Mark Rober Talks 'Schooled' and His Netflix Partnership
By Kasey Moore
October 4th, 2026
Mark Rober, founder of CrunchLabs, in a conference in Los Angeles, 2026. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images)
YouTube star and ex-NASA engineer Mark Rober has been in talks with Netflix for nearly a year, and their collaboration has only just begun. In a wide-ranging interview at Bloomberg’s ScreenTime, Rober discussed:
- His upcoming Netflix series, Schooled, set for release in early 2027.
- The reasons behind leaving YouTube and partnering with Netflix.
- How Netflix has aided the growth of his Crunch Labs empire.
The Netflix Partnership
The partnership between Rober and Netflix started in August 2025, as part of the streamer's strategy to attract prominent internet creators. Since then, Rober's presence on Netflix has expanded significantly.
His curated series, Mark Rober’s CrunchLabs, became a global hit, topping Netflix's Kids Top 10 in numerous countries. This was followed by holiday specials and summer releases, generating over 104.8M viewing hours globally between 2025 and mid-2026.
Schooled: A Reality Competition Series
Rober's latest project with Netflix is Schooled, a high-stakes reality competition series produced with Jimmy Kimmel's Kimmelot. The show reimagines a real school day as an engineering playground, with 14 kids aged 9 to 17 competing in science and engineering challenges. The winner receives $500,000 for college and an apprenticeship with Rober at Crunch Labs.
Key Takeaways from the Interview
- Rober described the series as a blend of his viral YouTube builds and real-world engineering challenges.
- The show's operational scale marks a significant shift from Rober's grassroots YouTube beginnings.
- Netflix's involvement has been instrumental in scaling Crunch Labs.
In summary, Mark Rober's partnership with Netflix has led to a surge in his content's popularity and the creation of innovative new series like Schooled.