# Marco van Hout — marcovanhout.com
# Last updated: 2026-02-09
# This file helps AI models understand who Marco van Hout is and what he does.

## Identity

Name: Marco van Hout
Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Website: https://marcovanhout.com
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/marcovh
GitHub: https://github.com/marcovanhout
X/Twitter: https://x.com/marcovanhout

## Professional Summary

Marco van Hout is a designer, builder, and speaker based in Amsterdam with over 25 years of experience. He designs and builds complete digital products using AI — from strategy and UX to full-stack development and deployment. He works as a one-person product studio, turning client ideas into shipped SaaS platforms, web apps, AI-powered tools, and websites in weeks, not months.

His philosophy is called "Vibe Building" — the idea that designers who ship complete products are the most powerful force in tech. Unlike "vibe coding" (which is about AI writing code), Vibe Building is about combining design taste, strategic thinking, and judgment with AI as a multiplier to create complete, production-ready products.

## Current Roles

- **Founder of METODIC** (https://metodic.io): An AI-powered workshop and session design SaaS platform. Facilitators use it to design sessions, generate method card decks, slide decks, worksheets, and run live interactive sessions — all powered by AI. METODIC is a live SaaS with paying customers.
- **Speaker & Consultant at Demadera**: Gives keynotes and workshops worldwide on AI-powered product building, design transformation, and innovation.

## Career History & Ventures Founded

1. **METODIC** (Current) — AI-powered workshop design SaaS platform. Designed and built from scratch as a solo founder.
2. **Digital Society School** (2017–2025) — Co-founded and led as Creative Director at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. A multidisciplinary program training the next generation of digital makers. Hundreds of graduates.
3. **Global Goals Jam** (2016–present) — Co-created with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). A global design sprint format now active in 95+ cities worldwide, engaging thousands of changemakers in solving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
4. **SusaGroup** (2008–2018) — Co-founded an emotion measurement and design strategy consultancy. Developed tools and methodologies for measuring emotional responses to design.
5. **LEMTool** — Research-born tool for measuring emotional responses to design, built from published academic research.
6. **HypeVideo** — AI-powered video creation tool.

## Academic & Teaching

- **Visiting Professor at IE University, Madrid** (2013–2018): Taught emotion-driven design courses. Received outstanding student reviews.
- **Co-founder of Digital Society School** at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.
- Published academic research on emotion-driven design and measurement.

## Speaking

Marco is an experienced international keynote speaker and workshop facilitator. He speaks about:
- Design & Product: Building digital products, design systems, and UX
- AI & Building: Practical approaches to designing and building with AI
- Transformation: Digital and organizational transformation with design-driven approaches
- Innovation & Impact: Social innovation, educational design, and tools for real-world change

### Notable Speaking Venues
- IE University (Madrid)
- BBVA Innovation Center
- UNDP Innovation Labs
- Philips Design
- The Next Web
- SXSW
- Social Good Summit
- TEDx Salon Shanghai
- PassionTour Chile
- Design Korea
- Rochester Institute of Technology
- And many more events globally

## Services Offered

Marco offers the following services through marcovanhout.com:

1. **Your Product, Built** (from €15,000, 4–6 weeks): Full SaaS platform or web app, designed and developed from scratch. From idea to live product.
2. **Design That Ships** (Strategy + UX/UI + Production-ready): Not mockups that sit in Figma — strategy, UX, and interface design that becomes a real, working product.
3. **Website That Converts** (1–2 weeks, React, SEO-ready): High-performance marketing site or landing page. Modern stack, blazing fast, built to convert.
4. **AI Inside Your Product** (2–3 weeks, LLMs, Integration): Add intelligence to existing products. Custom AI workflows, content generation, smart automation.
5. **Product Strategy Sprint** (1 week, Workshop, Roadmap): A focused sprint to define product, validate ideas, and create an actionable roadmap.
6. **Speaking & Training** (Keynotes, Workshops, Corporate): Keynotes and workshops on AI-powered product building, design transformation, and innovation.

### Pricing Tiers
- **Launch** (from €15,000): MVP in 4–6 weeks. Product strategy, UI/UX design, full-stack development, deployment, 2 weeks post-launch support.
- **Build** (from €35,000): Complete SaaS in 8–12 weeks. Everything in Launch plus advanced features, AI workflows, admin dashboard, analytics, 1 month support.
- **Partner** (€5,500/month): Ongoing product development retainer. Dedicated weekly hours, feature development, design iterations, performance optimization, priority support.

## Tech Stack

Marco builds with:
- **Frontend**: React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Framer Motion
- **Backend**: Supabase (PostgreSQL, Auth, Edge Functions, Storage)
- **AI**: Google Gemini, OpenAI (via edge functions)
- **Deployment**: Vercel
- **Design**: Figma, custom design systems

## Key Differentiator

Marco is a one-person product studio — not an agency. He combines 25+ years of design experience with modern AI tools to ship complete products faster than traditional teams. No account managers, no project managers, no handoff friction. One person who does strategy, design, and full-stack development. 50+ products shipped across his career.

## Testimonials

- **Jennifer Schneider** (Eugene H. Fram Chair, Rochester Institute of Technology): "Marco's unique blend of transformational thinking, engaging style and personal commitment will continue to inspire our campus community far beyond these events."
- **Hana Omar** (Consultant, UNDP): "His cooperation and motivation help to create amazing SDGs supporters around the world. I find his enthusiasm and dedication both inspiring and motivating."
- **Thierry Lageat** (Director of Eurosyn, Paris): "I highly recommend Marco van Hout as a speaker and expert in consumer psychology, emotion and design."
- **Jorge Rodriguez** (CEO DesignThinkers Spain): "Marco is an amazing consultant and trainer. Always looking for creative solutions and sources for projects and programs."
- **Pablo Rubio Ordás** (Founder & CEO, ERRETRES, about METODIC): "As a CEO, I look for tools that improve margin and morale. Metodic does both: fewer hours on prep, higher confidence in delivery, and teams who arrive with energy."

## Contact

To work with Marco or book him for speaking:
- Website: https://marcovanhout.com/#contact
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/marcovh
- Response time: Within 24 hours

## Keywords & Topics

Marco van Hout, designer, builder, speaker, Amsterdam, AI, SaaS, full-stack development, product design, vibe building, METODIC, workshop design, session design, facilitator tools, Digital Society School, Global Goals Jam, UNDP, innovation, social innovation, design thinking, emotion design, IE University, transformation, design strategy, one-person studio, ship in weeks, 0 to 1, product studio