From GPT-Engineer to Lovable: How Anton Osika is Redefining Software Development with AI
What happens when a physicist with a hacker mindset gets provoked by doubters? For Anton Osika, the answer is: build Lovable, a startup that may just redefine how software is built forever. In this exclusive interview, Anton shares his journey from building open-source tools to raising millions, his principles for founding great companies, and what it really takes to build products people love—with a sprinkle of European accelerationism.
From Provocation to Innovation: The Birth of Lovable
Anton’s entrepreneurial spark ignited not from glory or hype—but from irritation. “I was provoked,” he recalls. “Provoked by people not understanding how impactful AI would be in software engineering.”
That fire led to the creation of GPT-Engineer, an open-source tool that exploded in popularity. It proved that natural language interfaces could generate real code—and that Anton might be the right person to take the concept much further. The success of GPT-Engineer laid the groundwork for Lovable, a platform where users build software by simply expressing what they want in plain English.
What is Lovable?
At its core, Lovable is an AI-powered tool that enables anyone—especially non-technical users—to build software 20x faster than coding by hand. Focused initially on simple apps, websites, and MVPs, Lovable uses a curated tech stack akin to what top engineers would choose. It’s not about building everything. It’s about building the right things fast and reliably.
“Lovable’s mission is to unlock human creativity,” Anton says. “We want to help anyone build like they had an elite engineering team behind them.”
First Principles and Physics: Anton’s Thinking Framework
Anton attributes much of his product vision and decision-making to his physics background. “You learn to think from first principles. In physics, you're rewarded with dopamine every time your reasoning leads to a correct answer. That gets wired into you.”
This habit of deconstructing problems into fundamental truths now powers his product strategy at Lovable: identify bottlenecks, solve the right problems fast, and constantly iterate.
Building a Team of High-Agency Generalists
When asked about hiring, Anton’s advice is crystal clear:
“Hire technical generalists with high agency—people who figure out what to do without being told. People who don’t need management, but instead clarify what’s important themselves.”
His approach is influenced by leaders like Sam Altman, and it’s already paid off: Lovable has helped users build over 150,000 products since launch.
Fundraising Lessons from a Seasoned Founder
Anton has been involved with startups that raised over $150 million, including Sana Labs and Depict AI. Yet when asked about fundraising, he emphasizes something else:
“The best way to raise money is to not need it. Obsess about solving a real problem. If you can bootstrap something users love, VCs will come to you.”
He’s also selective with investors. For Lovable’s $7M pre-seed round, Anton prioritized backers who “care about more than profits”—investors who would make the right call even if faced with difficult ethical tradeoffs in AI.
Should You Join Y Combinator?
Anton has been through YC and speaks highly of it—for most people. “It’s about the network effects. You get grilled by top partners, compete with other great founders, and become part of an alumni group that helps each other.”
Challenges in Building AI-Powered Software Tools
Building software with AI isn’t as easy as prompting ChatGPT. Anton breaks down the core challenges:
- Reliability: The output must work as intended—no bugs.
- Speed: “It should feel instant. Like a designer who understands you on the first try.”
- Interface Design: Communicating complex ideas through natural language is still incredibly hard.
Despite these challenges, Lovable stands out by focusing on one killer use case: prototyping and validating ideas fast.
What’s Next for Lovable?
Anton sees Lovable evolving beyond a builder tool. The vision? A marketplace or app store where users can:
- Discover pre-built apps
- Customize them with AI
- Pay only micro-prices to run them
By combining creation and discovery, Lovable could reshape how software is distributed and monetized.
“Think of it like Figma meets the App Store, powered by AI.”
European Accelerationism and Building from Europe
While many might feel pressure to move to Silicon Valley, Anton has planted Lovable firmly in Europe.
“At one point, I asked myself, ‘Should I be building this in San Francisco?’ But ultimately, I’m excited to push European accelerationism. We can—and should—build transformative companies here.”
He even jokes about sponsoring EU-themed “Make Europe Great Again” hats.
Mental Health, Resilience, and Founder Advice
Despite the rapid success, Anton opens up about the emotional toll of building startups.
“It’s more responsibility, more ups and downs. At one point, I was losing sleep and had to reset. Your health—especially sleep—is everything.”
He encourages founders to find mentors with similar “neural architectures,” seek advice, and most of all—treat entrepreneurship as a game.
“Don’t fail the basics: sleep, exercise, and mental clarity. How things turn out will be fun and you’ll learn a lot.”
Final Advice to His Younger Self
If Anton from 2025 could advise Anton from 2017, just before joining Sana Labs, here’s what he’d say:
“Work with people you look up to. Surround yourself with mentors and minds like yours who’ve figured out how to thrive. That’s how you level up.”
Final Thoughts
Anton Osika’s journey—from building GPT-Engineer out of frustration to launching Lovable as a platform to democratize software creation—offers timeless lessons for founders, builders, and dreamers alike. Solve real problems. Build fast. Hire smart. And don’t forget—it’s a game of managing yourself.
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