Italian Startup Funding & Scale-Ups: Exein, an Italian physical AI cybersecurity firm, raised $270M at a $1.7B valuation, adding to a busy European week of big rounds and exits. SME Cross-Border Compliance: EU lawmakers debated how the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation could hit small retailers and craft businesses with registrations, fees, reporting, and mandatory local representatives—raising fears that cross-border shipping will slow. Digital Sovereignty & Tech Dependence: A new analysis warns Europe’s rules-first approach is colliding with heavy reliance on US-owned digital infrastructure, with AI making the gap feel more like a power issue than a competitiveness one. Brand & Succession for Family Firms: A REBRAND Masterclass ’26 in Accra will focus on “inheritance is not succession,” using the Gucci case to highlight governance and leadership-transition pitfalls for founder-led SMEs. Circular Economy Spotlight: Aquafil will take part in the Lytham Partners Fall 2026 Investor Conference, underscoring its circular-economy ECONYL model as investors keep hunting for scalable sustainability.