ISE 2024 opens its doors to 1,408 exhibitors

The 20th anniversary edition of ISE has opened its doors, with more than 1,400 exhibitors and the largest exhibition floor space in its history.

Speaking to the assembled press at a show which has attracted 800 media registrations, ISE managing director Mike Blackman said the AV industry was thriving.

He added: “The AI phenomenon is much talked about in terms of tomorrow’s technology but we are ahead of that curve. Today we are proud to be showcasing AI technology within our conferences, on the show floor and within our keynote speaker programme, as well as in some great live performances.”

Blackman recalled that ISE’s first show in Geneva in 2004 featured 120 exhibitors and around 3,500 registered attendees, and 25 of the original exhibitors had been at every single event since then.

But there was more expansion to come, as work had begun on adding 25% more exhibition space to the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via site – another 32,200 sq metres – in a new Hall Zero. This would make it the sixth biggest convention centre in Europe.

This year’s 1,408 exhibitors are spread across seven technology zones, in eight halls at the Fira site. A show floor of 82,000 sq metres is 30% larger than 2023. There are some 300 speakers at nine conference, three keynote speakers, 25 show floor features and two show floor stages.

Blackman said the show would cover hardware, software and services,covering areas such as:

         Immersive experiences with technologies such as VR and AR

         4K, 8K and even 16K displays and projectors

         Large scale LED video walls with flexibility in terms of size and shape

         Cloud-based AV solutions

         Communication tools and collaborating platforms integrated into AV systems

         The much talked about AI technology – used for analytics and audience engagement

         Touchless technologies with gesture control and voice activation

         Spatial audio and 3D sound

         IoT technologies such as smart building automation and sensor-driven adjustments

         Scalable and modular AV solutions

         And last but not least in importance, energy-efficient AV solutions

On the subject of sustainability, Blackman said the new Welcome Screen at the South Access to the Fira site is powered by 100% green energy from renewable sources, of which 40% is  powered in local wind farms, preventing losses from the electrical grid.

The Gran Via site itself has 25,900 photovoltaic solar panels installed over 135,000 sq metres of the venue roof generating 5.86 GWh of electricity a year, eliminating a total of 2,200 tons of CO² emissions per year.

Blackman said Roger Torrent, minister for business and work in the Catalan autonomous government, and other representatives of the city, ISE, AVIXA  and CEDIA would join together later in the day to officially open the 20th anniversary show.