PeopleofSuperintelligence

Builder

Peter Steinberger

Peter Steinberger is a software founder and AI builder whose OpenClaw project makes a personal assistant available through everyday messaging channels. Before founding PSPDFKit in 2011, he graduated from TU Wien, taught iOS and Mac development there, and worked as a senior iOS engineer in San Francisco. He bootstrapped PSPDFKit from a client project into a 40-person company, stepped back from full-time roles in 2021, and returned to building as AI changed software development. TIME placed him in the 2026 TIME100 AI Innovators list. Since February 2026, he has worked at OpenAI on bringing agents to everyone and continues to steward OpenClaw through its independent foundation.

Now at
OpenAI
Photo of Peter Steinberger

Timeline

  1. Before 2011

    Learning the iOS craft

    Before PSPDFKit, he worked as a senior iOS engineer at a San Francisco startup. He taught iOS and Mac development at TU Wien, where he graduated.

  2. 2011–2018

    A PDF framework takes shape

    He founded and bootstrapped PSPDFKit GmbH in 2011, building a mobile PDF framework. A one-off client project grew into a 40-person company.

  3. 2021

    Stepping back from PSPDFKit

    He and co-founder Martin Schürrer stepped back from full-time roles at PSPDFKit as the company entered its next growth stage.

  4. By 2025

    Finding a reason to build

    After selling his PSPDFKit shares and taking time away, he returned to building software with a new idea. Rapid advances in AI changed how he viewed software development and renewed his excitement.

  5. November 2025

    An assistant for everyday chat

    He began OpenClaw as a weekend project in November 2025. The open-source personal assistant runs on users’ devices and connects with messaging channels they already use.

  6. 2026

    A TIME100 AI selection

    TIME included him among the 2026 TIME100 AI Innovators for his work as OpenClaw’s creator.

  7. Since February 2026

    Bringing agents to everyone

    He works at OpenAI on bringing agents to everyone. He continues to steer OpenClaw’s technical work as the project remains open and independent under its foundation.

Sources and credits

Photo: steipete.me; About | Peter Steinberger; creator not stated. License: Not stated by source. Source: steipete.me. Cropped to a square and resized. Ask us to remove or replace this photo.

  1. i²c Founder & Investor Talk on April 25th: “Bootstrapping – The long road to success” by Peter Steinberger i2c.tuwien.ac.at. Checked 14 October 2026.
  2. Swift by Sundell Podcast with Peter Steinberger nutrient.io. Checked 14 October 2026.
  3. PSPDFKit Announces €100 Million Strategic Investment From Insight Partners to Fuel Growth prnewswire.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  4. Finding My Spark Again steipete.me. Checked 14 October 2026.
  5. OpenClaw went viral. Meet the maintainers building and securing it. github.blog. Checked 14 October 2026.
  6. O româncă, inclusă de americani în TOP 100 cei mai influenți oameni în AI, alături de Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Dario Amodei și alții startupcafe.ro. Checked 14 October 2026.
  7. About steipete.me. Checked 14 October 2026.
  8. Introducing the OpenClaw Foundation openclaw.ai. Checked 14 October 2026.