IBC 2026 is set to bring the global media, entertainment and technology community together at the RAI Amsterdam from September 11th – 14th, enabling industry players from more than 170 countries to collaborate, learn and network.

IBC continues to expand initiatives, experiences and partnerships designed to help the industry navigate change and create new opportunities at a time when audience expectations, skills requirements and regulatory challenges are reshaping media and entertainment (M&E) worldwide. New initiatives include the launch of Future Tech Ignite, including a dedicated Start-up Zone and Ignite Stage, alongside growing exhibitor participation and an IBC 2026 Conference programme focused on the key trends reshaping M&E.

“As the media and entertainment industry continues to evolve, the IBC community increasingly wants not only to discover new technologies, but also exchange knowledge, address challenges, share expertise and connect with others around the topics that matter,” said Michael Crimp, CEO of IBC. “From Future Tech Ignite and the Accelerator Programme to IBC Exchange and the Conference, IBC 2026 is designed to help industry players turn ideas into action and unlock opportunities.”

Future Tech grows and evolves after successful 2025 launch

Building on its successful debut last year, Future Tech will see IBC expand its new strategic partnership with EIT Culture & Creativity, a part of the EU-backed European Institute of Innovation and Technology, to include Future Tech Ignite. EIT Culture & Creativity will become Innovation Partner for Future Tech Ignite, strengthening IBC’s links with Europe’s start-up, research, investor, entrepreneur and creative innovation communities.

Future Tech Ignite will connect more than 50 start-ups, entrepreneurs and emerging technologies with the wider M&E ecosystem through its new Start-up Zone and Ignite Stage, which will feature a four-day programme with future-focused content, talent and skills development sessions, and a new creative showcase. A major focus will be the IBC Talent Programme, now in its third year, which will bring together professionals, educators, employers, industry bodies and emerging talent to examine the opportunities and challenges facing the sector’s workforce.

Industry players, including AWS, Microsoft, Google, HP, AMD and Shure, continue to support Future Tech, reinforcing its position as a platform for industry transformation. The IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme remains at its heart, with EIT Culture & Creativity as Innovation Partner and Google returning as headline sponsor.

Reflecting the growing importance of knowledge exchange and collaboration, Future Tech will also be home to the Braindate Lounge, a new part of the IBC Exchange experience. Available through the IBC Exchange premium pass, Braindate enables attendees to participate in curated one-to-one and small-group discussions designed to encourage meaningful conversations, knowledge sharing and industry connections.

Industry participation and exhibitor momentum continue to build

Strong demand from across the global M&E tech sector continues to drive momentum for IBC, as the exhibition is now expected to exceed 45,000 sqm, with more than 1,200 exhibitors participating across 14 halls. Key areas of the show, including Future Tech in Hall 14 and Content Everywhere in Hall 5, are significantly ahead of last year in space bookings.

Industry brands continue to strengthen their commitment to the show, with Google returning as a major Content Everywhere exhibitor, while DJI is back on the show floor with a major presence in Future Tech targeting the rapidly growing creator economy. South Korea’s LaON Technology is also coming back to IBC after an absence.

A growing number of industry leaders are expanding their footprint at IBC, including AJA, Avid, Bestview, Egripment, EVS, Fonn Group, Kupo, MediaKind, Nanlite, NEP, Prime Focus, Riedel, SNS, Sony, TVU Networks, Twelve Labs and Vizrt. Other media tech brands returning to IBC include Accenture, Adobe, AWS, Blackmagic Design, Canon, Grass Valley, Microsoft, Oracle, Panasonic, Ross Video and Videndum.

Other confirmed new exhibitors include Avion, Barco, Chengdu Vistelen, CREE8, Dropbox, Edgenext, Evoto, Leica, Muybridge, Rakuten, Scaleway, Shade, Suite and TVUP.

IBC Conference to explore the trends shaping media’s future

The three-day Conference programme takes shape around the forces driving change across M&E, bringing together industry leaders, innovators and decision-makers to explore areas such as sports transformation, AI in practice, content provenance and audience behaviour.

Built around IBC’s core themes of Shifting Business Models, Transformative Tech and People & Purpose, the programme will include sessions entitled: Disrupt, Innovate, Create – How to embrace AI, The New Playbook for Sports: AI, data, fans and rights, Security, Authenticity and Provenance.

Featured speakers include Claire Enders (CEO and Founder of Enders Analysis), Eline van der Velden (Founder and CEO of Particle6), Guy-Laurent Epstein (Executive Director of Marketing at UEFA), Yiannis Exarchos (CEO, OBS) and Marion Rathmann (Group VP Content and Programming Networks, Warner Bros Discovery).

Together, the expansion of Future Tech, growing exhibitor participation across the entire show, and a Conference programme focused on the industry’s biggest opportunities and challenges reinforce IBC’s role as the place where the global media and entertainment community comes to shape what’s next — and put it into practice.

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