Mobile Lead at Raccoon Gang

Ivan Stepanok

iOS Engineer · Designer · Creator

I build mobile experiences that millions of learners use daily. I optimize processes that save teams hundreds of hours. I create tools that didn't exist yesterday. Currently shaping the future of edtech at Raccoon Gang.

See my work
Ivan Stepanok

Builder by nature.

At my core, I'm a Senior iOS Engineer and Mobile Team Lead — that's my home turf. Before code, there was design: 10 years of professional design experience shaped how I think about every interface I build.

I'm driven by a simple belief: we can do far more than we think we can. Every intimidating idea gets a "yes" from me — and then I deliver. My path started with photography and content creation, where I built a YouTube community of 56,000+ subscribers. That creative eye followed me into software — I see code the way I see composition: every element should have purpose.

When I build tools outside my native stack — web dashboards, backend services, internal automation — they stay internal. External-facing projects always get code reviewed by native specialists. I'm honest about what I know deeply and what I know enough to build with. That self-awareness is what makes the tools I build reliable.

At Raccoon Gang, I found the perfect environment to combine engineering, leadership, and relentless process optimization. I'm not a jack of all trades — I'm a Senior iOS specialist with design roots who can build solutions across stacks when needed, with proper quality gates. When I see a bottleneck, I don't file a ticket — I build the solution.

And when I'm not shipping code, you'll find me perfecting Neapolitan pizza dough. Because craftsmanship is craftsmanship, whether it's software or sourdough.

Ivan working on MacBook

Expertise

Focused on building and leading — with the right tool for every challenge.

iOS Engineering

Swift, SwiftUI, UIKit — the home turf. Senior-level native iOS development, from architecture to App Store. 5+ years of building mobile experiences used by millions.

Cross-Platform

Flutter when budgets demand it, native when quality demands it. Cross-platform work always goes through native code review.

Web & Backend

Vue, React, Python, Django. Powers the internal tooling arsenal. External-facing projects always reviewed by native specialists.

Product Design

10 years of professional design experience. Every interface is intentional — from information architecture to the last pixel. Design isn't a phase, it's the foundation.

AI Integration

Real AI features that solve real problems. Not wrappers — production-grade intelligence.

Team Leadership

Multiplying team output through Dutch Programming, process optimization, and removing artificial boundaries.

Process Innovation

Finding bottlenecks and building solutions. From 24-hour setups to 2-hour deployments.

By the numbers.

50%
Development time saved
Millions
Learners reached
56K+
YouTube subscribers
8+
Products shipped
10+
Internal tools built
2h
Mobile setup (was 24h)
175+
Countries supported

Shaping the platform's future.

Beyond building products — actively driving Open edX forward. Contributing features, expanding the user base, and pushing for a mobile-first future for education.

I don't just build on Open edX — I fight for its future. The platform has incredible potential, but basic mobile access shouldn't be a paid luxury when every competitor offers it for free.

I proposed a universal mobile app — one app where any learner can find their school and start learning. Not to replace custom vendor solutions, but to make the entry path accessible to everyone.

I also advocate for a subscription model to capture the long tail — small schools, small teams, solo educators — who currently choose competitors because Open edX feels too enterprise. That long tail is future growth for the entire ecosystem.

Open edX Universal Mobile App — Ivan Stepanok

Watch: Open edX Universal Mobile App proposal

What drives me.

"We can do far more than we think we can."

I say yes to every intimidating idea and deliver. I set new bars and help people believe in themselves. Great software should feel invisible — intuitive enough that users never think about the technology behind it. Every animation curve, every loading state, every edge case matters.

Ivan Stepanok artistic profile

Let's connect.

Always happy to chat about mobile, AI, edtech, or pizza dough hydration levels.

stepanokdev@gmail.com