Joe is back from Mexico City with a full recap of InfoComm América Latina 2026 and this one exceeded every expectation.
In this episode of the Higher Ed AV Podcast, Joe walks through HETMA’s week on the show floor, from an unexpectedly packed opening day and nonstop conversations at the HETMA booth to the Higher Education Summit, community-building happy hours, and the realization that there is a tremendous appetite for connection, education, and collaboration throughout Latin America.
With 665 booth scans in just three days, HETMA quickly discovered that the community wasn’t simply curious about what the organization does, people were actively looking for the kind of higher education technology community and knowledge-sharing network HETMA has built. Integrators, manufacturers, consultants, and higher ed professionals repeatedly brought colleagues to the booth, made introductions, and asked how HETMA could help build stronger communities of practice throughout the region.
Joe also recaps HETMA’s Higher Education Summit, featuring John from Alamo Colleges, Rodrigo from UCLA, and Chris from The Ohio State University, who shared how technology, support models, and learning spaces are evolving on their campuses. The conversation then expanded into an interactive discussion with attendees about AV-over-IP, remote monitoring, budgets, institutional challenges, and the similarities, and important differences, between higher education technology environments across Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, the United States, and beyond.
One of the biggest lessons of the week: Latin America is not one single market or culture. Each region has its own business practices, challenges, resources, and needs. HETMA’s role isn’t to arrive with a U.S.-based blueprint, but to help local leaders build their own communities while providing the platforms, resources, relationships, and support to help them succeed.
In this episode:
- Why InfoComm América Latina became one of Joe’s favorite industry events
- HETMA’s unexpectedly busy first day on the show floor
- How the HETMA booth became a community gathering place
- Why education was such a major part of the event
- What higher ed technology professionals across Latin America are asking for
- The importance of AV-over-IP, remote monitoring, and knowledge sharing
- Key differences Joe noticed between Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and other regional markets
- Why HETMA wants local leaders, not outsiders, driving future LATAM communities
- The success of HETMA’s Higher Education Summit
- Why the workshop discussions continued well beyond the scheduled session
- How Rodrigo, John, and Chris helped make the week such a success
- Why HETMA may explore future regional events and roadshows
- The moment other exhibitors started asking where HETMA’s booth would be next year
- HETMA’s plans to return to InfoComm América Latina 2027 with a larger island booth
- Why Joe believes this event has tremendous potential for AVIXA and the Latin American AV community
A huge thank you to AVIXA and the InfoComm América Latina team for creating an event that truly invested in the region, and to Rodrigo, John, and Chris for representing HETMA and serving the community throughout an incredibly busy week.
And to the 665 people who stopped by the HETMA booth: thank you. This is only the beginning. Visit HETMA.org to connect with the community and get involved with HETMA’s LATAM initiatives.
Learn more about InfoComm América Latina:
Web: https://www.infocomm-americalatina.org
