On Tuesday, February 11, 2020, Integrated Systems Europe, the world's largest exhibition for AV integration and systems, returns to RAI Amsterdam. The opening ceremony, officially marking the start of the event, will take place just before 10:00 AM. The four-day event spans 15 halls and showcases everything the professional audiovisual industry has to offer, including the latest developments and technologies that will shape the future of nearly every industry. ISE 2020 is managed by Integration Systems Events on behalf of international trade associations and co-owners AVIXA and CEDIA.
Continuing a long tradition, this year's event will be bigger than last year's: more than the 81,000 visitors of last year are expected; there will be more exhibition space; and more conferences and learning opportunities on the agenda. Visitors will be "Making Deeper Connections" with the latest technologies, cutting-edge ideas, and the global audiovisual industry.
Designed to help visitors more easily find the 1,300 exhibitors relevant to their interests are the six technology zones. Spread across eight of the 15 halls, these comprise:
• Audio and Live Events, showcasing sound from microphone to speaker, as well as the latest technologies to support the kind of audiovisual extravaganzas in which the industry excels;
• Digital Signage and DooH, with a wide range of advertising and information delivery solutions for the retail, transport, healthcare, corporate, education, leisure, hospitality, and many other sectors;
• Educational Technology, with its positive and growing multidimensional impact on learning outcomes;
• Residential, showcasing the latest developments in the connected home, as well as home entertainment and energy management;
• Smart Buildings, with a wide range of solutions for controlling air conditioning, lighting and blinds, security systems, heating, ventilation, monitoring, alarms, and much more; and
• Unified communications, with innovative new platforms designed to facilitate collaborative work and improve productivity across sites and countries.
ISE 2020 sees a new focus on Hall 14, with three exhibition features located there. One of these is the new Innovation Zone, an area designed for ISE exhibitors to showcase their technology for the first time. Additionally, the ISE Main Stage theater is moving from Hall 8. The Main Stage will offer leadership and best practice sessions from ISE, AVIXA, CEDIA, AV Magazine, and sponsor Shure. These sessions are free, and no prior registration is required. Hall 14 will also be the location for the exciting and interactive virtual reality experience at ISE.
Hall 5 will be even larger; the temporary expansion from 2019 has been upgraded to a larger, permanent one. This will help accommodate the growing number of exhibitors and visitors.
One of the defining characteristics of ISE's development over the years is its growing appeal to end users eager to see and hear about the latest technologies and solutions firsthand. This shift in demographics has prompted ISE to respond with a conference program that has expanded significantly, both in the number of sessions and the range of topics covered.
The five-day ISE 2020 conference and professional development program will return with the theme "Learn, Discover, Be Inspired." ISE 2020 will see the return of the Digital Signage Summit ISE and Smart Buildings Conference ISE, along with newer additions such as the XR Summit ISE and the 2019-launched Digital Cinema Summit ISE and Hospitality Technology Summit ISE by HTNG.
Two major new conferences have been added to ISE 2020: the Control Rooms Summit and the CEDIA Design & Build Conference. The former will explore business and technology strategies for control room operators across all sectors, including utilities, government, transportation, and the military, while the latter is geared toward architects, interior designers, and other design and construction professionals in the residential space.
The conference's extensive program is further enhanced by the AVIXA Higher Education AV Conference, which will highlight a variety of perspectives on how to improve the learning and teaching experience through the effective use of AV. The AVIXA Enterprise AV Conference will emphasize the increasing availability of data and the opportunity that data analytics provides for enabling better business strategies and workspace/system design.
This year’s AudioForum will focus on acoustics and wellness; AttractionsTECH, hosted by blooloop, will cover the visitor attractions market; and AGORA will reflect the growing importance of sports venues as a key market for audiovisual professionals.
Many of the conferences will be held at the nearby Okura Hotel, a change that proved very popular with visitors when introduced last year. A free shuttle bus service will run between the RAI and the conference venues.
AVIXA will also host FlashTracks throughout ISE 2020 at a dedicated booth on the show floor. Designed for AV professionals of all experience levels, these are free, 20-minute educational sessions focusing on hot industry topics.
In addition to the CEDIA Design & Build Conference, CEDIA will present the CEDIA Cybersecurity Workshop for the first time. This interactive, theory-based workshop will challenge attendees to produce technical best-practice procedures and client policies around network and cybersecurity.
The workshop is the first in the association’s four-day lineup of paid professional development sessions hosted by CEDIA, which will cover a wide range of technology and business topics for custom installers. Throughout the show, the CEDIA booth will also host CEDIA Talks. These are free, 20-minute sessions focusing on emerging trends and new technologies.
There will be many other features at ISE 2020. Organized and independently audited by EXHBITOR magazine, the Stand Design Awards recognize the most effective small, medium, large, and extra-large stands at the show. The Innovation Awards return for the fourteenth time to recognize the best in global AV projects and technology, as well as outstanding distributors, project managers, and consultants. The 2020 venue is the Beurs van Berlage. And following the 2019 screening at the nhow Amsterdam RAI Hotel, a spectacular projection mapping showcase on the façade of the RAI's Elicium building will command attention at ISE 2020.
The ISE Opening Speech is renowned for featuring internationally acclaimed thought leaders drawn not only from the audiovisual world but also from disciplines that have the potential to shape AV. At ISE 2020, the keynote speaker will be Duncan Wardle, a former Disney executive who will demonstrate how innovation can become part of the everyday work culture in our businesses. The keynote address will take place the evening before the ISE 2020 exhibition opens, followed by the opening reception.
ISE 2020 will be the final edition of the show held at the RAI Amsterdam; in 2021, ISE will move to Fira de Barcelona. To prepare attendees for this change, the walkway between Halls 7 and 8 will be renamed the Hola Barcelona! lounge. Here, attendees can find information about traveling to Barcelona and ISE 2021, and what to expect once they arrive.
Furthermore, to mark this significant moment in ISE history, the traditional closing keynote will be replaced by a special event on Friday, also called Hola Barcelona! Here, ISE will say thank you and goodbye to Amsterdam and the RAI and look ahead to what Barcelona and Fira have to offer.
"The event will mark the end of one era," says Mike Blackman, Managing Director of Integrated Systems Events, "and the beginning of another exciting new one."
