ISE 2026 has closed its doors after four days packed with inspiring firsts that went beyond expectations.

The event broke records by welcoming 92,170 visitors from around the world. A total of 1,751 exhibitors, including 323 making their debut at the event, contributed to the largest show floor space in the event’s history: 101,000 sqm.

ISE 2026 delivered exceptional attendance growth, underlining the continued expansion and global appeal of the show. By Tuesday, the event had already welcomed 55,156 unique attendees, a 10% increase compared with Tuesday 2025 (49,981). By Wednesday, total unique attendance across all show days reached 76,035, while the show recorded its largest single day ever, with 64,198 visitors onsite, almost equalling the pre-pandemic record attendance of an entire ISE show (64,908 at ISE 2019 in Amsterdam). Momentum continued through Thursday, as total unique attendance climbed to 87,648, officially marking the highest attendance in ISE history.

Overall, ISE 2026 achieved an 8% increase in total attendance compared with 2025, demonstrating unprecedented energy, scale, and industry engagement, and confirming its position as the benchmark event for the audiovisual and systems integration community. Total registrations reached 120,914, with more than 212,000 visits over the four days.

As ISE 2026 comes to a close, I feel inspired by the passion and strength of our community. Over four extraordinary days, we celebrated groundbreaking technology, ignited bold ideas, forged lasting connections, and set new benchmarks for the industry. What excites me most is the creativity, energy, and diversity of our exhibitors and partners, as well as the unwavering dedication of the ISE team that makes it all possible,  said Mike Blackman, Managing Director of Integrated Systems Events.

Growing and strengthening the ISE community and beyond

At ISE 2026, Spark debuted as a showcase of unity between creativity and technology: a new initiative designed to drive innovation and knowledge sharing across the creative industries. The new format brought together the creators of tomorrow, uniting the brightest minds from broadcast, live events, marketing, design, and gaming into one immersive experience. Spark established itself as a hub for creative professionals, technologists, and decision-makers, with the aim of connecting, sharing ideas, and exploring the future of creativity. With a strong line-up of partners and speakers, Spark 2026 demonstrated how technology transformed the audience experience on screen, in physical spaces, and live, and highlighted how innovation and collaboration are shaping the next generation of creative work.

In another first, ISE announced the ISE Foundation, an initiative led by ISE and backed by its co-owners AVIXA and CEDIA, with support from the Barcelona City Council and the Government of Catalonia. The ISE Foundation aims to empower the AV and systems integration community, focusing on teamwork, innovation, and lasting impact under the tagline Powering On, Together. The foundation was launched at a press conference featuring distinguished speakers including David Labuskes, CEO of AVIXA; Daryl Friedman, Global President & CEO of CEDIA; Raquel Gil, Deputy Mayor of Barcelona City Council; and Miquel Sàmper, Minister for Business and Labour, Government of Catalonia.

From iconic landmarks to AI: ISE 2026 showcased the future of creativity

The keynote sessions at ISE 2026, delivered by Matt Clark and Sol Rashidi, electrified the event, filling auditoriums to full capacity. Clark took attendees to Behind the Façade: Building a Performance-led Mapping at Casa Batlló, from Concept to Implementation, revealing the creative and technical mastery behind the mapping at one of Barcelona’s most iconic landmarks. Meanwhile, Rashidi, with The AI Reality Check: What It Takes to Scale and the Future of Leadership, offered a compelling look at how artificial intelligence is reshaping industries and the leadership required to navigate this transformation. Together, their presentations reinforced ISE’s role as a benchmark stage for innovation, creativity, and forward-thinking leadership.

Barcelona welcomes international representatives to ISE 2026

ISE’s collaboration with Barcelona continues to play a key role in the event’s success. The 2026 edition featured a notable delegation of VIPs and government representatives, including participants from Latin American countries, reflecting Barcelona’s role as a global technology hub. Attendees included leaders from national and regional governments, as well as experts in digitalisation and AI policy, highlighting ISE’s impact on international collaboration and regional growth.

ISE kicks off every year as the largest gathering of AV professionals. But beyond the numbers lies an even more remarkable story: people connecting from different corners of the world and exchanging ideas that will live on beyond the convention centre walls. The week was full of brilliant minds pushing this exciting industry forward. AVIXA is proud to collaborate with the ISE and CEDIA teams to deliver such a vibrant forum,  said David Labuskes, CTS, CAE, RCDD, Chief Executive Officer of AVIXA.

“ISE 2026 once again demonstrated the extraordinary power of collaboration across our global technology ecosystem”, noted Daryl Friedman, Global President and CEO of CEDIA. “As co-owners of ISE, we are proud to see the event continue to expand its influence as a platform where innovation, education, and partnership converge. The energy on the show floor and throughout the conference programme reflects a dynamic industry that is not only embracing emerging technologies, but also defining how they enhance the spaces where people live, work, and connect”.