SINGAPORE, March 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ZDR Investments, a Czech real estate investment firm specializing in grocery-anchored retail parks across Europe, reported a net return of 8.22% in 2025 for the EUR Growth Class of its ZDR Master Fund, available to Southeast Asian investors through the Singapore-based ZDR Investments SG VCC feeder fund.
Last year, the fund completed three acquisitions, including its largest retail property in the Czech Republic, Aventin Shopping Jihlava (26,555 sqm; €51.6 million), as well as two retail parks in Austria — EUCO Wolfsberg and Eugendorf. Active lease management led to lease extensions across the portfolio, increasing the fund's WALE to 7.5 years. Grocery retailers, which account for about one third of lettable area, have an even longer WALE of 12.2 years.
New acquisitions
Building on a record year in the fund's eight-year history, ZDR Investments has entered 2026 with strong momentum, announcing the acquisition of two additional retail parks in Austria valued at approximately €70 million.
The acquisitions of Amstetten West Retail Park and the PRO Shopping Centre in Linz expand the fund's portfolio to 46 properties valued at approximately €580 million. Over the next 12 to 18 months, ZDR Investments expects to complete more than €130 million in acquisitions, with Austria remaining a key expansion market.
Access for investors in Singapore
Through its Singapore-domiciled feeder fund structure, ZDR Investments SG VCC, managed by Euro Asia Asset Management since 2023, accredited investors in Singapore can gain exposure to the firm's European retail park strategy and access a diversified real estate portfolio with a track record of stable returns.
"Retail parks anchored by grocery retailers and essential services have consistently demonstrated resilience during periods of inflation and economic volatility, as demand for everyday goods tends to remain stable," said David Čubr, CEO of ZDR Investments.
Unlike multi-storey shopping malls, retail parks are typically single-storey, open-air formats with convenient highway access and free parking. Anchored by grocery retailers and other essential tenants, they benefit from steady footfall and predictable consumer demand, supporting stable occupancy and long-term rental income even during economic downturns.
"Interest is also growing from healthcare providers, fitness operators, EV charging stations and click-and-collect services," Čubr added. "These tenants are helping transform retail parks into convenient neighbourhood hubs serving the daily needs of suburban households."
Sustainability initiatives
As part of its 2026 operational priorities, ZDR Investments will continue advancing sustainability initiatives across its portfolio by installing photovoltaic (PV) systems, expanding EV charging infrastructure, and increasing the number of BREEAM-certified properties to improve energy efficiency and support on-site renewable energy generation.
For enquiries
Website: https://www.zdrinvestments.sg
Email: contact@zdrinvestments.sg
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
ZDR Investments Acquires €70 million in Austrian Retail Parks, Expanding Portfolio to €580 million
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Across three sessions in Dubai this spring, the conversations moved from how AI agents are built and reshaping business operations to whether the market's pricing of the build-out can hold.
DUBAI, UAE, May 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Peter Karsten, CEO of STARTRADER, joined the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in One Central, Dubai, for three separate sessions this spring; two with MBA Operations students led by Prof. Dr. Katariina Juusola, and a third hosted by Prof. Dr. Eman AbuKhousa;each drawing students, faculty members, and finance professionals into extended conversations that ran past their scheduled close.
MBA Operations: 25 April and 9 May
The first MBA session, on 25 April, introduced students to the rapidly evolving world of AI, autonomous systems, and the future of business operations. Drawing from extensive international industry experience, Karsten covered autonomous AI agents and multi-agent systems, AI-driven decision-making, distributed computing infrastructure, human–AI collaboration, and the cybersecurity and governance risks that come with the shift.
One of the most memorable moments came through what Karsten called the "chainsaw metaphor"; comparing traditional business tools and workflows to a manual saw, with AI as the chainsaw: dramatically more powerful and faster, but requiring entirely new ways of working, thinking, and managing risk.
The second MBA session, on 9 May, went deeper into AI agents, distributed systems, and the transformative impact these technologies are expected to have on organisations and society. A recurring theme across both sessions was the idea that the world has already changed — organisations are now racing to adapt to a new operational reality shaped by AI, not preparing for one that might arrive.
Market Risk and Valuation: 15 May
The third session shifted to the market implications. Titled "AI Investment, Productivity Lag & Valuation Risk," it tackled one of the debates that has been splitting opinion across markets for months. Trillions in AI-related capital expenditure, yet the productivity gains haven't shown up clearly in the macro data. At the same time, valuations on a handful of AI-exposed names sit at levels that have strategists watching closely for parallels to past cycles.
Karsten pushed back on both ends. The capex is real, he argued, and dismissing it as a bubble underestimates how foundational this infrastructure build-out is. But he was just as direct on the risk side: when valuation gaps correct, they tend to do so faster than retail investors expect.
"The productivity gains are coming. The question is whether they arrive before the market loses patience," he said during the Q&A. "That gap, between what's being spent and what's showing up in the numbers, is where the real risk sits right now."
"Sessions like this give our students direct exposure to how industry leaders are thinking about the risks and opportunities in AI right now," said Prof. Dr. Eman AbuKhousa, Professor of AI & Data Science, who teaches in the university's Software Engineering programme. "That kind of real-world perspective is difficult to replicate in a classroom, and it's exactly the sort of dialogue we want more of."
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A Broader Commitment
STARTRADER's involvement reflects its broader commitment to financial education, particularly where emerging technologies are reshaping how markets operate.
Both STARTRADER and the University of Europe for Applied Sciences share a belief that sound decision-making depends on understanding the mechanics behind the narrative. The university prepares students across its Business, Data Science, and Software Engineering programmes to enter a technology-driven landscape; STARTRADER operates within it daily, making the exchange a natural one.
The partnership with the University of Europe marks STARTRADER's second public university engagement of the year, following an online keynote at the University of Adelaide in January. The company plans to continue joining academic and industry-led discussions through the rest of 2026, with AI adoption, valuation pressure, and macroeconomic uncertainty expected to remain front and centre across global markets.
Beyond the broader market conversation, these engagements serve a direct purpose for STARTRADER: building meaningful connections with the next generation of finance and trading professionals at the moment they are forming their view of the industry.
About STARTRADER
STARTRADER is a global multi-asset broker empowering retail and institutional partners to access global markets through a range of platforms, including MetaTrader, STAR-APP, and STAR-COPY.
Regulated across five jurisdictions (CMA, ASIC, FSCA, FSA, and FSC), STARTRADER combines strong governance with a client-first approach, serving both retail clients and partners with a commitment to transparency, reliability, and long-term growth.
Across three sessions in Dubai this spring, the conversations moved from how AI agents are built and reshaping business operations to whether the market's pricing of the build-out can hold.
DUBAI, UAE, May 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Peter Karsten, CEO of STARTRADER, joined the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in One Central, Dubai, for three separate sessions this spring; two with MBA Operations students led by Prof. Dr. Katariina Juusola, and a third hosted by Prof. Dr. Eman AbuKhousa;each drawing students, faculty members, and finance professionals into extended conversations that ran past their scheduled close.
MBA Operations: 25 April and 9 May
The first MBA session, on 25 April, introduced students to the rapidly evolving world of AI, autonomous systems, and the future of business operations. Drawing from extensive international industry experience, Karsten covered autonomous AI agents and multi-agent systems, AI-driven decision-making, distributed computing infrastructure, human–AI collaboration, and the cybersecurity and governance risks that come with the shift.
One of the most memorable moments came through what Karsten called the "chainsaw metaphor"; comparing traditional business tools and workflows to a manual saw, with AI as the chainsaw: dramatically more powerful and faster, but requiring entirely new ways of working, thinking, and managing risk.
The second MBA session, on 9 May, went deeper into AI agents, distributed systems, and the transformative impact these technologies are expected to have on organisations and society. A recurring theme across both sessions was the idea that the world has already changed — organisations are now racing to adapt to a new operational reality shaped by AI, not preparing for one that might arrive.
Market Risk and Valuation: 15 May
The third session shifted to the market implications. Titled "AI Investment, Productivity Lag & Valuation Risk," it tackled one of the debates that has been splitting opinion across markets for months. Trillions in AI-related capital expenditure, yet the productivity gains haven't shown up clearly in the macro data. At the same time, valuations on a handful of AI-exposed names sit at levels that have strategists watching closely for parallels to past cycles.
Karsten pushed back on both ends. The capex is real, he argued, and dismissing it as a bubble underestimates how foundational this infrastructure build-out is. But he was just as direct on the risk side: when valuation gaps correct, they tend to do so faster than retail investors expect.
"The productivity gains are coming. The question is whether they arrive before the market loses patience," he said during the Q&A. "That gap, between what's being spent and what's showing up in the numbers, is where the real risk sits right now."
"Sessions like this give our students direct exposure to how industry leaders are thinking about the risks and opportunities in AI right now," said Prof. Dr. Eman AbuKhousa, Professor of AI & Data Science, who teaches in the university's Software Engineering programme. "That kind of real-world perspective is difficult to replicate in a classroom, and it's exactly the sort of dialogue we want more of."
STARTRADER CEO Peter Karsten Joins University of Europe for Three Sessions Spanning AI Infrastructure, Business Operations, and Market Risk jwplayer('myplayer1').setup({file: 'https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2986082/STARTRADER.mp4', image: 'https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2986082/STARTRADER.mp4?p=thumbnail', autostart:'false', stretching : 'uniform', width: '512', height: '288'});
A Broader Commitment
STARTRADER's involvement reflects its broader commitment to financial education, particularly where emerging technologies are reshaping how markets operate.
Both STARTRADER and the University of Europe for Applied Sciences share a belief that sound decision-making depends on understanding the mechanics behind the narrative. The university prepares students across its Business, Data Science, and Software Engineering programmes to enter a technology-driven landscape; STARTRADER operates within it daily, making the exchange a natural one.
The partnership with the University of Europe marks STARTRADER's second public university engagement of the year, following an online keynote at the University of Adelaide in January. The company plans to continue joining academic and industry-led discussions through the rest of 2026, with AI adoption, valuation pressure, and macroeconomic uncertainty expected to remain front and centre across global markets.
Beyond the broader market conversation, these engagements serve a direct purpose for STARTRADER: building meaningful connections with the next generation of finance and trading professionals at the moment they are forming their view of the industry.
About STARTRADER
STARTRADER is a global multi-asset broker empowering retail and institutional partners to access global markets through a range of platforms, including MetaTrader, STAR-APP, and STAR-COPY.
Regulated across five jurisdictions (CMA, ASIC, FSCA, FSA, and FSC), STARTRADER combines strong governance with a client-first approach, serving both retail clients and partners with a commitment to transparency, reliability, and long-term growth.
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
STARTRADER CEO Peter Karsten Joins University of Europe for Three Sessions Spanning AI Infrastructure, Business Operations, and Market Risk
STARTRADER CEO Peter Karsten Joins University of Europe for Three Sessions Spanning AI Infrastructure, Business Operations, and Market Risk
