By Soren Norgaard, Event Director, Integrate Australia.

Last week, I found myself walking the vast halls of ISE Barcelona, shoulder to shoulder with 92,000 other industry professionals, all drawn to the same place for the same reason: to see what’s next, to understand how it all connects, and to be reminded why we love this craft.

But what struck me most wasn’t the record-breaking attendance or the 130-inch LCD panels. It was running into so many familiar faces from home.

Representatives from the likes of Panasonic, Sony, Blackmagic Design, Pleneo, Williams AV, Lightware, MaxHub, Sennheiser, Quantum Sphere, RGB Link, Corsair and several consultants and Integrators. All Australians who’d made the journey to Barcelona, not because it was convenient, but because being there mattered.

We compared notes on what we were seeing. We talked about MicroLED advancements, chip-on-glass architectures, AI-driven content tools, and the shift from pixel-pitch competition to energy efficiency and real-world application. We discussed what it all meant, not just globally, but for us, back in ANZ.

And in those conversations, something became crystal clear: this industry thrives on connection. On seeing things in action. On talking directly to the people building the technology. On understanding not just what’s new, but why it matters and how it fits into the work we’re already doing.

ISE delivers that at a scale that’s hard to match. It’s the global anchor point for professional AV—a place where the entire ecosystem gathers, tests ideas, and moves forward together.

But here’s the thing: not everyone can make that journey.

Not everyone has the time, the budget, or the ability to travel halfway around the world for four days on a show floor. And yet, the need for that experience—for hands-on discovery, for perspective, for connection—doesn’t go away just because you’re based in Sydney, Melbourne, or Auckland instead of Barcelona.

That’s exactly why Integrate exists.

We’re not trying to replicate or replace ISE. We’re the ANZ AV industry’s anchor point—the place where our community comes together to explore what’s possible, see technologies in real-world context, and reconnect with the craft we care so deeply about.

Walking through ISE, I kept thinking about how many of the conversations I was having—about integration, about convergence, about the future of connected experiences—are the exact conversations we need to be having more often, closer to home.

Because while the technology might be global, the application is local. The challenges our integrators face, the environments our systems operate in, the clients our industry serves—they’re ours. And the value of being able to explore, compare, and discuss those technologies together, as a community, in our own region, can’t be overstated.

So yes, ISE was inspiring. It was energising. It reminded me why I love this industry.

But it also reminded me why Integrate matters.

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s worth attending, let me put it this way: the same reasons people travelled 30 hours to Barcelona are the same reasons you should make the journey to Integrate.

You’ll see what’s changing. You’ll understand how it connects. You’ll leave with greater clarity, stronger relationships, and renewed energy for the work ahead.

Because ultimately, this industry isn’t about screens, cables, or systems. It’s about the people who care deeply about how meaning travel—clearly, powerfully and at scale.

And the best way to stay connected to that? Show up where the industry gathers at ICC Sydney, 2-4 September 2026.

I’ll see you there.