As Albania and Montenegro move steadily towards European Union accession, investors are watching a transformation unfold across two of the Western Balkans’ most dynamic economies. Both countries are now on track to complete EU negotiations before the end of this decade, with accession likely around 2028–2030. For investors focused on venture capital and real estate,…
Artificial intelligence is entering a new phase, driven by three powerful developments that are set to transform how businesses operate and how investors identify future value. From systems that can reason across unlimited context, to autonomous agents capable of learning independently, to the rise of text-driven automation, these shifts will reshape global innovation at remarkable…
Europe is preparing for a major shift in how start-ups and growth companies can build, scale, and raise capital. A new proposal, known as the 28th Regime, introduces the EU-Inc, a fully digital and truly pan-European company structure designed to remove many of the legal and administrative barriers that hold young companies back. For founders,…
CoMind’s latest $102.5 million funding round marks a major step forward for European health innovation. The London-based company is developing a non-invasive device that could make brain monitoring as routine as measuring blood pressure. Its success reflects the growing investor appetite Kylla observes for breakthrough medtech ventures that combine science, technology, and strong commercial potential. London-based health-technology company CoMind has secured $102.5 million in funding…
GITEX Global and Expand North Star have confirmed the Gulf’s rise as a global hub for technology and investment. From AI and fintech to climate tech and smart cities, this year’s events showed where capital is heading next. Kylla’s Investment Manager, Sevde Asan, shares insights from Dubai on the innovations and partnerships shaping tomorrow’s markets.…
Albania is offering a 10-year tax holiday and new incentives for defence, dual-use, and high-tech companies. These reforms create unique opportunities for international investors, and Kylla is ready to help structure, finance, and co-invest in ventures that seize them.
Albania has taken a bold step by introducing a new legal framework that positions the country as an attractive base for defence, dual-use, and advanced technology companies. For international firms in aerospace, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing, this creates new opportunities not only to enter the Albanian market but also to access one of the most generous incentive packages in the region.
At Kylla, we are often asked whether the success of a company depends more on the strength of the founder’s idea or the way the business is built. Our answer is always the same: ideas can spark a business, but systems are what make it endure.
Many founders fall into what Michael Gerber, in his classic book The E-Myth Revisited, calls the “fatal assumption.” They believe that because they understand the technical work of their craft, they also understand how to run a business that does that work. A gifted baker imagines their pies will sell themselves, a talented engineer thinks their code will be enough to build a company. But the reality is different. Without systems to ensure consistency, efficiency, and growth, the founder ends up working longer and harder than ever, chained to a business that cannot function without them.
I know from personal experience how true this is. Before joining Kylla, I ran restaurants and a delicatessen in Harpenden, England. Without systems, the kitchen and the restaurant would have been total chaos, and we could never have grown to the level we did. Systems brought structure, clarity, and the ability to deliver a consistent, high-quality experience to every customer, every day.
The movie The Founder illustrates this point beautifully. The McDonald brothers had perfected a highly efficient kitchen process, but it was Ray Kroc who realised that the genius was not in the hamburger itself, but in the system that produced it. By designing a model that could be replicated anywhere, with the same results every time, he turned a local diner into a global enterprise. Customers did not flock to McDonald’s because it had the most innovative menu, but because they knew exactly what to expect. The system created trust, and trust created scale.
From exponential compute to persistent memory, the cognitive revolution is already crossing borders and industries. At Kylla, we explore the five trends and five themes that are shaping global innovation and investment opportunities beyond borders.
Every economic revolution has its builders. In the past, they were the industrial titans who mastered steel, oil, and electricity. Today, they are the entrepreneurs and startups harnessing artificial intelligence to create entirely new business models. The opportunity is enormous, estimated at €10 trillion, and it is happening at unprecedented speed. For investors, success depends on recognising the forces driving this change now, and identifying the themes that will shape the next generation of industry leaders. At Kylla, we see five investment trends defining the present, and five investment themes that point to the future.
Some of today’s most successful entrepreneurs and CEOs began their careers not in boardrooms or laboratories, but in hotel lobbies, restaurants, and kitchens. What they learned there – the discipline of service, the resilience under pressure, the art of creating memorable client experiences – often becomes a hidden advantage when building and scaling companies in entirely different sectors.
At Kylla, we are often asked what makes one founder stand out over another. Beyond the strength of an idea or the depth of a market, the character of leadership frequently tips the balance. Increasingly, evidence suggests that a background in hospitality – whether managing a five-star hotel, serving in a Michelin-star restaurant, or simply running shifts in a bustling café – can shape leaders who build more customer-centric, resilient, and ultimately successful companies.
What does Meta’s surprise move into Ray-Ban tell us about the future of growth companies? Strategic minority stakes are no longer just the playbook of tech giants – they are becoming a smart way for smaller firms to leapfrog barriers, gain influence, and accelerate scale. The opportunities are big, the risks are real, and the structuring makes all the difference.
Recent news that Meta has taken a strategic stake in EssilorLuxottica, owner of eyewear brands such as Ray-Ban, Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Persol and Oakley, attracted worldwide attention. At first glance, it seems unusual: a technology platform that began with social media, moving into artificial intelligence and wearables, now decides that glasses could be the next frontier. To secure its position, it acquires a shareholding in the market leader.
This type of transaction – where a company invests in a larger, established player to accelerate its strategic goals – is more common among tech giants. Yet, increasingly, scale-ups and growth companies are exploring similar paths. These businesses may not have the balance sheet to buy a multinational outright, but a well-structured minority stake can open doors to resources, distribution, technology, or regulatory access that would otherwise remain out of reach.