Korbyt at InfoComm 2025: Rethinking Signage as a Strategic Channel for Campus Communication
At InfoComm 2025, digital signage was everywhere — but not always approached with intention. That’s where Korbytstood out. Instead of showing off just content loops and sleek screens, they leaned into a bigger question: What if signage wasn’t just about displays, but about strategy?
In a quiet but insightful conversation with HETMA’s BC Hatchett (whose mic, fair warning, was hard to pick up on the recording), Kaleo Lee and Sophia Negyesi from Korbyt laid out how the company is expanding beyond traditional digital signage into a full communication ecosystem — one that could have real implications for higher ed.
Beyond “Looped Content” Thinking
One of the first things Kaleo pointed out was that most signage strategies in higher ed are still locked in a static mindset — think playlist-based systems that loop generic content over and over.
Korbyt is actively working to change that. Their platform is focused on contextual content delivery: pushing the right message, to the right screen, at the right time, and increasingly to the right person.
“You’re not just broadcasting a one-size-fits-all loop anymore,” Kaleo explained. “It’s about reaching your audiences where they are — students, staff, faculty — with content that’s actually relevant to them.”
That could be real-time transportation data near a shuttle stop. Emergency alerts that override signage in key locations instantly. Or targeted wellness messaging in a residence hall lobby. The point is personalization — and not just in the marketing sense.
The Platform Play
Sophia emphasized that Korbyt’s strength is its platform-first approach. Unlike signage solutions that bolt on some cloud features or basic scheduling tools, Korbyt is positioning itself as the engine behind how content is managed, automated, and delivered — across signage, desktops, mobile, and even collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams.
“We think of ourselves as a communications platform, not just a signage vendor,” Sophia said. “That’s a key distinction, especially for colleges looking to centralize messaging without overloading their teams.”
For example, one IT department could manage compliance content across multiple campuses, while individual departments still retain the ability to push local updates. That flexibility is something higher ed often needs but rarely finds in legacy signage setups.
Cross-Channel Strategy
The conversation also touched on how signage isn’t an isolated channel anymore — and Korbyt is leaning into that idea hard.
Let’s say you’re sending a message about a safety drill. It should appear:
- On hallway displays
- In an email
- On student portal dashboards
- As a Teams pop-up
- Even in a mobile push notification
Korbyt’s backend is designed to support this kind of omnichannel communication from a single CMS. For higher ed leaders trying to improve reach without reinventing every tool, that’s a big deal.
“You shouldn’t have to log into five platforms to deliver one message,” Sophia noted. “Korbyt helps unify that.”
Live Data, Not Just Media
Another angle that caught attention: the way Korbyt integrates live data into content zones. Instead of just video files or image slides, you can feed in real-time analytics, calendars, dashboards, or internal systems.
In a higher ed context, that could look like:
- Room availability pulled live from scheduling tools
- Dining hours updated via the campus website CMS
- Countdown clocks for campus events or deadlines
- KPIs or dashboards for internal department screens
Kaleo made the case that signage should be as dynamic and data-connected as any other digital channel — and not an afterthought.
Higher Ed Use Cases: From Student Success to Facilities
While Korbyt is active across multiple industries, Kaleo and Sophia both noted the growth of higher ed as a strategic segment. Universities are increasingly using signage not just to advertise, but to support student success and operational excellence.
Some real-world applications they mentioned:
- Faculty-specific displays in academic buildings that rotate announcements relevant to that department
- Mental health campaigns tied to awareness months with location-specific messaging
- Donor recognition or alumni highlights in common areas that can be quickly updated by advancement teams
- Facilities teams using signage dashboards in break rooms to communicate schedule changes, safety stats, or internal shout-outs
“It’s about giving teams the ability to communicate quickly, visually, and at scale,” Kaleo said. “And it’s not just public — it can be internal, too.”
Content Creation Without the Bottleneck
Another strength Korbyt highlighted was its built-in content creation tools. For schools that don’t have a full media team on hand, the ability to create polished messaging with branded templates directly in the platform is huge.
It also supports multi-user workflows, so campus communicators can collaborate, draft, approve, and publish content without juggling multiple tools or file versions.
Sophia made a great point here: ease of use is just as important as power. If your signage platform requires a 2-hour training just to update a slide, people stop using it. Korbyt’s UI is built to support non-technical users — while still giving AV/IT staff the backend controls they need.
Flexible Deployment and Device Compatibility
In terms of hardware, Korbyt doesn’t lock institutions into a specific display or media player brand. The platform is hardware-agnostic and supports both on-prem and cloud-based deployments — something that matters a lot for distributed campuses or institutions with older infrastructure.
“We meet schools where they are,” Kaleo said. “If you’re already invested in certain hardware, we’re likely compatible.”
That flexibility — both in deployment model and device support — means colleges can start small and scale intentionally, instead of having to rip and replace.
Human-Centric Vision
Throughout the interview, what stood out most was the team’s human-centered thinking. This wasn’t just a demo of cool features or technical specs. It was a conversation about how communication helps people feel informed, included, and safe on campus.
Whether it’s emergency alerts, mental health messaging, or just making sure a commuter student knows where to park — signage becomes part of the daily fabric of campus life. And that’s what Korbyt wants to enable.
Bottom Line for Higher Ed
If you’re in higher ed and still treating signage as “just TVs on the wall,” Korbyt’s message at InfoComm 2025 was loud and clear: you’re underutilizing a strategic asset.
Here’s what stood out for campus AV and IT pros:
- Korbyt isn’t just a signage player — it’s a communications platform designed for cross-channel reach
- Content can be targeted, scheduled, personalized, and even data-driven across signage, mobile, desktop, and UC platforms
- Their UI and content tools are non-technical user friendly, while still giving backend teams control
- Deployment is flexible and device-agnostic — good for institutions with mixed infrastructure
- The use cases go far beyond advertising — think student engagement, internal operations, and safety
For institutions trying to simplify their messaging stack while deepening impact, Korbyt’s ecosystem approach makes a compelling case.
