The Story of ISE

The world’s largest audio-visual and systems integration show – the European destination for the global AV industry

As the doors to the fourteenth Integrated Systems Europe closed on Friday 10 February 2017, the annual show, which started life in 2004, was confirmed as the largest audiovisual and systems integration show in the world. The RAI Amsterdam, which has been ISE’s home since 2007, hosted almost 1,200 exhibitors and welcomed over 73,000 registered attendees. Records were broken across the board, including: the number of exhibitors, the size of the show floor, overall registration numbers, daily attendance figures and even the number of taxi journeys made to and from the RAI on a single day in the venue’s history.

That was 2017. One year on – 6-9 February 2018, to be precise – ISE 2018 went even further. The number of exhibitors was up to 1,296, the number of registered attendees broke 80,000 and 39,000 people visited the RAI on the second day of the show (superseding the daily attendance record, set only 12-months earlier, by around 5,000). To accommodate these numbers, the RAI installed temporary structures, meaning ISE grew to 15 halls. By the time the show concluded, the exhibition floor space sold for ISE 2019 was at 103% compared to ISE 2018.

This is a snapshot from the sharp end of ISE’s rise to becoming the world’s largest AV and systems integration show. A rise that started in Geneva as a 120-exhibitor / 3,500-attendee show in 2004.

How does a trade show grow by 2300% in 14 years?

ISE has always carried a certain energy and vibrancy, which contribute to the good feeling and momentum at the show’s core. Innovation, future vision and thriving businesses are written into the event’s DNA. So too is dedicated organisational team.

ISE is more than an exhibition of the latest AV technologies. It is also a meeting place for the professional AV industry, which is estimated to be worth over 150 billion euros. It is an important place for professional development and education and, above anything else, it’s a place where business is done and companies grow.

The professional AV industry and its associated technologies impact our lives on a daily, even hourly, basis. ISE covers – in-depth – the entire breadth of the global AV industry. This includes a range of AV market segments, including: audio, conferencing, digital cinema, digital signage, education technology, energy management, home automation, interactive displays, lighting, media distribution, presentation systems, projection, residential solutions, rigging and staging, show control, smart building, unified communications, wireless communication and XR (virtual, augmented and mixed realities) technology.

ISE’s success is underpinned by the wealth of education and professional opportunities. Leading industry associations, AVIXA and CEDIA, present extensive programmes throughout the show – many of these courses, workshops and sessions carry industry recognised qualifications. There were also free to attend sessions in the ISE Show Floor Theatres. To see a comprehensive rundown of the education on offer at ISE 2018, go here.

During ISE 2018, there were also major conferences for particular areas of the AV market, including: Smart Building Conference, TIDE, XR Summit, Digital Signage Summit, Sports Venue and Fan Engagement Summit and blooloop LIVE.

In 2018, ISE took its relationship with Amsterdam a step further by collaborating with the Amsterdam Light Festival and the RAI Amsterdam for The World Masters of Projection Mapping, which saw specially created artworks being projected onto the EYE Filmmuseum.

ISE is produced by Integrated Systems Events – a not-for-profit organisation, which is co-owned by leading AV industry associations: AVIXA and CEDIA.

The first Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) tradeshow was held in Geneva, Switzerland in February 2004. Since then, the annual event has grown from 120 exhibitors and 3,500 visitors, to a record-breaking 15^th year that saw ISE 2018 host almost 1,300 exhibitors and welcome over 80,000 visitors through the doors of the RAI Amsterdam.

This further confirmed ISE’s position as the largest AV and systems integration show in the world and the European destination for the global AV industry.

The organisation behind ISE – Integrated Systems Events LLC – is a joint venture between AVIXA and CEDIA, the two leading industry associations for the global audiovisual industry.

Voices of ISE

Numbers are one thing but they only count if the people on the show floor are happy. Companies and visitors attend ISE to be part of the largest AV systems integration show in the world and to build their understanding of the latest innovations and technologies that are driving the industry forward. We spoke to visitors and exhibitors at the show to find out how they felt about the latest installment of ISE. These are the voices of ISE.

Strong and sustainable event growth – year after year

Since its launch in 2004, ISE has grown year-on-year at a phenomenal rate, with each event delivering higher numbers of exhibitors and attendees.

Almost 1,300 companies exhibited at the four-day ISE 2018. The growth in size of ISE was the primary driver for the decision to increase the exhibition to four days in 2016. Four days gives exhibitors more ‘face time’ with attendees and affords attendees a longer period to visit stands and to take advantage of the many conferences and educational programmes on offer.

ISE is seen as a major launch-pad for manufacturers and service providers to propel new products and solutions into the AV and systems integration marketplace. Such activity inevitably attracts the media and in 2018 over 600 editors, technical writers and news journalists attended the exhibition.

Our Vision

By the time ISE 2018 closed its doors, Integrated Systems Europe had proven unequivocally why it is the international destination of choice for AV and systems integration professionals.

The future of ISE

Mike Blackman, Integrated Systems Events Managing Director, says:
“This is the only place where you can get an overview of the whole AV market in one place. More exhibitors, more floor space and more attendees than any other show worldwide – we bring the buyers and sellers together in one arena, so that they can come together to do business.”

David Labuskes, CEO AVIXA, says:
“For 15 years now, ISE has provided an excellent place for the European systems integration industry to meet. The show is perfect for companies in the region for demonstrating their new innovations to an interested and informed audience. AVIXA is proud to be co-owners of this trade show, there’s nothing quite like it in Europe and long may its success continue. There are four main reasons for ISE’s success: the excellent education programme put on by AVIXA and CEDIA; the opportunity to get up close and personal with the latest equipment; the excellent location – Amsterdam is a well-connected city; and, of course, it’s a very well run event and a credit to the organising team.”

Tabatha O’Connor, CEDIA Global President and CEO says:
“ISE has a unique and wonderful flavour. In many ways, it often feels more like a ‘family reunion’ than a trade show; a sense that’s definitely helped by its location in the fantastically warm, vibrant, and welcoming city of Amsterdam. With such a rich and varied exhibition and educational programme on offer throughout the four days, there’s no other trade show like ISE. We are so proud to be co-owners of this amazing event.”