Good Morning! Trump was inaugurated as President yesterday, with industry titans congratulating him, and we even got a trillion dollars in one picture. Trump wasted no time, signing a slew of executive orders and uncovering a letter from Biden in the process.

The World Economic Forum’s Davos gathering kicked off with a spotlight on dealmaking and growth. Meta is gearing up to drop a CapCut competitor with a new video editing app called Edits. And Kevin O’Leary teased the secret that could decide TikTok’s future.

Plus: Govt workers were ordered back to office, parts of the U.S. may soon become uninsurable due to extreme weather, and will Sonos be put up for sale?

Simplify your financial modeling and presentations—see how Macabacus can help you deliver seamless results under pressure.

_{SQUEEZ OF THE DAY}

Abu Dhabi’s $330B Fund Eyes AI Supremacy

Mubadala, Abu Dhabi’s $330 billion sovereign wealth fund, is going all-in on artificial intelligence, and CEO Khaldoon Al Mubarak believes we’re vastly underestimating what’s about to hit.

Speaking at Davos, Al Mubarak laid it out: “This is a technology no one fully appreciates yet—its disruption will touch every corner of our lives, from jobs and industries to human capital itself.” 

Mubadala isn’t waiting for the dust to settle. It’s already committed billions to AI infrastructure, including data centers, chip manufacturing, and investments in firms like OpenAI. As a founding backer of MGX, Abu Dhabi’s AI-focused fund, Mubadala is positioning itself at the forefront of the tech revolution.

Its AI subsidiary, G42, recently partnered with OpenAI to expand the adoption of advanced AI in the UAE and surrounding markets. Microsoft has also invested $1.5 billion into G42, integrating Azure cloud services to support the company’s AI growth. This partnership has already enabled the development of advanced AI chips in the UAE, further solidifying Mubadala’s vision.

For Al Mubarak, the potential is massive. “The demand for AI infrastructure—energy, data centers, chips—is going to skyrocket. Even with a conservative outlook, the growth is overwhelming.” Mubadala is looking at a 10-to-20-year horizon, and it sees a future where AI fundamentally reshapes industries and economies.

Mubadala is also staying optimistic about China, despite geopolitical and economic challenges. Al Mubarak points to China’s growing middle class and consistent GDP growth as reasons to stay invested in the long game.

Takeaway: Mubadala’s $330 billion strategy isn’t just about playing catch-up, it’s about leading the charge in shaping AI’s future. With bets on AI infrastructure, marquee partnerships, and long-term vision, the fund is positioning itself as a global AI powerhouse. Let’s just hope Mubadala’s AI investments don’t decide to disrupt sovereign wealth funds next.

_{PRESENTED BY MACABACUS}

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_HEADLINES

Top Reads

• Industry titans congratulate President Trump, signal optimism ahead (Fox)

• US futures jump amid Trump tariff relief (YF)

• Trump discovers letter from former President Biden in Resolute Desk (Fox)

• Trump pardons Jan 6th rioters (CNBC)

• Trump declares national energy emergency, orders U.S. to withdraw from climate agreement (CNBC)

• Meta unveils CapCut competitor (TC)

• Mr. Wonderful unveils the 'secret' that can determine TikTok's fate (Fox)

• Why merger mania is coming to the fore in the mining industry (CNBC)

• Competitors rush to fill possible TikTok void (Axios)

• Davos agenda turns to dealmaking and growth as Trump takes office (CNBC)

• Will Sonos be put up for sale? (Verge)

• How Buffett and Munger helped Americans become savvy investors (NYP)

• Warren Buffett is the most important business for Berkshire's success (YF)

• Where home insurance is shrinking as extreme weather worsens (Axios)

• Trump orders federal workers back to office (YF)

_{CAPITAL PULSE}

Markets Rundown

Markets were closed yesterday due to MLK day.

Private Dealmaking

• Arcapita and Dgpays bought a majority stake in Neopay for $385 million

• Sygnum, a crypto-focused bank, raised $58 million

• Amogy, an ammonia-based fuels developer, raised $56 million

• Overhaul, a supply chain risk management provider, raised $55 million

• Numab Therapeutics, an antibody immunotherapies developer, raised $55 million

• LemFi, a British financial services platform, raised $53 million

For more PE, VC & M&A deals, subscribe to our Buysiders newsletter.

_{BOOK OF THE DAY}

The Hidden Globe

A globe shows the world we think we know: neatly delineated sovereign nations that grant or restrict their citizens’ rights. 

Beneath, above, and tucked inside their borders, however, another universe has been engineered into existence. It consists of thousands of extraterritorial zones that operate largely autonomously, and increasingly for the benefit of the wealthiest individuals and corporations.

Atossa Abrahamian traces the rise of this hidden globe to thirteenth-century Switzerland, where poor cantons marketed their only commodity: bodies, in the form of mercenary fighters.

Over time, economists, theorists, statesmen, and consultants evolved ever more sophisticated ways of exporting and exploiting statelessness, in the form of free trade zones, flags of convenience, offshore detention centers, charter cities controlled by foreign corporations, and even into outer space.

By mapping this countergeography, which decides who wins and who loses in the new global order—and helping us to see how it might be otherwise—The Hidden Globe fascinates, enrages, and inspires.

“Borders draw one map of the world; money draws another. A journalist’s riveting account exposes a parallel universe that has become a haven for the rich and powerful.”

_{DAILY VISUAL}

Market Doesn't Care About Your Politics

_{WHAT ELSE TO READ}

Quick. Concise. And Impactful.

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Their newsletters are the “IKEA instructions for investing” — short, simple and concise.

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_{DAILY ACUMEN}

Small Wins

Success is rarely the result of one grand gesture; it’s the accumulation of small, consistent actions over time.

This principle, known as the compound effect, shows how tiny, deliberate steps—when repeated daily—can lead to extraordinary results.

Whether it’s reading 10 pages a day to finish dozens of books in a year, writing 200 words daily to complete a novel, or saving a small amount regularly to build wealth, small wins compound into life-changing outcomes.

The key is consistency: focus on progress, not perfection, and trust the process.

As author Darren Hardy puts it, "Small, smart choices + consistency + time = radical difference.” 

Today, identify one small habit you can commit to daily, and watch how it transforms your future.

_{ENLIGHTENMENT}

Short Squeez Picks

• A guide to optimize productivity

• How to start meal prepping without it taking over your life

• 5 mistakes managers make when giving negative feedback

• 20 books every man should read

• 10 time management tricks that aren’t obvious to everyone

_{MEME-A-PALOOZA}

Memes of the Day