The CEDIA Expo virtual experience has opened registration for trade and design professionals who are interested in signing up to further their education in residential technology integration.
The virtual experience, which will take place September 15-17, 2020, will offer exhibitor booth spaces, attendee networking and discussion boards, keynotes, continuing education credits, panel discussions, and more.
“The virtual show will allow for our community to re-engage with business partners after months of missing out on meaningful ways to connect,” says Ashley Sprengnether, Associate Show Director, CEDIA Expo. “We have spent the last half of 2020 developing programming and virtual booth offerings and we are excited to debut this new form of connection and tradeshow to our industry.”
The interactive expo hall will feature exhibitor booth spaces that offer calendaring and virtual video call capabilities to make appointments with attending integrators, design professionals, and members of the media. Exhibitors will have the ability to upload information on new products as well as photography and product demo videos. Attendees from around the world are invited to come see what’s new from industry-leading brands.
Virtual forums invite attendees to discuss a variety of topics including COVID-19 operations, 2021 outlook/predictions, HDMI 2.1 and 8K, as well as a job board where attendees can view openings in the market. The site will also have Social Networking Lounges where attendees can join in on live Zoom breakout rooms to connect face to face.
Panel discussions and keynote talks will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 16 and 17. Led by industry experts in residential design and technology integration, TechTalks are intended to be educational for attending system integrators/AV installers, manufacturer reps, distributors, builders/remodelers, interior designers and architects. The topics they will cover are: lighting design, opportunities in resi-mercial, designer collaboration and partnerships, the rise of the home office, 5G, wellness in the age of COVID-19, outdoor design and technology integration, safety and security, and skilled trades and the skilled workers gap.
A full schedule of talks can be found here, where attendees can add individual conversations to their calendars once they have registered for the virtual experience.
As a continuation of virtual programming, keynote discussions will feature thought leaders discussing shifts, challenges, and opportunities that have risen out of the last year.
In Building Brands to Shift Industries: Today, Tomorrow, the Future : What does business look like today, tomorrow, and is it ready for the future?, Linzi Boyd, world renowned speaker on building your brand, will provide thoughts and ideas for how to navigate the three phases of the recession; Shock, Recovery, and Build and how to optimize the trends for today, tomorrow, and the future.
Boyd will then be joined by Darren Shirlaw for the second discussion, Economic, Societal, and Consumer Trends for a 21st Century Mindset. The discussion will focus on the three top trend lines happening today, with key thoughts and takeaways regarding the move away from B2B and B2C to B2P, how to move from sales-led to brand-led, and the connectivity of people brands and business brands.
The third discussion will look at the State of the Industry Post-COVID-19: Trends & Challenges: The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic has certainly changed the custom electronics industry, but specifically how… and what is next? In this keynote panel discussion, industry veterans will discuss the challenges of increasing customer expectations, the effects of PPE on labour efficiency, supply chain, and the changing product landscape specifically caused by the virus, including home networks, home offices, wellness, and home theatre.
Finally, Industry Outlook: Buying Groups Weigh In on Challenges & Opportunities, looks at how custom integration companies are experiencing high demand for their services while also facing new onsite safety procedures and local government restrictions, supply chain problems, and a clientele that has become increasingly more demanding and impatient. CE Pro sat down with the leading buying groups to discuss these threats and opportunities, and attendees will hear valuable takeaway advice.
CEDIA Expo virtual experience will also feature an event specifically programmed so media and influencers can get a sneak peek into the latest and greatest products hitting the industry. In TechBites, some of the coolest tech brands will go head-to-head in a new competition-style event. Grab a happy hour refreshment on September 16 at 5 p.m. ET and watch as CEDIA Expo unveils the latest product offerings with three-minute videos followed by a live Q&A. At the end of these fast-paced presentations, the winning brand will be revealed.
While this year’s Design + Connection initiative won’t include show floor tours and cocktail parties, visitors will be able to hear from design associations including the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) and the Living in Place Institute (LIPI), panel discussions specifically geared towards the designer audience, as well as combined programming with media partners.
The National Kitchen and Bath Association will have a virtual booth space where you can read industry-leading research on connected living and technology integration within the kitchen and bath and learn more about membership and benefits.
Programming geared towards the architecture and design communities includes: Interior Design’s NKBA Live: Designing the Home of the Future – SANDOW and NKBA; NKBA’s Brave New Business: Connected Living; Design Uncut Live Sessions: created and programmed by Veronika Miller of MODENUS Media and Katye McGregor Bennett of KMB Communications
Wellness Solutions for the New Normal: DELOS; Why System Integrators Should Partner with Home Design/Construction/Medical Professionals: Living in Place Institute
Healthy Water in the Smart Home: Mazarine Ventures; and Increasing Water Efficiency and Managing Water-related Risks in the Smart home: Mazarine Ventures.
This year, the CEDIA Education Conference https://cediaexpovirtual.com/page/63344/cedia-education will be hosted virtually across two days, September 15 and 16. This year’s 80+ course line-up features a curated blend of technical and business topics and also includes 10 courses offered in Spanish. Attendees who purchase the CEDIA Education pass have unlimited access to CEDIA’s world class offerings. Passes can be purchased at an early bird rate $149 through September 2.
The CE Pro All-Star Brand will be making a return engagement with a virtual concert to conclude the last day of the virtual CEDIA Expo experience. During the concert, attendees will have an opportunity to learn more and donate to the CEDIAStrong Scholarship Fund, CEDIA’s new initiative that will award annual education grants to up and coming home technology talent. Registration is required.
Registration for the CEDIA Expo virtual experience including panel discussions and interactive show floor access is free to all who register. CEDIA Education early bird registration is $149 and will last until September 2, 2020.