Barcelona as a hub for European-Latin American synergies in AV

Image: Fira de Barcelona

How ISE is Driving Cross-Regional Collaboration and Innovation

Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) has once again positioned Barcelona as a global hub for the audiovisual (AV) industry, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss innovation, partnerships, and the sector’s future. This year’s ISE revealed the trends that will define the AV landscape for years to come. From groundbreaking innovations in AV-over-IP and revolutionary display technologies to the evolving role of AI in the industry, we delve into how ISE is solidifying the status of Barcelona as a leader in audiovisual technology.

As part of the fair, the European Latin American AV Forum provided a dedicated space to explore cross-regional collaboration, highlighting Barcelona’s role in strengthening ties between Europe and Latin America through audiovisual technology. This article explores key moments from the forum, as well as insights from an exclusive guided tour for Barcelona Global members, showcasing the latest technological advancements in the sector.

Connecting continents: Barcelona’s strategic role in AV

Barcelona’s growing influence in the AV sector was a key theme throughout the forum, underscored by the presence of Jaume Collboni, Mayor of Barcelona; Albert Dalmau, Conseller de la Presidencia de la Generalitat; and Jordi Hereu, Minister of Industry and Tourism. The discussion focused on the importance of strengthening ties between Europe and Latin America through audiovisual technology, content creation, and business collaboration.

Jaume Collboni emphasized that content is a powerful tool to help us understand the world, highlighting the critical role of audiovisual media in fostering cross-cultural exchange. He called for the need to connect the regions of Latin America and Europe further in these trying times and praised ISE’s role in making it happen.

Albert Dalmau stressed that Europe and Latin America share not only a common past, but also a common future. Barcelona is a natural bridge between the two regions since we host 4,161 AV-related companies, generating €8.6 billion in revenue and employing nearly 42,000 professionals. Catalonia’s AV sector has grown 15% in the last five years, making Barcelona a global hub for creativity and innovation.

Jordi Hereu framed the discussion around turning challenges into opportunities in the AV industry. He underscored that ISE plays a key role in strengthening Barcelona’s and Spain's AV ecosystem, fostering innovation, and attracting global partnerships. His remarks echoed broader industry trends since Catalonia is a growing destination for foreign direct investment in audiovisual technologies. Between 2020 and 2024, the region ranked first in Southern Europe for AV industry projects, driven by its strong talent base and innovation infrastructure.

Cross-regional collaboration roundtable

A key part of the forum was the roundtable discussion featuring Miquel Rutllant, President and CEO of the Catalan AV Cluster; David Dávila, Vice-president of Nuevo Leon's Creative Media Cluster; María Eugenia Lombardi, Member of the Audiovisual Cluster Buenos Aires Directive Commission; and Felipe Mujica, Executive Director of the Eurochile Business Foundation. The discussion focused on collaboration between European and Latin American audiovisual industries and the role of different initiatives in strengthening the sector.

Miquel Rutllant highlighted several European initiatives that are boosting the AV sector regionally:

Creative Europe: Strengthens creative industries in Europe through transnational creation and mobility of artists and creators.
IT Culture and Creativity: Creates innovation communities related to technological and creative advancements.
EuroClusters: Promotes collaboration between different industries to drive innovation and growth.

One of the surprises of the roundtable was the confession from the Latin American participants that integration between Latin American countries, particularly in content sharing, is often easier through European intermediaries. An example shared was that distributing a Chilean movie to Argentina can sometimes be more effective when done through the British or French consulate. This highlights Europe's integrative force in the audiovisual industry, reinforcing how the European and Latin American regions can mutually benefit from each other in this sector.

Exploring ISE: A guided tour through innovation

Thanks to Michael Blackman, Vice President of Barcelona Global and Managing Director of ISE, we were able to take an exclusive tour of the convention alongside some of our members. Led by Bob Snyder, business journalist and Content Chair of the Smart Building Conference at ISE, the tour provided an in-depth look at the key technologies and business strategies shaping the AV industry today.

Snyder joked that ISE is a "battleground" for B2B sales, where companies showcase cutting-edge solutions to forge partnerships and secure contracts. This aligns with ACCIÓ’s report, which highlights that Barcelona has become a major hub for audiovisual business, with over 4,000 companies and an ecosystem that fosters cross-sector collaborations.

Throughout the tour, we explored groundbreaking innovations from industry leaders. Key highlights included:

Crestron’s AV-over-IP software, which is revolutionizing the way audio and video are transmitted over the internet. Traditionally, audio and video had to be transferred separately, but Crestron’s technology bundles them together over Internet Protocol (IP) without compromising quality.
Epson’s high-performance projectors, which provide astonishingly high-quality images comparable to traditional displays. Beyond traditional projectors, Epson showcased videowalls, which are essentially projectors that, instead of having the projector in front of the screen, are placed behind it.
Samsung’s MicroLED displays, which are at the forefront of next-generation display technology. One of the most jaw-dropping innovations on display was transparent MicroLED panels, which open new possibilities for retail, advertising, and architectural design.
KNX’s smart home automation systems, integrating various home appliances through advanced software solutions to create fully automated, intuitive environments.

According to Snyder, the “buzzwords” of the conference were IoT, MicroLEDs, and AI. He explained that currently, what we have is Generative AI, which he pointed out is not AI in its full potential. He emphasized that the evolution from Generative AI to Agentive AI will mark a true revolution in the industry. While current AI capabilities in AV are limited, the future promises fully autonomous AI-driven actions, transforming the industry at its core. AI will play a role in automation, predictive analytics, and enhancing the user experience, but its integration into mainstream AV workflows remains a work in progress.

The future of AV and Barcelona’s role

The discussions at the forum and the tour underscored that Barcelona is not just a host city for ISE but an active player shaping the AV industry’s future. The latest data from ACCIÓ supports this narrative, showing that companies established before ISE’s arrival in Barcelona have seen their growth increase by over 30% since its arrival. This economic momentum has positioned the city as a strategic hub for audiovisual business and innovation.

As ISE continues to evolve, Barcelona stands at the intersection of technology, creativity, and business, reinforcing its role as a global audiovisual capital . The insights from the European Latin American AV Forum demonstrate that the city is not only consolidating its leadership in the sector but also actively building the future of AV through innovation, partnerships, and talent development. Barcelona is ready to lead this transformation.

If you want to know the latest English news about Barcelona and the people who bring it to life, sign up to our Blog.