Master of Ceremonies Coaching: 8 Years of Hosting Vivatechnology's Discovery Stage

Two weeks after wrapping up my 8th year as Discovery Stage host at VivaTech, I wanted to share a few reflections on how the event and, more generally, the experience of hosting at this event has evolved.

Over the years, as an experienced master of ceremonies and event speaker coach, I’ve introduced hundreds of speakers, handled audience Q&As, navigated last-minute schedule changes and narrated two Garry Kasparov chess matches ad-hoc. In that time, VivaTech has grown from rapid-fire startup pitches and live drone demos to a more mature lineup focused on discussion and analysis, where AI now dominates the conversation.

But from a practical, on-stage perspective, there are still a few recurring challenges that come up, especially for guest speakers. Here are a few insights worth sharing that stems from my 10+years experience as an event host that i draw upon for my training programs:

1. People Still Struggle With Pitching

After 15 years of coaching people on presentation skills, I’m still surprised by how many speakers struggle to deliver a compelling message, often relying on some sort of video later in their pitch that explains everything. One standout this year was Owen Simonin, whose keynote on gamification and investing was tight, creative, and well-delivered with strong visuals and structure. He’d put the work in — and it showed. Owen is incredibly busy, but that didn’t stop him from putting together a compelling keynote, and he’ll be remembered for it.

2. Finishing Too Early... or Running Over

Some speakers wrap up far too early — sometimes using only 50% of their slot! While I often jump in with a few questions to fill the gap, and we’re quite used to that on the Discovery Stage, for other events, a clearer expectation on presentation length and Q&A would help prevent awkward handovers.

Others still run over time, which throws the schedule off and stresses the tech team. If you’re hosting, don’t hesitate to be polite but firm — give a one-minute signal to wrap up. It's an essential part of your job.

And if you're presenting? Practice with a timer — it makes a huge difference.

3. Energy Management Matters

VivaTech is massive — this year saw over 180,000 attendees. It’s inspiring, but the days are long and full-on. Whether you're on stage, jumping between panels, or networking nonstop, you need to pace yourself. Hydrate. Take breaks. Bring snacks. Switch off and stare into space. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. By day 4, it was tough, I can tell you…

4. The vital Importance of improvisation.

With so much going on, and with such little time to rehearse, I've been forced to, over he years to let go of the control of trying to manage and prepare everything and rely on being in the moment to react to all situations. To be a great MC, you have to embrace being like bamboo. Listen, react, detach and be constantly ready to give service to everyone on stage.

Finishing on this:

Despite a general mood of uncertainty across industries, what VivaTech showcases each year is innovation with real-world promise. The tools, ideas, and technologies on display — especially in AI — offer meaningful insight into how our lives are changing. We covered many topics, these included: Quantum Computing ETA for Quantum is around 2032 according to experts. AI development: every industry is now incorporating the technology from insurance to art curation, Bipedal Robot Development: both Tesla and Unitree were promoting thier humanoid robots, butler-type assistants are closer than ever. AI Film making: a new technlogogy to create any shot of anything using simulation models. Literally drawing photographic images from prompts. Revolutionary.

If you get the opportunity to attend or participate; soak it up. There’s a lot to learn.

Whether you need presentation coaching, event hosting skils or MC training, the lesson from Vivatech apply to any business communication challenge.

Checkout his link if your preparing as a speaker for an event: Pitch Coaching and Training

Checkout this link for our 1-1 MC training sessions. Master of Ceremonies Coaching