Peter Thiel is a renowned entrepreneur, investor, and author, born on October 11, 1967, in Frankfurt, Germany. He co-founded PayPal in 1998, which revolutionized online payment systems. Thiel was the first outside investor in Facebook and co-founded Palantir Technologies. Known for his contrarian viewpoints, he authored the bestseller "Zero to One" in 2014. Thiel is also a prominent figure in the tech industry, attracting both praise and controversy for his bold ideas and investments.