Moritz Simon Geist he/him

Because robots deserve some love, too.

Moritz Simon Geist is the mad scientist of electronic music who asked, “What if your drum machine was played by a robot?” Spoiler: it went viral. Starting as a semiconductor PhD, Moritz abandoned the lab to make music with robots. Now he’s internationally known for crafting mechanical sound sculptures that look like Transformers started a techno band.

His first robo-hit, the “MR-808” (a TR-808 drum machine, but make it real), became an internet sensation in 2012. Since then, Moritz has kept the vibes weird and wonderful, collaborating with icons like Mouse on Mars and soundtracking stages from SXSW to the Venice Biennale.

But Moritz doesn’t just craft robots; he teaches and tinkers, turning his Berlin masterclasses at NYU Berlin into DIY robot music labs. His album Robotic Electronic Music was billed as the first techno record entirely performed by robots.

When he’s not convincing robots to groove, he’s touring museums, showcasing his creations, and winning awards. Fun fact: he had a guest appearance at the Sendung Mit der Maus, too.