When Jacob Uy uploaded a short YouTube clip of a homemade Spider-Man web shooter as a high school senior, he thought of it as nothing more than documentation for a school project. Within weeks, the video had passed hundreds of thousands of views. Today, that same video has reached roughly five million views, and Jacob has spent the past seven years building HeroTech Engineering into a creator-led business that blends entertainment, education, and recurring revenue.

“I didn’t actually set out to be a video or a content creator,” Jacob says. “I’ve always liked making things and putting stuff together.”

What began as a single experiment with a school 3D printer has grown into a multi-platform operation producing long-form YouTube videos, short-form social content, paid memberships, and physical products. HeroTech’s audience spans ages 18 to 54, and its projects sit at the intersection of science fiction and real-world engineering.

The response to that first web shooter video did more than give Jacob an unexpected spike in views. It reframed how he thought about his work and the audience he was reaching. 

At first, he assumed the attention was temporary. But, as he continued publishing similar builds, the pattern held. The comments became a signal. “I was really confused because I’m a huge nerd,” he says. “I didn’t think so many other people would [care] as well.” 

What stood out was not just interest in the finished gadgets, but curiosity about how they were made. Jacob noticed that viewers were responding to the idea of science fiction becoming tangible. “When people see science fiction – the impossible brought to real life – it’s inspiring,” he says. “When people can do it themselves or learn how to do it themselves through tutorials and stuff, then it’s empowering.”

That realization shaped HeroTech’s creative direction early on. The channel would not simply showcase engineered props, but would gradually position engineering as accessible, learnable, and worth documenting in full.

Engineering First, Content Second

Jacob studied engineering at Olin College of Engineering in Massachusetts, completing his degree after two years of mandatory national service in Singapore. Only after graduating did he decide to pursue HeroTech full-time.

“I graduated, and I was like, I kind of want to do this full time,” he says. “So I’ve been doing it since then.”

That engineering background continues to shape HeroTech’s content approach. Jacob films most projects in his bedroom workshop, often using his phone rather than expensive production setups. “Part of what drew lots of people to HeroTech is this idea that anyone can do the things that we do,” he explains. “We don’t have a million-dollar lab.”

While the team now owns more advanced cameras, the “amateurish” feel remains intentional. Jacob believes that intimacy reinforces accessibility, making the builds feel replicable rather than aspirationally distant.

Shifting Toward Process-Driven Storytelling

HeroTech’s early videos focused on final results. Over time, Jacob realized audiences wanted more than just a reveal.

“Our content has shifted now to include more of the story of the process of building it,” he says. “If you look at our most recent video, the video is mostly just the prototyping and engineering process and all the failures and the ups and downs.”

This pivot aligned with changes in YouTube’s algorithm, which increasingly favors watch time. Process-driven videos naturally run longer and provide narrative tension through trial and error.

Jacob now documents nearly everything. “I just set up my phone and leave it recording,” he says. “Then I go back later and cut all the parts that I think are interesting.”

Inside HeroTech’s Content Workflow

Behind each video is a structured engineering and editorial process. Jacob maintains a document listing dozens of potential projects, narrowing them down quarterly based on relevance and audience interest.

Once a project is selected, the team follows a traditional engineering loop: research, problem definition, brainstorming, prototyping, and testing. Only after collecting all raw footage does Jacob write a detailed audiovisual script mapping narration to specific shots.

Editing cadence has tightened over time. “We used to cut videos with like a four-second average clip time,” he says. “Now we’re doing like two to three seconds because people were clicking away faster.”

The result is a balance between technical depth and narrative momentum, a balance Jacob admits he is still refining.

Monetizing Knowledge Through Membership

Rather than relying exclusively on brand partnerships, HeroTech’s core monetization centers on a paid membership program branded around its tagline, “Become a Hero.”

“We just started [the membership] last year when I started doing this full time,” Jacob says. “It’s a more consistent revenue stream than sponsorships because you know exactly how much is coming in every month.”

HeroTech offers multiple tiers, including a $5 monthly plan and a $27 option for superfans. The $5 tier provides access to nearly everything: project files, 3D-printable designs, material links, assembly tutorials, and technical breakdowns. The higher tier adds recognition in video credits and curated engineering resources.

“The only difference between the $5 and the $27 is that you also get your name at the end of the videos,” Jacob says.

Designing for Participation, Not Just Consumption

Membership access operates on a timed model. For the first two days after a video drops, files and resources remain free. After that, they move into the members-only library.

“If you’re subscribed and have notifications on, you can still get everything for free,” Jacob says. “If you want to dive deep into the stuff, that’s when you would subscribe.”

Beyond files, members gain access to a private Discord server where they can vote on future projects, submit ideas, ask questions, and collaborate with one another. Jacob describes the community dynamic as one of the program’s biggest benefits.

“Sometimes someone will ask a question and someone else, not even me, will answer it,” he says. “It’s cool to see the community interact in that way.”

Physical Products and Scalability Limits

HeroTech also sells physical products, including CNC-machined thread shooter watches. To date, Jacob says the company has shipped over a thousand orders. But physical goods remain secondary to digital offerings.

“If a thousand people ordered a hardware product, we’d be screwed,” Jacob says. “But if a thousand people sign up [for the membership], the infrastructure can handle it.”

Geography further complicates fulfillment. Based in Singapore, HeroTech primarily ships to U.S. customers, and international shipping can exceed $50 per order. “That’s something I’d tell anyone selling hardware to think about from day one,” Jacob says.

Learning the Business Side of Creation

Building recurring revenue has come with surprises. Jacob explored platforms ranging from Patreon to Shopify and YouTube memberships before settling on a custom solution. Platform fees stood out as a major constraint.

“YouTube takes 30%,” he says. “Even Patreon can take over 10% depending on geography.”

For creators considering memberships, Jacob emphasizes volume and value. “A lot of creators will just offer behind-the-scenes,” he says. “For us, we’re lucky because engineering naturally creates byproducts we can share.”

What’s Next for Jacob?

In the short term, Jacob plans to revisit HeroTech’s original web shooter and refine it using years of accumulated knowledge. In the long term, he is interested in consumer products and personal devices, including compact cooling systems and experimental flight concepts.

Five years out, Jacob’s vision remains rooted in mindset change. “The goal is that no one walks into a movie theater and thinks, ‘I wish that were real,’” he says. “I want them thinking, ‘I wonder how I can make that.’”

Photo source: HeroTech

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