Dakar Live TV went Big Game Hunting for Employer Partners at NAB Show 2026: Building the Future of Sports, Media, Entertainment and Broadcasting. We left today to get back for meetings in LA, so we missed the closing party hosted by an old friend from the bay, DJ Franzen. By the way, this was my best NAB to-date, but a little-less crowded.
This year at NAB Show 2026 in Las Vegas, Dakar Foundation was on the ground with a mission bigger than just walking the show floor. We are here in one of the world’s leading marketplaces for media, entertainment, and storytelling, looking for the next wave of employer partners, technology collaborators, and creative industry leaders who can help shape real opportunity for students, educators, and the future workforce and the creative-tech industry.
Big shoutout to Abel-Thornton-MacDonald who took time to give us the low-down on RED Cinema Broadcast. It was good seeing some of our old friend like Jame Lucarelli, and met some new ones with RED.
NAB Show 2026 ended today, and took place April 18–22 in Las Vegas, with exhibits on the show floor running at the north, central, and west Las Vegas Convention Center. We look forward to seeing some of the major exhibitors like WePlay Studio Studios back in LA for collaboration with the Futures Park working group for LA 28. WePlay/Carbon Black
What makes this trip so important for Dakar was that we are not just looking for vendors. We are looking for matchmaking opportunities between education, industry, workforce development, and the creative technology economy. We are exploring how today’s tools and tomorrow’s talent can come together through workshops, panels, demonstrations, apprenticeships, and live learning experiences that could help power a future initiative like LA28 Futures Park during the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
As we move through NAB, we see a powerful ecosystem of potential collaborators. Organizations like NAB PILOT stand out because they are focused on advancing broadcast and new media technologies while bringing together innovators, educators, and advocates. That mission aligns strongly with our vision of creating a pipeline that connects students and emerging creators to real-world broadcast and media opportunities.
We are also thinking about the role of institutions like the American Society of Cinematographers, whose long-standing reputation sits at the intersection of artistry, technology, and professional cinematography. Their presence in the larger media ecosystem represents the kind of excellence and mentorship that can help inspire the next generation of camera operators, directors of photography, and visual storytellers.
Another important connection is the Entertainment Technology Center at USC, where work around cloud production, virtual production, and evolving media workflows has helped push the conversation forward. Erik Weaver’s leadership in projects around production in the cloud reflects exactly the kind of future-facing thinking needed to prepare students and young professionals for where the industry is headed.
And then there are the brands and companies that represent the tools of the trade and the platforms of the future we are in talks to come to Los Angeles Futures Park: B&H Photo Video, RED, Fujifilm, Canon, Blackmagic, Dell, Panasonic, AWS, Adobe, Anti-Gravity Drone, Google, Microsoft, T-Mobile, Riedel, ARRI, and NAB Creator Lab. These names represent more than equipment and software. They represent possible partners for demonstration labs, workforce panels, immersive activations, student challenges, broadcast workflows, cloud collaboration, and hands-on career exposure.
What Dakar Foundation is imagining is something much bigger than a conference recap. We are imagining a living ecosystem — something akin to Art Basel, but inclusive of all media, sports, entertainment, broadcasting, creative technology, and workforce innovation. A place where storytelling meets infrastructure. A place where students can meet employers, educators can meet technologists, and community talent can see a direct pathway into careers that often feel out of reach.
This is about building a bridge from classroom to career. From curiosity to craftsmanship. From apprenticeship to employment. From local talent to global events. As Los Angeles prepares for a historic era of international sports and cultural visibility, the question is not whether the future is coming. The question is whether we are building the right table for our young people.to sit at, create at, and lead from.
That is why we came to NAB 2026.
Not just to observe.
Not just to network.
But to hunt for partners, build relationships, and help design a future where sports, media, entertainment, and broadcasting become engines of inclusive opportunity. Stay tuned for more partner updates.
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