# Peter Steinberger

> Austrian software engineer Peter Steinberger founded PSPDFKit, now Nutrient, and created the open-source personal agent OpenClaw. After a long chapter building PDF tools, he returned to making software for his own use; the WhatsApp relay he started in 2025 grew into a worldwide project. He joined OpenAI in February 2026 to work on agents, while OpenClaw became an independent foundation.

- **Role:** Claw Labs lead at OpenAI; creator and steward of OpenClaw
- **Organizations:** OpenAI, OpenClaw Foundation, PSPDFKit (now Nutrient)
- **Nationality:** Austrian
- **Education:** TU Wien (Vienna University of Technology)
- **Known for:** Founded and bootstrapped PSPDFKit, a PDF software company now called Nutrient., Created OpenClaw, an open-source personal AI agent that passed 100,000 GitHub stars by January 2026., Joined OpenAI in February 2026 to work on personal agents.

## Career timeline

- **2010–2011** — Started the PDF software that became PSPDFKit; TU Wien records the company as founded in 2011.
- **2014** — Decided to expand PSPDFKit beyond its original iOS focus and build a larger team.
- **2021** — Insight Partners made a majority investment in PSPDFKit; Steinberger later sold his shares and stepped away.
- **2024** — Returned to building software, announcing in November that his spark for making things had returned.
- **2025-11** — Built and released a WhatsApp relay that evolved into Clawd and then OpenClaw.
- **2026-01** — Renamed the project OpenClaw; reported more than 100,000 GitHub stars.
- **2026-02** — Joined OpenAI to work on agents and announced a foundation path for OpenClaw.
- **2026-07** — Helped launch the independent nonprofit OpenClaw Foundation with Dave Morin.

## Achievements

- Founded and bootstrapped PSPDFKit, a PDF software company now called Nutrient.
- Created OpenClaw, an open-source personal AI agent that passed 100,000 GitHub stars by January 2026.
- Joined OpenAI in February 2026 to work on personal agents.
- Co-announced the OpenClaw Foundation in July 2026.
- Taught an early Mac and iOS development course at TU Wien.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — The OpenClaw Foundation continued publishing project updates, including a September 25 note on Microsoft contributions.
- **2026-07** — The OpenClaw Foundation launched as an independent nonprofit with a full-time team.
- **2026-04** — Gave a TED talk on creating OpenClaw and the shift from chatbots toward agents.
- **2026-02** — Joined OpenAI to work on agents; announced OpenClaw would move to a foundation.

## Links

- Website: https://steipete.me
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steipete/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/steipete
- GitHub: https://github.com/steipete
- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/steipete.me

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/peter-steinberger
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-29