In our series of #CEDIAShares blogs, we’re talking with exhibitors about the hottest technologies and trends they’re looking to see at CEDIA Expo.
Q&A with Daryl Friedman, global president and CEO, CEDIA.
Why exhibit at CEDIA Expo 2026?
As the largest U.S. gathering for CEDIA members and the largest dedicated U.S. event focused on the residential systems integration market, CEDIA Expo brings the industry together in one place.
Through CEDIA’s leadership in education, professional development, and keynote programming, members gain practical knowledge they can apply to their businesses and project work. Through the exhibit hall experience, members can explore products firsthand, compare solutions, ask detailed questions, and meet directly with manufacturers and emerging brands.
Together, the conference and show floor tell one clear story: Education and product discovery work best when they work together.
That unified experience is what makes CEDIA Expo so valuable. Members can move from classroom to show floor, from trend insight to product evaluation, and from conversation to action. They can sharpen technical skills, explore new categories, build their network, and leave with ideas that support stronger decisions across sales, design, installation, and business planning.
What is the most exciting trend you expect to see at the show?
There are truly so many, but the one that excites me the most is power management. Simply put, if you’re not offering power management solutions, you’re leaving revenue on the table. As homes become more connected and homeowners expect greater reliability and resilience, power management has become an essential part of a complete smart home.
This year’s education program features several sessions designed to help integrators understand the opportunity, confidently position these solutions with clients, and grow their businesses.
Sessions include Selling Power Management Fundamentals for the CI Channel; Making the Case for Power: Selling Power Management to Clients, Builders, and Design-Build Professionals; and Understanding the Power Management Product Landscape. These courses are led by respected industry experts, including Joe Piccirilli, Katye McGregor Bennett, Nels Tate, and Ken Erdmann, and many offer continuing education units (CEUs).
What will you focus on at the show?
Our focus at the show is the same as it is every day of the year: our members. Every event, every education session, every detail starts with one question: How do we make this experience better for our members? That mindset is reflected throughout this year’s show.
Our CEDIA Education Conference features 71 classes led by more than 25 new instructors, making it one of our most robust education programs to date. Whether you’re an experienced integrator, a design and build professional, or just entering the industry, you’ll find sessions designed to help you grow.
Learning also extends well beyond the classroom. Our keynote speaker, former Disney executive Duncan Wardle, will share practical tools for unlocking creativity and innovation, while the annual CEDIA Town Hall will unveil key findings from the 2026 Professional Smart Home Market Analysis (USA) and explore what they mean for our industry and the businesses that power it.
All week long, the CEDIA team has worked diligently to make every moment matter. We’ve made the busy mornings a bit more manageable with a VIP Priority Lane for registration and complimentary coffee and bagels for members so they can spend more time doing business and discovering the latest tech. We’ve also elevated signature experiences, too, including adding a plated dinner to the CEDIA Smart Home Awards and creating more interactive experiences at the CEDIA booth.
CEDIA Expo has always been the heartbeat of our community. It is the place where the abstract future of residential technology becomes a tangible, living reality.
As I prepare for my last CEDIA Expo as CEDIA’s global president and CEO, I will be looking back with immense gratitude for the milestones we’ve achieved together, but more importantly, I will be looking forward. The talent, passion, and ingenuity in this industry ensure that CEDIA’s brightest chapters are still to be written.
I’ll always remain a fan of what you do, and I look forward to many more years of walking the Expo floor as a civilian.
To learn more, check out CEDIA in booth #2532 at CEDIA Expo 2026 and visit cedia.org.
