ISE 2023 will take place from 31 January to 3 February 2023 at the Fira de Barcelona, Gran Via complex (this is the modern exhibition center that also hosts the Mobile World Congress every year, and is conveniently situated between the airport and the city center). The annual Integrated Systems Europe event is a joint venture of AVIXA, the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association and CEDIA, the global trade association for companies that design, manufacture, and integrate technology for the home.
"We can’t wait to return to Barcelona with ISE 2023. This year’s show exceeded expectations, and we are looking forward to a bigger and even better event at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via in January 2023. We already have a great show floor packed with industry-leading brands and we’re working hard to ensure that, yet again, ISE goes above and beyond expectations," stated Mike Blackman, Integrated Systems Events Managing Director.
Registration is now open for ISE 2023. The show promises to be the largest one ever, considering that the successful 2022 edition, the first in Barcelona, was still seeing many companies testing the ground after two years of pandemic. The 2023 edition will take much of the Barcelona Fira (not yet as big as MWC, but getting close), and will create a completely new dynamic, with all the gigantic halls dividing the exhibitors per market segment and some specialist shows also take place concurrently in other halls. So, study the show floor-plan to locate the areas of interest, and study how to get there faster (usually using the upper passage, up the escalators).
ISE 2023 will be a launchpad for a wealth of new technology, offer a thought-provoking conference program, and will feature headline keynote sessions throughout the week. The organizers, Integrated Systems Events, reported 40% more exhibit space compared to 2022 with two months to go for the show dates. All the professional audio companies that attended the 2022 edition are coming back in force, joined by all the other ones that missed the first one in Barcelona. There's a full hall just for PA and sound reinforcement companies, while many other audio companies are located in other halls, including the main microphone and communication systems manufacturers.
ISE brings together the core sectors that make up the global audio, video and systems integration industry. Over 700 companies are already committed to exhibiting, and alongside long-standing flagship exhibitors, ISE 2023 will play host to several new brands making their debut. Confirmed industry-leading brands include Blackmagic Design, Barco, Christie, Crestron, Google, KNX, Lang, LG, Logitech, Panasonic, Samsung, Shure, Sony and many more, all providing visitors with plenty of reasons to visit the show.
To make navigation of the show floor easier, exhibits are set across six Technology Zones:
• Unified Communications & Education Technology (Hall 2)
• Residential & Smart Building (Hall 2)
• Multi Technology (Halls 3 & 5)
• Audio (Hall 7) and NEW Audio Demo Suites (Hall 8.0)
• Digital Signage & DooH (Hall 6)
• Content Production and Distribution Zone (Hall 6)
• Lighting & Staging (Hall 7)
Content Production and Distribution
In response to the growing relevance of content production and distribution technologies across the professional audio and pro-AV and systems integration market, ISE 2023 will see a host of new features focused on these applications, including a new dedicated area in Hall 6.
The start of a long-term initiative, this new focus for ISE also highlights the more than 70 exhibitors at ISE 2023 with offerings in content production and distribution that are located all around the Fira. For 2023, more space has been added to Hall 6 and exhibitors now and in the future will include suppliers of solutions including cameras, camera tracking equipment, switchers, monitors, virtual sets, video networking solutions, intercoms and audio consoles.
In addition, ISE’s comprehensive conference program for 2023 will be enhanced with the addition of a new Content Production and Distribution Summit. Details of the program will be revealed over the coming weeks. The Summit’s focus will be around how corporates and institutions can make the best of this new skill. Content creation is also the focus of the ISE 2023 Keynote. At 17:15 on Tuesday 31 January, BK Johannessen, Unreal Engine Business Director for Broadcast and Live Events at Epic Games, will give an address entitled ‘All Paths Lead to Real-Time’. Here, he will discuss how content creators are taking innovations from the games industry and applying them to their projects, from cutting-edge virtual production studios to real-time graphics for media & entertainment, live events, architecture and more.
"Numerous vertical sectors, from corporate and education to retail and hospitality, have begun to create, store and distribute their own video content, and consumer demand for this shows no signs of slowing. ISE’s Content Production and Distribution offering will show what’s possible, allow visitors to explore the technology available to create something unique and eye-catching and provide a forum to discuss what’s next for the sector," explains Mike Blackman.
New Congress Square
There are many new initiatives for ISE 2023. One of those is the Congress Square area, right at the heart of the Fira. The Congress Square location can be found in the central aisle between Halls 4 & 6 and Halls 5 & 7 and is packed with innovations, networking opportunities and industry organizations, bringing together a range of diverse partners all in one place. It is home to the Catalonian and Barcelona City Council Pavilions, Discovery Zone, International Media Showcase and the Influencer and Impact Lounges, and networking space.
New for 2023, the Impact Lounge will offer visitors the chance to meet with organizations making a difference in the industry. This includes Women in Live Music (WILM) and ISE sustainability partner SAVe and The Circle Society. The lounge will provide a space for visitors to connect with these organisations that are looking to change things for the better and to find out more about the work they’re doing and the difference it’s already making.
After a successful debut in 2022, the Influencer Lounge returns for 2023 and once again welcomes content creators, social media trendsetters and commentators who are an active part of the technology community. Expect a schedule of podcasts and events in this space designed for collaboration and conversation.
Elsewhere in Congress Square visitors will be able to experience the very latest innovations from first-time exhibitors in the Discovery Zone. Look out for virtual studio software developer Axximetry; AVoIP, HDBaseT and HDMI distribution device manufacturer Netvio; electronic accessories manufacturer Vanco; and Flylights, which offers transparent LED displays, among many others.
Networking opportunities also abound in the six networking areas themed around the show floor Technology Zones. Finally, head to the International Media Showcase where visitors can read the latest issues from the world’s media while taking a well-earned breather.
Smart Home Technology Conference
As co-owner of ISE, CEDIA is ready to deliver a jam-packed ISE 2023. The association’s offerings at the event will include a comprehensive, in-person professional development program, informative and interactive sessions at the Smart Home Technology stage, and networking opportunities at its booth (2H600).
At ISE 2023, CEDIA will once again run its notorious and newly named ‘Smart Home Technology Conference’, which will feature 65 hours of professional development. Located in the CC1 conference suite, the sessions will focus on Technical Excellence, Business Growth, and Future Trends – all through the lens of home technology integration. Some highlights include:
The Maximising Your Projects Potential – The benefits of integrating AV with BMS controls session (12.30 p.m. Tuesday 31st January) will leave attendees empowered, with a better understanding of how to create unified installations plus some practical takeaways on how to level up their projects.
The Double Bass Array – Next Generation session (12.30 p.m. Wednesday 1st February) discusses the concept of the double bass array (DBA) and the ways it can be effectively and predictably implemented in rooms to deliver exceptional results.
The RP22 Immersive Audio System Design Recommended Practice Workshop (2.30 p.m. Thursday 2nd February) will introduce the guidelines in RP22 — the new Recommended Practice that discusses and defines objective performance targets for audio systems and room design across all private entertainment spaces.
Additionally, CEDIA will bring ISE attendees two opportunities to assess whether they are ready to earn internationally accredited certifications from CEDIA. Attendees can take the certification review courses to determine any knowledge gaps they might have and identify a professional development plan to successfully work towards the Cabling and Infrastructure Technician (CIT) and Integrated Systems Technician (IST) certifications.
Also at ISE 2023, CEDIA is introducing the Smart Home Technology stage in the residential zone, hall 2, with a star-studded lineup. A series of panel discussions and fireside chats will tackle the toughest challenges facing the home technology integration industry today and in the near future, with topics including modern marketing and promotion, the importance of best practice, supply chain management, innovative verticals, and more.
Accommodation and Transportation
Visitors to the show should book their accommodations as soon as possible. Barcelona is considerably more expensive than Amsterdam ever was, hotels tend to increase their prices in obscene ways during trade show weeks, and there are plenty of scams in AirBnB and apartments for rent. For exhibitors looking for reasonable costs, the solution is to stay further South of Barcelona and organize transportation (it's also probably cheaper). The trade shows normally work with a partner hotel booking service, bnetwork, which provides a wide range of choices for accommodation in Barcelona, but requires 100% payment in advance of the show. Visit the website https://isehotels.bnetwork.com/.
To compensate, Barcelona normally provides free public transport for badge show visitors (the subway is a convenient way to get to the Fira). Visitors should know that Barcelona is one of the few cities in the world that doesn't allow Uber, Lyft or any other ride-sharing apps. Taxis are the alternative and they all use an app that is useless during major tradeshows. Taking a taxi to exit the show at the end of the day can take an hour or more. And within a walking radius of the Fira there will be very few taxis. So, for those intended to have dinner in Barcelona and leaving from the show, subway is the best alternative to get anywhere.
Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2023
Fira Barcelona Gran Via
Barcelona, Spain
January 31 - February 3, 2023.
www.cedia.net | www.avixa.org
www.iseurope.org
