Simone Giertz

Simone Giertz, born on November 1, 1990, in Sweden, is an inventor, maker, robotics enthusiast, and YouTuber. Her early life included living in China as an exchange student, studying physics at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and an internship in San Francisco focusing on Arduino microcontrollers. Her interest in electronics began in 2013, eventually leading her to experiment with building quirky, often intentionally impractical, robots. These early creations gained her significant online recognition, establishing her as the ‘Queen of Shitty Robots’ on platforms like YouTube and Reddit.

Giertz’s career gained substantial momentum with her unique approach to invention and deadpan humor. Her YouTube channel, launched in 2013, featured devices such as a toothbrush helmet, an alarm clock that slaps the user, and a machine that poorly pours milk and cereal. By March 2016, content creation became her full-time job, with her videos amassing millions of views and leading to collaborations with figures like Adam Savage of Tested.com and an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2016. In 2018, she presented at a TED conference, discussing the value of making ‘useless things,’ a reflection of her creative philosophy.

A significant turning point came in 2018 when Giertz was diagnosed with a noncancerous brain tumor, which she openly shared with her audience. This period marked a shift in her career focus, moving beyond ‘shitty robots’ to more intricate and functional projects. In 2019, she gained widespread attention for converting a Tesla Model 3 into a pickup truck, dubbed ‘Truckla,’ which even caught the eye of Elon Musk. The same year, she successfully launched a Kickstarter campaign for her habit-tracking product, the Every Day Calendar, raising over $500,000. In May 2022, she further solidified her entrepreneurial path by founding Yetch Studio, a product design company focused on innovative creations.