CrunchLabs

Introducing CrunchLabs: Education Through Engineering Fun

CrunchLabs represents an innovative blend of entertainment and education in the digital space. Founded by former NASA and Apple engineer Mark Rober, the channel has transformed STEM learning into an engaging adventure for audiences of all ages since its launch in October 2021.^[1] Based in Sunnyvale, California, this YouTube channel combines spectacular engineering projects with practical learning, embodying their motto to "Think Like an Engineer."^[6]

Channel Performance and Growth

As of May 2025, CrunchLabs boasts an impressive 1.79 million subscribers and has accumulated nearly 395 million total video views across approximately 167 videos.^[2] The channel has demonstrated remarkable growth, particularly in recent months with a 3.47% increase in subscribers and a 6.53% increase in video views over the last 30 days alone.^[2]

Daily performance data reveals consistent engagement, with the channel regularly attracting between 400,000 and 900,000 views per day in early May 2025.^[2] Their most recent viral success came with the video "How To 'Hack' Privacy Glass," which has garnered over 26 million views since its release in November 2024.^[8]

Revenue and Earnings

CrunchLabs' success extends to its financial performance. Monthly earnings estimates range between $42,000 and $126,000 as of mid-2025, though these figures fluctuate significantly.^[2] April 2025 brought in approximately $13,700, down from March's $19,300, but significantly higher than their early days when the channel earned just over $1,000 in April 2024.^[3] Overall, the channel's estimated net worth falls between $142,000 and $852,000.^[3]

Educational Strategy and Content Approach

What sets CrunchLabs apart is its clever approach to education. As Rober explained during a CNBC interview, his content strategy focuses on "hiding the vegetables" - creating visually stunning and entertaining videos that secretly teach scientific principles and engineering concepts.^[5] Intriguing thumbnails like "15-ton Jell-O pool" draw viewers in, but once watching, they're learning about scientific methods, chemistry, and the engineering design process.^[5]

The channel's educational philosophy emphasizes that thinking like an engineer isn't about professional credentials but rather adopting a hands-on problem-solving approach applicable to any life pursuit. Their content consistently demonstrates that engineering principles can be fun, accessible, and relevant to everyday experiences.^[6]

Beyond YouTube: The CrunchLabs Business

CrunchLabs has expanded beyond digital content into physical products through their subscription box service. Each monthly "Build Box" contains components for DIY engineering projects, instruction booklets, STEM concept explanations, and challenge activities that extend the learning experience.^[4]

The business side of CrunchLabs has exceeded all expectations. Initially projecting 100,000 subscriptions within two years, they reached this milestone in less than six months. Remarkably, they've sold over 2 million boxes and achieved profitability almost immediately after launch.^[5] This rapid success has positioned CrunchLabs to potentially evolve into a broader entertainment and toy company.^[5]

Commitment to Sustainability

The company demonstrates an environmental consciousness through their product design. CrunchLabs uses compostable packaging, prioritizes wood materials in their toys, and designs products to be robust and repairable to extend their usability and keep them out of landfills.^[6] This commitment to sustainability reinforces their educational message about responsible engineering.

Recent Content Highlights

In 2024, CrunchLabs ran a summer program called "Camp CrunchLabs," culminating in August with their "Destroying Camp CrunchLabs!" finale episode.^[7] The 12-week program featured various engineering challenges and experiments, with viewers submitting their own creations for a chance to win recognition and prizes.^[7]

More recently, the channel has explored diverse topics including the science behind magic tricks, Disney's engineering techniques, extreme hide-and-seek challenges, and practical applications of physics principles like gyroscopes.^[8] Their content consistently balances entertainment value with educational substance, maintaining the formula that has driven their success.