Alex Kemanes and Dino Drimakis have announced the launch of the Women in AV & Tech Startup Prize, a global call designed to identify and back early-stage founders building practical, execution-ready solutions for the AV ecosystem and closely related fields. The competition is built as a long-term platform open to early-stage women founders. Announced during International Women’s month and supported by, AVIXA Women’s Council, a global community committed to supporting and empowering women in the technology and AV industry. In 2024, female-only founding teams received 2.3% of the $289 billion invested globally in venture capital around $6.7 billion underscoring the…
Author: James Robertson
Public safety services company ESM Operations oversaw the complex public safety requirements at the World Defense Show (WDS), 8 – 12 February 2026), held in Saudi Arabia. The five-day event, which showcased exhibitors from across all five defence domains; Land, Air, Sea, Space, and Security, featured an extensive live land and air displays of advanced military assets. Whilst conducted in controlled areas, the demonstrations of advanced military technologies and manned/unmanned systems, by their very nature, pose safety risks. As a major international event with thousands of delegates, high-ranking officials, and exhibitors from 89 countries, the venue is a high-density area,…
HK Audio has marked a major milestone in its international growth with the launch of the first COSMO line array system in India. The system was officially introduced in early January and delivered to North Indian rental company Rajan Amplifiers. For HK Audio, the move represents a strategic step into a rapidly growing market. “The Indian market is extremely dynamic and highly competitive,” said David Leonhard, International Sales Manager at HK Audio. “While our presence has traditionally been stronger in other East Asian regions, India is clearly one of our key markets for medium- and long-term growth. With more COSMO…
The International Live Music Conference and Pollstar are joining forces to launch a first-of-its-kind international event: the Live Summit Middle East. Hosted by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, and produced by Ethara, the event will take place in Abu Dhabi from 7-8 December 2026 and be a strategic platform for knowledge-sharing, dialogue, collaboration and partnership building. Live Summit Middle East will convene 500 senior leaders and decision-makers from across the live entertainment ecosystem – promoters, venue operators, agents, festival organisers, technology innovators and policymakers – for two days of keynotes, panel discussions, roundtables and curated networking.…
Blackmotion Production’s new Absen NT2.6 V2 has been five years in the making. In December 2025, Kagiso ‘KG’ Moima took ownership of the new LED screen from DWR Distribution, and what was predominantly a lighting-focused business has now embraced the world of LED display. In a short period, founder KG has already put the Absen panels to work on projects ranging from a Redbull event in Illovo to a conference at Airports Company South Africa, the Fak’ugesi Awards — celebrating Africa’s digital rebels, disruptors, and dreamers in animation, gaming, XR, and design and the National Skills Fund’s (NSF) Media Launch titled…
Adamson has appointed Lewminadio Technologies as its exclusive distributor for India, marking a significant step in expanding the brand’s reach across a rapidly growing professional Indian audio market. This partnership builds on Adamson’s long-standing success in the country, where its systems have powered many of India’s most ambitious concerts, festivals, worship gatherings, and large-format events. Lewminadio will ensure that Adamson clients across India will benefit from improved product availability, stronger national support, and a highly knowledgeable team capable of guiding both new and established clients toward the right solutions for their projects. “We are honoured to be appointed as the…
For the first time ever, the TPiMEA Awards will include company categories for 2026. These company categories will be judged by a panel of industry leaders from some of the top event agencies, venues and promoters from across the Middle East. The company applications, which are now open, will challenge each company to demonstrate to the judges why it is a worthy winner in its chosen category. The judging panel will score each application, and the companies with the highest score will be put forward to the shortlist, which will then be voted on by the wider industry. The overall…
AV Unlimited and 4LED have become the first rental and hiring company in South Africa to take ownership of an Absen NT1.9 V2, purchased from DWR Distribution. Owned by Guillaume and Arnaud Ducray, AV Unlimited (AVU) is a Johannesburg-based technical supply company delivering comprehensive technical solutions. 4LED was created to support the industry, as a dedicated LED company, operating as a separate entity from AVU and supports customers who use Absen products. “I vowed never to buy a smaller LED pitch than 3mm, and here we are with 1.9mm,” laughed Guillaume Ducray. “The eventing space has evolved, and this 1.9mm…
Star Live and Electra have announced a strategic collaboration to support the delivery of major live events and complex temporary venues across Saudi Arabia, with a wider focus on the Middle East. The collaboration combines Star Live’s global expertise in staging, structures, seating and modular solutions with Electra’s established leadership in premium fit-out, bespoke temporary structures, furniture and end-to-end experiential delivery, creating a joined-up, turnkey offer for clients operating in the region. Saudi Arabia continues to invest heavily in culture, entertainment and sport, increasing both the pace and scale of delivery. As a result, clients are increasingly looking for delivery…
Beyon Group has announced ‘Terminal 4 by Beyon’ a brand new 3,500 seater world-class music and entertainment venue at Exhibition World Bahrain. Grammy Award-Winning artist, John Mayer has been confirmed as the first international performance in the new venue in 2026. The auditorium is designed by architect Marwan Lockman at SL Architects who also created the 10,000 seater Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre where Metallica recently performed. ‘Terminal 4 by Beyon’ boasts state-of-the-art acoustics specifically engineered for live performances, ensuring exceptional sound quality and clarity across multiple event formats. Its creators aim to accommodate a broad spectrum of programming, including international…
After enjoying a long and successful trading relationship with Tech Ease Systems across the East African countries, Martin Audio has formalised the partnership by upgrading the reseller to full distributor status. Founded by systems consultant Vincent Kasule, the company had been promoting the brand on an informal basis throughout Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, DR Congo, Rwanda and Burundi from as far back as 2018. “Since then, we have seen opportunities mature and been able to make the brand more visible in our region and at the same time eradicate ‘fake’ products,” he said. Speaking generally about the trading conditions, Vincent confirmed:…
Showforce’s KSA operation is integral to its global business. Investment in the team and building on the foundations that it has laid is very much a part of the company’s long-term plans. “From the outset, we’ve been fully aligned with the Saudi Vision 2030 and committed to the KSA market – it’s always been about building a business that has a strong presence and meaningful partnerships with all stakeholders,” said founder and Chief Executive, Ian Spendlove. Since the KSA office opened in September 2023, Showforce has grown its team, with over 400 active crew now in the country. The majority…
