Registration is now open for IBC2026, as the global M&E community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11–14 September 2026 for the industry’s most international event.
IBC2026 brings together the entire industry to connect, collaborate, innovate, and drive real-world business outcomes as they explore the trends and technologies shaping the future of media and entertainment.
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“IBC2026 comes at a defining moment for the global media and entertainment industry,” said Michael Crimp, CEO of IBC. “In a market where companies are placing greater emphasis on meaningful engagement and real business value, IBC provides a truly international meeting point where ideas move forward, partnerships take shape, and innovation is put into practice – creating moments that matter for the industry.”
With exhibitors, speakers, and visitors from more than 170 countries, IBC2026 will showcase advances in areas such as AI, cloud-native workflows, content provenance, cyber security, immersive experiences, private 5G, sustainability, and next-generation production tools. Throughout the RAI, attendees will experience a comprehensive programme of demonstrations, presentations, panels, and networking events designed to help industry players across every region navigate change and unlock new commercial opportunities.
For a deeper, more strategic experience, the IBC2026 Conference will welcome global thought leaders, innovators, and disruptors from across M&E to the stage to explore the forces reshaping the industry worldwide – from AI-driven creativity and evolving audience behaviour to new commercial models and the growing importance of trust. The conference also features the world-renowned IBC Technical Papers Programme, presenting peer-reviewed original research addressing critical media industry challenges.
Future Tech
Future Tech in Hall 14 is now firmly established as one of the most dynamic parts of the show. Building on its successful launch in 2025, Future Tech will be 30% larger at IBC2026, backed by strong growth in bookings, as it showcases emerging technologies, start-ups, scale-ups, next-generation talent, and collaborative innovation projects in a highly interactive environment. New additions include a Start-Up Zone featuring 30–40 emerging companies and a wider skills and development programme, including the IBC Talent Programme, Hackfest, and creator initiatives.
Other elements introduced at IBC2026 are intended to drive unique opportunities for collaboration and business engagement among attendees. For example, IBC Exchange is a new layer of structured, peer-led conversations enabling deeper, more focused knowledge sharing – hosted in the Braindate Lounge in Future Tech. Additionally, IBC Connect is a curated meetings programme designed to connect exhibitors with senior decision-makers and drive tangible commercial outcomes.
IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme
Future Tech will once again host the IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme, where broadcasters, streamers, technology providers, and research partners collaborate on fast-track innovation projects addressing pressing, practical industry challenges. The programme continues to grow in scale and impact, with Google returning as headline sponsor and EIT Culture & Creativity joining as Innovation Partner for 2026.
In addition to sponsoring the Accelerator Programme, Google is returning to the show floor as a major Content Everywhere exhibitor in Hall 5. Content Everywhere, which showcases the technologies powering global delivery across multiple platforms and devices, is seeing strong growth in 2026, with bookings significantly up year on year to date.
Further momentum around IBC2026 is being driven by other major media technology players that have expanded their footprint at the show, including Avid, EVS, MediaKind, NEP, Prime Focus, Riedel, TVU Networks, and Vizrt – while Barco, Leica, Muybridge, and Rakuten are among the more than 50 companies launching a presence at IBC for the first time. Overall, IBC is on track to feature at least 44,000m2 of exhibitor space at this year’s show, with 42,000m2 already booked.
The Media Talent Manifesto’s World Skills Café was recently confirmed to return at IBC2026, with a keynote from Evan Shapiro and a new workforce report from IAMT. Discover more here.
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