MC · Host · Moderator

A Host for Rooms Where New Tech Gets Real

Marlene Ronstedt hosts, moderates, and MCs high-energy events at the edge of technology: AI hackathons, demo days, conference panels, startup showcases, workshops, and community programs. She keeps the room moving, makes complex ideas feel human, and helps technical events feel alive.

Book Marlene to Host See Experience
Marlene Ronstedt hosting a technology event
Play By Ear is the studio. Marlene is the person on the mic.

Formats

From Hackathons to Conference Stages

Some events need more than a speaker intro. They need someone who can read the room, connect the dots, keep the timing sane, and make the whole program feel intentional.

Hackathons

Opening remarks, sponsor intros, judging flow, team demos, winner announcements, and keeping the room alive across long build days.

Demo Days

A clear, energetic host for founder demos, builder showcases, AI agent demos, product launches, and pitch-style formats.

Conference Panels

Moderation that keeps the conversation sharp, accessible, and actually useful instead of drifting into generic panel-speak.

Workshops & Live Sessions

A host who can frame the session, guide the room, handle transitions, and make hands-on formats feel smooth.

Startup & Community Events

For VC offices, founder communities, product launches, meetups, ecosystem gatherings, and intimate rooms where tone matters.

Hybrid / Recorded Formats

On-camera hosting, speaker intros, transitions, and moderation for livestreamed or recorded event formats.

Why It Works

The Person on the Mic Shapes the Whole Event

Energy without cringe

Enough presence to lift the room, without turning the event into forced corporate theatre.

Technical fluency

AI, crypto, developer tools, startups, and creative technology are not treated as alien subjects. The host understands the context and can translate it for the room.

Calm in live chaos

Schedule changes, AV issues, late speakers, nervous founders, overlong panels — live events always wobble. The job is to keep the audience feeling held anyway.

Selected Experience

Rooms I've Held

AI hackathon room in New York hosted by Marlene Ronstedt

AI Hackathon, New York

MC'd a full-day AI hackathon with around 200 attendees, 100+ teams, sponsor programming, demos, judging, and winner announcements. Sponsors included Google DeepMind, ElevenLabs, and Datadog.

Continual Learning Hackathon, San Francisco

Hosted a technical hackathon program in San Francisco, guiding participants, judges, sponsors, and demos through a long live event format.

AI Agent Demo Day

Hosted a demo-focused AI event with builder presentations, sponsor segments, and live audience energy.

Conference Panels & Talks

Moderated and appeared on panels across AI, crypto, digital culture, and emerging technology, with 40+ speaking appearances worldwide.

Workshops & Live Build Sessions

Hosts hands-on vibe coding workshops where non-technical audiences build and ship live websites with AI.

See Marlene's full speaking archive

Bookable Formats

How You Can Bring Me In

Full-program MC

For multi-hour or full-day events where someone needs to guide the audience from opening to closing.

Panel Moderator

For conference panels, fireside chats, technical conversations, and founder discussions that need structure and sharper questions.

Demo Day & Hackathon Host

For builder showcases, startup pitches, product demos, team formation, sponsor moments, judging flow, demo time, and winner announcements.

Custom Event Hosting

For dinners, salons, launch nights, community gatherings, private rooms, and formats that need someone to set the tone and keep the thread alive.

Need a Host for
Your Event?

Tell me what you're planning, who will be in the room, and what kind of energy the event needs.