about

I'm Marlene (pronounced Malena) Ronstedt, and I write and speak about crypto, AI and the intersection of (decentralized) technologies with our everyday lives.

background

I have a background in liberal arts, fine art, and digital media, with degrees from Leiden University, the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, and Goldsmiths, University of London. I've worked across journalism, technology, and events, writing for WIRED, leading teams at early-stage startups, and speaking at venues from TechCrunch to the EU Parliament.

Today I run a small consultancy, Play by Ear, and work independently across events, technology and writing. I host hackathons and live events, build creative software projects and I am working on my first novel. I care most about work that brings people together or makes them see something differently.

interests

• Long-form writing and storytelling
• The internet as a medium, not just a tool
• Being in water and on mountains
• AI, robotics and creative tools
• Bringing strangers into the same room

speaking

I speak and host events across technology, AI and culture. I've moderated panels on DeFi meets TradFi in Hong Kong, spoken at EthCC in Paris, hosted a 200-person hackathon in the New York Times building, been invited by O'Reilly to speak about AI and by Telefónica to speak about crypto.

If you'd like me to speak at your event, please get in touch.