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.
things I’m interested in right now
- Currently, I love novels that take place on the water, whether it’s an ocean or a river. And equally, I love spending time on the beach, by a lake, or floating on a river.
- My interest recently has been piqued by the longevity and biotech space. I’ve also started building fountain.clinic to explore the longevity landscape and various treatments.
- I love traveling. I’ve lived in six different countries on three different continents.
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