About Niva – and Why She Was Created

Why Niva?

I didn’t create Niva because I’m great at staying organized.
I created her because I wasn’t.

I forgot important appointments. Missed notes from daycare. Overlooked birthdays.
I felt like a failure. Like someone who “just can’t get it together.”

I tried all kinds of tools – calendars, note-taking apps, bullet journals, Kanban boards, Obsidian, Slack reminders.
None of them really worked for how my brain works.

I didn’t need an app. I needed someone.

Someone who gently asks:

“Was there anything important after daycare?”
“Do you want to plan a break today?”
“Don’t forget the cake for the birthday party.”

Someone who’s present – without being annoying.
Who doesn’t flood me with data.
Who actually understands the kind of everyday life I’m living.

That’s how the idea for Niva was born:
A small digital companion who reminds, helps structure, supports –
without becoming overwhelming.

What Niva can do today

• Gentle reminders
• Calendar integration
• Help with daily planning and tasks
• Routines that adapt to your rhythm
• Chat via your favorite messenger
• ...and a smile in the morning

What Niva is not

• Not a platform that sells your data
• Not a tool that puts pressure on you
• Not a system that only works when you’re working perfectly

Where Niva is heading

Niva is a passion project.
And I want to keep building it – with your feedback.
What’s on the roadmap:

• More automation (e.g. proactive planning suggestions)
• Even smoother everyday integration
• And maybe: an open-source version for full control and transparency

I believe that structure doesn’t have to feel rigid.
That organizing your life shouldn’t feel like punishment.
And that you deserve a way of living that fits you.

Thanks for being here.
If you want to try Niva:
👉 Join the Early Access

About the Author

Roland Steinegger is the person behind Niva – and someone who knows firsthand what it feels like to forget tasks, miss appointments, or get buried under a mountain of to-dos.

As a father, software architect, and neurodivergent human, he’s experienced what “mental load” really means – especially when there’s cake to bake after daycare and important messages scribbled on notes that never made it to a list.

Niva was born from that everyday chaos: as a digital companion that gently reminds, checks in, and helps build structure – without adding stress.

Professionally, Roland has been developing secure web and cloud applications for years – always with the goal of making technology understandable, respectful, and useful. Whether in research, at synyx, as co-founder of the nonprofit edudea e.V., or with startups like leguli – his focus has always been on building solutions that are practical and truly supportive.

“When I forget something today, I make fun of my forgetfulness – instead of feeling ashamed. That’s just part of who I am sometimes.”

When he’s not working on Niva, he gives talks on AI, bakes pizza, or uses Niva to plan his next proper break.