who created openclaw
OpenClaw was created by Austrian developer Peter Steinberger, the former founder of PSPDFKit and the original author of the project when it launched under the name Clawdbot in November 2025.
Quick Scoop: Who Created OpenClaw?
- Creator: Peter Steinberger, an Austrian developer and entrepreneur.
- Background: Previously known for building PSPDFKit, a widely used PDF framework, before pivoting to AI side projects.
- Project origins: Started as an AI side project called Clawdbot in late 2025, later briefly renamed Moltbot, and finally rebranded as OpenClaw.
- Role today: Steinberger is still recognized as the primary creator and driving force behind OpenClaw’s development, even as community contributions have grown.
In many tech and news write‑ups, OpenClaw is explicitly described as “the open‑source AI agent by Austrian developer Peter Steinberger,” confirming him as the person who created it.
Mini Timeline: From Clawdbot to OpenClaw
- November 2025 – Clawdbot (a.k.a. Clawd):
- Steinberger releases an autonomous AI assistant project initially named Clawdbot/Clawd, riffing on Anthropic’s Claude.
- January 2026 – Moltbot:
- After trademark concerns from Anthropic, the project is renamed Moltbot, leaning into a lobster/moulting theme.
- Late January 2026 – OpenClaw:
- A second rebrand lands on the final name “OpenClaw,” with Steinberger emphasizing that it better fits the project and passes trademark checks.
Throughout all these name changes, the creator stays the same: Peter Steinberger.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.