change reviewed and explained in plain English.
Launch
Calm, staged launches. Soft beta, gradual rollout, full handover. No big-bang drama.
Support
Quiet monthly retainer. Monitoring, fixing, improving, for as long as you need me.
Most websites ship in 4–6 weeks. Web or mobile apps in 8–12 weeks. You’ll see a realistic timeline before any work begins.
A calm way to start working together.
- Free first callA 30-minute conversation, no pitch, no obligation. I’ll tell you whether Astrion is a fit, or who is.
- Pilot scopeFirst engagements start small and fixed-price. You see how I work before committing further.
- You own the codeSource, infrastructure, designs, accounts. All yours, on day one and forever.
- Lead engineer on every projectThe person you meet on the first call is the person doing the work. No outsourcing, no hand-offs, no junior staff parked on your account.
Astrion is run by Philopateer Shenouda, a platform engineer building custom software for growing businesses. Lead engineer on every project. No outsourcing, no hand-offs.
Direct line: philopateer@astrion.dev.
The honest answers,
up front.
The questions most founders ask in the first call. If yours isn’t here, ask it on the call. I’d rather over-explain than under.
Most projects are fixed-price, agreed before a line of code is written. For longer engagements I use a monthly retainer. Either way, you see the number first. No surprise invoices, no padded hours.
Marketing websites: 4–6 weeks. Web or mobile apps: 8–12 weeks for a real first version. Larger platforms run in phases. You see a realistic timeline (with the risky bits called out) before you commit.
Most clients are non-technical: owners, founders, ops leaders. I translate. Every weekly demo is in plain English, every decision is explained without jargon, and you’ll never feel like you have to know what a "deployment" is to be part of your own project.
You can keep me on a monthly support retainer (most clients do), or take everything in-house. Either way, the code, infrastructure, accounts, and designs are 100% yours from day one. No lock-in.
Often, yes. Audits and rescues are a regular engagement. One week mapping what’s there, then an honest plan: keep, fix, or rebuild. Sometimes the right answer is "rehire your previous team." I’ll tell you that too.
There’s a floor of around $8–10k so the work can be done properly. Below that, I’m happy to point you to people who specialise in smaller engagements.