What ISE 2025 brought us in Barcelona
This year, we attended ISE 2025, right in our hometown of Barcelona. As locals, we’ve seen how the city breathes life into this event, and how the event, in turn, leaves its mark on the city. Here’s our take on this year's edition and on the panorama proAV presents.
An expected record-breaking edition
ISE 2025 was bustling with activity, and the official numbers confirmed the prediction of the most successful edition to date, featuring 1,605 exhibitors and attracting 85,351 unique verified visitors from 168 countries, marking a 15% increase from last year. The show spanned a record-breaking 92,000 sqm of floor space, reinforcing its position as the leading event for integrated systems.
As Barcelonians, we saw firsthand how ISE leaves its mark on the city, reinforcing its role as an AV and tech cluster. It remarkably goes beyond a trade show to become a city event, showcasing the latest trends in digital art, from mapping projections at Casa Batlló to participating in the annual Lights Arts festival Llums BCN.
This highlights one of the ways we would define ISE: it’s “noisy” and eye-catching. Mike Blackman, ISE’s Managing Director, said “We always want to create that ‘wow’ effect when people walk through the show,” and it certainly delivered. The event leverages the showcase of live-events technology to create unforgettable experiences, particularly through its Digital Signage Pavilion, where vibrant screens were a major draw.
A broad show with a broader audience
ISE’s sheer scope raises a common question: who is this show really for? The event covers an incredibly diverse range of industries, making it the ultimate platform for cross-industry synergies. However, this broad scope can feel overwhelming.
The diversity is reflected in the classification of its 8 pavilions:
Unified Communications
Education Technology
Residential
Smart Building
Multi-technology (the largest)
Digital Signage & DOO
AV Broadcast (the smallest)
Audio
Lighting & Staging
ISE also features a diverse range of summits on topics as varied as the pavilions themselves, including the Control Rooms Summit, Smart Workplace Summit, and AV Broadcast Summit.
Although it may seem paradoxical, ISE's greatest strength lies in this diversity of technologies and industries. It serves as the ultimate hub for systems that integrate across various sectors, from audio and video technology to networking solutions and beyond. As such, ISE isn't simply about showcasing products; it's where experts in technology integration gather. This emphasis on integration makes ISE the go-to event for integrators—the specialists who plan complex projects, implement cutting-edge technologies, and create fully integrated systems for a range of industries. The show is centered on these integrators, who bridge the gap between technology and its real-world applications, rather than on end-users themselves. This was further highlighted by the strong presence of consultancy and service providers at the event.
Key topics and trends
Despite the extensive variety of technologies and pavilions on display, a number of significant trends were apparent throughout the exhibition. Here is what we saw:
The Esports Arena premiered this year
Artificial Intelligence was present, but did not take the spotlight. Instead, the discussions were focused on applicable use cases where AI is showcased as a tool being thoughtfully integrated into workflows rather than just to impress. As expected for this year, conversations around AI are finally mature.
Sustainability was a major buzzword. This trend was particularly relevant given ISE’s inclusion of housing tech and smart buildings, where energy efficiency and sustainable materials are becoming key considerations.
Cybersecurity was on everyone’s mind. As everything becomes increasingly connected, cybersecurity is a greater concern. With more devices linked to networks, from smart homes to corporate AV systems, the conversation around security has evolved. It’s no longer just about data protection; it’s about safeguarding entire ecosystems.
Immersive and captivating technologies showcased at the event were not only to “wow” attendees; they also highlighted promising future of live events.
Another of the standout features of ISE 2025 was the new Esports Hall. This growing industry is a melting pot of technologies from live events, media & entertainment, and new streaming methods. Esports is a pioneer in tackling challenges like latency and media rights, and its bold approach to monetization strategies is something other industries are starting to notice.
In conclusion, Knox Media Hub departed with two significant takeaways. First, the ubiquity of audiovisual media is undeniable. Second, ISE exemplifies the industry's reliance on a complex network of integrators, distributors, and resellers, which presents opportunities for cross-industry collaboration.
For Knox Media Hub, these insights emphasize the necessity of adaptable solutions and flexible architecture, a core principle of our platform.
What's in ISE for AV Broadcast: concepts defined, blurred, and redefined
ISE comes with a full set of concepts often interchanged or unclear. First, to clarify, it's generally agreed that AV Broadcast refers to the use of professional video equipment in other industries outside of Broadcast Media & Entertainment, while ProAV is the creation of professional video content outside of the traditional Media & Entertainment industry. To fully grasp the significance of ProAV, we need to understand what it truly represents. ProAV is the umbrella term for professional audiovisual systems used in an array of industries, including, corporate (the biggest by far), sports, events, performing arts, government, education, hospitality and healthcare and even Houses of Worship.
Rebecca Jackson from Caretta Research at the AV Broadcast Summit
For a tech provider born in Media & Entertainment, the general intake at ISE is that everyone is generating content. We are starting to see other industries seeking the same level of quality and desiring the same tools that, until now, seemed exclusive to Broadcast Media & Entertainment.
In other words, ISE is the place to discuss how Media Tech is being used or can be used in other industries—a trend expected to experience significant growth in the next few years and one that is already showing very interesting business cases. This is echoed by Caretta Research, which predicts that media tech product sales will exceed 20 billion dollars by 2032, driven by the growth of the pro AV market.
“Media tech product sales will exceed 20 billion dollars by 2032”
Inversely, the media and entertainment sector is currently driving ProAV growth, according to several industry representatives at the event. This growth is fueled by a demand for high-quality content, which is necessary for differentiation in a content-saturated market. Consequently, media-rich organizations are no longer limited to a single industry; the need for broadcast and film quality content now extends across all sectors.
AV Broadcast Summit: Business Cases and handy insights
The AV Broadcast Summit provided valuable insights and discussions by industry players.
The AV Broadcast Summit at ISE 2025 went beyond buzzwords, delivering a blend of real-world business cases, market data, and valuable insights.
One of the standout trends was the rise of corporate media centers and film studios. Corporations are increasingly investing in in-house production capabilities to create their narratives and engage audiences more effectively. Real-world use cases, presented in great detail, showcased the tangible outcomes and advantages that companies achieve by leveraging their own media centers.
These centers are predictably used in marketing, where teams face challenges in producing compelling content amidst fierce competition. However they are also being adopted by other departments in unexpected ways. Examples included creating product presentations for clients, integrating video content into sales calls, and even using film studios in HR for recruitment materials.
And the overall sentiment from all the discussions at the summit was clear: AVBroadcast will experience market growth within the corporate sector, where those use cases will not be exceptional.
Although the summit demonstrated a growing demand for ProAV solutions, several challenges were also highlighted.
The most frequently mentioned challenge was that ProAV is not a one-size-fits-all market, a point emphasized in the reports presented by Caretta Research and IABM. The term 'ProAV' encompasses a wide range of industry verticals, each with its own unique needs. For instance, the requirements of a healthcare company differ significantly from those of a retail brand. This underscores the need for flexible, adaptable solutions.
Moreover, ProAV solutions must be user-friendly for non-professional broadcasters, making them accessible to departments like Marketing, which often lack broadcast expertise. This leads to another key takeaway from the summit: the importance of knowledge sharing. As corporations venture into the ProAV space, they are turning to Media & Entertainment experts for guidance. This creates an opportunity for MediaTech providers to educate new industries on best practices, from content creation to distribution strategies. Meanwhile, the AV Broadcast sector still needs to fully understand the unique requirements of these emerging players.
Final thoughts
For us, ISE 2025 offered a glimpse into the future of MediaTech, AV Broadcast, and ProAV. We learned a great deal at the dedicated AV Broadcast Summit, where, yes, there was plenty of buzz, but also realistic expectations about the current state of the ProAV landscape.
At Knox Media Hub, we’re excited about this evolution. ISE made it clear that integration and adaptability are key. We’re eager to play a role in this changing landscape, helping businesses create, manage, and distribute content more efficiently than ever before. As the lines between Broadcast, ProAV, and MediaTech continue to blur, we’re ready to lead the way with flexible, powerful solutions that empower the next generation of content creators.
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