Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology (NASDAQ: BHAT)
Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology (NASDAQ: BHAT) is a cutting-edge creator, developer and operator of popular augmented reality (“AR”) interactive smart toys and educational games in China. Blue Hat’s mobile-connected entertainment platform connects physical items to mobile devices through wireless technologies, creating a unique interactive user experience in various mobile games, interactive educational materials and toys with mobile game features.
Blue Hat designs original toys and games that utilize augmented reality technology, motion capture technology, image recognition technology, voice control, light sense technology, infrared, levitation induction, and other trending scientific technologies to transverse the virtual with reality. Blue Hat creates a rich visual and interactive environment for users through the integration of real objects and virtual scenery. This combination provides users with a more natural form of human computer interaction, enhances a user’s perception of reality, and delivers a more immersive entertainment experience.
Proprietary Technology
Founded in 2010, Blue Hat’s proprietary technology, product research and development, marketing channels and brand operation are the cornerstones of the business. Blue Hat focuses on the combination of “online” and “offline” activity and the interaction between “entertainment” and “product” to create a high-tech entertainment platform combining mobile games and AR. With the help of computer graphics, motion capture technology, image recognition technology and visualization technologies, Blue Hat accurately “places” virtual objects into the physical world, creating a new and stimulating visual environment for users.
Blue Hat recently displayed a variety of its sci-tech products at the Guangzhou International Toy Exhibition in China including AR Racer, Elastic Bubbles, AR Space Track, AR Alloy Toy Car, AR Need a Spanking, 5D Animated Magic Aquarium, Bug Travelers, AR Picture Book and other interactive games and smart toys.
The company has multiple products in development including new generations of four primary product lines and two new product lines.
Patents and Copyrights
Blue Hat’s advanced AR technology in interactive entertainment is protected by 178 authorized patents with 44 patents in various stages of the application process.
Another 14 applications for Patent Cooperation Treaty, or PCT, have been filed for international patents. As of March 31, 2019, the company owns 645 copyrights for artwork, 71 registered trademarks and 27 software copyrights.
Sales and Marketing
There has been rapid growth in the toys and games industry in China over the last several years. Total retail sales of toys and games in China soared from RMB 111.8 billion in 2012 to RMB 276.5 billion in 2017 with an average annual growth rate of 19.9% in 2017. Blue Hat believes the company is well positioned with little competition as the toy industry rapidly shifts toward intelligent and interactive toys and games. Retail sales of electronic toys grew at 24% annually in 2017 while that of traditional toys grew at 7%.
In addition to a powerful ecommerce presence, Blue Hat has long-term relationships with partnered distributors that place the company’s AR interactive entertainment products into well-known international retail chains and retail outlets. Blue Hat’s integrated online and offline sales channels include e-commerce giants such as Amazon and Alibaba, retail chain stores and the company’s physical experience store located in Xiamen, China. Blue Hat plans to open or franchise approximately 100 additional stores in China by 2021.
Blue Hat’s community-based platform offers users a highly engaged and interactive community with online communication forums and offline social activities. The company advocates a new model of “teaching through lively activities” and combines AR technology with education, integrating its products into situational teaching, roleplaying and man-machine interaction. This novel educational experience helps realize optimal transformation of information, creating a knowledge and enhancing cognition.
Management
Director and CEO Xiaodong (Sean) Chen has over 20 years of experience creating, developing and producing toys and games related products. Chen earned his EMBA from Renmin University of China and has been chairman of the board of directors and general manager of Fujian Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology Ltd. since August 2015.
CFO and Director Caifan, who has over 20 years of financial accounting and taxation experience, earned a degree in finance from Hunan University of Finance and Economics. He has served as director, deputy general manager and financial controller of Fujian Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology Ltd. since August 2015.
Jianyong Cai, chief technology officer and director, has over 35 years of experience in data communication principles, communication network foundation, software engineering, communication network theory and technology and computer network architecture. He holds degrees in data communication principles, communication network foundation and software engineering from University of Science and Technology of China. He has been director, deputy general manager and chief engineer of Fujian Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology Ltd. since January 2010.
Bolt Metals Corp. (CSE: BOLT) (OTCQB: PCRCF) (XFRA: NXFE)
Bolt Metals Corp. (CSE: BOLT) (OTCQB: PCRCF) (XFRA: NXFE) is a Canada-based exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of production-grade battery metals deposits within the Asia-Pacific region, employing a vertically integrated “minerals-to-market” strategy to leverage these assets to their fullest.
Bolt Metals Corp. is advancing its flagship, 100% controlled Cyclops Nickel-Cobalt located in Papua Province, Indonesia with a mandate to become a key contributor to Asia-Pacific’s rapidly expanding electric vehicle and battery supply chain.
The Cyclops project, uniquely positioned within the world’s largest producer of nickel and in proximity to China, the world’s largest “Gigafactory”, features near surface, strong nickel-cobalt mineralization. The property is situated in an area with excellent infrastructure including a nearby workforce, supplies, sealed roads, ocean access, nearby port facility and gentle topography. The project area, nestled on the north coast of Papua, Indonesia, establishes Bolt Metals well within the economically attractive ocean-going transportation range to Asia and its lucrative, growing industrial markets.
Global demand for renewable power is fueling a massive shift from traditional energy supply chain economics to nickel-reliant lithium-ion batteries, the world’s most widely used power source for portable applications such as electric vehicles and other high-tech applications.
Indonesia has recently approved environmental impact studies for factories to produce battery-grade nickel chemicals in Morowali. The approval will allow investors, such as China’s stainless steel giant Tsingshan Group, to continue the construction of their high-pressure acid leaching plants in Morowali, Central Sulawesi.
Ranjeet Sundher, chief executive officer of Bolt Metals, said: “Indonesia continues to make significant strategic decisions, and this latest announcement represents an important step in Bolt Metals’s efforts to benefit from Indonesia’s rapid development as a leading market for all stages of the EV supply chain. With offices in Vancouver, Shanghai and Jakarta, Bolt Metals is well positioned to leverage Asia’s global dominance in the battery manufacturing sector.”
Indonesia’s commitment extends to the very top of government, with Joko Widodo – Indonesia’s President – stating in September 2019 that “for nickel, we want raw materials to be processed in Indonesia. We want added values”. This supports previous pronouncements from key officials, including Indonesian Maritime Minister, Luhut Pandjaitan who remarked that Indonesia will “become the main player in lithium batteries” and that it will “control the world market”.
The country, which is the world’s top nickel ore exporter, has stopped export of unprocessed nickel ore to support this plan.
During 2019 the Company carried out an extensive exploration and development program on Cyclops and achieved successful nickel results with its drilling and bench-scale scoping tests for processing of materials.
Drilling identified significant horizons of nickel mineralization and bench-scale scoping tests returned positive results for processing of this nickel rich material.
The recovery percentages form the bench-scale test program are set out below (for further information, please refer to the Company’s press release of October 28, 2019):
Sample | Nickel (%) | Cobalt (%) | Iron (%) |
Limonite | 99.26 | 98.82 | 97.77 |
Low Iron Transition | 99.75 | 97.03 | 99.22 |
Saprolite | 99.77 | >99.9 | 99.74 |
Selected elevated nickel drill results are provided below from the Company’s shallow drilling program (for further information, please refer to the Company’s press releases of March 5, April 1, April 23, June 13, June 20 and September 10, 2019):
Intersection length (metres from surface) | Nickel (%) | Cobalt (%) |
7.0 | 2.15% | 0.03% |
4.0 | 1.96% | 0.04% |
2.0 | 2.00% | 0.01% |
2.0 | 1.91% | 0.05% |
2020 will see continued and consistent development in Bolt Metals’s strategy as the company continues to set ambitious milestones with the goal of becoming a leading international player in the EV battery metal sector and creating significant long-term shareholder value.
This includes preparations to commission and operate the company’s pilot plant in Canada, which will contain an integrated circuit to produce high-purity nickel and cobalt strip solutions to develop battery-grade nickel and cobalt.
The results of the pilot plant will then be used to establish the design criteria for the subsequent demonstration plant in Indonesia, which will produce nickel and cobalt products suitable to meet market specifications. As well as demonstrating Bolt Metals’s ability to produce a product within market specifications, this will also be used to establish the design criteria for the company’s commercial-scale plant.
Bolt Metals’s world-class management team includes Ranjeet Sundher, who has over 20 years of capital markets experience. Sundher is also president of Canrim Ventures Ltd., a Singaporean advisory firm specializing in early stage project finance and structure. He previously founded Indogold Exploration, a Jakarta-based mining service firm, and has raised over $40 million for companies in which he was a founder/partner.
Chief Financial Officer Steve Vanry has 25 years of professional experience in senior management positions with public and private natural resources companies, providing expertise in capital markets corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance, accounting and financial reporting.
Andre Talaska serves as country manager and technical supervisor. He has over 30 years of experience in the mining and exploration industry and has held senior positions with several companies in Australia and southeast Asia. Shakir Juffry, business development/engineering, is a chemical engineer and extractive metallurgist by background training who has over 20 years of experience in the Indonesian mining and minerals exploration field. Toto Suarto Sajali, operation and development manager, is a mining engineer with over 15 years of experience in Indonesian project assessment, development and operations.
Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (NUGS)
Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (NUGS), headquartered in Los Angeles, California, is focused on supporting entrepreneurial growth within the fast-growing legal cannabis sector. Through a selective portfolio of subsidiaries, Cannabis Strategic Ventures offers outsourced personnel solutions tailor-made to match the growth dynamics of cannabis cultivators, manufacturers, dispensaries and other cannabis marketplace participants. The company also pursues investment opportunities in the areas of real estate, cultivation, extraction, distribution, packaging, dispensary operations, and branded products within the cannabis space.
The legalization of adult-use sales in California is expected to create nearly 99,000 cannabis industry jobs in the state by 2021, representing about a third of all cannabis jobs nationwide, and 146,000 jobs overall when indirect and induced efforts are considered, according to Arcview Market Research. By 2021, direct cannabis industry employment will top 291,500 FTE jobs, with a total employment effect of nearly 414,000 FTEs across all legal cannabis states, according to the report.
Cannabis Strategic Ventures believes its staffing capabilities will be in a similar state of demand. The company in April 2018 completed a definitive agreement to acquire Worldwide Staffing Group, Inc., which booked approximately $1.5 million in revenues in 2017.
Worldwide will operate within Cannabis Strategic Ventures as an independent and separate wholly owned subsidiary providing strictly non-cannabis related employment and staffing services. As Worldwide continues to expand its operations in general clerical and administrative, marketing, accounting, and other verticals, Cannabis Strategic Ventures will leverage the subsidiary's expertise to expand its business operations further into the cannabis staffing arena, with an emphasis on the California markets.
Cannabis Strategic Ventures' BudHire™ subsidiary is an outsourced employment service specifically designed to meet the needs of growing cannabis-related business operations, utilizes a proven recruiting formula to match the most qualified candidates to a broad spectrum of cannabis-related jobs. Under the BudHire™ brand, Cannabis Strategic Ventures offers temporary, seasonal, permanent staffing solutions, as well as professional employment organization services and human resources consulting to the cannabis industry.
Cannabis Strategic Ventures portfolio also includes Pure Applied Sciences Inc. and its brand "PureOrganix™," a line of high quality concentrate, organic and pure cannabis oils that conform with Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and meet FDA guidelines for Active Pharmaceuticals Products (API). The acquisition includes all intellectual properties, including formulations and technologies, and related accessories of Pure Applied Sciences.
Cannabis Strategic Ventures Pure Applied Sciences subsidiary, has a cannabis concentrate extraction services agreement with CP Logistics LLC ("CPL"), a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Sunniva Inc. (CSE:SNN) (OTCQX:SNNVF). Under this agreement, CPL will perform white label services producing high quality, ultra-purified cannabis extracts out of its Sun-Oil Facility in Cathedral City, California, for Pure Applied Sciences under the Pure Organix brand name.
The management team at Cannabis Strategic Ventures believes there is incredible opportunity to carve-out and control specific industry niches, to create unique cannabis consumer branded products, and to expand into other sub-sectors of the cannabis marketplace.
Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF)
Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF) is the venture capital investment platform of Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED, NYSE: CGC).
Canopy Rivers is a unique investment and operating platform structured to pursue investment opportunities in the emerging global cannabis sector. Canopy Rivers collaborates with Canopy Growth to identify strategic counterparties seeking financial and/or operating support. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Canopy Rivers has developed an ecosystem of complementary cannabis operating companies operating throughout the cannabis value chain.
Canopy Rivers, in collaboration with Canopy Growth, has established a diverse portfolio of cannabis industry investments that includes domestic and international companies, licensed producers, late-stage licensed producer applicants, pharmaceutical formulators, brand developers and distributors, retail networks, and technology and media platforms. Investments are customized for each counterparty and include a balanced mix of equity, debt, royalty and profit-sharing agreements.
Canopy Rivers’ expanding portfolio includes:
- Agripharm Corp. (private) is an ACMPR licensed producer, acquired by Canopy Growth in January 2017. In November 2017 Agripharm completed a joint venture with globally recognized partners Green House Seeds and Organa Brands. Canopy Growth has sublicensed proprietary technology, trademarks, genetics, know-how and other intellectual property from Agripharm to distribute the suite of Green House and Organa Brands products across the country, when permissible.
- CanapaR Corp. (private) owns 80% of CanapaR Italy, a Sicily-based company focused on developing and commercializing Italy’s local hemp cultivation industry through its partnership with the renowned Department of Agriculture at the University of Catania and its rapidly building extraction capabilities for the production of organic CBD oil. CanapaR Italy’s outsource farming model with local Sicilian farmers and its university partnership will provide it with a low-cost source of organic CBD oil, which is increasingly used as an input into new commercial products in the growing health and wellness industries.
- Civilized Worldwide Inc. (private), is a media and lifestyle brand with offices in New Brunswick and California that embraces and highlights modern cannabis culture. Civilized aims to engage the millions of productive, motivated people who choose to enjoy cannabis responsibly as part of their lifestyle. Reaching 2+ million unique visitors per month, North America-wide, Civilized produces engaging content for and about people who enjoy cannabis responsibly.
- James E. Wagner Cultivation Ltd. (TSXV:JWCA) was founded in 2007 by third generation agricultural and cannabis cultivators. JWC is the first entirely aeroponic producer of cannabis in Canada, and its patent-pending aeroponic production technology, called GrowthStormTM, allows for perpetual harvesting and improved yields. The company was issued a license to cultivate from Health Canada in January 2017 and a subsequent sales license in March 2018.
- LiveWell Foods Canada Inc. (TSXV:LVWL) was established in 1993 as a nutritional lifestyle company, and operates in the production of fresh produce and food technology. The company’s O-Hemp division distributes bulk and retail hemp products through its existing channel partners. LiveWell entered into a strategic agreement with Canopy Rivers and Canopy Growth in April 2018.
- PharmHouse (private) is a joint venture between Canopy Rivers and the principals and operators of leading North American greenhouse produce companies. PharmHouse has arranged to acquire a newly built 1.3-million-square-foot greenhouse located in Leamington, Ontario.
- Radicle Cannabis Inc. (private) is an ACMPR-licensed cannabis company based in Hamilton, Ontario backed by a management team that brings extensive experience in regulated industries, retail distribution, tobacco and pharmaceutical development, as well as Award-winning cannabis horticulturist breeders and medical professionals.
- Solo Growth (TSXV:ALZ) is a new cannabis retail concept that will operate locations under the name “YSS by Solo,” relying on the expertise of a management team comprised of founding shareholders, senior officers and board members of Solo Liquor Stores Ltd., a leading Canadian liquor retailer. Solo Growth was established through a recapitalization of Aldershot Resources Ltd.’s corporate structure that will allow the company to execute a new retail-focused cannabis business strategy.
- Spot Therapeutics Inc. (private) is an applicant that was acquired by Canopy Growth in August 2017 to solidify its Maritimes expansion strategy and less than four weeks later Canopy Growth signed a supply MOU with the New Brunswick government. Canopy Rivers purchased the property and entered into a long-term lease and committed funding agreement with Canopy Growth.
- TerrAscend Corp. (CSE:TER) cultivates high-quality cannabis in an indoor hydroponic facility, backed by a strategic investor boasting a strong background in the pharmaceutical space and an extensive portfolio of specialty pharma assets.
- Vert Mirabel (private) is a joint venture that was established in December 2017 between Canopy Rivers, Canopy Growth, and Les Serres Stephane Bertrand. Bertrand is a large-scale greenhouse operator located in Mirabel, Quebec, and the largest grower of pink tomatoes in the country. With guidance and assistance from Canopy Growth, the greenhouse has been upgraded and retrofitted for cannabis production and was licensed by Health Canada in May 2018.
As the company’s portfolio continues to develop, each constituent benefits from opportunities to collaborate with Canopy Growth and among themselves. Canopy Rivers believes this formula results in an ideal environment for innovation, synergy and value creation for Canopy Rivers, Canopy Growth and across the entire Rivers ecosystem.
Canopy Rivers is led by an experienced team of qualified financial and technical professionals with deep industry experience and relationship networks. The company’s acting CEO and chairman is Bruce Linton, CEO of Canopy Growth and founder of Tweed Marijuana.
Champignon Brands Inc. (CSE: SHRM)
Champignon Brands Inc. (CSE: SHRM) is a research-driven company specializing in the formulation and distribution of a suite of artisanal mushroom health supplements. Dedicated to revolutionizing conventional organic teas, coffees and other consumables with the infusion of a proprietary blend of artisanal mushrooms, Champignon’s expanding portfolio is crafted with the health-conscious consumer in mind.
Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Champignon’s team aims to promote the health and wellness benefits of functional mushrooms, which are used in a wide variety of health care and pharmaceutical products.
Brands
Champignon’s mushroom-derived consumer packaged goods (CPGs) portfolio includes its flagship brand, Vitality Superteas. Each carefully curated Vitality Supertea formulation was developed with the intent of helping individuals enhance and enrich their wellbeing one cup of mushroom-infused tea at a time.
Also in the portfolio are Nourish Force Supertea, a blend of Reishi Ryobus Tea Mix; Mighty Recharge Supertea, created with Lions Mane Tropical Green Ginseng Tea Mix; and Brain Enhance Supertea, a blend of Cordycep Hibiscus and Berries Tea Mix – all of which are formulated with organic ingredients and chosen for their ability to provide unique health and performance benefits.
Champignon’s flagship e-commerce store, VitalitySuperTeas.com, takes advantage of the burgeoning craft mushroom vertical space with a selection of mushroom-infused teas and accessories.
Functional Mushroom Market
Demand for consumer products infused with the nutritional and bioactive benefits of mushrooms is fueling a global market projected to reach $34.3 billion by 2024, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 8.04% from 2019-2024 (ResearchandMarkets), with Europe seen as the fastest growth leader.
According to the market study, in highest demand are products infused with Reishi – a traditional Chinese medicine also known as the “Elixer of Life” and “Mushroom of Immortality – Lions Mane and Cordyceps, followed by other types of medicinal mushrooms.
Advances in Legalization
Legalization of psychedelics for use in medicine is gaining momentum across the United States. Denver, Colorado, and Oakland and Santa Cruz, California, have decriminalized the use of psilocybin, the psychedelic molecule found in various mushrooms, while movements for legalization are gaining ground in Oregon and Iowa, among others. Decriminalize California recently teamed up with the Beckley Foundation to replicate Oakland’s success of decriminalization throughout the state of California.
An increasing number of researchers are turning their attention toward the study of psilocybin as a means to treat otherwise untreatable illnesses. The molecule’s ability to provide landmark treatment options for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), migraines and addiction is gaining widespread acceptance among medical professionals, unicorn investors and accredited institutions.
Potential Applications
Historical data and new scientific studies suggest therapeutic benefits of psychedelics in many areas, including drug addiction, alcoholism, depression, migraines, smoking cessation and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The market potential in these areas are significant. To reference just one of the above conditions, the mental health arena has been frequently neglected over the last 30 years, though new research is beginning to further reinforce that psychedelic compounds have the potential to produce more effective treatments than what is currently available.
According to the World Health Organization, 25% of the world’s populous will be afflicted by mental health and/or neurological disorders. Presently, approximately 450 million people currently suffer from such conditions, placing mental disorders among the leading causes of ill-health, productive loss and disability worldwide.
Additionally, PTSD affects approximately 2.2% of the U.S. population; 7.7 million people will have PTSD at some point in their lives. Recent published studies have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of certain psychedelics when administered in a medically supervised and monitored approach.
A renaissance in alternative medicines is emerging, and Champignon has set in motion its strategy to become a key player.
2020 Stealth IP Strategy
Champignon plans to biosynthesize psilocybin within the first three months of conducting laboratory experiments, with the objective of achieving optimized and scaled production of pharmaceutical-grade psilocybin for deployment in clinical settings. This strategy includes:
- Alternative medicine (psilocybin) IP aggregation
- Development of cGMP formulations of bioactive compounds extracted from plants and Fungi
- Drafting of benchmark SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures)
- Patient aggregation, focusing on veterans
Defining a New Asset Class: Psychedelic-Inspired Medicines
In the third quarter of 2020, Champignon – through clinical trials, a compelling IP portfolio and clinical pipeline and drug development platform – plans to advance its pursuit of treatments underpinned by psychedelic substances. This strategy is broken down into two ties:
- Non-Hallucinogenic Medicines
- Microdosing Psilocybin/LSD
- MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy
- Hallucinogenic Medicines
- Psilocybin high dose
- LSD high dose
Partnerships
Companies worldwide are beginning to incorporate functional mushrooms into their product offerings, taking advantage of growing consumer awareness of known health benefits of the ingredients found in mushrooms.
Champignon in November 2019 entered into a distribution partnership with Eurolife Brands Inc. (CSE: EURO), a leading global markets cannabis brand empowering the medical, recreational and CPG cannabis industry worldwide through a data-driven CBD marketplace supported by exclusive and unbiased physician-backed cannabis education and detailed consumer analytics. Under the agreement, Champignon’s branded products are integrated into Eurolife’s e-commerce platform, along with potential distribution opportunities in select brick-and-mortar retail locations in Europe.
Champignon also has an R&D/production formulation agreement with Drip Coffee Social Ltd., located in Nanaimo, British Columbia, which calls for the infusion of Champignon’s proprietary mushroom extract blend into a suite of cold brew coffee products and signature in-house formulations.
Leadership
Gareth Birdsall, CEO, Corporate Secretary and Director
Gareth Birdsall has more than seven years of experience working in diverse agricultural roles such as the cultivation of various fungi, in particular Cordycepes, Reishi, Lions Mane and Chaga. He is an attendee of the British Columbia Institute of Technology, studying marketing management and finance.
Steven Brohman, CPA, CFO
Steven Brohman has more than 10 years of experience working in a variety of roles with public and private companies. He has had extensive training in the audit of publicly traded companies on the TXS, TSX Venture Exchange and OTC markets, and serves as CFO and director of various public and private companies. Brohman has a bachelor’s degree of business administration and obtained his Chartered Professional Accountant designation.
Jerry Habuda, Director
Jerry Habuda brings to Champignon over 35 years of expertise in law enforcement and specialized units. From 1977 to 2012, he served as a police officer with the Toronto Police Department. During his tenure, he was assigned to the Major Crimes Unit, investigating robberies and home invasions. He was assigned to patrol the Toronto Community Housing projects at Jane/Finch to control drug trafficking and gun violence. Habuda was with the Warrant Unit where he tracked down and arrested wanted criminals. From 1993-1997, he was assigned to the Northwest Drug Squad on undercover and surveillance work, executing narcotic search warrants. Between 2002 and 2004, Habuda headed the Street Violence Task Force, a special unit designed to curb gun and drug violence that was terrorizing the city at the time.
ChineseInvestors.com (CIIX)
ChineseInvestors.com (CIIX) has become a leading financial information website for Chinese-speaking investors in the United States and China. Recognizing unprecedented opportunities in the U.S. cannabis industry, CIIX is also laying the groundwork to capitalize on growing demand for cannabidiol (CBD)-based nutrition and health products.
Through its primary website, www.ChineseInvestors.com, CIIX offers a variety of investor education products and services, including real-time market commentary, analysis and educational related services in Chinese language character sets; consultative services to smaller private companies considering becoming a public company; and advertising and public relations related support services.
At the center of this initiative is the ChineseInvestors Method, a unique integration of a disciplined investing process, web-based tools, personalized instructions and support. Using this strategy, CIIX provides reliable market information to help investors make informed investment decisions and meet their individualized financial goals.
CIIX is also leveraging its financial expertise to enter into the burgeoning CBD industry, which within a few years has grown from a relatively invisible sector to a billowing market expected to reach $2.1 billion in consumer sales by 2020.
The increasing demand for CBD-based products is a catalyst for innovative business endeavors. To this accord, CIIX has established a three-year development plan to capitalize on the convergence of CBD and the nutrition and health products market in mainland China, where the benefits of CBD oil have not been widely recognized.
Under a wholesale agreement with a reputable CBD health brand, CIIX is launching the world's first online CBD health products store published in the Chinese language. The site, www.ChineseCBDoil.com, caters to a growing number of Chinese people awakening to the numerous health benefits of CBD oil for treatment of a variety of conditions such as anxiety, stress, poor sleep, Alzheimer's disease, and more. CIIX expects to launch this website at the end of January 2017, and plans to sell CBD-infused products via online and in-store.
In conjunction, CIIX's cannabis-focused "Yelp"-style mobile app is in development as a platform for Chinese people to review and discuss various cannabis products. The app will be the first marijuana social media mobile app designed for Chinese-speaking customers worldwide.
CloudCommerce (OTCQB: CLWD)
CloudCommerce (OTCQB: CLWD) is a leading provider of audience-driven business intelligence and marketing solutions. Together with its wholly owned subsidiaries, CloudCommerce delivers invaluable end-to-end business intelligence and marketing solutions through a range of services and capabilities.
Flagship Solution
SWARM is an end-to-end solution that applies advanced data science, behavioral science, artificial intelligence and market research techniques to deliver powerful audience-driven business intelligence that converts opportunities into business success.
Through marketing, brand perception, customer-relationship management, human-resources management and operational logistics applications, CloudCommerce’s SWARM solution helps businesses determine who to talk to, what to say and how to motivate targeted audiences to take meaningful action.
The Market
Marketers have largely taken a blanket approach to communication. The same messages are often sent across an entire customer audience with little regard for how different groups of people communicate, build communities and develop their purchasing habits. When marketers do segment audiences, they use objective selection criteria such as income, geography, education or purchase history to deduce attitudes or intentions.
However, research shows that motivations and feelings are much more accurate at predicting behavior. The challenge for businesses is that these factors are also the hardest to gather from audience data. CloudCommerce provides that audience-intelligent data through SWARM, its proprietary behavioral-science approach to audience creation and communication. Through SWARM, CloudCommerce helps marketers identify consumer motivations and triggers in order to effectively predict and influence actions. When companies influence action, they can change opinions, gather support, motivate purchases and inspire change.
In a fast-developing global business intelligence market estimated to grow from $16.3 billion in 2016 to $34.3 billion by 2022, CloudCommerce stands apart as an innovator and true partner, able to deliver data-driven intelligence and solutions that enable its customers to strengthen their brands, deliver their messages and reach their goals.
SWARM Products
THE SWARM—Intelligent Audience Building
The core of the CloudCommerce solution – and what separates CloudCommerce from other audience data companies – is the company’s unique approach to audience building. The concept of “personas” has been around for decades, but CloudCommerce takes that concept to the next level. The SWARM was developed to identify not only who to talk to but also what to say in order to motivate target audiences to take meaningful action. Using CloudCommerce’s proprietary clustering and behavioral analysis techniques, businesses can identify target audiences and deliver messages that are more focused and efficient. CloudCommerce not only helps its client partners find the right people to talk to but also identifies the most powerful message to send.
BUZZ—Behavior-Based Market Research
Market research is evolving. Research techniques developed and used today are more sophisticated and backed by strong data science. Despite these changes, many traditional research firms have failed to innovate: small sample sizes, survey design bias, improper weighting and gut-intuition sampling are just some of the issues that plague the market-research industry. Through BUZZ, CloudCommerce has automated the market research process to provide a level of statistical depth beyond what traditional firms can offer. BUZZ offers businesses the ability to put their finger on the pulse of the marketplace in the moment. Using a wide range of internal and external data sources such as customer data, social media activity, and micro and macro trends, BUZZ deduces attitudes, emotions and opinions.
HIVE—Redefined Geographic Targeting
Conventional geographic audience targeting is outdated. Arbitrary units of location such as counties, cities, DMAs and regions were created centuries ago based on land-rights ownership. Their use in understanding people’s behavior, purchase habits and underlying values is minimal. CloudCommerce has found a much more powerful, efficient and effective way of targeting by clustering people into granular geographic tribes called HIVES. HIVES are defined by attributes such as common language (e.g., colloquialisms), shared experience and narratives (e.g., climate, history), and concentrated demography and biology (e.g., ethnicity, age). Based on the needs of its clients, CloudCommerce can completely redraw the geographic lines based on various Hive selection criteria. Using this exclusive HIVE approach, CloudCommerce clients experience more efficient and effective marketing, make more intelligent business decisions and enjoy more growth.
HONEY—Advanced Reporting and Visualization
Advanced-audience, data-analysis technologies are useless if they don’t produce simple, powerful and actionable business intelligence. HONEY comes with user-friendly reporting and visualization tools to organize and explain all of the advance-data science into a simple-to-understand format for decision makers. HONEY combines the intelligence of client CRM data with third-party consumer data and targeted market research to create a powerful foundation for any audience-intelligence solution.
Subsidiaries
Data Propria
Data Propria delivers the highest Return on Investment (“ROI”) for their customers’ digital marketing campaigns, by utilizing sophisticated data science to identify the correct universes to target relevant audiences. Their ability to understand and translate data drives every decision they make. By listening to and analyzing their customers’ data they are able to make informed decisions that positively impact their customers’ business. Data Propria leverages industry-best tools to aggregate and visualize data across multiple sources, and then their data and behavioral scientists segment and model that data to be deployed in targeted marketing campaigns. They have data analytics expertise in retail, wholesale, distribution, logistics, manufacturing, political, and several other industries.
Parscale Digital
Parscale Digital helps their customers get their message out, educate their market and tell their story. They do so creatively and effectively by deploying powerful call-to-action digital campaigns with national reach and boosting exposure and validation with coordinated advertising in print media. Parscale Digital’s fully-developed marketing plans are founded on sound research methodologies, brand audits and exploration of the competitive landscape. Whether their customer is a challenger brand, a political candidate, or a well-known household name, Parscale Digital’s strategists are skilled at leveraging data and creating campaigns that move people to make decisions.
Giles Design Bureau
Giles Design Bureau approaches branding from a “big picture” perspective, establishing a strong identity and then building on that to develop a comprehensive branding program that tells the customer’s story, and articulates what sets the customer apart from their competitors and establishes the customer in their market.
WebTegrity
WebTegrity develops commerce-focused, user-friendly digital websites and apps that elevate their customer’s marketing position and draw consumers to their products and services. Their platform-agnostic approach allows WebTegrity to architect and build solutions that are the best fit for each customer. Once the digital properties are built, their experts will help manage and protect the website or app and provide the expertise needed to scale the infrastructure needed as the customer’s business grows.
Leadership
Andrew Van Noy, CEO & Chairman of CloudCommerce Board of Directors
Andrew Van Noy has been a director of CloudCommerce since November 2012, president of the company since April 2012, and the CEO of the company since August 2012. He also served as executive vice president of CloudCommerce from November 2011 to April 2012 and vice president of Sales and Marketing of the company from May 2011 to November 2011. From January 2009 to April 2011, Van Noy served as the vice president of Sales and Marketing for PageTransformer, which provided web and software development for iPad, iPhone and Android devices. Van Noy came to CloudCommerce with experience in digital marketing, private equity and investment banking. During his years at the company, Van Noy led the efforts to rebrand and restructure the business and presided over the acquisition of a number of companies. Van Noy graduated from BYU with a Bachelor of Science degree.
Gregory Boden, CFO and Board of Directors
Gregory Boden became a director at CloudCommerce in November 2011 and in February 2013 was named corporate secretary. In April 2012, Boden was also appointed CFO. In addition, Boden is the managing partner of a private equity company. Prior to joining the CloudCommerce team, Boden managed the franchise accounting and cash application departments of Select Staffing, a nationwide staffing company and was an accountant at KPMG LLP. Boden earned his master of accountancy degree from the University of Denver.
Brad Parscale, Board of Directors
Brad Parscale creates web-marketing strategies and oversees all technical and functional aspects of these strategies. Originally from Kansas, Parscale spent five years in California before moving to San Antonio in 2004 to establish Parscale Media, a successful web-marketing firm. His 2011 partnership with Jill Giles formed Giles-Parscale Inc. In 2016, Parscale was named digital director for the Donald J. Trump presidential campaign.
Zachary Bartlett, VP of Corporate Development and Board of Directors
Zachary Bartlett has been a director of the company since July 2012 and was appointed vice president of Corporate Development in January 2018. Bartlett has also served as vice president of Communications and an independent contractor assisting with project management matters. Prior to joining CloudCommerce, Bartlett was the creative director at Crowbar Studios Inc., a graphic design and web development firm he founded in 2008. From 2004 to 2008, he held the position of art and brand consultant at Demon International, a snowboard accessories company. Bartlett earned his bachelor of fine arts degree in graphic design from Brigham Young University.
Exro Technologies Inc. (CSE: XRO) (OTCQB: EXROF)
Exro Technologies Inc. (CSE: XRO) (OTCQB: EXROF), a Canadian technology company, is an innovative pioneer in the energy sector. Exro has developed and commercialized an electric power module (EPM) that integrates into existing motor systems to make them smarter. Exro’s patented technology optimizes existing motor performance by automatically sensing and adapting operating parameters to an optimized state, creating measurable efficiency gains, reduced mechanical components and increased system availability.
Applications
Exro’s technology and efficiency optimization algorithms improve the performance and efficiency of electric motors by manipulating power delivery to individual coils, thereby enabling the ability to expand operating parameters. This novel approach is scalable and can be utilized in most variable torque applications.
The widespread applications of Exro’s technology apply to optimizing the performance of electric vehicles, locomotive traction applications, industrial motors, and other variable torque applications that benefit from smart energy conversion.
Intellectual Property
Exro’s proprietary, patented software controls electric motor coils through individual coil switching. This introduction of intelligence into energy conversion at the level of individual coils results in expanded speed/torque capability, improved machine efficiency, reliability, safety and maintenance across a wider operating range. Exro’s advanced control algorithms create smart, real-time optimized power management.
Exro currently holds 15 patents, with 8 patents pending and additional patents under development. The company continues to expand its IP portfolio to support its goal of becoming a globally recognized leader in leveraging advanced control algorithms to improve the performance, efficiency and longevity of electric motors and generators.
Market Opportunity
Electric motors are the single biggest consumer of electricity. They account for about two-thirds of industrial power consumption and about 45% of global power consumption, according to an analysis by the International Energy Agency. Exro’s technology seeks to give industries a new way to look at energy—from electric vehicles, to industrial equipment, to renewable applications like wind farms; we are improving the way energy is consumed.
Laboratory Expansion
The 6,500-square-foot Exro Innovation Center (EIC), scheduled to open spring of 2020 in Calgary, will transition the current Victoria lab into one Calgary based center. The company’s new laboratory space will expand its service capabilities to customers, provide larger test capabilities, and showcase how Exro’s technology can be applied to dramatically improve the performance of electrical motors.
The EIC will also host collaborative events to explore advances in energy consumption and electric motor innovations, with participants from across Canada and around the world.
Strategic Partnerships
- A strategic agreement with Finland’s Aurora Powertrains Oy, which in 2019 released an all-electric production snowmobile called the “eSled,” will see Exro’s technology added to the Aurora electric powertrain. The snowmobile sector’s economic footprint is estimated at $26 billion in the U.S., $8 billion in Canada, and $5 billion in Europe and Asia.
- An agreement with Potencia in Mexico serving the last mile vehicle segment will integrate Exro’s custom drive and EPM module into small passenger commercial vehicles (taxis) and fleet delivery trucks
- A licensing agreement with Motorino Electric, a leader in the Canadian electric transportation industry, will integrate Exro’s Electric Power Module technology into Motorino’s CTi electric bicycle.
Management
Chief Executive Officer Sue Ozdemir is a proven leader in the innovation and manufacturing of electric motors. She has nine years of accomplishments at General Electric, acting as CCO and the CEO of GE’s Small Industrial Motors Division, overseeing the division’s North American and international markets – ultimately building the division into a $160 million enterprise.
Chief Commercial Officer Josh Sobil is leading the seamless adoption of Exro’s growing product portfolio focused on the mobility segment and opening doors in all segments including agriculture, heavy industry, energy, construction, among others.
Executive Chairman Mark Godsy is a serial technology entrepreneur who has been involved in many top tier ventures, including two of Canada’s most successful biotech companies.
Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX)
Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX (TASE: FRSX), founded in 2015 and headquartered in Israel, is a technological innovator in automotive vision systems and driver assistance technology. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Foresight Automotive Ltd., Foresight is engaged in the design, development and commercialization of stereo/quad-camera vision systems and V2X cellular-based solutions for the automotive industry based on 3D video analysis, advanced algorithms for image processing and sensor fusion. The company's powerful and patented stereoscopic technology is derived from field-proven technology that has been deployed throughout the world for almost two decades.
Foresight's innovative autonomous driving solutions are based on mature, proprietary stereoscopic image technology that uses two synchronized cameras to mimic human depth perception and produce a three-dimensional image. This 3D image can anticipate possible collisions with other vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians and other obstacles. The technology provides highly accurate real-time alerts about the vehicle's surroundings while in motion. The systems are designed to improve driving safety by enabling highly accurate and reliable threat detection while ensuring the lowest rates of false alerts.
The company's patents provide IP protection for its robust and proven proprietary stereoscopic technology, which was developed using the security technology of Foresight's major shareholder, Magna B.S.P.
Foresight has developed three main products:
- QuadSight™. This breakthrough detection system sets the bar for autonomous vehicle vision. It features nearly 100 percent obstacle detection with almost zero false alerts and operates optimally under all weather and lighting conditions, including darkness, rain, fog, haze and glare. QuadSight™ is the first quad-camera multi-spectral vision solution of its kind, driven by advanced and proven image processing algorithms. The system consists of two sets of stereoscopic infra-red and visible-light cameras that enable highly accurate and reliable obstacle detection for seamless 24/7 vision.
- Eyes-On™. This solution uses advanced algorithms for accurate depth analysis and obstacle detection to provide a unique stereo vision Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). It can detect all potential obstacles regardless of shape, form or material, including other vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians and animals. It has an accuracy and reliability of almost 100 percent and near zero false alerts.
- Eye-Net™. This is a cellular-based accident prevention solution that is designed to provide real-time pre-collision alerts to vehicles and pedestrians. This proprietary system is deployed on smartphones and cloud-based servers operating on existing cellular networks, and it eliminates the need for additional designated hardware. Eye-Net™ is designed to provide a complementary layer of protection to advanced driver assistance systems and extends this protection to road users who are not in direct line of sight. It is optimally designed for both urban environments and high-speed scenarios to provide protection for the most vulnerable road users. On March 28, 2018, Foresight announced that it had completed a successful feasibility study of its Eye-Net™ accident prevention solution involving 120 users of Android and iOS cell phones located across Israel.
In 2017, Foresight sought more opportunities within the international market. The Company signed pilot agreements with three leading car manufacturers in China and completed pilot projects meeting all pre-defined requirements and criteria. In addition, FRSX completed a pilot project with Uniti Sweden.
Studies by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety continue to emphasize the dramatic reduction in accidents and injury-related crashes reported when vehicles are equipped with collision avoidance systems. A recent study by the Institute states that the rate of single-vehicle, sideswipe and head-on crashes was 11 percent lower in vehicles with the warning systems. More importantly, the study shows collision avoidance technology cut the rates of injury crashes of the same type by 21 percent.
Foresight Autonomous Holdings, Inc. also holds a 32 percent interest in RailVision, a company that develops advanced systems for railway safety and maintenance. RailVision has successfully completed 13 tests in Israel, Germany, Italy and Switzerland in addition to a real-time system test with a European railway operator. Over the course of 2017, RailVision successfully completed rounds of financing totaling $5.8 million and started the process of licensing the system according to European standards.
Haim Siboni is the founder of Foresight and has served as the company's chief executive officer and director since 2015. Siboni, a passionate entrepreneur, has an extensive background in the marketing and business management sectors in the fields of electronics, video, TV, multimedia, computerized systems, line and wireless telecommunication, design and development of systems and devices, including electro-optic radar systems. He is the founder and CEO of Magna B.S.P., Foresight's major shareholder and a leading innovator in the field of homeland security surveillance solutions.
Genprex Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX)
Genprex Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) is a clinical-stage gene therapy company developing potentially life-changing technologies for cancer patients based upon a unique proprietary technology platform, including Genprex’s initial product candidate, Oncoprex™ immunogene therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Genprex’s platform technologies are designed to administer cancer-fighting genes by encapsulating them into nanoscale hollow spheres called nanovesicles, which are then administered intravenously and taken up by tumor cells where they express proteins that are missing or found in low quantities.
Research and Development
Genprex holds a portfolio of 30 issued and two pending patents covering its technologies and targeted molecular therapies. The company’s research and development program is focused on identifying and developing leading-edge gene therapies that can be used alone or in combination with other therapies for treatment of cancer.
Genprex’s initial product candidate is Oncoprex™, an immunogene therapy for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Oncoprex works by interrupting cell signaling pathways that cause replication and proliferation of cancer cells, re-establishes pathways for apoptosis (or programmed cell death) in cancer cells, and modulates the immune response against cancer cells. Oncoprex has also been shown to block mechanisms that create drug resistance.
Preclinical research is being conducted with the goal of developing Oncoprex to be administered with targeted therapies in other solid tumors, and with immunotherapies in NSCLC and other solid tumors. In addition, Genprex has conducted and plans to continue research into other tumor suppressor genes associated with chromosome 3p21.3, as well as other potential applications of the company’s immunogene therapy platform.
Clinical Trials
Genprex is currently conducting the second phase of a phase I/II clinical trial at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. The company plans to expand its clinical program by adding a new clinical study evaluating Oncoprex™ in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor for treatment of Stage IV or recurrent NSCLC. In research presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research in Washington, D.C., Genprex’s collaborators showed that TUSC2 in combination with PD-1 checkpoint inhibition has a significantly greater anti-tumor effect in lung cancer than either agent alone. The research also shows that TUSC2 in combination with PD-1 blockade has synergistic activity in upregulating natural killer (NK) cells, correlating with prolonged survival in mice.
TUSC2 (Tumor Suppressor Candidate 2) is a tumor suppressor gene that is absent or deficient in cancer cells of many different cancer types.
The Market
Genprex technologies seek to bridge a critical gap by combining with targeted therapies and immunotherapies to provide treatments to large patient populations who would otherwise not be candidates for those therapies or who have become resistant to them. Genprex technologies are being developed to overcome genomic limitations which are inherent in targeted therapies and immunotherapies in order to provide new treatment solutions to large cancer populations, such as those with lung cancer.
Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for about 85 percent of all lung cancers, according to the American Cancer Society (“ACS”). Despite radical advances in drug development and novel therapeutic standards, survival for late stage lung cancer has not improved significantly in the past 25 years.
Senior Management
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer J. Rodney Varner, JD, is a co-founder of Genprex and has served in these roles since August 2012. He has more than 35 years of legal experience with large and small law firms and as outside general counsel of a Nasdaq-listed company. Varner has served as counsel in company formation, mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, other business transactions, protection of trade secrets and other intellectual property, real estate, and business litigation. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and has been admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Court and the U.S. Tax Court.
Julien L. Pham, M.D., MPH, is president and chief operating officer of Genprex. In March 2013, Dr. Pham co-founded RubiconMD, a healthcare IT company that connects primary care providers to specialists for additional guidance and opinions on medical cases and served as its chief medical officer. He has served on the faculty at Harvard Medical School’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and is a board-certified internal medicine doctor and nephrologist.
Ryan M. Confer, MS, has served as Genprex chief financial officer since September 2016. Confer has more than 10 years of executive experience in planning, launching, developing, and growing emerging technology companies and has served in the chief operating and chief financial roles for non-profit and for-profit entities since 2008. Confer has also served as an international business development consultant for the University of Texas at Austin’s IC2 Institute, where he focused on evaluating the commercialization potential of nascent technologies in domestic and international markets applicable to technology incubator programs associated with the University. Confer holds a BS in finance and legal studies from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and an MS in technology commercialization from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.
Jan Stevens, RN, is vice president of Clinical Operations. Stevens has nearly 20 years of comprehensive clinical operations experience in the biopharma industry and a specialization in early-to-late stage oncology companies. Stevens joined the company to help support the various clinical development programs for Oncoprex™.
GP Solutions (OTC: GWPD)
GP Solutions (OTC: GWPD) is developing scalable farming systems for soil-less indoor organic farming. The company’s GrowPods are automated micro-farms that use hydroponic technology and unique soil systems to cultivate the highest-quality specialty leaf crops. The system is designed and engineered for ease of use, allowing users to farm year-round in any location of the world, supporting the company’s mission to provide customers with the ability to cultivate their own organic “superfoods.”
GrowPod Design & Function
GrowPod is a modular, stackable and mobile vertical growing environment specifically engineered to maximize yield and automation. GrowPods are available as a vertical pod, stacker pod or custom-built pod.
The Stacker Pod is a certified organic soil system that offers growers multiple levels of planting in order to maximize space and produce options with different fruits and vegetables. The Vertical Pod utilizes a vertical hydroponic system. It is affordable, scalable, efficient, automated and sustainable. The output provides customers with fresh and clean produce year-round in any climate. The Custom Pod is built to suit the farmer’s specific crop and grow goals.
Each 320-square-foot GrowPod container will have an annual production capability of up to four times that of outdoor growing methods, dramatically increasing profitability to the grower. The controlled environment of the GrowPod ensures efficient power and water usage in growing a wide range of horticultural and agricultural products in all environments and climates.
Thanks to a combination of hydroponic and certified organic soil systems, crop yields are higher, faster, and more consistent that conventional means. Customers can enjoy an average of eight higher yield crop cycles anywhere in the world.
GrowPod Features:
- Modular, stackable and mobile
- Fully insulated, food-grade shipping container
- Engineered for automation
- Efficient LED lighting
- Hydroponic or soil-based platforms
- Proprietary air and water filtration
- Climate-controlled
- Remote monitoring
GP Solutions also offers many services to its customers, including:
- Shipment and installation service of its shipping container farms
- On-site training
- Provision of custom planting and harvesting schedule
- Provision of growing supplies, seeds, nutrients, packaging, branding and repair materials
- On-site visits, on-call and scheduled maintenance, and re-supply
- Remote monitoring and automated control of environmental nutrients, environmental growth factors (PH, temperature, light) and circulation
- Technical assistance
- Consulting and custom facility systems design
Competitive Advantage
GrowPods allow cultivation to take place year-round, which maximizes ROI. The systems are sealed from outside pathogens, contaminants, pesticides, and the result is clean and robust crop production.
GP Solutions also has a line of remarkable new proprietary soil mixtures and nutrient lines which contain no animal products. These products are vital, as many other soils and additives can contain harmful pathogens and contaminants that can cause crops to become tainted or fail rigorous testing.
Global Solution
GP Solutions has partnered with the world’s leading food nonprofit companies, including Feeding America, Seeds of Hope, Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels America, L.A. Kitchen, and Farm Bread, to help insecure communities take control of their own food dependence using container farms.
Green Growth Brands Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF)
Green Growth Brands Inc. (GGBXF), is a lifestyle-oriented cannabis and cannabidiol (“CBD”) consumer products company with a portfolio of lifestyle brands customized to connect specific, like-minded customers. Each Green Growth Brand provides the best quality products within a retail experience that appeals to users in an environment that is emotionally branded and easy to navigate.
In the next five years, the cannabis industry will generate more than $28 billion of new revenue from an estimated 14 million new customers, according to Ackrell Capital’s 2018 Cannabis Investment Report. Meanwhile, Hemp Business Journal projects that the CBD market will increase 8x to $3 billion by 2021, up from $200 million in 2017. Green Growth Brand intends to dominate in these markets with a lineup up products grown, manufactured and presented with the highest quality standards in mind.
Products under the Green Growth Brand umbrella include:
- CAMP: A kiosk-type store where consumers can experience beautifully crafted lifestyle products that enhance one’s journey to self-discovery.
- Seventh Sense: A CBD-infused body care collection crafted from the finest botanicals and fragrances on earth. Created to maximize the properties and aromatics of each ingredient, Seventh Sense natural products are CBD-infused botanical therapy.
- Meri+Jayne: Fiercely authentic and wholly unapologetic, Meri+Jayne is a youthful, full-on celebration of what makes each person unique. Expect the unexpected when it comes to this mix of amazing products.
- Green Lily: A place for women to explore a new world of wellness. With advice on every product, from efficacy to usage, Green Lily guides guests through beautiful new ways to experience cannabis and CBD.
- The +Source: Located in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada, The+Source dispensaries operated by Green Growth Brands serve both medical patients and retail customers. Green Growth Brands also operates a grow and production facility in Post, Nevada, and recently entered into definitive agreements to acquire a Pahrump, Nevada, cultivation facility.
- XanthicBiopharms is the owner of valuable intellectual property that turns THC(Tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD into a water-soluble substance. As a result of combining Green Growth Brands and Xanthic, this technology is being used to create incredible new products.
Business Strategy
Green Growth Brands has identified numeroushitches in the current cannabis retail space. The company intends to counter these challenges and provide a customer experience ripe with a friendly staff, in-stock assortments, efficient operations and more. The company’s retail partners provide distribution opportunities within 4,000 stores, as well as robust and established digital platforms to best reach the modern consumer.
Management
Green Growth Brands brings together a collection of expert retailers, scientists, botanists, developers, artists and business leaders for the benefit of building community. Led by an executive management team steeped in decades of experience with several of America’s most successful brands, including Victoria’s Secret, American Eagle Outfitters, Bath & Body Works, Limited Brands and Designer Shoe Warehouse, Green Growth Brands is uniquely positioned to create memorable brands, retail experiences, and quality products for the emerging cannabis industry.
Chief Executive Officer Peter Horvath heads strategy and execution across all company channels, and previously took shoe retailer DSW public on the NYSE at $1.5 billion. As a dynamic, creative brand leader, team builder, and specialty retail veteran with deep roots in finance, Horvath’s unique ability to understand the big picture while never missing the subtle details is a critical factor in Green Growth Brands’ success and brand popularity among customers.
Chief Marketing Officer Scott Razek is a brand strategist, storyteller and strategic marketer. Razek‘s 25 years of experience in brand building, product development and customer experience focus are a key differentiator for the Green Growth Brands portfolio.
CAO Ed Kistner brings 33 years of multifaceted experience at leading retail businesses, notably in finance, merchandise planning, operations and stores. His well-rounded experiences in fast-changing environments position Kistner to be the architect of the operational execution at Green Growth Brands.
CSO Kellie Wurtzman brings significant retail leadership to Green Growth Brands with a proven track record of leading high-performance stores and teams across multiple retail sectors. Her unmatched experience in identifying and supporting developing business opportunities is ideal for evolving the cannabis industry and will be instrumental in expanding operations at Green Growth Brands.
Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Green Growth Brands is traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange and on the OTCQB, providing investors with increased access to data, transparency and liquidity.
Hemptown USA
Hemptown USA, headquartered in Central Point, Oregon, is a proven grower of full-spectrum feminized hemp grown using premium seed genetics that contain less than 0.3% THC and exceptionally high cannabinoid (CBD) content of up to 20%. The company's "soil to oil" methodology combines seasoned professionals working in hand-picked agricultural microclimates located in Oregon's famed Emerald Triangle, Kentucky and Colorado.
Hemptown has rights to 1 million rare CBG (cannabigerol) seeds genetically programmed to yield from 15% to 20% full-spectrum non-intoxicating cannabinoids. Hemptown is positioned to be a leading CBG producer in the U.S. in 2019 and beyond.
In 2018, Hemptown's harvest from its Oregon hemp farm was 110,000 pounds of full-spectrum biomass with CBD content hovering around 17%. 2018 harvest revenue is expected to range from $8.1 million to $12.6 million. The company is scaling up operations in 2019 to meet market demand and projects it will reap over 1 million pounds. By 2020, Hemptown projects that potential revenues in the $100 million to $200 million range are possible once additional farming operations are at full strength.
Growth Strategy
By 2020, Hemptown anticipates it will have more than 2,500 acres in several states dedicated to hemp farming. Expansion plans include increasing in-house extraction capabilities to boost profit margins by providing additional CBD and CBG isolates and distillation services. Due to its anticipated scale, Hemptown is positioning itself as a low-cost producer as it establishes business-to-business partners in the packaged goods space. New products and formulations for the direct-to-consumer market, along with several strategic acquisitions, are also key to Hemptown's growth strategy.
Hemptown plans to expand distribution and growing operations globally through strategic partnerships and development of contracts with leading Fortune 500 brands in European markets. The company intends to grow its IP portfolio by developing water-soluble cannabinoid delivery system. Not to be confused with water-compatibility, water-soluble cannabinoids combine seamlessly with other liquids, have a superior shelf life, and deliver dramatically increased efficacy to the consumer.
Branded Products
Hemptown's first in-house branded product line combines the inspiring strength found in the unbridled nature that surrounds the company's original hemp farm in the Siskiyou Klamath region of Oregon. Siskū is set to redefine the cannabinoid packaged goods space with an elegant look, clean feel and potent, reliable efficacy.
Custom product lines can also be created for any product manufacturer as Hemptown brings GMP and ISO accredited processing facilities online in 2019. Together with Oregon CBD Seeds and Hemptown's product sciences team, Hemptown will be able to create custom, proprietary full-spectrum CBD and CBG oils and pure isolates.
Management Team
Company Chairman Rod Wolterman founded Hemptown's Oregon operations in 2016. He has extensive experience in the cannabis sector having been active within the space since 1998. Wolterman has also acted as a private equity investor in numerous medical marijuana dispensaries and cultivation operations in southern California.
CEO John Cummings has over 20 years of experience in finance, marketing, sales and project management. He led the compliance and special projects efforts for Kings Garden, one of the largest vertically integrated operators in California. Cummings also spent a year in Europe launching the continent's first GMP and ISO-accredited cultivation and manufacturing facility.
Dr. Gordon Chiu is chief science officer for Hemptown. He has more than 15 years of combined domestic and international experience in biomedical, chemical, cosmetic, medical and technology industries. A graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a master's degree from Seton Hall University, Chiu is leading Hemptown's cannabinoid research team and is responsible for filing IP patents, specifically in the areas of water-solubility, bioavailability and peptide sequencing.
HTC Extraction Systems (TSX.V: HTC) (OTCQB: HTPRF)
HTC Extraction Systems (TSX.V: HTC) (OTCQB: HTPRF) has developed and optimized proprietary technologies designed for biomass extraction, distillation and purification of ethanol and ethanol-based solvents used for the hemp biomass and cannabidiol (“CBD”) industry, as well as gas and liquid extraction. HTC’s extraction & purification systems are engineered to large-scale to reduce capital and operating costs while delivering superior performance measured by reduced energy usage, lowered emissions and improved quality of the product produced.
Advanced Extraction Technologies
For more than 14 years, HTC has developed and optimized proprietary technology and purification systems used for biomass, gas and liquid extraction. These technologies include:
- LCDesign® – Low-cost design for modular gas, liquid and biomass extraction systems optimizes plant design, thus reducing capital and operating costs.
- PDOEngine™ – Software-based design algorithms accurately model and simulate gas, liquid and biomass extraction processing.
- Delta Solvents™ – Custom-designed, ethanol-based solvent mixtures and additives that optimize production and reduce costs. Technology development is being conducted at HTC’s sponsored research facilities at the University of Calgary.
Delta Purification® Technology
HTC’s patented Delta Purification® technology will purify, recycle and reuse the extraction ethanol used in the CBD extraction process while managing and reducing any CBD waste losses through the re-extraction of all wastes collected from the purified ethanol. Current and new technologies include:
- Delta CBD Reclaiming System: Reclaiming and purifying ethanol for use in CBD extraction from biomass. Reduces required heat to prevent damage of the chemical attributes of the CBD molecule, allowing extracted CBD to meet food-grade targets for human consumption.
- Delta Solvent Reclaiming System: Reclaiming and purifying ethanol-based solvents, such as single, mixed and formulated amines, for use in natural gas processing and post-combustion CO2 capturing processes.
- Delta Glycol Reclaiming System: Reclaiming and purifying glycols, such as mono-ethylene glycol and tri-ethylene glycol for use in natural gas dehydration processes.
Hemp Biomass and Tolling Contracts
HTC has entered into a hemp biomass tolling agreement for the 2019 crop year involving a supply of hemp biomass from a hemp grower in Saskatchewan, Canada. The hemp grower utilizes five varieties of Health Canada-approved cultivars as the genetic foundation. HTC will process and extract CBD FSO distillate from the hemp biomass. As a tolling fee payment, HTC will receive a percentage of the extracted CBD FSO distillate for its processing, extraction, purification and distillation services.
Additional hemp biomass tolling contracts with producers and hemp biomass providers are being negotiated in the U.S. for the 2020 hemp crop growing year. HTC will provide “local-to-grower” drying-to-biomass storage capability and transportation of dried biomass to an HTC, location to be determined, future US based, extraction facility. HTC is also in negotiation with a 60,000-acre, recognized Canadian farm leader, who is a significant hemp biomass producer, for a similar hemp biomass tolling contract.
re3™ Technology
Large users of ethanol and solvents for plant oil extraction demand reduced capital and operating costs. HTC’s re3™ (reclaim, recycle, reuse) technology can save up to 30% of the required fluid costs. The increasing cost of new extraction ethanol, combined with the cost of used ethanol disposal, creates a unique opportunity whereby the re3™ technology will create cost savings, while meeting environmental responsibilities.
The growth of ethanol and CO2 used in CBD production has created a new demand for reliable commercial scale ethanol reclaimer systems. The Delta Purification® ethanol system meets this new demand.
Sales and Offtake Agreements
HTC intends to leverage its relationship with its related entity, Purely Canada Foods™, to provide sales and distribution for its Ingredient CBD market under the brand of Purely Canada Hemp™, Purely Canada CBD™, Purely Canada Cannabinoids™. Purely Canada Hemp™ will develop risk managed multi-year ingredient supply contracts with its existing and new Global Food, Beverage and Animal Food Industry Customers.
Project Construction
HTC has focused the Canadian implementation of its BOOM (build, own, operate and maintain) extraction tolling strategy on a location near Regina, Saskatchewan. HTC is currently constructing a 19,000-square-foot GMP Euro compliant extraction tolling facility on six acres of land that will include biomass processing, extraction, implementation of DeltaSolv™ technologies and Delta Purification® systems, distillate and refining equipment, laboratory quality control and testing operations, and on-site office and admin facilities.
Leadership
Chairman, CEO and Director Lionel Kambeitz is a recognized professional in business development and international business relations. He has played a founding role in many other Canadian and U.S.-based companies. Kambeitz has executive experience in a variety of industries including energy, agriculture, food production engineering, and manufacturing.
Jeff Allison, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Director, has over 20 years of experience in corporate finance and business development. Prior to joining HTC in 2005, Allison as Vice President assisted with the founding and setup of CUCORP Financial Services in Saskatchewan.
InsuraGuest Inc. (TSX.V: ISGI)
InsuraGuest Inc. (TSX.V: ISGI) is a SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) company utilizing its proprietary flagship InsurTech software platform to provide specialized insurance products to end users in the business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) markets. The company’s first focus is on the B2B hotels and vacation rentals sectors, where its API integrates with the clients’ property management systems to offer guests a specialized guest protection policy. The platform and policy combination “InsurTech” product helps transfer the exposure to liability away from the client/property while guests benefit from potential accident and loss coverage during their stay.
InsuraGuest’s platform is currently capable of integrating with approximately 70 different hotel and vacation rental property management systems, giving it access to roughly 40,000 properties worldwide.
The company continues to pursue expansion opportunities and recently signed a Letter of Intent with a master general agent in the United Kingdom and Europe to distribute its platform and products to hotel and vacation rental markets in those regions. The company also has plans to expand to Asia in 2020.
Protecting Guests, Enhancing Customer Experience
InsuraGuest is the first line of defense for both the property and the guest.
InsuraGuest is purchased by the hotel or vacation rental “property,” which offers the policy to each registered guest and its occupants for an additional fee. The specialized policy affords coverage for theft of personal property while in the hotel, as well as accidental medical expense and accidental death and dismemberment, up to the policy limits of $2,500 to $50,000.
Market Opportunity
The U.S. hotel industry generated more than $218 billion in annual revenues in 2018, an increase of $10 billion from the previous year, according to STR’s 2019 HOST Almanac. The European market is more than double the size of the U.S. market. According to Oxford Economics, there were 6.4 billion nights stayed in the world, with 2.6 billion hotel nights stayed in Asia, 2.8 billion nights stayed in Europe, and 1.1 billion stayed nights in the United States. Additionally, $100 billion was spent on vacation rentals in the United States, where there approximately 4.5 million second homes are being managed by a third-party rental company.
With distribution in Europe and the United States, InsuraGuest’s combined demographics will total 3.9 billion nights stayed, and will more than double its vacation rental opportunities.
Within this burgeoning, high-demand industry is risk of liability to guest injury. For example, gym injuries are among the top five most common hotel accidents. Without proper hedges in place, the property may be liable in a personal injury claim or lawsuit.
Though the potential for accidents, slip and falls and mishaps can be widespread, it can be covered under the InsuraGuest Specialized Guest Protection Policy to provide guests a worry-free and enjoyable stay that potentially increases loyalty for the property.
Business Highlights
- Targeting hotels and vacation rentals, a multi-billion-dollar industry
- Providing the first line of defense in case of accident, loss or death
- Expanding distribution reach with footing in European hotel and vacation rental markets
- Expansion into Asia by 2020
Executive Team
Douglas Anderson, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Douglas Anderson has been a businessman in the real estate industry for nearly 30 years. His business expertise includes master planning and development implementation for larger-scale resorts, business parks and commercial developments across the USA and two provinces in Canada. His business endeavors include the founding of the 7th larger private equity fund in America focusing on multifamily and senior care (ROC Fund/Bridge IPG Fund). He serves as chairman/founder of a golf and winter sports ski holding company with operations in four major east coast markets and British Columbia, Canada.
Anderson earned a BS undergraduate degree in Consumer Studies with an emphasis in Architecture as an undergraduate at the University of Utah. He subsequently earned his Master’s in Business Administration. He also attended a three-year OPM Program a postgraduate business education at Harvard Business School in Boston. Anderson is an avid skier and outdoor enthusiast.
Charles James Cayias, President & Director
Charles James Cayias is also the president and owner of Charles James Cayias Insurance Inc. He is a third-generation insurance professional whose creativity and artistic vision have enabled him to establish a full-service agency combined with the personal service each client deserves. His outstanding people skills, honesty, integrity and fairness are evident by his loyal and growing clientele, the majority of which are referrals who become long-time customers and friends.
Cayias began his insurance career in the early 1970s and has been licensed since 1977. He is licensed in all 50 states and specializes in niche programs. He has extensive expertise in all aspects of the insurance industry including commercial insurance, employee benefits, workers’ compensation, professional liability, risk management and bonding.
Christopher J. Panos, Vice President & Director
Christopher J. Panos is a highly competitive sales professional with over 15 years of territory manager sales experience and an award-winning record of achievements. He is exceptionally well organized with a proven work history that demonstrates self-discipline, superb communication skills, and the initiative to achieve both personal and corporate goals. Panos is successful in building relationships with a large network of industry professionals in order to grow and maintain new and existing business, exceed new sales objectives and provide in-depth product training to authorized dealers and sales personnel.
Alexander Walker III ESQ, Corporate Counsel & Director
Alexander Walker III ESQ has served as director of the company since September of 2018. He also has served as counsel to the company since July of 2018. Walker is an attorney and has been a member of the Utah Bar Association since 1987 and a member of the Nevada State Bar since 2003. His practice has involved general business litigation, in both federal and state courts, and transactional work, including securities offerings and registration, corporate formation and periodic reporting compliance. Walker has provided legal services to emerging businesses throughout his carrier and at times has served as an officer and board member as well as legal counsel public companies. His duties as legal counsel for a public company engaged in the business of ownership and operation of coal-producing properties in the western United States included oversight of corporate-related legal matters including securities reporting, corporate compliance, federal and state mining regulation, and employment law oversight. He also has served as the chair of the Mining Committee of the Energy, Natural Resources and Environmental Law Section of the Utah State Bar, a member of the board of directors of the South East Utah Energy Producers Association, the co-chair of the board of the Western Energy Training Center, a board member of the Utah Supreme Court Committee to Review the ABA Recommendations Regarding the Office of Professional Conduct, and a board member of the University of Utah Crimson Club.
Roger Bloss, Corporate Consultant & Board Advisor
Roger Bloss joined InsuraGuest in August of 2019 to advise the company and its board on hotel transactions, contributing his knowledge from more than 40 years in the hospitality industry. Bloss previously served in executive positions with several major hotel franchise companies and in 1996 founded Vantage Hospitality Group hotel brands. Under his leadership, Vantage became a Top 10 global hotel company and made the Inc. 500/5000 list of Americas’ fastest-growing private companies for eight straight years. Bloss was named Lodging Magazine’s “Innovator of the Year” in 2006 and 2010, and in 2009 earned a spot on HSMAI’s “Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing.” Bloss joined Red Lion Hotels Corporation (RLHC) in September 2016 in conjunction with the acquisition of Vantage.
IONIC Brands Corp. (CSE: IONC) (OTC: IONKF)
IONIC Brands Corp. (CSE: IONC) (OTC: IONKF) is a national cannabis holding company building a multistate portfolio of award-winning premium and luxury brands in the cannabis space. Established in 2015, IONIC Brands has demonstrated its ability to expand and operate multiple cannabis concentrate consumer brands in leading markets across the western United States, with current operations in Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada. The company continues to strategically expand nationwide to remain a leader of the highest-value segments in the cannabis market.
With a focus on quality, responsibility and respectability, IONIC’s product lines are pioneering the changing landscape of cannabis consumption. The company’s refinement practices are a result of a passionate commitment to craft the finest, small-batch cannabis oils and cannabis concentrates in the world – without glycols, glycerins or additives.
IONIC’s Certified Clean program verifies that every product leaving the company’s facilities meets or exceeds state mandates on pesticide testing. The testing is conducted by individually testing every batch which ensures and enhances trust and transparency. IONIC recently paired its Certified Clean program with Lucid Green Inc. and its revolutionary technology platform designed to provide vital safety information. Lucid Green’s technology provides a direct-to-consumer data platform, providing instant access to a library of product specific insights by simply scanning the package’s QR code with a smartphone camera.
Elite Brand Portfolio/Acquisitions
- IONIC, the company’s flagship recreational branded product, is a stylish and sophisticated premium vape pen line that has earned customer loyalty and a reputation as a consistent Top 10 vape brand in Washington state. IONIC’s immediate product line expansion plans include THC/CBD mixes, low-dose products, high-end edibles, CASK oil and device innovation.
- WW Agriculture cultivates cannabis outdoors on a 140-acre eastern Washington State farm capable of producing up to 100,000 pounds of cannabis for less than $0.10/gram.
- ZOOTS, a Washington-based edibles company, utilizes patent-protected ultra-clean CO2 extraction hardware to create proprietary formulations of refined cannabis oils and distillates. Through MedMen dispensaries, Zoots Edibles are currently available in Washington and Colorado and will soon be on shelves at dispensaries in Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania.
- Vuber Technologies hardware produces the best vaporization experience on the market.
- Vegas M Stick vaporizer pens are distributed to stores in Washington State with plans to expand to Oregon and Nevada.
- Vegas Valley Growers is a revenue-generating, vertically integrated operation in Las Vegas, Nevada, with a full complement of production, manufacturing and distribution licenses.
IONIC has also acquired two U.S. patents issued to Canna Café that are related to cannabinoid (CBD) infused coffee and CBD-infused coffee in a Keurig ® K-Cup ® Pod. An international patent is in process for cannabis-infused teas.
Experienced Management Team
IONIC Brands is led by an innovative product team, powerful sales organization and a world-class marketing group.
Chairman & CEO John Gorst has built and sold four different technology companies with market valuations in excess of $600 million. Gorst has been at the forefront of IONIC’s expansion and development into Washington state’s leading vaporizer brand.
Andrew Schell, President, Vice-Chairman & Co-Founder, has built several successful companies. Schell has an engineering background rounded in operations, strategy and corporate law, and most recently was CEO of a U.S. Department of Defense company specializing in military operations.
Christian Struzan, Chief Marketing Officer & Co-Founder, has over 30 years of experience in marketing and branding in the entertainment and consumer goods industries. Struzan founded an advertising agency which developed and executed marketing campaigns for feature films such as the Star Wars franchise, Fight Club, and the television series American Idol. He has also worked on global brands such as Guinness, Stella Artois and Beck’s.
Johnny Stange, Chief Revenue Officer, was formerly a director of sales for the southern California region for Treasury Wine Estates, a major wine wholesaler, where he grew and oversaw annual sales of $250 million. Stange is leading the charge in IONIC’s aggressive sales growth plans across multiple states.
In 2018, IONIC was voted one of the “Top 50 Companies to Work for in Cannabis” by MG Magazine, a publication serving cannabis industry professionals.
Jerrick Media Holdings, Inc. (OTC: JMDA)
Jerrick Media Holdings, Inc. (OTC: JMDA) develops technology-based solutions to solve digital problems. Through the combination of design, thought and data analysis, the company builds products that influence a worldwide audience.
Jerrick’s flagship product is Vocal, a proprietary long-form digital publishing platform that provides storytelling tools and engaged communities for creators to get discovered and fund their creativity.
Vocal
Designed to develop and cost-effectively engage content creators, the Vocal platform enables its over 500,000 registered content creators to reach an engaged audience and monetize their content. In addition to providing relevant content, Vocal’s technology is centered on efficiency and scalability through its niche digital communities, as well as output through its data-driven distribution strategy.
Vocal partners with content creators and brands that recognize difficulties inherent in the digital advertising space and that can benefit from branded content marketing opportunities available on publishing platforms like Vocal.
All content available on Vocal is created within the platform’s custom editor and published on one of Vocal’s embedded genre-specific communities, spanning topics that range from food to wellness, beauty, technology and more.
In May 2019, Jerrick launched Vocal+, its premium subscription membership program. Vocal+ members pay a membership fee for premium value-added features, including receiving increased earnings for their content, reduced platform processing fees for tips received, a Vocal+ badge on their creator page, access to new features on the Vocal Platform, and other rewards. Creators can sign up for free or upgrade to Vocal+, available for purchase on either an annual or monthly subscription basis.
Vocal for Brands
Vocal for Brands is an in-house creative studio that generates actionable data from bespoke native advertising campaigns. Vocal for Brands partners with direct-to-consumer (DTC) to create beautiful, campaign-optimized stories on Vocal that build brand affinity, trust and drive results.
Additionally, Jerrick provides a Managed Services offering to business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) product and service brands which encompasses a full range of digital marketing and e-commerce solutions. Managed Services includes the setup and ongoing maintenance of clients’ websites, Amazon and Shopify storefronts and listings, social media pages, search engine marketing, and other various tools and sales channels utilized by e-commerce sellers for sales and growth optimization. In addition to partnering with Managed Services clients, the company offers a range of la carte services.
Growth Strategy
Upon the consummation of its anticipated listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, Jerrick intends to change its official company name to “Creatd, Inc.,” subject to stockholder approval.
This rebranding will initiate Jerrick’s go-forward growth strategy and its plans to expand its offerings and provide technology products and resources for creators to help transform their ideas into reality. The strategic plan is designed to greatly increase Jerrick’s potential market value via a plethora of new revenue streams.
Creatd will focus on a community of creators that number more than 2.5 billion users, for which it will offer democratized, transparent platforms for distribution, sentiment, resources and monetization. The company’s agile development process will rely on a combination of bleeding-edge technology that eliminates barriers and creates efficiencies. Superior design thinking and data analysis will allow Creatd to expand its digital footprint to a global community.
Creatd will partner with a community of technology collaborators and sophisticated investors who collaborate to provide technology solutions for creators, brands and their respective audiences. The company’s solutions, business processes, technology platforms and design theories will lend themselves to application opportunities on a global scale.
History & Management
Jerrick was founded in 2012. Initially a private media company providing online content through a portfolio of brands, Jerrick’s needs quickly outpaced its initial technology and product offering. In 2015, Jerrick partnered with Thinkmill, a premiere, Australia-based product design and development group to create a content management system (CMS) for its brands; that system evolved into the company’s flagship product, Vocal.
Today, Jerrick’s management team is an impressive group of abstract thinkers united by their passion to solve problems. Leading the team are founder and CEO Jeremy Frommer, and Justin Maury, Jerrick’s president and head of product.
Frommer’s career includes two decades in the financial technology industry, working as a hedge fund and portfolio manager, as well as on the sell-side of the financial industry. Frommer started NextGen Trading, a software development company building proprietary equity trading platforms. NextGen was acquired by Carlin Financial Group of which Frommer became CEO. RBC Capital Markets Corporation eventually bought Carlin. At RBC, Frommer was managing director, head of the Global Prime Services group and a member of the RBC Global Equities Operating Committee.
Maury joined Jerrick in 2013, bringing with him 10 years of experience in the creative industry. Since partnering with Frommer to establish Jerrick, Maury led the company’s product development for more than four years. His passion for the creative arts and technology ultimately yielded the vision for Vocal. During the Jerrick’s early formative years, Maury was a driving force in creating the vision, design and architecture for the Vocal platform and managing the oversight of technology development.
Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP)
Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) has developed and out-licenses its proprietary DehydraTECH™ technology for improved taste, rapidity and delivery of bioactive compounds, including nicotine and cannabinoids. To achieve higher absorption rates and fast onset, consumers traditionally defaulted to smoking. Lexaria provides a superior administration method by delivering these substances through a patented process within edible food products, thus eliminating all the harmful health consequences of smoking.
Lexaria’s technology is unique in that it takes advantage of GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) food ingredients processed with its patented DehydraTECH technology to improve taste, remove odor and decrease the time to onset of bitter-tasting drugs. Lexaria is primarily a B2B enterprise and has existing cannabinoid licensing agreements with companies in Canada and the United States. Lexaria has also developed its own hmep-oil brands partly for demonstration purposes, utilizing its patented technology to infuse hemp oil ingredients within popular foods such as coffee, tea and supplements. These brands include ViPova™, TurboCBD™ and ChargD+™.
Virtually unique across both the hemp and the cannabis industries, Lexaria has successfully entered into a R&D and product development partnership with one of the largest cigarette companies in the world for oral forms of nicotine delivery. Only a small handful of hemp or cannabis-related companies have achieved formal relationships with Fortune 500 industry leaders, demonstrating the wide applicability of Lexaria’s technology.
In June 2019, building on its original 2015 independent, third-party laboratory in vitro lab experiments, which confirmed the absorption levels of cannabidiol (“CBD”) into human intestinal cells rose by 499% through the utilization of the DehydraTECH technology, Lexaria completed a series of animal studies using an enhanced formulation of its DehydraTECH technology. The results of the animal studies using the enhanced DehydraTECH formulation showed an increase of CBD delivery into the blood when compared to generic industry MCT coconut-oil formulations by 811%. In addition, the animal studies also showed delivery of 1,937% more CBD into animal brain tissue after 8 hours using the enhanced DehydraTECH technology when compared to generic industry MCT coconut-oil formulations.
Lexaria also has completed the first phases of its collaborative research program with the Canadian government’s National Research Council (the “NRC”) under which several studies were designed to optimize Lexaria’s DehydraTECH technology, enabling delivery of API’s within foods, beverages, capsules and other ingestible formats. These studies investigated the lipophilic active agent classes including cannabinoids, vitamins, NSAIDs and nicotine using advanced analytical techniques, including mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance testing, with the results of the studies confirming that Lexaria’s DehydraTECH technology did not create any covalent-bonded new molecular entity (“NME”). Whenever an NME is created, regulatory bodies such as FDA and Health Canada routinely require extensive health, safety and efficacy studies prior to that product’s release into the marketplace. That the NRC program failed to find evidence of an NME suggests products utilizing the DehydraTECH technology may require a less burdensome regulatory pathway.
Results from this R&D have helped support B2B relationships with Fortune 500 companies. Lexaria has four distinct subsidiaries that focus on different market sectors: hemp/CBD; pharmaceutical; cannabis; and nicotine. In August 2019, Lexaria was issued its cannabis research and development licence from Health Canada which will allow Lexaria to continue its further investigations in-house of its DehydraTECH technology in connection with cannabinoids, along with ongoing work with vitamins, NSAIDs, PDE5-inhibitors, nicotine and other molecules.
Aside from testing, a critical component of Lexaria Bioscience’s business model is a strong and growing intellectual property portfolio. As of the August 2019, the company’s patent portfolio includes ~60 patent applications filed and pending in more than 40 countries around the world; and 16 patents granted to date. Lexaria is expecting additional new patent awards both in the U.S. and internationally by the end of 2019 and beyond. Some of its more recent areas of investigation have included human hormones and erectile dysfunction substances, among others. Lexaria’s granted patent portfolio related to cannabinoid delivery is one of the largest in the world.
Royalties play a vital role in Lexaria’s revenue-generating business model. The company out-licenses its technology to third-partners and has signed licensing agreements with start-up companies as well as with a Fortune 100 industry leader. The company’s growth initiatives are guided by a management team headed by CEO Chris Bunka, a serial entrepreneur who has contributed to several multi-hundred million-dollar valuations over the course of his career. He is supported by a growing team of professionals with extensive experience in pharmaceutical and bioscience sectors, invention, toxicology, consumer goods and other relevant skillsets.
LiveWire Ergogenics Inc. (OTC: LVVV)
LiveWire Ergogenics Inc. (OTC: LVVV) is a forward-thinking company specializing in identifying and monetizing current and future trends in the health and wellness industry. The company recognizes significant potential in the multibillion-dollar cannabis industry and operates at the forefront for acquisition and management of licensed cannabis real estate locations and the research, development and commercialization of high-end products for distribution throughout California.
During the past two years, LiveWire has diligently researched, secured, designed and set up several fully compliant and permitted cannabis operations in locations in California, including a state-wide distribution license from the Bureau of Cannabis Control. The company is focused on acquiring compliant real estate properties for cannabis operations and entering into operation agreements and strategic alliances to build teams of carefully selected and vetted operators, horticulturists, extractors, distributors and establish research partnerships. Its current portfolio of cannabis operations consists of the following properties:
PODs and Distribution in Coachella, California
For the past year, LiveWire has operated high-tech, state-of-the-art production structures, or “PODs” for its cannabis nursery business. Coachella is also home to the company’s statewide distribution headquarters. Both entities operate under LiveWire’s majority owned subsidiary, GHC Ventures. The company is currently in the process to strategically centralize all operations at its recently acquired Paso Robles facility, Estrella Ranch.
Estrella Ranch in Paso Robles, California
Through its subsidiary, Estrella Ranch Partners LLC, LiveWire acquired a 265-acre historic ranch property in Paso Robles, Calif. Estrella Ranch has a longstanding history, once owned by George R. Hearst, the eldest grandson of the late William Randolph Hearst, developer of Hearst Communications, and is considered among the finest ranches in California and the gem of the California Central Coast. LiveWire is transforming this property into the world’s first “Estate-Grown Weedery” with plans to develop it into a vertically integrated, high-end cannabis facility and wellness retreat in California. The stunning property, located in the heart of the world renown California wine country, currently houses three spacious residences, storage areas, and elaborate equestrian facilities with four barns and numerous stables. LiveWire is designing a truly unique property that features indoor and outdoor cannabis operations, including large outdoor and indoor cannabis production. Long-range plans include adding teaching and luxury recreational facilities focused on providing a comprehensive and unique cannabis-related retreat experience.
The Paso Robles Nursery
LiveWire has begun the build-out and will soon begin production in its 22,000-square-foot secure indoor cannabis nursery facility in Paso Robles, Calif. The project includes the conversion of two existing buildings with sufficient power capacity and abundant water supply. Floor plans include more than 10,000 square feet of canopy devoted to “mother” plants and separate clone storage; additional space has been identified for flowering plants. Within the two buildings, the nursery also contains research and development areas, rooms for cannabis waste and storage, record keeping and staging space, security offices, a conference room and additional designated locations required for permit approval and compliance.
LiveWire has spent significant resources to research and maneuver a complex legal environment and confirm the economic and environmental feasibility of potential LiveWire cannabis operations in different locations throughout the state of California. All LiveWire operations comply with California state law and local ordinances. To fully capitalize on these highly valuable assets, LiveWire is seeking funding to accelerate the development of its business plan.
GHC Ventures Subsidiary
GHC Ventures, LiveWire’s Coachella-based distribution division, employs a consumer-driven market approach that provides retailers access to a wide range of new high-end cannabis products, all serviced through the licensed and reliable GHC supply chain and distribution network.
GHC Ventures’ distribution network is available exclusively to licensed manufacturers that pass LiveWire’s stringent legal and environmental qualification process. This enables LiveWire to provide a large and solidly structured legal distribution network for all qualifying third-party operators in California. LiveWire is actively seeking to work with licensed operators who are enthusiastic and qualified to ensure the delivery of high-caliber and legal cannabis products for the fast-growing California medical and recreational cannabis markets.
Research Partnerships
LiveWire has established two independent research teams with world-renowned experts in their respective fields to pursue application of cannabis derivatives to specific targeted medical ailments. The company is also establishing research partnerships to explore the application of cannabinoid-based products to target specific ailments or conditions with large “sufferer” populations for both human and veterinarian applications. Possible applications may include dosing verification of zero-pesticide products for quality brands via its 7X Pure Cannabis Dosing and Verification System.
LiveWire has also engaged a highly qualified research team and advisory board to explore the opportunities in the unexplored yet highly valued equine space. The company has entered into consulting and/or advisory board agreements with high-caliber individuals from the medical and international-performance equine sector and is currently exploring strategic relationships with the veterinary departments of leading local and domestic universities and medical facilities.
7X Pure™ Dosing and Verification System
LiveWire Ergogenics is developing its “7X Pure Compliance and Dosage Verification System” intended to provide third-party verification of cannabis material origin, potency, purity, dosage and labeling, securing each product with a digital identity and clearly identifiable chain of custody.
The 7X Pure system will be completely secure, transparent and verifiable, protecting the confidentiality of growers’ and manufacturers’ intellectual property while providing retailers, consumers, government officials and others verification that the growers’ and manufacturers’ claims are true.
The system is designed as a parallel service to the seed-to-sale data provided by marijuana tracking software, will help growers and manufacturers meet increasing compliance requirements related to logistics, quality and transparency. It will also provide a high level of assurance to everyone from end users to municipalities.
Acquisitions & Operations
To maximize the utilization of its fully compliant locations and the licenses granted throughout California, LiveWire has begun and continues to pursue acquisitions of and/or strategic alliances with qualified cannabis companies and consultants. LiveWire will apply a strict regimen to the acquisition of operators, carefully utilizing its experience and legal standing in the California cannabis market for the selection of qualified operators.
Market Opportunity
Legal marijuana is the fastest-growing industry in the United States. Twenty-nine states have already legalized medical marijuana, eight states have approved it for recreational use, and more are following suit. Once the trend toward legalization expands to all 50 states, marijuana could become larger than the organic food industry, according to a new report obtained by The Huffington Post.
The U.S. marijuana industry is forecast to generate annual revenues ranging from $17 billion to $35 billion by 2021. The combined legal medical and recreational market has grown by roughly 30 percent, reaching $6 billion during 2017, according to The Marijuana Business Factbook. The same study projects the market will increase 300 percent to top $17 billion by 2021. During 2017 recreational sales grew by 80 percent, reaching $1.8 billion, not yet accounting for sales of the biggest revenue producer, California, which will only commence with recreational sales in 2018.
Business Model
LiveWire’s diligent approach to the cannabis sector is based on extensive environmental and legal research to predetermine the feasibility of the locations it selects for operations. The company pursues a carefully selected approach of acquiring, licensing and managing self-contained and permitted real estate properties for the development and distribution of its products and leasing to third party operators. LiveWire avoids the complications and high start-up cost of the typical large “growing” operations, instead focusing on becoming the market leader in research, cloning and verification, producing and distributing high quality brands.
Management Team
LiveWire’s team of experienced corporate managers and innovators are leading the company’s plans to capture increasing market share from different and often underserved market sectors in the cannabis industry. LiveWire intends to utilize its team’s experience to accelerate the development and/or acquisition of new properties, product offerings, and companies.
Bill Hodson, CEO & Chairman of the Board
Bill Hodson is responsible for the strategic direction of the firm’s development, branding, sales and marketing strategies. In addition to being responsible for the operation of the company, he leads the development and manages implementation of the company’s innovative product strategy. Previously the executive vice president of LiveWire Sports Group, Hodson was responsible for overseeing all LiveWire’s operations, including the launch of several sports publications and one of the country’s largest sports consumer expos.
As early as five years ago, Hodson recognized the potential of CBD and became an early adopter of CBD as a health and wellness supplement by including hemp-derived cannabidiol in a starburst size edible product. His experience includes not only product development, marketing and sales, but most significantly constant city and county advocacy, guiding the company through four license processes, identifying and spearheading real estate acquisitions, and to assemble operations teams comprised of nursery horticulturists, cultivators and distribution personnel. His vision for the industry is complimented with his out-of-the-box thinking and anticipation of positioning for the future.
Kyle McKay, Horticulturist
Kyle McKay is responsible for managing LiveWire’s controlled cultivation environment, developing new-age genetics to produce consistent and high-quality products for medical patients, and applying his expertise in integrated pest management with Omri-certified fungicides and pesticides. McKay oversees the company’s clone development and supervises both cultivation facilities in Coachella and Paso Robles. He also assists with location research and selection; cultivation center planning; operations set-up; and maximizing the growth potential of cannabis edibles, concentrates and oil production. McKay’s expertise in plant genetics and modern horticulture technology makes him extremely qualified to guide LiveWire’s efforts. During his 12-plus years in the cannabis horticulture field, he has grown more than 230 stable genetics, managed over 27 cultivation centers and grown the specific strains required to meet the needs of up to 45,000 medical cannabis patients at one time.
Advisory Board
Jeff Halloran, Investment Banker
Jeff Halloran is an accomplished senior-management executive with more than 35 years of experience. He has founded and held top positions in large financial and technology firms and has an outstanding record of achievement managing multimillion and billion-dollar programs. Halloran will use his standing in the Canadian markets to provide LiveWire with research and advice for potential acquisitions and strategic alliance targets in the burgeoning Canadian cannabis markets. Halloran has spent most of his career in leading management and consulting positions gathering extensive knowledge in strategic business analysis and information management theories. He served as managing director of Avalon Capital and Halloran Investment, as well as chairman and/or CEO of several companies owned by MT Dynamics. As a consulting manager he was recruited by Oracle Corporation to establish the multibillion-dollar organization’s consulting practice in Canada, eventually earning a place on the design team for Oracle Financials and its CASE Tool and Methodology. Halloran also heads up the executive committee for the Willow Breast Cancer Support Organization.
Michael Corrigan, Attorney at Law
Michael Corrigan is a legal professional at the Law Offices of Michael L. Corrigan, practicing in San Diego, Calif. His practice emphasizes general and SEC representation of emerging high-technology and other operating companies. He has been counsel to private and public companies in a broad range of industries, including computer hardware and software, telecommunications, multimedia and cannabis.
Matthew Geriak, Clinical Pharmacist and Investigational Research Pharmacist
Matthew Geriak is a specialized pharmacist and has a system-wide position on the Investigational Review Board for Sharp Healthcare, which owns five hospitals and various clinics throughout San Diego County. Sharp conducts drug research spanning from phase 1 to 4 human research clinical trials focusing on the fields of oncology, renal and heart transplantations, septic shock treatment, infectious diseases and anticoagulation. Geriak is the primary investigator for retrospective cohorts in the field of infectious diseases.
Jimmy Connors, Sports Industry Adviser
Jimmy Connors is a legendary No. 1 ranked tennis player and is considered among the greatest in the history of the sport. Today, Connors still holds three prominent Open Era Men’s singles records: 109 titles, 1,535 matches played, and 1,256 matches won. His titles include eight majors, five U.S. Opens, two Wimbledons, one Australian Open, three year-end championships and 17 Grand Prix Super Series. Connors brings a wealth of knowledge in the sports and wellness industries that will be especially important as LiveWire expands into its next phase of development with its topical products. His decade-long exposure in the global sports world as one of the most recognized personalities adds a high level of exposure and supports LiveWire’s efforts to set itself apart in a fast-growing and still turbulent and disruptive industry.
Marijuana Company of America Inc. (MCOA)
Marijuana Company of America Inc. (MCOA) (the "Company") are pioneers in the cannabis industry going back to 2009 when Don Steinberg, MCOA's CEO, founded the first marijuana company ever to trade on a U.S. stock market, Medical Marijuana Inc. Since then, Don and his partner, Charlie Larsen, have formed Global Hemp Group and Marijuana Company of America. They have experienced the shift of legislation first hand, not only for the legalization of marijuana but also the emerging hemp-based CBD products.
The CBD market is growing exponentially and consequently the founders of MCOA have constructed their business model around the development of industrial hemp-based CBD products. The industrial hemp plant can be used to produce products that are carbon neutral or even carbon negative. It is one of the longest, strongest natural fibers on earth, used as a building material that is free of mold, pesticide-resistant, and fire proof. Hemp has also been described as a "super food," which provides additional business opportunities. No part of the plant is left unused and the Company's overall strategy is to take advantage of every profit center from farm to the multiple valuable finished products.
The cannabis and hemp industries are experiencing unprecedented growth that is expected to continue for many years as these industries are now accepted globally and continue to mature and expand. North American consumers spent $6.7 billion on legal cannabis products in 2016, up 34% from 2015's $5 billion. This trend is widely expected to explode at a 27% compounded annual growth rate to reach $22.6 billion by 2021, according to ArcView Market Research.
The company offers investors the opportunity to be on the forefront of cannabis and hemp innovation through cultivation, processing in the legal cannabis and industrial hemp sectors. The Company's business model includes producing a diverse portfolio of synergistic business segments that provide value to its shareholders. Its vertically integrated business model and distribution platforms are positioned to capture market share by developing recognizable and valuable brands.
Under the MCOA umbrella, wholly owned subsidiary hempSMART™, Inc. is committed to bringing high quality CBD-based products to the market through its affiliate marketing program. Through hempSMART, MCOA's strategic approach to the distribution of products is through a networking architecture geared to maintain customer loyalty and capture market share. The patent-pending product "hempSMART Brain," is designed to revolutionize the safe and effective support of healthy brain function. The brand new product, HempSMART DROPS, is a full-spectrum CBD tincture formulated with hemp and fractionated coconut oils. The hempSMART marketing team has decades of experience, and is well positioned to take the hempSMART brand to a global audience.
MCTC Holdings Inc. (OTC: MCTC)
MCTC Holdings Inc. (OTC: MCTC) is an innovator in the field of cannabinoid nanoparticles and infusion technologies with several important cannabinoid patents filed and an active research and development program underway. The company was reorganized during June of 2019 and announced its intent to enter the cannabis sector and change its corporate identity to Cannabis Global Inc. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.
With the hemp and cannabis industries rapidly expanding in terms of market size, acceptance and number of market participants, MCTC plans to concentrate its efforts on the middle portions of the hemp and cannabis value chain. The company is actively pursuing R&D programs and productization of advanced cannabinoid delivery systems, based on solid polymeric nanoparticles and fibers. These technologies hold the promise to revolutionize the science of cannabinoid bio-enhancement for use in foods, beverages, consumer products and in transdermal applications. Because of nanoparticles’ ability to be quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, nanotechnology has been utilized in the food and drug industry for some time and has the potential for tremendous growth in the cannabis industry (http://nnw.fm/v6RQ6).
Cutting-Edge Technology
MCTC is at the cutting-edge of the cannabis industry’s trends with its emphasis on polymeric nanotechnology. This is not to be confused with the more basic oil-in-water nano-emulsions currently marketed to the food and beverage industry. The company’s polymer-based particles offer significant loading of active ingredients and unmatched flexibility and customization, allowing for myriad combinations of cannabinoids with unique performance characteristics. MCTC believes polymeric nanotechnology particles will be a critical technology area for the cannabinoid formulation marketplace.
The company continues to build its R&D program, specifically researching the development of improving methods to make cannabinoids available to living systems. Instrumental in the research program is the development of novel polymeric nanoparticles and nanofibers. These have the potential to elevate the potential of cannabinoid products in the following ways (http://nnw.fm/cK3Bl):
- Significantly improving bioavailability
- Allowing for ultra-high loading rates
- Enhancing customization of cannabinoid combinations
- Improved dosing precision
- Providing more control in release parameters
MCTC leadership understands the importance of developing intellectual property (IP) in the ever-evolving cannabis industry. A recent Forbes article described IP as “critical for creating true differentiation between companies and their product and service offerings” (http://nnw.fm/57Fjh). Recognizing the importance of IP, MCTC has been consistent in its application for patents to protect its innovative nanotechnology applications.
Patents
MCTC has now filed four patents on its cannabinoid delivery technology systems:
- The company first collaborated with Cannabis Nanosciences Inc. on technologies. This became the basis for its first patent filing on an innovative edible dissolvable film for cannabinoid ingestion.
- Its second patent filing for cannabinoid nanoparticles combined TPGS, a water-soluble form of vitamin E.
- Its third patent filing involved a unique 4th dimension, 3D printed cannabinoid delivery system for beverages.
- Its fourth patent, considered its most significant, broadly covers many aspects of nanoparticles and nano fibers comprising one or more cannabinoids disposed at least partially within a water-soluble medium.
Collaborations
MCTC collaborated with Marijuana Company Inc. (OTCQB: MCOA) subsidiary hempSmart Inc., under a hemp extract and CBD product supply agreement wherein hempSmart will utilize its extensive network of marketing partners to market MCTC’s powered drink mixes and other CBD edibles online. These products are designed for the dry beverage and edibles sector and will be supplied by MCTC. They incorporate the company’s patent-pending cannabinoid infusion technologies and will be trademarked as Hemp You Can Feel (TM) and Gummies You Can Feel (TM).
Leadership
MCTC CEO and chairman Arman Tabatabaei boasts 15 years of management and operations experience and is considered an expert at data collection and analysis relative to resource management, risk forecasting, and profit and loss management. He has acted as a consultant with Cannabis Strategic Ventures (OTCQB: NUGS) and played an instrumental role in improving operations at Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) relative to the company’s hydroponic growth supplies initiatives.
MCTC founder and director Robert Hymers also brings a seasoned perspective, having had significant experiences in the cannabis industry and as a financial executive and consultant. He is the managing partner of Pinnacle Tax Services in Los Angeles and was previously CFO and director of Marijuana Company of America Inc. (OTC: MCOA). He is currently a member of the Strategic Advisory Board at Massroots Inc. and acts as a consultant to both Cannabis Strategic Ventures Inc. and Sugarmade Inc. Hymers’ background in tax accounting, auditing, SEC reporting, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance has immense value in his current position at MCTC Holdings.
National Storm Recovery Inc. (OTC: NSRI)
National Storm Recovery Inc. (OTC: NSRI), through its subsidiaries, including National Storm Recovery, LLC (DBA Central Florida Arbor Care and Mulch Manufacturing, Inc.), provides tree services, debris hauling, removal and bio-mass recycling, manufacturing, packaging and sales of next-generation mulch products. The company’s primary corporate objective is to provide a solution for the treatment and handling of tree debris that is historically sent to local landfills and disposal sites, creating an environmental burden and pressure on disposal sites around the nation.
Environmentally Friendly
National Storm and the solutions provided by its Sustainable Green Team are founded in sustainability. The company’s vertically integrated operations begin with the collection of tree debris through its tree services division and collection sites. Tree bio-mass is then moved through the processing division for recycling and manufacturing into a variety of organic, attractive, next-generation mulch products to be packaged and sold to retailers, landscapers, installers and garden centers.
The company’s solutions create a synergistic and environmentally beneficial solution to tree and storm waste disposal that historically has created an environmental burden on landfills and disposal sites around the nation.
National Storm’s customers include governmental, residential and commercial customers and now big box retailers. The company is headquartered in Florida.
Strategic Acquisition
National Storm in February 2020 acquired 35-year-old industry leader and innovator Mulch Manufacturing, Inc., an Ohio corporation. Structured as a share exchange, this strategic partnership provides National Storm with a significantly larger footprint in the mulch industry.
The acquisition includes Mulch Manufacturing’s national and international distribution agreements, an increase in production and packaging capacity, and its sales contracts with numerous big box retailers. Mulch Manufacturing includes mulch production, sawmill operation, Natures Reflections colorant manufacturing and equipment manufacturing.
Next-Gen Products
National Storm’s vision and commitment to the environment is paired with Mulch Manufacturing’s revolutionary “next-generation” mulch product, Nature’s Reflection’s Softscape®.
Softscape mulch products, created from natural forest products, are color-enhanced with environmentally safe colorants to provide four-year color retention and are free from contaminants. Safe for people and pets, Softscape allows water and air to penetrate soil and roots, which is vital to plant health and growth.
Expansion Plans
National Storm plans to expand its operations through a combination of organic growth, through its partnership with a nationally recognized waste disposal company, and through strategic acquisitions that are both accretive to earnings and positioned for rapid growth from the resulting synergistic opportunities identified.
The company has received final zoning approval for its 100-acre site, located in Lake County, Astatula, Florida, which will serve as the company’s flagship tree debris collection site. The facility will also house the company’s mulch manufacturing, soil composting and production bagging. This prime location includes a 5,000-square-foot building that contains warehouse and office space. The 100-acre property can accommodate millions of cubic yards of organic debris and will allow National Storm’s debris hauling division to realize significant savings on its transportation costs.
National Storm has chosen as its new headquarters the Mulch Manufacturing 100,000-square-foot building in Jacksonville, Florida. The facility comprises centralized operations of Mulch Manufacturing, Inc. and National Storm Recovery, LLC, and has ample room to expand as the needed.
Leadership
National Storm’s Sustainable Green Team boasts more than 40 years of next-level experience with mulch manufacturing, treating and caring for trees. This team is guided by a roster of highly qualified professionals:
- Tony Raynor, Chief Executive Officer
- Edward Lee, Chief Operating Officer
- Ralph Spencer, Director of Business Development, Strategic Acquisitions
- Steve Ogden, ISA-Certified Arborist
- Rick Starcher, Master Chemist
- Peder K. Davisson, Esq., Corporate/Securities Counsel
National Storm Recovery Inc. (OTC: NSRI)
National Storm Recovery Inc. (OTC: NSRI) , through its subsidiaries, including National Storm Recovery, LLC (DBA Central Florida Arbor Care and Mulch Manufacturing, Inc.), provides tree services, debris hauling, removal and bio-mass recycling, manufacturing, packaging and sales of next-generation mulch products. The company’s primary corporate objective is to provide a solution for the treatment and handling of tree debris that is historically sent to local landfills and disposal sites, creating an environmental burden and pressure on disposal sites around the nation.
Environmentally Friendly
National Storm and the solutions provided by its Sustainable Green Team are founded in sustainability. The company’s vertically integrated operations begin with the collection of tree debris through its tree services division and collection sites. Tree bio-mass is then moved through the processing division for recycling and manufacturing into a variety of organic, attractive, next-generation mulch products to be packaged and sold to retailers, landscapers, installers and garden centers.
The company’s solutions create a synergistic and environmentally beneficial solution to tree and storm waste disposal that historically has created an environmental burden on landfills and disposal sites around the nation.
National Storm’s customers include governmental, residential and commercial customers and now big box retailers. The company is headquartered in Florida.
Strategic Acquisition
National Storm in February 2020 acquired 35-year-old industry leader and innovator Mulch Manufacturing, Inc., an Ohio corporation. Structured as a share exchange, this strategic partnership provides National Storm with a significantly larger footprint in the mulch industry.
The acquisition includes Mulch Manufacturing’s national and international distribution agreements, an increase in production and packaging capacity, and its sales contracts with numerous big box retailers. Mulch Manufacturing includes mulch production, sawmill operation, Natures Reflections colorant manufacturing and equipment manufacturing.
Next-Gen Products
National Storm’s vision and commitment to the environment is paired with Mulch Manufacturing’s revolutionary “next-generation” mulch product, Nature’s Reflection’s Softscape®.
Softscape mulch products, created from natural forest products, are color-enhanced with environmentally safe colorants to provide four-year color retention and are free from contaminants. Safe for people and pets, Softscape allows water and air to penetrate soil and roots, which is vital to plant health and growth.
Expansion Plans
National Storm plans to expand its operations through a combination of organic growth, through its partnership with a nationally recognized waste disposal company, and through strategic acquisitions that are both accretive to earnings and positioned for rapid growth from the resulting synergistic opportunities identified.
The company has received final zoning approval for its 100-acre site, located in Lake County, Astatula, Florida, which will serve as the company’s flagship tree debris collection site. The facility will also house the company’s mulch manufacturing, soil composting and production bagging. This prime location includes a 5,000-square-foot building that contains warehouse and office space. The 100-acre property can accommodate millions of cubic yards of organic debris and will allow National Storm’s debris hauling division to realize significant savings on its transportation costs.
National Storm has chosen as its new headquarters the Mulch Manufacturing 100,000-square-foot building in Jacksonville, Florida. The facility comprises centralized operations of Mulch Manufacturing, Inc. and National Storm Recovery, LLC, and has ample room to expand as the needed.
Leadership
National Storm’s Sustainable Green Team boasts more than 40 years of next-level experience with mulch manufacturing, treating and caring for trees. This team is guided by a roster of highly qualified professionals:
- Tony Raynor, Chief Executive Officer
- Edward Lee, Chief Operating Officer
- Ralph Spencer, Director of Business Development, Strategic Acquisitions
- Steve Ogden, ISA-Certified Arborist
- Rick Starcher, Master Chemist
- Peder K. Davisson, Esq., Corporate/Securities Counsel
Nightfood Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: NGTF)
Nightfood Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: NGTF), a pioneering consumer goods brand development company headquartered in Tarrytown, New York, owns Nightfood, Inc., creator of delicious, award-winning and better-for-you ice cream formulated by sleep and nutrition experts, and its wholly owned subsidiary MJ Munchies, Inc., which seeks to capitalize on legally compliant opportunities in the CBD and marijuana edibles and related spaces. Known as “The Nighttime Snack Company,” Nightfood Inc. is focused on improving late-night snacking for consumers and solving America’s $50 billion-dollar nighttime snacking problem.
Nightfood Ice Cream
Nightfood’s higher-protein and sleep-friendly ice cream won the 2019 Product of the Year Award in the ice cream category in a Kantar survey of over 40,000 consumers. The annual Product of the Year survey, the world’s largest consumer-voted award for product innovation, is conducted by Kantar, a global leader in consumer research. In beating out the other finalists, consumers indicated that Nightfood’s one-of-a-kind innovation and unique value proposition made it a clear-cut winner in the ice cream space and a brand they were highly motivated to try.
Nightfood has secured distribution in several major regional supermarket chains and has landed media coverage in major outlets such as The Today Show, The Wall Street Journal, Oprah Magazine, USA Today, The Washington Post, Parents Magazine, and many more.
Over 80% of consumers snack regularly at night, and the most popular choices are cookies, chips, candy, and, of course, ice cream. These are understood to be both unhealthy and sleep-disruptive.
Research indicates that human biological programming combined with the trappings of modern life combine to drive this unhealthy behavior pattern. Every week, hundreds of millions of Americans combine to spend an estimated $1B on snacks consumed between dinner and bed.
In a recent Harris Poll online study, 54% of consumers who snack at night reported often feeling guilty about their nighttime snack choices. 58% said they wish they felt more in control of their nighttime snacking.
Nightfood management believes that the company that solves this massive consumer problem can become a national brand with a billion-dollar valuation.
Formulated by leading sleep and nutrition experts, including America’s most prominent sleep expert, Dr. Michael Breus, Nightfood’s higher protein/higher fiber, and lower sugar ice cream delivers great ice cream taste and texture, while minimizing sleep-disruptive ingredients such as caffeine, excess sugar, and excess fat and calories. The addition of certain minerals, enzymes and amino acids, which research suggests can support sleep quality, is another bonus. Nightfood only uses hormone-free milk, is certified Kosher, and offers eight original flavors, five of which are gluten-free. Nightfood ice cream also uses all-natural sweeteners with no Erythritol, no sucralose, or other artificial sweeteners.
Nightfood has developed a dynamic infographic resource that clearly illustrates the size and scope of the largely untapped nighttime snack category (http://NightSnacking.com). Americans everywhere are likely to identify with the infographic’s results that vividly illustrate late night snacking by age group, popular snack choice, and amount of money spent each week on feeding after-hour snack attacks. Available in eight delicious flavors, Nightfood ice cream can help consumers satisfy nighttime cravings in a better, healthier, more sleep-friendly way.
MJ Munchies, Inc.
MJ Munchies, Inc. was formed in 2018 as a new, wholly owned subsidiary of Nightfood Holdings, Inc. to capitalize on legally compliant opportunities in the CBD and marijuana edibles and related spaces. The Company is seeking licensing opportunities to market such products under the brand name “Half-Baked,” for which they’ve successfully secured trademark rights.
Management Team
Nightfood founder and CEO Sean Folkson is a formerly frustrated nighttime snacker whose late-night cravings led him to seek a better solution for himself and others through the creation, marketing and distribution of the Nightfood product line. Folkson also founded internet marketing company AffiliatePros.com which provided the startup capital to launch Specialty Equipment Direct, an online distributor of floor removal equipment that quickly grew to 7-figure revenues. Folkson received a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing from S.U.N.Y Albany, New York, in 1991.
Jim Christensen, vice president of Nightfood Ice Cream, is the former vice president of Ice Cream Sales with global ice cream giant Unilever. In his over 20 years at Unilever, Christensen led sales and distribution initiatives for brands such as Ben & Jerry’s, Klondike, Breyers and Good Humor. Christensen joined the Nightfood team in June of 2018 with the directive to launch Nightfood ice cream rapidly into national distribution. Understanding that the overwhelming majority of at-home ice cream consumption occurs in the hours before bed, Christensen has identified Nightfood as the next evolution in better-for-you ice cream.
CFO Mark Noffke, CPA, has over 37 years of experience as a seasoned financial and management professional. He has served as chief financial officer of several small-cap public companies since 2004 where he oversaw virtually every aspect of the company’s operations, administration, customer service and human resources. Noffke has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Valparaiso University in Indiana.
Advisory Board
The Nightfood advisory board includes Tom Morse, founder of 5-Hour Energy and Living Essentials, LLC.; Doron Stern, former vice president of marketing at Chobani and Popcorn, Indiana; restaurateur and celebrity Chef Chris Santos; Paul Jarrett, CEO of fast-growing nutrition startup BuluBox; Eric Egeland, president of Capacity Consulting Inc.; Dr. Michael A. Grandner, director/Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona; Dr. Michael Breus, sleep expert and best-selling author known to millions as The Sleep Doctor(TM); Dr. Lauren Broch, resident nutrition, sleep disorder expert and a member of the scientific advisory board.
No Borders Inc. (OTC: NBDR)
No Borders Inc. (OTC: NBDR) specializes in the acquisition, creation and scaling of commercial products by utilizing cutting-edge technologies designed to reduce costs while increasing revenues and shareholder value. With active subsidiaries in healthcare, education, cannabidiol (CBD), finance and technology, No Borders is uniquely positioned to use its expertise to improve margins and add business lines within target verticals. No Borders is headquartered in Arizona with remote work resources in the U.S., South America, Asia and Europe.
Different by Design
Deeply experienced at actionable data compilation, analysis and utilization, No Borders believes that data utilization in a Web 3 ecosystem of predictive analytics, blockchains, consensus algorithms, IoT and 5G are vital keys to the future of disrupting global business.
The company leverages its technological talent and visionary approach alongside best-in-class branding, messaging and product teams to simultaneously deploy multiple vertical product offerings at the same time.
With resources around the world, No Borders operates as a 100% remote work, lean operating organization with a founding ideological focus on “Lifestyle by Design.” No Borders’ teams are built by allowing people to work when they want and from where they want as long as deliverables and results are achieved. This structure allows for strategic talent acquisition without the need for relocation or commuting; lowered operating and fixed costs; as well as improved morale and substantially increased staff productivity.
NBDR Companies
- No Borders Dental Resources Inc. provides equipment and supplies to medical and dental professionals across the U.S. through the trade name, MediDent Supplies. MediDent has a strategic focus on expanding product portfolios and optimizing lifetime customer value while minimizing customer acquisition cost in the medical, dental and veterinary spaces.
- No Borders Naturals is a purveyor of health and wellness products for active consumers and their pets. No Borders Naturals aims to be an industry leader in alternative wellness product offerings and is currently expanding its digital offering with impactful product up-sell opportunities such as a series of “Buy Two-Get One” on products on its 1000mg CBD tincture, collagen and retinol beauty cream.
- No Borders Labs Inc. provides leading-edge tech tools to the No Borders family of companies along with building, testing and deploying technology solutions and products to the market while also offering consulting, architecture and software development services to external businesses looking to update their technology infrastructure for greater efficiency, security and transparency.
- No Borders Funding Inc. provides internal capital and strategic funding options for the family of No Borders companies while actively engaging and networking to find, acquire, structure and deploy unique financial products, solutions and systems with traditional, distributed ledger and blockchain technologies.
- No Borders Education Inc. provides internal staff training and strategic education tools for the No Borders family of companies while pursuing external revenue generating educational opportunities within the verticals for which No Borders deploys products, services or technologies.
Leadership
No Borders CEO Joseph Snyder is a serial entrepreneur whose experiences in real estate investment, financial services and digital strategy over the last 15 years provide a strong, grounded foundation for the structure and ideas outlined in the company’s strategic plan. He brings a unique set of long-term business experiences that provide No Borders with a clear “mile-high” view of the intricately linked systems and challenges associated with growing and scaling our vision.
COO Cynthia Tanabe, a licensed real estate agent/broker since 2004, has successfully built a highly respected investor and bank-focused real estate and property management firm in Arizona with tens of millions of dollars of properties owned and sold.
CTO Chris Brown has 14 years of experience in the IT industry ranging from full stack programming, hardware support, engineering and maintenance, to enterprise-level information system analysis, design, development and implementation. From his background in Air Force intelligence to earning dual B.S. degrees in computational mathematics and biochemistry from Arizona State University, Brown has been engrossed with technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and decentralized blockchain ledger systems and their connections with real world business applications.
Management is backed by an advisory board with a diverse range of expertise blockchain, brand development, specialty retail, branded consumer products, technology, marketing and other specialties pertinent to No Borders’ growth strategy.
ORHub Inc. (ORHB)
ORHub Inc. (ORHB) is a growth-stage data analytics company on a mission to optimize the business of surgery through lean process improvement. As a Microsoft Silver Partner, ORHub leverages the Azure cloud to help customers unlock the power of data captured in the operating room by surfacing key business indicators into a curated set of dynamic dashboards.
ORHub’s Surgical Spotlight® is a cloud-based analytics tool that helps administrators, nurse leaders and surgeons make improved business decisions for the operating room. By taking data feeds from the facility’s Operating Room Information System, ORHub produces a functional and elegant dashboard that allows users to easily identify opportunities for improvement.
These capabilities allow providers to harness data, identify millions of dollars in opportunities, and get leaders back to their primary focus of improving care, increasing patient access and reducing costs. A first-of-kind team building tool brings all stakeholders together with regular and accessible information. ORHub specializes in business intelligence for the operating room, built by professionals with experience in the operating room.
Surgical Spotlight video featuring renowned cardiac surgeon and ORHub Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robert (“Bobby”) Lazzara
Partnerships
ORHub is proud to partner with top tier facilities and organizations, including:
- Hoag Orthopedic Institute & Hoag Memorial Hospital in the Providence network
- Baptist Health, Jacksonville
- Alvarado Hospital Medical Center in the Prime network
- Orthopedic Institute Surgery Center in the SMP network
- Anderson Regional Medical Center
ORHub has attended and presented at several events in 2019, also gaining approval to present Surgical Spotlight® at nursing forums and offer 1.2 contact hours toward Continuing Education Units (CEU) from Terri Goodman, RN, PhD, & Associates, an approved provider by the California Board of Registered Nursing (provider number CEP 16550).
Industry Statistics
The U.S. surgical market continues to grow, with over 5,500 hospitals and 6,100 ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) performing over 50 million medical procedures annually. According to MarketsandMarkets, the global health care analytics market will approach $50 billion by 2024 with a five-year Compound Annual Growth Rate (“CAGR”) of 28.3% from 2019.
Management Team
Chief Executive Officer Colt Melby has over 30 years of experience in both public and private companies as a senior level executive. He is an active entrepreneur and investor who focuses on high-growth companies.
Chief Financial Officer Barney Monte has more than 20 years of global investment banking and capital markets experience. He has worked with numerous growth stage companies.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robert “Bobby” Lazzara is a distinguished cardiac surgeon, a medical media expert, and founder of Medical News Minute. He performed the first worldwide webcast of open-heart surgery in August 1998 through the Virtual Operating Room and is a Smithsonian Laureate for his pioneering work utilizing the internet and information technology as a health care educational tool. Dr. Lazzara has been a member of advisory boards and a consultant to major corporations and medical device companies.
Investor Relations
Jason Brown
Jason.Brown@ORHub.com
(714) 228-5667
OriginClear (OTC: OCLN)
OriginClear (OTC: OCLN) leads the self-reliant water revolution, deploying advanced technologies at the point of use, with modular, prefabricated systems that create durable assets and water independence for industry, commerce and agriculture.
Failing infrastructure and the rising cost of water are driving businesses to treat their own water. OriginClear leads this megatrend with on-premise systems enabling very high purification and recycling levels that centralized systems cannot achieve.
Systems installed at the point of use become productive assets for businesses that also increase property values. And OriginClear helps corporations improve their environmental, social and governance (ESG) standings with world-class water management.
Operations & Markets
OriginClear leads a new generation of water companies that focus on meeting the needs of businesses looking for compact, advanced technologies that can be shipped to and installed at the point of use. The company manufactures and distributes its professional-grade water treatment and conveyance products to commercial and industrial properties, fielding both direct and indirect sales channels to reach end-market clients such as hotels and resorts, real estate housing developments, office buildings, military installations, schools, farms, food and beverage manufacturers, industrial warehouse, oil and gas producers, and medical and pharmaceutical facilities.
From its Texas-based factory, OriginClear designs and prefabricates an entire line of plug-n-play containerized units called Modular Water Systems™ that enable water purification, recycling and wastewater management.
Industrial Pretreatment Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) designed by Daniel M. Early, using reinforced thermoplastic modules.
These onsite modular products provide clients with water independence through ownership and operational control over water quality, enabling them to increase productivity while reducing environmental, health and safety risks from pollution, contamination and corrosion. Modular water products are trusted to balance performance with cost-effectiveness, enabling business users to go well beyond municipal standards for water quality, therefore achieving high levels of satisfaction for their own customers, and improved sustainability for their properties.
OriginClear’s water treatment equipment can boost real estate asset value as a fundamental capital improvement, combined with long-lasting water savings for the corporate bottom line.
Product Portfolio
OriginClear groups its products into three main categories:
- Water Treatment: achieving high grade purification.
- Water Conveyance: water transportation and pumping.
- Advanced Technologies: commercialization of innovative technologies.
OriginClear’s complete line of compact, on-site, point-of-use products include: advanced purification systems that are skid, rack-mounted and containerized for reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, media filtration, disinfection, water softening, ion exchange and electrodeionization (EDI), combined as needed in small to medium commercial and industrial applications, and custom-build projects. Water conveyance products include pump and lifting stations, modular storage tanks, and control monitoring panels.
OriginClear’s line of modular water products and systems is key to the self-reliant water treatment revolution as they create “instant infrastructure” – fully engineered, prefabricated and prepackaged systems that use durable, sophisticated materials. The units are available in standard capacities for onsite closed-loop systems at commercial business locations.
The company’s rugged wastewater treatment plants, highly reliable pump stations, and premium water purification units typically offer 25 percent lower initial costs over conventional systems, with greater quality and full connectivity. These pump stations and wastewater treatment products utilize high density thermo-plastics (HDPE) and proprietary, innovative prefabrication methods and materials that deliver the longest life and strongest products.
Breakthrough Technologies
OriginClear has a long history of innovation through its OriginClear Technologies division, which is responsible for identifying leading-edge technologies to solve today’s toughest challenges. These advanced technologies are the centerpiece of the division’s international licensee network. The technologies are developed in OriginClear Technologies, and licensees integrate them into their own products.
Electro Water Separation™ (EWS) and Advanced Oxidation (AOx™) are the principal, well-proven technologies.
EWS is OriginClear’s breakthrough water cleanup technology which utilizes a catalytic process to concentrate and eliminate suspended solids in the worst commercial and industrial wastewater.
AOx is OriginClear’s proprietary advanced oxidation technology which generates a dense cloud of ozone, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals, dramatically reducing or eliminating dissolved organic microtoxins, including bacteria and viruses, hormones, drugs, pesticides such as Roundup, and synthetics. AOx has also been shown to effectively reduce harmful chemicals such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide – the “rotten egg” smell in crude oil that reduces its value.
Through international licensing and partnerships, OriginClear’s advanced technologies are being adopted to treat tough water problems in East and South Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and North America.
Market Opportunity
In just 10 years, the global water services market has doubled into a trillion-dollar industry, driven by improper sanitation and water scarcity. Only 20 percent of all sewage and only 30 percent of all industrial waste are ever treated. Additionally, water leakage results in the loss of 35 percent of all clean water across the planet; reducing that percentage by half would provide clean water for 100 million people. This is a situation of great danger, but also great potential.
The statistics demonstrate that we can no longer rely on the efficiencies of giant, centralized water utilities to meet these challenges. An increasing number of businesses are starting to take notice, instead conducting their own water treatment and recycling. Whether by choice or out of necessity, those businesses that do invest in onsite water systems get a tangible asset on their business and real estate, and can enjoy better water quality at a lower cost.
Out of the public’s eye and with OriginClear’s help, a growing number of self-reliant businesses are building Decentralized Water Wealth™ for themselves while also helping their community. They know that environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing guidelines, which represent $22 trillion of assets under management around the world, specifically note the key indicator of how well corporations manage their water.
10,000 Gallon per Day Industrial Membrane Bioreactor Waste Water Treatment Plant designed by Daniel M. Early, PE, using long-lived Structural Reinforced ThermoPlastic (SRTP)
OriginClear is a key enabler of ESG water management for corporations that are increasingly responsible for what was once delegated to central utilities. For example, when a corporation manages its own water, and uses OriginClear’s proprietary hybrid treatment methods, it can significantly reduce both water use and nutrient footprints (carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus) in one compact package.
These hybrid processes feature advanced blackwater treatment with advanced clean water processing. They can convert toxic nutrients to less harmful compounds, and even capture them for beneficial reuse purposes, as shown in OriginClear’s recent case study.
Revenue Growth through Synergy
Since OriginClear acquired it in 2015, Progressive Water Treatment has generated steady revenues in the range of a million dollars a quarter. It is now the Fabrication and Manufacturing Division for the whole company. The team at Modular Water Systems, headed by Chief Engineer Daniel M. Early, is responsible for overall design and high-level engineering. It relies on the Fabrication and Manufacturing Division to add incremental revenue for its modular product line, without requiring large increases in personnel.
OriginClear believes that these two business units can develop growing revenues through synergy and ultimately help achieve overall profitability. OriginClear also seeks to acquire profitable water companies that can complement the synergy of its existing units and accelerate both revenues and profitability. However, acquisitions are neither guaranteed, nor essential to OriginClear’s continued growth.
Leadership
OriginClear’s management team brings strong leadership and a background in managing business operations, sales, technologies, and finance. The team combines idealism with solid commercial skills, achieving a triple bottom line of environmental, social and financial gain.
Riggs Eckelberry – Chairman, CEO and Co-founder
Riggs Eckelberry is a veteran technology manager who led companies to multiple exits during the high-tech boom of the 90s and early 2000s. Eckelberry came to the water industry from a quarter century in high technology, specializing in commercializing breakthrough technologies. During the dotcom boom, he worked on a series of tech successes, such as Quarterdeck’s CleanSweep; security software vendor Panda Software; and the sale of companies to EarthWeb, BeFree, and BellSouth. Just prior to founding what is now OriginClear, he helped drive security software company CyberDefender to an IPO on the Nasdaq as its president and chief operating officer.
Thomas Marchesello – Chief Operating Officer
Thomas Marchesello is a business operations and technology executive with over 20 years’ experience in manufacturing and distribution of products and services. He has 12 years in private equity M&A, doing buyside acquisitions of small to midsize corporations. He has over 10 years advising innovative corporations on ESG strategy and speaks often about industry trends. He began his career in the U.S. Air Force, Space Command Headquarters for environmental sciences. He has held key roles for Fortune 500 companies such as Sony, Thompson Reuters, Morgan Stanley, and Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
Daniel M. Early, PE – Senior Engineer
For the past 25 years, Dan Early has worked as an engineered products development specialist with very strong understanding of the complex and interconnected disciplines, economies, and governmental regulation needed to develop and sustain modern civil infrastructure systems that reflect a balance of environmental stewardship, social expectations, and cultural requirements. Since 2010, Early has specialized in the research, development, and deployment of next generation water infrastructure technologies using heavy plastic manufacturing. His initiatives and innovations anchor Modular Water Systems’ product line.
Marc Stevens – Director of Fabrication and Manufacturing
Marc Stevens brings nearly 40 years of experience to OriginClear’s manufacturing team. His experience in mechanical design, equipment fabrication, installation and a wide range of projects led to his founding what is now OriginClear’s Fabrication and Manufacturing Division. He supervises the design, building and installation of customized, large-scale water treatment systems, including purification technologies for process waters for boilers and cooling towers, drinking water and various industrial waste water applications. Stevens leads the team that also manufactures OriginClear’s standardized Modular Water Systems.
Petroteq Energy Inc. (TSX.V: PQE) (OTC: PQEFF)
Petroteq Energy Inc. (TSX.V: PQE) (OTC: PQEFF) is a Canadian-registered, publicly traded company engaged in the development and implementation of proprietary technologies for the environmentally safe extraction of heavy oils from oil sands, oil shale deposits and shallow oil deposits. The company is focused on oil sands exploration and production on mineral leases in Vernal, Utah, and in expanding production capacity at its Asphalt Ridge heavy oil extraction facility in Utah.
Petroteq Energy’s patent-pending application is a closed-loop, solvent-based process, which results in significantly lower per-barrel production costs than those incurred with traditional hot water-based oil sands extraction technologies. This green technology utilizes a small, modular footprint, produces no greenhouse gases, requires no high temperatures, leaves only clean dry sand, and could be deployed to unlock heavy oil deposits located around the world.
The Company’s Asphalt Ridge mineral lease on 2,500-plus acres in northeastern Utah features a large contingent oil sands resource base with an estimated 87 million barrels of oil equivalent. In 2015, the company produced 10,000 barrels of oil from the Utah location and plans to increase production are underway. Utah holds over 32 billion barrels of undeveloped oil sands resources, which are also known as “oil-wet” deposits containing a mixture of sand and a dense, extremely viscous form of petroleum referred to as bitumen or tar. A recent upswing in developing domestic energy sources has intensified interest in technological advances such as Petroteq’s Clean Oil Recovery Technology (CORT) System.
The Company continues to evaluate the development of other medium to heavy oil exploration, production and recovery projects on a global basis through a variety of structured agreements. These opportunities or other arrangements with private and governmental entities that utilize Petroteq Energy’s proprietary licensed technologies are expected to generate a significant return on investment.
The Company’s management team, board of directors and officers form an invaluable cross-section of industry leaders with extensive experience ranging from chemical engineering and solvent research, business development, international project management, entrepreneurial achievements, and senior management for global energy companies in North America and the Middle East. This impressive knowledge base covers both conventional and unconventional oil and gas projects and production, both in upstream and downstream industry sectors.
Petroteq Energy is also participating in a blockchain initiative aimed at solving the global transaction needs of the oil and gas industry through the development of PetroBLOQ. PetroBLOQ recently joined the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (“EEA”), the world’s largest open-source blockchain initiative. Membership with the 200-member EEA represents a wide variety of industries and offers 14 industry-focused, member-driven working groups.
“Joining this community of forward-looking enterprises and blockchain innovators is an important step for PetroBLOQ as we develop transformative solutions for the oil and gas industry,” said Petroteq Energy Chairman Alex Blyumkin.
In addition, Petroteq has joined the American Petroleum Institute (API). The API is the only national trade association representing all facets of the oil and natural gas industry, promoting safety across the industry globally and influencing public policy in support of a strong, viable oil and natural gas industry.
“API has led the development of operating standards for our industry, and we look forward to contributing our experience with oilfield technologies in addition to introducing our PetroBLOQ platform to its members throughout the supply chain,” Blyumkin previously stated.
Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQX: PLPRF)
Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQX: PLPRF) is a branded cannabis-infused products manufacturer of edibles created to support a healthy and active lifestyle. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, PLUS™ concentrates on producing edibles using extracts to ensure compliant, dosable and delicious products that provide a consistent cannabis experience.
First introduced to the market in 2015 to rave reviews, PLUS™ is now one of the top best-selling edible brands in California. PLUS™ operates through a wholly owned subsidiary, Carberry, and has four cannabis-infused gummy candy SKUs (in addition to limited edition SKUs), that are currently sold in over 200 licensed dispensaries and delivery services. All products under the PLUS™ brand are produced in the company’s 12,000-square-foot food-safe cannabis manufacturing facility in Adelanto, California.
PLUS Products shares are currently listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. PLUS™ raised CAD$20 million through the offering, for which the lead underwriters were PI Financial and Canaccord Genuity. The company intends to use a portion of the IPO proceeds to fund rapid product capacity expansion, factory automation, working capital and new product development.
Operating in the largest adult-use recreational market in the U.S., PLUS Products holds a temporary manufacturing license in California and was one of the first brands to bring fully compliant products to the legal market. California legalized adult use recreational sales on Jan. 1, 2018, and industry analysts expect edible sales there will continue to amass enviable revenues. According to BDS Analytics, edibles made up 18 percent of marijuana retail sales in February 2018 across licensed retailers in California, with PLUS™ products ranking in the Top 10 of edible brands by retail dollar sales.
During the first half of 2018, PLUS Products generated US$2.45 million in sales, a marked improvement over 2017’s US$1.07 million in sales. The company’s established cannabis products are not only compliant with state laws, they are proving to be extremely popular with consumers. Among the PLUS™ product brands are:
- Blackberry & Lemon RESTORE, an infusion of carefully dosed cannabis with a 9:1 THC to CBD per gummy.
- Sour Watermelon UPLIFT, a low-calorie gummy crafted from carefully dosed cannabis with an infusion of 5mg THC per gummy.
- Pineapple & Coconut CBD RELIEF, a tropical flavor gummy made from pure cannabis-derived CBD that is low-calorie, gluten-free and made with kosher ingredients.
- Sour Blueberry CREATE, a low-calorie gummy infused with hybrid flower containing 5 mg THC.
- Limited Edition Rose & Vanilla, available at select locations during Winter 2018, these gummies are crafted with 60 mg THC/30 mg CBD per tin.
- Limited Edition RAINBOW SORBET gummies was created to celebrate Pride during Spring 2018 with a portion of each purchase donated to The Trevor Project, a confidential suicide hotline for LGBT youth.
“We are extremely proud of the products PLUS has brought to market,” remarked Jake Heimark, CEO and cofounder in a statement. “We’ve quickly grown into one of the leading edible brands in California. With the proceeds of this round, we will continue to further our mission: to make cannabis safe and approachable for all types of consumers.”
The PLUS™ team believes that everyone deserves access to consistent, dosable and delicious cannabis products and strives to make that happen. Producing the best infused products at scale requires thoughtful collaboration among experts in many fields. At PLUS™, our team is comprised of Chefs, Chemists, Food Manufacturing Experts, Engineers, Machinists, Visionaries, Creatives, Strategists and others.
Predictive Oncology (NASDAQ: POAI)
Predictive Oncology (NASDAQ: POAI) is a knowledge-driven precision medicine company focused on applying data and artificial intelligence (AI) to personalized medicine and drug discovery. The company applies its smart tumor profiling and AI platform to extensive genomic and biomarker patient data sets to build predictive models of tumor drug response to improve clinical outcomes for the cancer patients of today and tomorrow. The company has several tools that support its mission of bringing precision medicine to the treatment of cancer.
Through its subsidiaries, Predictive Oncology’s portfolio of assets includes the following:
- A database of clinically validated historical and outcome data from patient tumors
- An in-house Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified lab
- A “smart” patient-derived tumor profiling platform
- An in-house bioinformatics artificial intelligence (AI) platform
- A new computerized approach growing tumors in the lab to rapidly develop patient specific treatment options
- An FDA-approved fluid collection and disposal system
Using these resources, and in collaboration with key players in the pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotech industries Predictive Oncology is working to determine the best pathways for more individualized and effective cancer treatment.
Subsidiaries
Predictive Oncology leverages the synergies of its three wholly owned subsidiaries to bring precision medicine to the diagnosis of cancer.
Helomics applies artificial intelligence to its rich data gathered from the company’s trove of more than 150,000 tumors to personalize cancer therapies for patients as well as drive the development of new targeted therapies in collaborations with pharmaceutical companies. This database, the largest of its kind in the world, is comprised of ovarian, head and neck, colon and pancreas tumors. Helomic’s CLIA-certified lab provides clinical testing that assists oncologists in individualizing patient treatment decisions, by providing an evidence-based roadmap for therapy.
In addition to its proprietary precision oncology platform, Helomics offers boutique CRO services that leverage its TruTumor™ patient-derived tumor models coupled to a wide range of multi-omics assays (genomics, proteomics and biochemical), and an AI-powered proprietary platform (D-CHIP) to provide a tailored solution to its clients’ specific needs.
TumorGenesis is developing a new, rapid approach to growing tumors in the laboratory without the use of rats or mice, allowing for the identification of biomarkers indicative of cancer. This methodology “fools” the tumor into thinking it is still in the body. As a result, the tumor reacts as it naturally would, thereby increasing the accuracy of the biomarker. Once the biomarkers are identified, they can be used in TumorGenesis’ Oncology Capture Technology Platforms which isolate and helps categorize an individual patient’s heterogeneous tumor samples to enable development of patient-specific treatment options.
Skyline Medical’s patented, FDA-cleared STREAMWAY® System is the first true, direct-to-drain fluid disposal system designed specifically for medical applications such as radiology, endoscopy, urology and cystoscopy procedures. The STREAMWAY system is changing the way healthcare facilities collect and dispose of potentially infectious waste fluid by connecting directly to a facility’s plumbing system to automate the collection, measurement and disposal of waste fluids.
The STREAMWAY minimizes human intervention for better safety and improves compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other regulatory agency safety guidelines. The STREAMWAY eliminates canisters, carts and evacuated bottles, which reduces overhead costs and minimizes environmental impact by helping to eliminate the approximately 50 million potentially disease-infected canisters that go into landfills annually in the United Sates.
Skyline has achieved sales in five of the seven continents through both direct sales and distributor partners.
Competitive Advantage
Precision medicine has become the holy grail of cancer therapeutics. Data driven predictive models of tumors and their responses are critical in both new drug development and individualized patient treatment. The race has begun to model various tumors, which takes 5 to 7 years of clinical evaluation to establish historical and outcome data.
Predictive Oncology enjoys significant competitive advantage. The company already has a vast historical collection of tumors and related data, plus the ability to obtain existing associated outcome data. While others wait for outcome data, Predictive Oncology is in a unique and powerful position, working to deliver the promise of precision medicine to reality. Predictive Oncology already has the clinical data, including how a tumor responded to certain drugs, an in-house bioinformatics AI platform, and only needs to do the tumor sequencing. The significance is underscored by the collaboration with UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital, designed to reveal which mutations responded to which drug then develop powerful predictive models for future testing and treatment.
Leadership Team
Dr. Carl Schwartz was appointed to Skyline Medical’s board of directors in March 2015 and became interim president and CEO in May 2016. Dr. Schwartz became CEO of Plastics Research Corporation in 1988, leading the company to become the largest manufacturer of structural foam molding products in the U.S. with more than $60 million in revenues and 300 employees by the time he retired in 2001. He holds a bachelor’s degree and DDS degree from the University of Detroit.
CFO Bob Myers has over 30 years of experience in multiple industries focusing on medical device service and manufacturing. He has spent much of his career as a CFO and controller. Myers holds an MBA in Finance from Adelphi University and a BBA in public accounting from Hofstra University.
Gerald Vardzel, President of Helomics, has over 25 years of healthcare executive management experience developing and implementing commercialization strategies and models for technology launches. His Go-To-Market expertise includes equity financing, strategic planning, market intelligence, M&A, and new market development in both start-up and established settings including fortune 500 market leaders. He has developed innovative solutions for both CLIA and FDA regulatory paths defining the delivery chains from discovery to clinical acceptance. Mr. Vardzel also has significant experience designing and implementing sales and marketing programs tailored not only to expand market share, but to empirically assess client satisfaction, strengthen business processes, and maximize profitability. Mr. Vardzel was previously Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategic Initiatives at Global Specimen Solutions. Furthermore, as an executive affiliate to the healthcare industry, he routinely consults for several small-to-mid sized private equity firms advising on, in part, the feasibility of acquisition targets. Mr. Vardzel graduated from the University of Pittsburgh.
Dr. Mark Collins, Chief Information Officer of Helomics, has held multiple executive roles in a variety of discovery, informatics and bioinformatics functions within global pharma, and founded three startup software companies in the machine learning and drug discovery space. In 2001, Dr. Collins worked for Cellomics (now part of Thermo Fisher Scientific), where he played a pivotal role in establishing the High-Content Cell Analysis market, building and commercializing several key informatics and bioinformatics products. After leaving Thermo Fisher, Dr. Collins developed and commercialized informatics solutions for clinical and translational research, specifically in the specimen tracking, omics data management and NGS analysis space, through key roles at BioFortis, Global Specimens Solutions and Genedata. Dr. Collins received his undergraduate degree in Applied Science from the University of Wolverhampton, UK and his Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Surrey, UK.
Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO)
Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO) develops, markets and sells proprietary laboratory instrumentation and associated consumables to the life sciences sample preparation market. Sample preparation refers to the wide range of activities that precede most forms of scientific analysis. It is often complex and time-consuming, yet a critical part of scientific research. The market for sample preparation products is currently estimated at $6 billion worldwide.
The Company's product line can be used to exquisitely control the sample preparation process. It is based on a patented, enabling technology platform called pressure cycling technology ("PCT"). PCT uses alternating cycles of hydrostatic pressure between ambient (14.5 psi) and ultra-high levels (up to 100,000 psi) to safely and reproducibly control critical biological processes, such as the lysis (breakage) of cells, the digestion of proteins, and the inactivation of pathogens.
Pressure BioSciences' product line is led by its newly released, next-generation Barocycler 2320EXTREME instrument. Named a finalist in the prestigious 2017 R&D Awards (also known as the "Oscars of Innovation"), the Barocycler 2320EXT is already being touted by some key opinion leaders as an essential element of the $1.8 billion U.S. "Cancer Moonshot" program. For example, Professor Phil Robinson, Co-head of the cancer research center of the Children's Medical Research Institute (Sydney, Australia), said in a recent interview: "We are collecting the whole proteome on 70,000 tumor samples from all classes where complete clinical outcome is known. Due to its unique capabilities, the Barocycler 2320EXT has become a critical part of our program. It is the primary enabler of the high-throughput component of the project. Without this step, our project simply could not be done. In fact, the Barocycler 2320EXT works so well we have just purchased two more."
Momentum is building when it comes to the potential for using the Company's unique PCT technology platform. Leading scientists are intrigued by Pressure BioSciences' approach, which among other attributes, revolutionizes the process of rupturing cells (lysis) for further study, yielding superior biomolecules for investigation. The Company's technology transcends current methods of breaking open cells, which use chemicals, blades, metal beads, or other damaging and altering methods that can ultimately adversely affect the result for researchers. Pressure BioSciences' PCT technology utilizes customized, controlled hydrostatic (water) pressure to rupture cells in a chamber, enabling exquisitely customized levels of pressure to optimally break open different types of cells at prescribed pressure levels—something never before accomplished in a commercial setting. Using this pioneering method, the result is a truer, more legitimate sample, which boosts the efficacy of research and the quality of results. The potential impact of this technology on scientific advancement is enormous, enabling research scientists to begin their studies with biological samples of unprecedented integrity, with the potential to improve research outcomes at the earliest, most critical step. PCT can additionally inactivate pathogens (e.g., viruses, bacteria) using hydrostatic pressure, making the samples safer to study—another innovation with astronomical potential for application in a variety of markets.
The Company's high-pressure instruments for research purposes are marketed throughout the United States, Europe, China and Japan. To date, Pressure BioSciences has installed nearly 300 PCT Systems in over 165 leading academic, government, biotech and pharma laboratories around the world. Its primary applications are in biomarker discovery, forensics, agriculture and pathology. Over 100 scientific papers have been published on the advantages of the PCT platform, which is also being used in the specialized fields of drug discovery and design, bio-therapeutics characterization, soil and plant biology, vaccine development and histology.
Impressive as their biotech business is, there is more to the PBI story. Pressure BioSciences recently received two patents in China for its novel Ultra Shear Technology (UST), a process that has potential in a wide range of industrial applications, including extending the shelf life of some food products and making two insoluble liquids (like oil in water) soluble. Patents have also been filed in many other countries worldwide. UST is a novel technique based on the use of intense shear forces generated from ultra-high-pressure valve discharge.
This important technology has the potential to play a significant role in a number of commercially important areas through its ability to create high-quality, stable nanoemulsions. Scientific studies indicate that improved absorption, higher bioavailability, greater stability, lower surfactant levels and other advantages can be achieved with nanoemulsions – all hugely important factors in the fields of nutraceuticals, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and in various medical products. There is an enormous opportunity in the cannabis market, since the technology can potentially reduce oil droplets containing cannabidiol (CBD) to nanoparticles, after which they can be safely suspended in a stable water solution—something many companies have endeavored to achieve without success. Researchers looking for a way to increase the bioavailability of cannabinoids in the body will find this technology a game changer.
The Company's UST technology also has possibilities in the production of clean label foods, which are currently processed using several innovative methods, including high-pressure treatments (such as Starbucks' Evolution line of juices). In 2015, the worldwide market for high-pressure processed (HPP) food was estimated at U.S. $10 billion. UST uses ultra-high pressures and certain valves to generate intense shear forces under controlled temperature conditions to produce nanoemulsions, and which also significantly reduces food-borne pathogens. Pressure BioSciences' initial focus with this technology will be to evaluate UST for the production of high-quality dairy products and beverages.
Sharing Services Global Corporation (SHRG)
Sharing Services Global Corporation (SHRG), formerly Sharing Services Inc., is a diversified company dedicated to maximizing shareholder value, operating through two primary subsidiaries: Elepreneurs Holdings, a direct-selling company, and Elevacity Holdings, a products company. Headquartered in Plano, Texas, SHRG markets and distributes Elevate-branded health and wellness products through an independent sales force of distributors called Elepreneurs.
Proprietary Products
SHRG’s current exclusive Elevate product offerings are marketed under the Elevacity brand, so named to signify the company’s commitment to elevating lives.
The Elevate health and wellness product line consists of nutraceutical products that SHRG refers to as D.O.S.E., which stands for dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins – all of which are key hormones proven to promote happiness and well-being.
Elevacity brand products are carefully formulated, chosen and designed to support a single objective: elevate the happiness and well-being of the consumer.
Global Network of Elepreneurs
Elevacity products are shared and sold by a growing international network of home-based entrepreneurs, called Elepreneurs, operated by Elepreneurs Holdings. This SHRG subsidiary provides basic and advanced programs for both new and experienced entrepreneurs who are focusing on their direct-sales careers.
SHRG’s high-performing independent sales force follows the company’s Blue Ocean selling strategy, an approach that encourages individuals to seek new markets, lead, and to “stop competing and start creating.” The Blue Ocean strategy is based on the book, “Blue Ocean Strategy,” written by Professor Renée Mauborgne, who notes that “the lesson here is that the best defense is offense, and the best offense… is to make a blue ocean shift and create your own blue ocean.”
Following this selling strategy, SHRG’s Elepreneurs are taught that, rather than competing directly in a competitive, direct-selling market, they should focus on making competitors irrelevant and succeeding in an uncontested marketplace.
In addition, SHRG’s Elepreneurs use the interactive, video-based VERB sales-marketing platform developed by Verb Technology Company Inc. The app utilizes proprietary interactive video data collection and analysis technology and provides next-generation customer relationship management, lead generation, and video marketing software applications.
Continued Momentum as Industry Leader
These selling strategies have resulted in sharp and consistent revenue gains. In the company’s 10-Q filed with the SEC for the three months ended Oct. 31, 2019, SHRG reported sales of $38.8 million for fiscal Q2 2019, an increase of 116% over sales of $17.9 million reported for the comparable quarter of 2018. Consolidated gross profit jumped by $16.2 million to $27.4 million for the same period compared to Q2 2018.
SHRG’s consolidated operating earnings were $3.9 million in the fiscal quarter ended Oct. 31, 2019, compared to $866,802 for the comparable period the prior year. Consolidated gross margin also grew 70.9% for the three months ended Oct. 31, 2019, compared to 62.2% the prior year.
These numbers are continuing a trend established over the past two years. In fiscal Q1 2019, SHRG achieved revenues of $35.4 million, more than double that of the comparable period in 2018. Even earlier, the company reported sales of $85.9 million for fiscal year ended April 30, 2019. This represents a nine-fold increase, or $77.5 million jump, over the company’s revenues of $8.4 million the prior year.
These numbers bring SHRG’s sales revenues since December 2017 — when the company’s Elevate product line was released — to an impressive cumulative total of $169 million.
Preparing for Success
SHRG is well prepared to continue and accommodate for this growth. The company recently expanded its corporate footprint by moving to a 10,000-square-foot facility in Plano, Texas, that offers ample room to expand as the company grows and flourish. The larger corporate locale provides space for a growing customer service department, product fulfillment, opportunity and training rooms, as well as a video production suite.
In addition, the company has a seasoned, expert leadership team in place, led by John “JT” Thatch. Thatch was appointed president and CEO of SHRG in March 2018, bringing to the company his expertise obtained from successfully starting, owning and operating several businesses in various industries. His experience with corporate growth, acquisitions, financing and negotiation in fast-paced and flexible environments will significantly assist SHRG as the company aims to expand and increase revenues.
Contact
469.304.9400 x 201
Info@SHRGinc.com
http://www.SHRGinc.com
Sigma Labs Inc. (NASDAQ: SGLB)
Sigma Labs Inc. (NASDAQ: SGLB) is the only provider of in-process quality-assurance software to the commercial 3D printing metal industry that enables operators of machines making 3D metal parts to offset emerging quality problems, sustain part quality, and avoid rejects. Sigma’s software is the singular solution that enables both real-time, in-process detection of quality control manufacturing irregularities for critical metal parts and then provides the operator the actionable information needed to adjust and mitigate the developing anomaly. Sigma Labs’ software represents a paradigm shift in the quality control process for the manufacture of 3D printed metal components. The nascent 3D metal printing industry is on the verge of radically altering the speed and technical complexity of manufactured parts. Further, it makes possible just-in-time availability of critical components – all at reduced cost, time, waste and weight. 3D printing, heralded as the fourth industrial revolution in manufacturing, will only truly surpass traditional techniques when the additive manufacturing industry moves from “post process” quality control to “in process” quality assurance.
For the industry to move from prototype manufacturing of critical components to economically viable commercial production, the 3D metal printing industry must find ways to dramatically increase production speed and quality yields, and to dramatically decrease the excessive cost of quality control. To achieve these prerequisites and move 3D metal printing into the mainstream, parts must be inspected and certified during the manufacturing process rather than after. Parts in the production process that are developing signs of quality control problems must be identified in real-time and alerts must be issued. The problem, along with the solution, must then be communicated to the machine operator to implement repairs.
Revolutionizing Additive Manufacturing
Sigma Labs, with its PrintRite3D® brand, has established a new benchmark in the development and commercialization of real-time computer aided inspection (“CAI”) solutions. Sigma Labs resolves the major roadblocks and costly quality control challenges that impede the 3D manufacture of precision metal parts. The company’s breakthrough computer-aided software product revolutionizes commercial additive manufacturing, enabling non-destructive quality assurance during production, uniquely allowing errors to be corrected in real-time.
Sigma Labs was founded in 2010 by a team of Los Alamos National Labs scientists and engineers to develop and commercially license advanced metallurgical products for the military ordinance, dental implants, and then for additive manufacturing (3D printing). After assessing 3D metal printing technology and the costly, inconsistent quality control issues, Sigma Labs concluded that the enormous potential of 3D metal printing could only scale up if in-process quality-assurance tools were developed to observe, manage and control the manufacturing complexities in such a manner that reliability and repeatability of very high precision quality metal parts could be achieved in the process. Sigma Labs’ patented and third-party validated software has achieved these objectives and now delivers the critical elements needed to unleash the promise of 3D metal printing.
Sigma Labs’ products and services are engineered, manufactured and qualified for use in the highly demanding and hyper precise production environments of the aerospace, defense, transportation, oil and gas, biomedical and other precision-dependent industries.
The Challenge
Additive metal manufacturing combines multiple processes and parts into one single 3D printed part. Due to variances in the additive manufacturing process, parts of consistent quality currently can’t be reliably produced in either large or small quantities without substantial postproduction inspection and rejection costs. Parts are inspected after production using CT scans and other means, so the manufacturer doesn’t know until the very end which of the finished parts meet design specifications. This means lost time, lost profits and inability to economically scale up production.
Innovative Approach
Sigma Labs solves this problem with its patented, in-process quality control technology that informs operators and engineers how to improve both the manufacturing process and quality by capturing meaningful data about inconsistencies in real-time. Sigma Labs is also partnering with OEMs, working toward the visionary introduction of revolutionary closed-loop control that will bypass the machine operator and automatically make in process corrections by reducing machine variations.
Sigma Labs’ next generation technology gives manufacturers the ability to make fast, virtual real-time adjustments so that each finished part is uniform and within critical specifications, thereby improving production quality, decreasing end-users’ risks and waste, and increasing profits and speed to market. Sigma Labs’ PrintRite3D® IPQA Software monitors and assesses the quality of each production part in the 3D additive manufacturing process – layer by layer, and in real-time. This has never been available until now.
Sigma Labs maintains a strong intellectual property portfolio consisting of trade secrets, process know-how and 34 patents either granted, pending or awaiting pre-publication around the globe. These patents encompass the fundamental technologies underlying Sigma Labs’ melt pool process control, data analytics, anomaly detection, signature identification, and future “closed-loop control” of 3D metal printing.
Market Opportunity
Providing advanced quality assurance software to the commercial 3D printing industry is currently a $1.4 billion addressable market expected to grow to $3.9 billion by 2023. Integrating Sigma Labs’ groundbreaking software helps arm the industry with a necessary catalyst to help enable and optimize the fourth industrial revolution in manufacturing.
Sigma Labs’ global client base includes 23 installations across 19 different users. Tier-1 OEM enterprises and end-users such as Siemens, Honeywell, Pratt & Whitney and others are currently evaluating PrintRite3D® for production lines.
Management Team
John Rice, CEO and chairman of the board of directors, has extensive experience as a CEO, lead negotiator, turnaround expert, business financier and crisis management executive/consultant. Prior to becoming chair and CEO of Sigma Labs, he was the CEO of a successful turn-around of a Coca-Cola Bottling Company. Rice has led a variety of companies in diverse business sectors and worked on a host of products and technologies including design and manufacture of high-end jet engine test equipment for the U.S. Airforce, chaff dispensers for F16s, software for modeling naval exercises, software for controlling warehouse distribution systems, medical radioisotopes, cancer detection, and cybersecurity. He is an honor’s graduate of Harvard College.
Darren Beckett, CTO, has over 20 years of experience in the semiconductor industry, including Intel Corporation, where he held various technical and managerial positions. His expertise in process engineering for advanced manufacturing technology includes statistical process control for fabrication of semiconductor devices.
CFO Frank D. Orzechowski also serves as treasurer, principal accounting officer, principal financial officer and corporate secretary. He has more than 30 years of distinguished financial and operational experience. Orzechowski began his career at Coopers & Lybrand in 1982, received his CPA certification in 1984, and received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in accounting from Georgetown University in 1982.
Ronald Fisher, vice president of business development, is leading the commercialization of PrintRite3D® 5.0. Fisher is a mechanical engineer with hands-on experience in quality, manufacturing and product development. He has distinguished himself as a lead sales and marketing officer as well as a chief operating officer most recently before joining Sigma in technology startup that grew from market entry to successful exit by merger-acquisition.
SinglePoint, Inc. (SING)
SinglePoint, Inc. (SING) is a diversified holding company with operations in multiple industries and verticals including two high-performing market sectors: legal cannabis and cryptocurrencies. SinglePoint has grown from a full-service mobile technology provider to a recognizable brand with a diverse portfolio of undervalued subsidiaries with multiple revenue streams.
SinglePoint is researching opportunities where it can be an active participant by influencing the strategy and direction of high-potential companies whose verified assets offer attractive possibilities for shareholders. The company is guided by a visionary leadership team with extensive experience in technology, engineering, marketing and raising capital.
SinglePoint is bullish on the cannabis industry, bitcoin and blockchain technologies, which is evident in its recent acquisitions and joint-venture announcements. Recent SinglePoint key highlights include:
- A joint venture with Smart Cannabis Corporation (OTC: SCNA) to license and market Smart Cannabis' SMART APP. SMART APP enables cannabis growers to measure all aspects of cultivation, from soil nutrient levels to watering cycles and carbon dioxide content in the air. SMART APP will integrate SinglePoint's bitcoin payment solution to enable growers to process safer and more secure transactions.
- A joint venture with Global Payout (OTC: GOHE) will build on existing financial technology solutions developed by SinglePoint and Global Payout's subsidiary MoneyTrac Technology, Inc., to fully optimize the delivery of mobile payment applications for domestic and international organizations.
- A joint venture with AppSwarm (OTC: SWRM) to start development on a proprietary delivery application that will enable licensed cannabis delivery services and licensed dispensaries to safely make in-home cannabis deliveries.
- Signed original "Shark Tank" member Kevin Harrington as company spokesman for an innovative, compatible virtual wallet to store any type of cryptocurrency. Harrington recently finished shooting a new national ad campaign featuring SinglePoint and the virtual wallet's secure method of storing cryptocurrencies.
- Entered into a letter of intent to acquire 100 percent of Bitcoin Beyond, a premier platform that enables merchants to accept bitcoin payments using existing web-enabled point-of-sale devices.
- Through SING subsidiary, SingleSeed, the company will soon offer a proprietary cryptocurrency solution that links both cannabis merchants and consumers who seek to take advantage of bitcoin-powered transactions using debit and credit cards. In addition to making bitcoin-backed card purchases possible, the solution enables cannabis dispensaries to digitally track and manage their product inventories, performing tasks like uploading product data, photos and descriptions. The system deducts items automatically from a dispensary's product listings when a purchase is made. While this fully KYC-AML compliant point-of-sale platform can be utilized for any other retail setting, it will fill a critical need in the underbanked cannabis industry as it continues to seek non-cash payment solutions outside of traditional banking circles.
SinglePoint CEO and founder Greg Lambrecht leads the company in its mission to capture opportunities through an aggressive expansion strategy across a broad range of assets. Lambrecht oversees all company operations including investor relations, leadership of the board of directors, and daily business activities. As the founder of PCI, a leading consumer product distribution company, Lambrecht negotiated agreements with the nation's largest retail outlets and led PCI through a NASDAQ listed IPO, raising $10 million.
Eric Lofdahl, SinglePoint's chief technology officer, has more than 20 years of experience in the technology sector including positions in software development, program management, complex system integration and engineering process definition. Prior to SinglePoint, Lofdahl worked at the Boeing Company where he led a team that successfully developed advanced wireless and satellite data products based on commercial technology for the U.S. Air Force.
SinglePoint President Wil Ralston is well known for his successful track record of building and maintaining great relationships with clients. Ralston graduated cum laude from the WP Carey School of Business at Arizona State University with a degree in Global Agribusiness and a specialization in Professional Golf Management. He is currently recognized by the Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA) as a Class A Professional.
Siyata Mobile Inc. (TSX.V: SIM) (OTCQX: SYATF)
Siyata Mobile Inc. (TSX.V: SIM) (OTCQX: SYATF) is a leading global developer and provider of Push-to-Talk Over Cellular ("PTT/PoC") systems for enterprise customers. The company specializes in connected vehicle products for professional fleets and markets its products under the Uniden® Cellular brand.
Since its inception in 2012, Siyata has amassed a customer base that includes cellular operators, commercial vehicle technology distributors, and fleets of all sizes in Canada, the U.S., Europe, Australia and the Middle East.
Recognized by the Toronto Venture Stock Exchange in 2018 as a Venture Top 50 Company, Siyata aims to deliver the highest quality and most technologically advanced mobile communication devices for global corporate workforces, fleets, homes and buildings.
The company has long been an industry pioneer, delivering the world's first 3G connected vehicle device as well as the world's first 4G/LTE vehicle mounted smartphone for First Responders and commercial fleets and vehicles.
Siyata is headquartered in Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Product Portfolio
Siyata's suite of technology includes numerous PTT and legacy devices, as well as cellular boosters designed to improve cellular signals in corporate warehouses, government embassies, retirement home campuses, banks and manufacturing plants.
The company's flagship product, the Uniden UV350, is the world's first vehicle-mounted 4G/LTE smartphone with crystal clear quality, carrier grade PTT, voice, text, video and data applications built into a single device. Specifically designed for First Responder and commercial fleet vehicles, the UV350 runs on cellular LTE networks that provide nationwide and global coverage, replacing traditional single purpose two-way radios that require a monthly fee and limited network coverage.
The Uniden UV350 is currently available through Bell Mobility, Canada's largest LTE network and PTT community. Expanding its availability, Siyata is completing network approval with two North American Tier 1 operators to launch the UV350 in the U.S. in 2019.
Management Team
CEO and Chairman Marc Seelenfreund is the founder of Siyata. He is also the founder of Siyata's parent company, Accel Telecom, an Israel-based company that specializes in importing and distributing innovative cellular and IP devices to fixed line operators and mobile providers within Israel. Prior to establishing Accel, Seelenfreund was a vice president at Sunrise Corporation in New York where he focused on financing publicly traded technology companies. Seelenfreund has a law degree from Bar Ilan University, is a board member at Israel's leading private university, and has served as an officer in the Israel Defense Forces.
Glenn Kennedy, vice president of sales, has over 25 years of sales experience in the telecommunications industry. Prior to joining Siyata in 2016, Kennedy managed sales nationally for Motorola Canada, HTC Communications Canada, and Sonim Technologies. He holds a bachelor's degree in honors business administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario.
CFO Gerald Bernstein, a professional chartered accountant, has spent 20 years focusing on private equity financing and tax efficient corporate structuring in multi-jurisdictional arenas. He holds a bachelor's degree of commerce as well as a graduate diploma in public accountancy from McGill University. Bernstein has been a member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants since 1987.
Gidi Bracha, Vice President of Technology, has served in this position since 2011 and spearheaded the development of both the Truckfone, Voyager and UV350. Bracha served in various key positions at Cellcom, Israel's leading cellular provider, including head of car mobility products and director of type approvals. Bracha served as an engineer technician in the Anti-Aircraft division of the Air Force in the Israel Defense Forces and holds a bachelor's degree in engineering and business management from the University of Derby.
Spectrum Global Solutions, Inc. (SGSI)
Spectrum Global Solutions, Inc. (SGSI) is a leading single-source provider of end-to-end, next-generation wireless and wireline network infrastructure services and staffing solutions to the service provider (carrier) and corporate enterprise markets across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Caribbean. Spectrum Global Solutions provides services directly to carriers, aggregators, utilities, enterprise, Project Management Organizations (PMO) and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) clientele through the following subsidiaries:
- AW Solutions, Inc. and AW Solutions Puerto Rico, LLC – Provides best-in-class communications infrastructure deployment services to carriers, OEMs, PMOs, utilities and enterprise clients by offering discrete and full turnkey service solutions for wireless and wireline clientele. AW Solutions holds professional engineering licenses in all contiguous states and in the District of Columbia and Hawaii; the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador; in Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- ADEX Corporation and ADEX Puerto Rico, LLC – An international service organization providing turnkey services and staffing solutions to telecommunications carriers and enterprise clients. Since 1993, ADEX has been assisting telecommunications companies throughout the project life cycle of any network deployment. ADEX and its service capabilities extend from the most basic installation functions to the most advanced engineering disciplines for today and tomorrow’s communications networks. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, ADEX employs technical professionals and provides infrastructure services worldwide via domestic and international locations.
- Tropical Communications, Inc. – A state licensed electrical and underground utility contractor headquartered in Miami, Florida, providing all types of communications and infrastructure facility structured wiring services and solutions since 1984.
Through its subsidiaries, Spectrum Global Solutions is a comprehensive single-source provider for professional services and solutions for the development, deployment and maintenance of wireless/Distributed Antenna System (DAS)/small cell/wireline and fiber networks and infrastructure. The company’s services range in scope from a single activity to multiyear, multi-region, large-scale turnkey development contracts with a deepening pool of international, national, regional and local projects. Spectrum Global Solutions has completed more than 150,000 project activities on wireless, DAS, wireline and fiber networks across the United States utilizing licensed professional engineers, project managers, technicians and general contractors.
Market Opportunity
Growth projections for the telecom industry show a high growth cycle 2018 through 2025 with a four-fold increase in domestic mobile data traffic and up to $150 billion in fiber investment over the next 5-7 years (Deloitte, 2017). The worldwide explosion of smart phones, tablets and BYOD by customers demanding rapid deployment of new apps, private networks with better coverage and enhanced capacity provides a compelling enterprise opportunity market. The imminent rollout of 5G next generation networks, IOT (Internet-Of-Things) technology deployments, the FirstNet national public safety system, small cell/network densification, Dish Network Deployment, fiber and infrastructure network builds for backhaul and expanded deployments, new FCC spectrum auctions and upgrades to 4G, DAS and small cell networks are contributing to a projected $157 billion in U.S. telecommunication carrier capital expenditures by 2021.
Management
CEO Roger Ponder has served as a director of Spectrum Global Solutions since April 2017. Ponder served as President/CEO of Summit Capital Advisors, LLC, and Summit Broadband, LLC a provider of consulting services to private equity and institutional banking entities in the telecommunications, cable and media/internet sectors. He also served as a member of the board of directors of InterCloud Systems, Inc. and served as its Chief Operating Officer from November 2012 to March 2015. Prior to that Ponder retired from Time Warner Kansas City Division as President/CEO. Ponder brings extensive business development, strategic planning and operational experience to the Company.
Keith Hayter is President of Spectrum Global Solutions and has served as a director of the Company since April 2017. Hayter has also served as the Chief Executive Officer and President of AW Solutions Inc. and AW Solutions Puerto Rico LLC since November 2006. He was Vice President and General Manager of Alcoa Wireless Services from 2001-2006. Hayter served in both the U.S. and British armies and brings extensive multi-national experience in the start-up, development, management and growth of companies in the telecommunication, engineering and construction industry.
Sproutly Canada, Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (FRA: 38G)
Sproutly Canada, Inc. (OTCQB: SRUTF) (CSE: SPR) (FRA: 38G) is developing and bringing to market cannabis consumer products with a focus on beverages. The company’s core mission is to become the leading supplier of water-soluble cannabis solutions and bio-natural oils for brands in the emerging cannabis beverage and edibles market.
To make this happen, Sproutly acquired Infusion Biosciences to bring to market a patent-pending Aqueous Phytorecovery Process (APP) technology, a fundamental paradigm shift within the cannabis industry. Replacing traditional water-compatible solutions with true natural water solubility improves the body’s ability to utilize cannabinoids, making the effect of the cannabis almost immediate.
This revolutionary process doesn’t alter the cannabis compounds and provides an onset time and offset time that mimics the same effects as inhaled marijuana. That means consumers may feel effects in five minutes or less and be free from the desired effect in approximately 90 minutes—a vastly different ingestion pattern than current methods. In addition, the water-based cannabinoids can be mixed with other liquids and stay dissolved in those liquids. The application of water-soluble cannabis infusions has potential to be widespread in both medicinal and recreational cannabis sectors, giving Sproutly a distinctive edge in a market with untapped potential.
Sproutly’s business model is focused on processing rather than cultivating, which means its success is not constrained to growing its own cannabis. The company does own a Toronto-based, ACMPR-licensed facility designed and built with a focus on cultivating pharmaceutical-grade cannabis to produce and formulate the first natural, truly water-soluble cannabis solution. Its water-soluble ingredients and bio-natural oils will deliver revolutionary brands to international markets that are searching for well-defined commercial products.
Sproutly’s entrance in the cannabis market is perfectly timed as cannabis is moving towards mainstream acceptance. Potential users are, however, interested in consuming cannabis products as drinks and using it as oils rather than smoking. The potential cannabis beverage market is staggering, and with Sproutly owning the exclusive rights to APP technology in Canada, Australia, Jamaica, Israel and the entire European Union, the company is looking at significant international expansion opportunities.
Sproutly plans to capitalize on these international opportunities by executing on partnerships with local and globally established consumer brands to leverage their existing customer bases, expand brand loyalty, and assist with marketing and support distribution networks to deliver scientific breakthroughs with speed and efficiency worldwide.
Management
Sproutly believes that talent drives growth. The company is committed to bringing together the best and brightest minds in the cannabis space to help with their mission to disrupt the global beverage and consumables market.
President, CEO and Director Keith Dolo recently served for more than 13 years with Robert Half, an S&P 500, NYSE-listed company. At Robert Half, Dolo held the position of vice president for more than eight years, as well as other senior roles in both operations and sales. He also sits on an advisory committee and a board position for two nonprofits in Vancouver, BC.
Chief Science Officer and Director Dr. Arup Sent has more than 35 years of experience in research and executive management at biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. He was awarded a PhD in biochemistry from Princeton University and is a former faculty member at the National Cancer Institute and Scripps Research Institute. Sen is the inventor on five U.S. patents and numerous international patents and patent-pending applications.
Chief Financial Officer Craig Loverock is a chartered professional accountant with over 20 years of experience in accounting and finance roles in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. He has extensive expertise in public company reporting and transactional experience, having served as the senior financial advisor to the chairman at Magna International and acting as chief compliance officer and CFO for a private equity firm.
Head Grower Frank Han has over 12 years of experience in the horticulture industry. A previous master grower in a large commercial facility, Han has impressive expertise in all growing methods, techniques and procedures. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge in cloning, nutrient and overall plant management. Han will be in charge of the production team at Sproutly’s Toronto Herbal Remedies facility.
SRAX Inc. (NASDAQ: SRAX)
SRAX Inc. (NASDAQ: SRAX) is a digital marketing and consumer data management technology company. SRAX’s technology unlocks data to reveal brands’ core consumers and their characteristics across marketing channels.
Through its BIGtoken platform, SRAX has developed a consumer-managed data marketplace where people can own and earn from their data, thereby providing everyone in the internet ecosystem choice, transparency and compensation.
SRAX’s tools deliver a digital competitive advantage for brands in the CPG, automotive, investor relations, luxury and lifestyle verticals by integrating all aspects of the advertising experience, including verified consumer participation, into one platform.
SRAX Verticals
- SRAX Core: SRAX Core is a custom digital media management platform that enables brands and agencies to surpass the challenges of omnichannel marketing campaigns. It offers one comprehensive dashboard to manage digital media campaigns, inventory and reporting.
- SRAX Social: SRAX Social is a free social media management tool that makes it easy for brands, agencies and individuals to grow their digital presence. It offers free and unlimited users, Facebook auto boosting, and a custom analytics dashboard. Its managed services team can also build and execute marketing plans for your unique specific needs.
- SRAX IR: SRAX IR unlocks stock buyers’ behaviors and trends for issuers of publicly traded companies. The platform provides insights on shareholders and market makers, investor relations management, shareholder outreach tools and data-driven marketing.
- SRAX Auto: SRAX Auto unlocks auto intenders’ data to create measurable connected experiences on the road to purchase. It offers proprietary auto intender profiles, multi touchpoint communication and custom location-based ads.
- SRAX Shopper: SRAX Shopper delivers a cross channel, premium digital experience at scale to high value shopper audiences. It offers proprietary shopper profiles, cost per click pricing, and custom text and add to cart ad units.
- SRAX Lux: Launched in June 2019, the SRAX Lux platform targets and reaches luxury consumers at luxury retail stores, high-end art, music, film, fashion and sports events, across all consumer devices.
BIGtoken
BIGtoken, available for download on the App Store and Google Play, revolutionizes data collection. BIGtoken is a platform that creates a secure and transparent environment for consumers to own and earn from their data. To date, there are 15.9 million BIGtoken registered users worldwide.
The optimization and monetization of data is a multibillion-dollar business. Worldwide spending on big data and business analytics solutions reached $166 billion in 2018 and is projected to surge to $260 billion by 2022. BIGtoken’s consumer vision is committed to delivering choice, transparency and compensation to the individual.
Through BIGtoken, consumers earn rewards when they opt into sharing their data and when that data is purchased. Consumers decide what data is shared, who can buy it and how it’s used, and advertisers reach real, responsive audiences. The benefit of this is two-fold: consumers know how their data is used and advertisers gain verified consumer data for targeting.
Users of the BIGtoken app can officially be paid in cash or gift cards in exchange for giving brands access to their anonymized data, answering questions, checking into locations, recruiting new members, and more. Users can deposit their earnings directly into PayPal accounts or be paid through gift cards from favorite retailers such as Walmart.
SRAX has also partnered with several high-profile, nonprofit associations to provide BIGtoken users the ability to donate their earnings. Partnerships include the American Heart Association, dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke; HealthCorps, which helps high school students make better choices about health and physical fitness; and the ALS Association, which recently launched its Challenge Me campaign.
International Expansion
BIGtoken is formally launching into several international markets and partnering to foster local support. SRAX recently signed a joint venture with the Yash Birla Group to launch BIGtoken in India. Based in Mumbai, the Yash Birla Group, one of India’s largest conglomerates, has diversified interests in consumer and industrial products.
The partnership will bring BIGtoken’s platform to India, which has a digital population of 627 million. The India digital advertising market is $3.6 billion and is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 32%, making it one of the largest growing digital ad markets in the world.
SRAX Mexico is led by Moe Avitia, who has more than 18 years of experience in business development and building high-tech teams. SRAX Mexico includes a team of 90 employees, including 70 engineers.
BIGtoken Europe is currently evaluating data centers in individual countries for privacy laws.
Leadership
Christopher Miglino is CEO and founder of SRAX. He has spent the past 20 years working in the digital advertising space and has successfully launched and sold two internet companies. Both of these companies were sold to publicly traded companies on the NASDAQ. He has a detailed understanding of how technology interacts with brands.
Kristoffer Nelson is COO of SRAX and a founding member of BIGtoken. With over 15 years of technology and creative business experience, Nelson has been a guest speaker for Loyola Marymount University among other academic institutions, the National Association of Broadcasters, the IAB and numerous other professional and media organizations.
Standard Lithium Ltd. (TSX.V: SLL) (FRA: S5L) (OTC: STLHF)
Standard Lithium Ltd. (TSX.V: SLL) (FRA: S5L) (OTC: STLHF) is focused on unlocking the value of existing large-scale U.S.-based lithium brine resources that can quickly be brought into production. The Company believes new lithium production can rapidly be brought on stream by minimizing project risks at selection stage; resource, political & geographic, and regulatory & permitting; and by leveraging advances in lithium extraction technologies and processes.
The Company's flagship project is in southern Arkansas. The more than 180,000-acre "Smackover Project" is in the most prolific and productive brine processing region in North America. Agreements with large commercial brine operators in the region will allow Standard Lithium to utilize the extensive existing infrastructure, including brine supply and disposal pipelines, water, power and a trained workforce to fast-track project development timelines.
"Arkansas produces about 9.4 billion gallons of brine per year, according to 2010-2016 average statistics reported by the Arkansas Oil & Gas Commission."
Standard Lithium signed a binding MoU with global specialty chemicals company LANXESS Corporation and its U.S. affiliate Great Lakes Chemical Corporation with the purpose of demonstrating the commercial viability of extraction of lithium from brine ("tail brine") that is produced as part of LANXESS' bromine extraction business at its three Southern Arkansas facilities.
LANXESS' land operations in Southern Arkansas encompass more than 150,000 acres, 10,000 brine leases and surface agreements and 250 miles of pipelines. LANXESS extracts the brine from its wells located throughout the area, and the brine is transported to the three Arkansas plants through a network of pipelines. The three bromine extraction plants currently employ approximately 500 people and process and reinject several hundred thousand barrels of brine per day.
Standard Lithium has developed a breakthrough rapid lithium extraction process that reduces the recovery time of extracting lithium from brine to as little as several hours vs. the current industry method that takes years. The process is also much more environmentally friendly with a significantly smaller footprint than the conventional processes. The company has a signed agreement to locate a demonstration scale lithium extraction plant inside one of LANXESS' chemical plants in Southern Arkansas.
The Company has also signed an option agreement with NYSE-listed Tetra Technologies for the lithium rights for exploration, extraction, and possible commercial development on approximately 30,000 acres of brine leases in Southern Arkansas. The largest available land package.
Recent laboratory results of four brine samples recovered from two existing wells in Standard Lithium's project area showed lithium concentrations ranging between 347-461 mg/L lithium, with an average of 450 mg/L lithium in one of the wells and 350 mg/L in the other. Geological modeling of the project area is complete, and a maiden resource report is on the horizon.
Market Opportunity
World demand for lithium continues to surge. The global lithium compounds market is projected to reach U.S. $5.87 billion by 2020 at a compound annual growth rate of 13.22% between 2015 and 2020. Lithium-ion batteries are the fastest growing segment of the market.
Leadership
Standard Lithium's commitment to being a premier, innovation-driven company focused on developing and commercializing new modern processes for lithium extraction is bolstered by the leading experts that comprise the company's Scientific Advisory Council. Each member was selected because of their experience and expertise in areas that are central to and/or complement Standard Lithium's current development plans. Standard Lithium recently welcomed to the Council world-renowned chemist Dr. Barry Sharpless, the recipient of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on chirally catalyzed oxidation reactions.
Standard Lithium is led by a team of professionals with proven strong technical and project development skills. CEO Robert Mintak has a global network of industry contacts and is a pioneer in the rapidly evolving lithium space. COO and President Dr. Andy Robinson is an experienced geoscientist with 20+ years of experience and a PhD in Geochemistry from the University of Bristol, UK. Dr. Robinson has worked on a wide range of projects in the resource, power and energy sectors in Europe, Africa, and North and South America.
The company recently appointed Robert Cross as non-executive chairman. Cross is an engineer with 25 years of experience as a financier and company builder in the mining and oil and gas sectors. He co-founded and serves as chairman of B2Gold, a top-performing growing gold producer which is expected to achieve nearly 1 million ounces of low-cost gold production in 2018. He was also co-founder and chairman of Bankers Petroleum Ltd.; co-founder and chairman of Petrodorado Energy Ltd.; and until October 2007 was the non-executive chairman of Northern Orion Resources Inc. He also was previously the chairman and CEO of Yorkton Securities Inc., and a partner in investment banking with Gordon Capital Corp. in Toronto. Cross has an engineering degree from the University of Waterloo (1982) and received an MBA from Harvard in 1987.
Following a multi-million-dollar financing in Q1 2018, Standard Lithium is well-positioned to meet its upcoming milestones including two maiden resource reports and the launch of its breakthrough rapid lithium extraction technology.
Sugarmade, Inc. (SGMD)
Sugarmade, Inc. (SGMD), one of the largest publicly traded hydroponics supply companies moving into the industrial hemp space, is a product and brand marketing company investing in products and brands with disruptive potential. Sugarmade's brands include: ZenHydro.com; CarryOutSupplies.com; and BudLife. Headquartered in Monrovia, California, a city within Los Angeles county, Sugarmade has various business operations in diverse marketplaces including packaging and paper goods for various industries, agricultural supplies.
Sugarmade has expanded into the European hydroponics supply market with a growing base of orders taken through Amazon UK. Over the past few financial quarters, Sugarmade has seen revenue growth patterns expand geographically. As recently as mid-2017, the majority of hydroponic-related revenue growth was seen from California and other West Coast marketplaces, however growth is becoming more geographically dispersed among U.S. states where legalization has eased restriction. This movement into the United Kingdom further expands the base of geographic growth areas for Sugarmade.
Sugarmade recently launched a new corporate initiative in the booming industrial hemp and CBD, committing up to $1 million in capital over the next 12 months to invest in Hempistry, Inc., a privately held Nevada corporation. Hempistry has begun planting an ultra-high cannabidiol (CBD) industrial hemp strain on a land option it holds on 23,000 acres of prime Kentucky farmland. The strain of industrial hemp being grown by Hempistry is ultra-rich in CBD but contains less than 0.3 percent of THC, the psychoactive ingredient found in cannabis. The U.S. hemp industry is expected to produce well over $1 billion in revenues in 2018, with a compound annual growth rate of 14 percent through 2022, according to the Hemp Business Journal.
Demand for industrial hemp and products derived from hemp is soaring, with no let-up in sight, which the company sees as a "tremendous opportunity to become a supplier to this fast-growing sector," said Chairman and CEO Jimmy Chan, who is also an advisor and minority shareholder of Hempistry.
Sugarmade's investment into the market for high-CBD hemp is expected to be highly accretive for common shareholders in two ways. First, Sugarmade's investment will be in the form of common shares in Hempistry allowing Sugarmade common shareholders to possibly benefit from any future initial public offering of Hempistry. Second, Sugarmade is expected to sign a supply agreement with Hempistry for cultivation supplies, which would be additive to corporate revenues.
Sugarmade has also completed a master market agreement with industry leader BizRight Hydroponics, Inc., a leading marketer and manufacturer of cannabis and hydroponic growth supplies, which offers a range of hydroponics-related products including: HPS grow lights, electronic ballasts, HPS bulbs, nutrient mixes, environmental control products, pH measurement and calibration solutions and storage products. BizRight operates the ZenHydro.com website and other e-commerce properties and sells various products to distributors and retailers. BizRight is expected to produce in excess of $30 million in revenues during 2017, with substantial growth expected for 2018.
Sugarmade division CarryOutSupplies.com, the leader in paper and plastic take-out supplies, serves nationwide customers by offering a wide array of high quality products that are cost-efficient, custom-made and delivered on time. This business unit currently serves 2,000 quick service restaurants, garnering from 30-40 percent of the market share. Sugarmade plans to expand operations via the addition of market share and the introduction of new product offerings.
Management
CEO Jimmy Chan is an experienced business executive instrumental in growing multiple business operations with a strong expertise in international trade and banking, and international manufacturing and importation. He is also the founder of CarryOutSupplies.com, a company that revolutionized the custom-printed paper supplies subsector of the quick service restaurant industry, which merged with Sugarmade in 2014.
Arman Tabatabaei serves as operations consultant, providing high-level, day-to-day strategic guidance and tactical operational supervision for all aspects of the corporation's business. He is an expert at data collection and analysis relative to resource management, risk forecasting and profit and loss management.
Sugarmade specializes in growing and acquiring innovative brands to maximize value for company employees, shareholders and other stakeholders. Sugarmade believes its future is very bright as the company expands operations within the cultivation sector and rapidly increases its revenue base.
Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF)
Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) is committed to providing premium brands and products that reflect the company’s knowledgeable customers, passionate employees and culture of innovation. The company aims to grow the world’s best legal cannabis and become a leader in the global industry. Supreme Cannabis calls its Toronto Venture Exchange stock symbol, “FIRE,” a testament to the company’s passion for cannabis and obsession with quality.
Supreme Cannabis believes the world is ready to follow Canada’s lead by ending the 100-year cannabis prohibition and, as one of Canada’s most premium cannabis producers, the company sees itself at the center of this global shift.
A key piece of Supreme Cannabis’ ability to fulfill its mission is its flagship brand, 7ACRES, a wholly owned subsidiary that operates a 440,000-square-foot hybrid cultivation facility in Kincardine, Ontario. 7ACRES is focused on building a core competency in scaled high-quality cannabis production. With a best-in-class cultivation facility producing a competitive product that fuels a leading premium brand, Supreme Cannabis has achieved a differentiated advantage in cultivation IP, products and branding. The company’s foundational investment in premium cultivation has secured it a leadership position in the industry as the Canadian market becomes more competitive and matures.
Since legalization, 7ACRES has brought five premium flower strains to market in Canada. The demand for 7ACRES product continues with the company’s most recent launch of Jack Haze, a new proprietary premium cultivar. The company’s first sativa-dominant strain, Jack Haze offers rare sensory characteristics, delivering high THC content with a terpinolene forward profile, including a complex aroma with notes of citrus, pine and warm spice. As it develops its next winning strain, 7ACRES continues to prioritize subjective quality. In the Canadian cannabis market, this approach has established 7ACRES as a well-known premium brand that commands premium pricing coast-to-coast.
In addition to 7ACRES, Supreme Cannabis has built a diversified portfolio of focused consumer-driven brands:
- Sugarleaf by 7AC – this new brand widens Supreme Cannabis’ product offerings and targets consumers who are looking for more refined, milder consumption experience as they discover their own cannabis taste preferences and desires. Product formats under this brand are focused on offering consumers elegant and convenient cannabis experiences.
- Blissco — dedicated to providing wellness focused consumers with premium cannabis products, education, and outstanding customer care. Blissco is focused on bringing its collection of premium whole-flower CBD oils to market.
- Truverra — focused on being a global leader in the development, production and marketing of hemp and cannabis-derived medicinal products with clinically proven efficacy. With over 25 SKUs sold online in the UK and Europe, Truverra is ideally positioned to address emerging international cannabis opportunities.
- Khalifa Kush Enterprises — formed through a prestigious international partnership with Khalifa Kush Enterprises (KKE) Canada, the Canadian counterpart to the popular U.S. cannabis brand KKE formed by Wiz Khalifa. Together, Supreme Cannabis and KKE Canada are developing and launching a lineup of premium cannabis products, including a future line based on the well-known Khalifa Kush strain.
Each of Supreme Cannabs’ brands and partnerships have been strategically identified and designed to support the company’s mission to enhance the lives of consumers through positive cannabis experiences. Equally important to delivering desirable consumer experiences is the infrastructure supporting the company’s brands and products. From seed to sale, supreme cannabis continues to build an impressive group of operating assets that serve key functions throughout the value chain:
- Cultivation – for starters, there is Supreme Cannabis’ foundational flagship asset, its 440,000-square-foot cultivation facility in Kincardine, Ontario. With over 600 employees, 24 grow rooms, and best-in-class processing equipment and procedures, this facility is expected to reach an annual production capacity of 50,000 kilograms in the near-term. In this purpose-built facility, the company grows small-batch high-quality cannabis from 10,000-square-foot grow rooms and completes a proprietary hang-dry for up to two weeks.
- Extraction – with the acquisition of Blissco in fiscal 2019, in addition to the Blissco wellness brand, Supreme Cannabis gained a 12,000-square-foot dedicated extraction facility in Langley, BC. This facility conducts both C02 and ethanol extraction and with the recent receipt of its oil sales license from Health Canada, it now produces Blissco branded CBD oils and expects to fill vaporizer pods for a partnership between the company’s 7ACRES brand and Pax Labs.
- Manufacturing – most recently, the company announced its 107,000-square-foot processing, packaging and manufacturing facility in Kitchener, naming the facility Supreme Cannabis Kitchener. In Q4 FY2020, the company expects to begin whole flower packaging and pre-roll manufacturing for Supreme Cannabis brands at the Kitchener Facility. In the long-term, in additional to processing its own inputs, Supreme Cannabis intends generate incremental revenue by packaging, distributing and branding third-party cannabis inputs from quality-focused cultivators.
- R&D and Product Testing – In Q1 FY2020, Supreme Cannabis closed the acquisition of Truverra and acquired a 5,000-square-foot facility licensed under Canadian Clinical Cannabinoids Inc. in Scarborough, Ontario (“Supreme Cannabis Scarborough”). Supreme Cannabis Scarborough provides R&D space for the company to test new products and develop medicinal science intellectual property. In the near-term, with the legalization of 2.0 cannabis products, this centre for innovation will be testing and bringing concentrate products to market under the 7ACRES brand.
Supreme is committed to continue to identify new opportunities to grow and strengthen its impressive portfolio of operating assets and brands and scale its strong Canadian business globally.
The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTC: TGODF)
The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTC: TGODF), whose principal location is in Hamilton, Ontario, produces farm grown, organic, pesticide-free medical cannabis in small batches using all natural, organic craft growing principles. TGOD is licensed under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) to cultivate medical cannabis. The company carries out its principal activities producing cannabis pursuant to the provisions of the ACMPR and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada).
Committed to becoming the global leader in delivering organic cannabis solutions that enhance people's lives, TGOD consistently adheres to the highest levels of excellence. Its world-class management team includes a proven group of leaders with outstanding executive and operational experience specific to consumer packaged goods, consumer products, cannabis and finance industries.
TGOD is positioned as one of the highest quality and most cost efficient cannabis producers in Canada by leveraging innovative technology and low-cost power solutions. It holds one of the largest land packages under a single ACMPR license in Canada, providing future cannabis Agri-park style development and opportunities for joint ventures, licensing and distribution partners. Its industry leading alliance partners include Eaton, Ledcor Group and Hamilton Utilities Corp.
Eaton is the second largest power management company in the world and promises to supply innovative and cost effective power solutions to meet TGOD's growing demands. Construction management is supplied by Ledcor, Canada's second largest multidisciplinary construction company and a pioneer in the Green Building Industry. An alliance with Hamilton Utilities Corp allows TGOD to reduce its power costs from $0.13 per kWh to less than $0.05 per kWh. Greenhouse design is provided by Larssen Greenhouse, whose 25-plus years of experience in building some of the most modern and sophisticated greenhouses in the industry will provide TGOD with state of the art, climate-controlled hybrid greenhouse solutions.
Canada is quickly becoming a hub for cannabis investors with over $1.3 billion raised by Canadian companies to date. There are 58 licensed producers to service a population of 36 million and only two organic producers. TGOD, which holds licenses in Ontario and Quebec, is strategically located in both provinces that together claim 22 million Canadians as residents. Another estimated 57 million people live next door in six U.S. bordering states.
The Canadian cannabis market currently has a massive supply demand gap, which makes TGOD's expansion plans even more important to investors. These plans include a combined build-out capacity of 970,000 square feet, allowing TGOD to produce 116,000 kg annually of organic cannabis. Upon completion, Phase One in Hamilton, Ontario, which is fully funded, will provide 150,000 square feet of growing capacity capable of producing up to 14,000 kg of cannabis or $112 million in revenue at $8 a gram.
The company's Quebec expansion will be constructed on a recently secured 75-acre property near Montreal. This new property has a planned expansion of 820,000 square feet capable of producing 102,000 kg of organic cannabis. The first phase of this expansion is underway and construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2018. Quebec's first phase will consist of 220,000 square feet capable of producing 22,000 kg of cannabis. Two additional expansion phases will add 250,000 square feet (26,000 kg of cannabis) and 350,000 square feet (54,000 kg of cannabis). Power costs remain exceptionally low for both facilities with access to all other needed utilities available and close by.
TGOD also plans to gain a share of the burgeoning cannabis oils market which by Q1 2017 accounted for 49 percent of all cannabis sold in Canada under the ACMPR, up from only 27% in Q2 2016. TGOD has ordered a purpose-built extraction laboratory with an estimated commission in Q4 of 2017. This is a commercial-scale CO2 extraction unit capable of processing up to 12,000 kg of raw material per year and producing approximately $170 million worth of organic cannabis oils. Raw cannabis oil provides a significant downstream manufacturing opportunity into several potential recreational market verticals including edibles, beverages, topicals and concentrates.
Data from the Canadian ACMPR Market Trends report indicates a rising number of consumers will continue to seek out healthier, less conspicuous ways to consume cannabis, ensuring sales of organic cannabis oil products remain brisk. Organic cannabis products demand a significant premium compared to non-organic products and the demand keeps growing.
Plans to take the company public are underway with an initial public offering (IPO) slated for January 2018. In November, the company raised $13 million in equity financing and in March closed a $27 million non-brokered private placement. Another $20 million is currently being raised before the IPO in January, which will be utilized for expansion plans.
TGOD is uniquely positioned between the medical and recreational cannabis industry since Canada is scheduled to legalize cannabis for all adults in mid-2018. As of August 2017, TGOD has 2,400 shareholders. Established in 2012, TGOD's motto, "Making Life Better," can be seen in its strategic partnerships, top quality management team, and dedication to organic farming and principles.
Trxade Group Inc. (NASDAQ: MEDS)
Trxade Group Inc. (NASDAQ: MEDS) is an integrated pharmaceutical services company that offers a unique combination of a web-based purchasing platform (www.trxade.com) for transactions between independent pharmacists and drug distributors (B2B); a network of pharmacies with E-Hub software; a mail order pharmacy; and warehouse and drug delivery services. This synergistic combination of product offerings and superior data analytics is poised to benefit all stakeholders and consumers within the pharmaceutical industry.
Trxade will leverage and scale its fully integrated model to execute the following growth strategies:
- Increase share of pharmacist drug purchasing
- Additional SKUs and expand product breath
- Partner with Specialty and International Mfg.
- Expand mail order licenses to all 50 states
- Scale Delivmeds for consumer delivery nationwide
- Integration with telemedicine
- M&A Opportunities within drug value chain
Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Trxade’s overarching corporate strategy is to penetrate the existing retail independent pharmacy marketplace and diversify the company’s pharmaceutical mix with additional specialty and acute care products. Trxade is advancing on this mission by focusing on three key niches in the health care market.
Business-to-Business (B2B)
The $330 billion U.S. pharmaceutical industry is comprised of more than 65,000 pharmacy facilities and 1,500 state-licensed suppliers. Roughly 24,000 of these facilities are independent pharmacies, which collectively spend approximately $93 billion a year on branded and generic drugs.
Trxade targets these independent pharmacies, leveraging a robust, “E-Bay/Kayak-like” technology platform with optimum buyer/seller pricing algorithms, product availability, and predictive data analytics features.
Trxade currently serves and transacts with more than one-third (10,250) of these independent pharmacies and facilitates over $10 million of drug purchases a month!
Consumer
Trxade also targets the “consumer side” of the pharmaceutical industry, aiming to lower prescription drug costs by attacking the inefficient value chain; offering drug price transparency and efficient buying; and, delivering drugs DIRECT to independent pharmacists and consumers.
The company operates a full-service mail order pharmacy for U.S. consumers, as well as a mobile app called “Delivmeds” (http://www.delivmeds.com) which enables SAME DAY home delivery of dispensed prescriptions.
Retail
Trxade’s Managed Services Organization (“TrxadeMSO”) enables its member independent retail pharmacies to get patients, process orders, and deliver or ship prescriptions to patients. TrxadeMSO provides access to encompassing network of pharmacies through the E-Hub software, allowing for timely and comprehensive medication fulfillment.
These offerings ensure the best-suited pharmacy receives the patient’s information, thereby ensuring appropriate medication coverage based on the patient’s location, payor coverage, and medication access/inventory. This will save the clinicians and their staff time as they benefit from efficiency and enhanced workflow management in script processing and fulfillment.
Health Care Market
The U.S. health care market currently hovers near $4 trillion and is expected to grow as the general population ages. This growth will have greater impact on consumers as out-of-pocket expenses also rise. Additionally, drug costs are paced to increase faster than the overall health care and well above inflation.
Drug pricing is variable, and reimbursement is squeezing profits. This provides significant opportunity for the Trxade model of price visibility and profit optimization.
Trxade’s fair online market platform targets the nation’s retail community and independent pharmacies, of which there are approximately 24,000 nationwide. TRxADE has found that independent pharmacies, in order to be cost-effective, often operate with minimal staff and conduct up-to-the minute price checks. The TRxADE S2P platform gives these pharmacists the ability to easily compare the price of drugs offered by various suppliers and select the most favorable deals, saving money by taking advantage of best purchase pricing.
TRxADE’s programs include:
- TRxADE Exchange, which opens and widens the distribution channel to the retail, community pharmacy. A purchasing pharmacy can view products from manufacturers, buying groups, and wholesalers on a real-time and continuous basis. This approach significantly enhances the competitive spirit of the exchange where the lowest price exists for each product at any given point in time. TRxADE has become a competitive tool for all progressive entities and is recognized for its easy searching of hard-to-find generic pharmaceuticals at substantially reduced prices.
- RX Guru™ is an industry-leading price prediction model that integrates product shortage insight into pharmacy acquisition benchmarks (“PAC”) to ascertain trends and pricing variances that result in significant purchasing opportunities. RX Guru affords members the opportunity to continuously benefit from real price purchasing opportunities that are concealed from the rest of the industry.
- Product Shortage Database – TRxADE maintains the most comprehensive retail, specialty and acute care pharmaceutical product shortage database in the country. Other industry competitors mainly restrict their efforts to specialty and acute care product shortages and narrowly research oral generic products. TRxADE’s advanced prediction tools help members source those hard-to-find products at affordable costs in a timely and easy-to-search process.
Management Team
Trxade’s management team is rich in expertise within the pharmaceutical supply chain and is supported by a base of advisors and contractors who are experts in related fields of the pharmaceutical sector.
Suren Ajjarapu – Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Secretary
Suren Ajjarapu has served as Trxade’s chairman of the board, CEO and secretary since 2014, and as the chairman of the board, chief executive officer and secretary of Trxade Nevada since its inception. Ajjarapu also serves as a chairman of the board for Feeder Creek Group Inc., since March 2018. Ajjarapu formerly was a founder, CEO and chairman of Sansur Renewable Energy Inc., a company involved in developing wind power sites in the Midwest, United States; a founder, president and director of Aemetis Inc., a biofuels company (AMTX.OB); a founder, chairman and CEO of International Biofuels, a subsidiary of Aemetis Inc.; and a co-founder, COO, and director at Global Information Technology Inc., an IT outsourcing and systems design company. Ajjarapu holds an M.S. in environmental engineering from South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, and an MBA from the University of South Florida, specializing in international finance and management. Ajjarapu is also a graduate of the Venture Capital and Private Equity program at Harvard University.
Prashant Patel – Director, President and Chief Operating Officer
Prashant Patel has served as Trxade’s full-time president and COO, and as a director since the company’s acquisition of Trxade Nevada in 2014, and as the COO and president and as a director of Trxade Nevada since its inception. He has been a president and member of the board of Trxade since August 2010. Patel is a registered pharmacist and pharmaceutical consultant with over 10 years of experience in retail pharmacy and pharmaceutical logistics. He is the founder of several pharmacies in the Tampa Bay area, in Florida. Since 2008, Patel has been managing member of the APAA LLC pharmacy. Since 2007, Patel has been a vice president of Holiday Pharmacy Inc. Patel graduated from Nottingham University School of Pharmacy and practiced in the United Kingdom before obtaining his masters in Transport, Trade and Finance from Cass Business School, City University, UK.
VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTC: VVCIF)
VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTC: VVCIF) is a globally licensed, cost efficient producer of premium quality, organic, standardized medicinal cannabis. One of the earliest licensed medical marijuana producers under Canada's federally-controlled Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR), VIVO has five years of operating experience in the burgeoning medical marijuana space through its flagship operation, ABcann Medicinals, Inc. The company recently received its Health Canada license to produce medical cannabis oils and is working toward production of saleable, extracted, finished products that will lead to a final inspection allowing sales of its oils.
"Receipt of the license to produce cannabis oils is a major milestone in our pursuit to provide our medical cannabis patients with additional product formats that can be precisely dosed. The expansion and innovation of our product lines are a top priority for the Company as we continue to serve the needs of our customers, and we anticipate strong demand for our cannabis oil products," VIVO CEO Barry Fishman said.
VIVO owns and operates a fully functioning 14,500 square foot facility in Napanee, Ontario, which is being doubled in size to produce 1,400 kg of cannabis per year. The company's expansion plans include adding a seasonal greenhouse and a hybrid, multipurpose facility, capable of producing 31,000 kg of cannabis per year between the two facilities, to be constructed on 65 acres it already owns near the Napanee facility. This additional location is properly zoned with existing infrastructure in place for an eventual 1.2 million square feet of production space.
VIVO has built a reputation over the years for its best-in-class standardized approach to growing cannabis that includes the absence of pesticides and a computer monitored growing technique that provides a consistent, pharmaceutical-grade with high yields. The company's custom, scalable growing chambers with proprietary lighting can be replicated anywhere in the world, leading to lower production costs. This technique has helped it record a customer retention rate of 94.7 percent alongside 30 percent month-over-month customer growth. When combined with VIVO's current yield rate, which it has measured at roughly 100 percent greater than the industry average, the company has constructed a strong foundation upon which to build a sizable presence in the global cannabis industry.
This global growth potential is illustrated by VIVO's partnership with Israel's Syqe Medical, producer of the world's first selective-dose pharmaceutical grade medicinal plant inhaler. After visiting VIVO's production facility, Perry Davidson, founder of Syqe Medical, noted that the company's production technologies put it "in a class with the best in the world" in its ability to produce standardized pharmaceutical grade cannabis.
VIVO's recent acquisition of Harvest Medicine Inc. represents further progress toward the company's goal of becoming a vertically integrated medical cannabis company. Harvest Medicine is one of the fastest growing medical cannabis clinics in Canada – adding over 1,200 new patients monthly from a single location – with an aggressive expansion plan and a patient-focused approach that perfectly aligns with VIVO's philosophy of quality and innovation.
VIVO's seasoned management team, board of directors and advisory board features well over a century of combined industry experience. Fishman, who has over 20 years of experience as a business leader, previously served as CEO of both Teva Canada and Taro Canada, as vice president of marketing at Eli Lilly Canada, and as past chair of the Canadian Generic Manufacturers Association. He most recently served as CEO of international specialty pharmaceutical company Merus Labs.
Notably, VIVO also has access to the 'Father of Cannabis Research', Raphael Mechoulam, PhD, through its board of advisors. An organic chemist and professor of medicinal chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mechoulam was the first scientist to isolate both cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). He has received more than 25 prestigious academic awards, including the Rothschild Prize in Chemical Sciences and Physical Sciences in 2012.
With more than 65 acres of growth capacity, a healthy cash balance to fund upcoming construction efforts, steady sales growth, industry-leading yield rates and an established operations team in place, VIVO is well positioned to compete in the rapidly expanding Canadian cannabis industry and beyond.
Willow Biosciences Inc. (TSX: WLLW) (OTCQB: CANSF)
Willow Biosciences Inc. (TSX: WLLW) (OTCQB: CANSF) is a leading developer of biosynthetic production systems for high-value, plant-derived active pharmaceutical ingredients (“APIs”) and intermediates. The company’s cannabidiol (“CBD”) yeast-based biosynthesis program produces a high yield, ultrapure, low-cost and scalable manufacturing solution for pharmaceutical, food, beverage and personal care consumers of CBD.
The company is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Biosynthesis Platform
Willow’s proprietary yeast-based lab strains produce CBD, tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”), and cannabigerol (“CBG”), as well as certain minor and novel cannabinoids.
The company’s expertise in the esoteric field of biosynthesis and in delivering commercial fermentation pathways for the production of pharmaceutical-grade compounds grew from its origins in opiate research. Willow recently delivered a de novo biosynthesis pathway in yeast for thebaine, a key precursor API used as a feedstock in the manufacture of semi-synthetic opiates such as naloxone (used to reverse opioid overdose) and several common analgesics. Led by Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Peter Facchini, Willow’s research team discovered and patented numerous previously unknown genes coding for core catalytic pathway enzymes, as well as a number of additional non-pathway, yet commercially-essential, accessory genes.
Utilizing this proven synthetic biology platform, Willow’s research team has already begun producing cannabinoids at lab scale, using yeast as the host cell “factory”. This biosynthetic fermentation-based process is capable of producing pharmaceutical grade CBD in 10 days – far less time than traditional plant-based extraction methods.
Willow anticipates its technology can be scaled to produce hundreds of kilograms per batch of cannabinoid API at less than $1,000 per kilogram, thus costing approximately 60% less than current chemical synthesis methods and 90% less than conventional plant-based extraction methods.
World-Class Collaboration
Willow and Noramco Inc., the world’s largest producer of high-quality synthetic cannabinoid APIs and other controlled substance APIs for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, have an exclusive, worldwide Joint Development Agreement (“JDA”) to design a yeast-based biosynthesis platform for the production and distribution of a highly pure CBD isolate.
The mutually exclusive agreement calls for Willow to be responsible for optimizing yeast strains in a biosynthetic process to generate ultrapure CBD at high yield and substantially lower cost compared to current methods. Noramco will leverage its decades of experience in producing and delivering CBD and pharmaceutical APIs by being responsible for the scale-up, regulatory submission, marketing and distribution of products manufactured under the JDA.
Each company will invest comparable funds, will retain the intellectual property associated with their respective scopes of work and share equally in gross profits from sales of products manufactured under the JDA.
Market Opportunity
The agreement with Noramco (http://nnw.fm/Mz1vW) addresses the increasing demand for CBD-based APIs and other CBD-infused products by pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, consumer packaged goods, beverages and other industry sectors.
The U.S. market potential of cannabinoids is significant, with industry analysts projecting $50 billion in cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical sales and $16 billion in CBD consumer goods retail sales by 2025. As of June 2019, 34 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands have legalized cannabis for medical use. Another 13 states and territories have approved recreational cannabis for adult use while other states are considering similar measures.
The cannabinoid API market continues to evolve with CBD and other cannabinoid-based treatment options currently in clinical trials for indications such as post-traumatic stress syndrome, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, chronic pain, schizophrenia, cancer treatments and other challenging unmet medical conditions.
Capitalization
Willow is fully funded after raising $29 million via private placement and $8 million in exercised warrants by Tuatara Capital Fund II, L.P. Proceeds of the funding will be used to enhance the existing laboratory space in Calgary and Vancouver, Canada, and in San Francisco, California. The company anticipates exiting 2020 with $15.8 million in cash.
Leadership
President and CEO Trevor Peters is an experienced executive who co-founded four startup companies in the past 15 years. He has raised over $1 billion in equity and debt financings at various stages of corporate development and has been integral to successful transactions totaling over $4 billion on sale. Mr. Peters previously was chief financial officer at Caracal Energy Inc., which sold to Glencore plc in 2014 for $1.8 billion.
Chief Financial Officer Travis Doupe has over 18 years of experience in financial leadership roles, principally in the international oil and gas industry, where he provided corporate strategic direction while overseeing all aspects of financial operations. Mr. Doupe is the treasurer and a member of the board of directors of the Canada Council for the Americas – Alberta and holds a CA-CPA designation and earned a bachelor’s degree in management from the University of Calgary.
Dr. Peter Facchini, Chief Scientific Officer, has been professor of plant biochemistry in the department of biological sciences at the University of Calgary since 1995. He is the Canada research chair in Plant Metabolic Processes Biotechnology and has published more than 150 research papers and scholarly articles. Dr. Facchini received a PhD from the University of Toronto and conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Kentucky and Université de Montréal.
Dr. Joseph Tucker, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, holds more than 20 issued or pending patents and is a member of the Board of Directors of BioAlberta. He has extensive senior leadership experience in multiple public and private biotech companies. Dr. Tucker received a PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Calgary.
Wonderfilm Media Corporation (TSXV: WNDR) (OTC: WDRFF)
Wonderfilm Media Corporation (TSXV: WNDR) (OTC: WDRFF) main business is the worldwide production of high-quality feature films and episodic television. The Wonderfilm team includes Hollywood veterans who have packaged, produced and delivered several profitable recent films, including “BlacKkKlansman,” “Get Out” and “The Hurt Locker.” Having these individuals on the Wonderfilm team demonstrates the company’s proven access to Academy Award-quality films and upside.
Wonderfilm maintains a continuing $58 million annual production slate to meet the constant and growing need for content worldwide. The company’s risk-averse production process results in predictable and consistent revenue streams.
Soaring demand for content from streaming providers is fueling industry growth. The global media and entertainment market is expected to grow from $1.9 trillion in 2017 to $2.4 trillion in 2022, a five-year CAGR of 4.4%.
The company recently formed Wonderfilm Global, an international film and television sales and distribution joint venture that is expected to generate significant incremental revenue.
Wonderfilm has strong relationships throughout the entertainment industry, which enables cost-effective production budgets and in-demand content creation.
Management Team with Proven Track Records
Kirk Shaw: Over 240 movies and seven television series to his credit. Headed up Canada’s largest independent film and television production company, attaining $100 million revenue two years straight with 8% EBITDA.
Dan Grodnik: Founded Mass Hysteria Entertainment, a publicly traded company, and became its chairman/CEO. Produced over 50 feature films, including “Bobby,” the 2006 Robert Kennedy biographic film.
Shaun Redick & Yvette Yates: $300 million+ USD total production budgets to date with a combined 175 award wins/355 nominations, including 10 Oscar nominations. In 2017 and 2018, they produced two of the most successful Hollywood films of those years: “Get Out” ($255 million USD gross revenue) and “BlacKkKlansman” ($100 million USD gross revenue). Scheduled to produce two to three films per year for Wonderfilm, with the first release slated for October 2020. Committed to the 4% challenge to give more women and women of color the opportunity to direct.
Jeff Bowler: 2017 Emmy Award-winning producer. Vice president of acquisitions and production for The Exchange, one of the top film sales and finance companies in the world. Bowler is the executive for Wonderfilm Global distribution.
Bret Saxon: Through his company, TMP Inc., Saxon created M&A deals worth over US$750 million across 113 countries. Produced several feature films and made-for-television movies, including Wonderfilm’s 2019 movie “Zombie Tidal Wave” for NBC/Universal’s SYFY.
17-Title Movie Slate — Greenlit
Wonderfilm currently has 17 films greenlit with combined budgets totaling $58 million. Wonderfilm production stars include: John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Guy Pearce, Ryan Phillippe and Anne Heche, to name a few.
Some of the company’s most notable greenlit projects include the horror film “Amityville 1974,” slated for theatrical release in October 2020, and the action film “Inside Game” starring Tyrese Gibson, which will be released to theaters in fall 2020.
The company is also actively developing a number of other new IP projects, including a dramatic biographic feature titled “Life and Times of Steve McQueen,” a film adaptation of the bestselling novel “Merchant of Death” and a television series headed by “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” creator Anthony Zuiker.
Potential for Breakout Success
Wonderfilm movies have the potential for millions of dollars in revenue from the kind of breakout success generated by films like “Saw” and “Get Out,” which would propel Wonderfilm and its revenue streams to a new level. Wonderfilm has several potential breakout films in its development/production queue.
Note: Potential breakout films are not factored into company’s revenue projections.
Base Hits and Home Runs
In tandem with its slate of high-profile films, Wonderfilm continues to finance, produce and deliver many profitable low-risk, lower-budget films that are base hits. Shaun Redick is a home run hitter, and his upcoming Wonderfilm projects are anticipated to be home run hits for the company, while base hits such as “Zombie Tidal Wave” provide a consistent source of revenue.
Recent Industry Breakout Films Include:
- SAW – $1.2 million budget = $103.9 million in sales
- Pulp Fiction – $8 million budget = $212 million in sales
- My Big Fat Greek Wedding – $5 million budget = $250 million in sales
- Lost in Translation – $4 million budget = $120 million in sales
- Get Out – $4.5 million budget = $255.5 million sales (Shaun Redick)
Note: Revenue from most of Wonderfilm’s current slate will be recorded on the books in 2020 or 2021.
Recent Wonderfilm Releases
- Aug. 17, 2019: Co-produced with NBC/Universal, “Zombie Tidal Wave” premièred on the SYFY channel to strong ratings.
- Aug. 29, 2019: “The Fanatic” starring John Travolta opens in U.S. theaters.
- Sept. 5, 2019: “Tammy’s Always Dying” premiers at Toronto Film Festival.
- Nov. 8, 2019: “Primal” starring Nicolas Cage opens in U.S. theaters.
Wonderfilm Global Distribution
At the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, Wonderfilm officially launched Wonderfilm Global, a new film, television and media foreign sales/distribution joint venture with 101 Films and Paul McGowan.
Wonderfilm acquired 51% ownership in the joint venture structure and immediately began attaching its own productions to Wonderfilm Global. The joint venture represents a significant opportunity for Wonderfilm, changing how the company does business.
The intention behind Wonderfilm Global is to keep distribution margins in-house that previously went to other companies. Since most Wonderfilm movies are relatively low-risk and easy to sell because they feature desirable cast and genre, third-party distribution companies were previously earning approximately 10%, plus expenses, on Wonderfilm movies without any level of risk. Now, revenue is generated through presales of Wonderfilm projects and, at times, third-party films. The average Wonderfilm movie is pre-sold for $5million, garnering $500,000 to $750,000 per sale as a commission. These commissions now stay in-house with Wonderfilm Global, and the company expects to sell 10 to 12 third-party films between fall 2019 and fall 2020, generating roughly $6 million in commission income.
A further revenue source is generated from theatrical sales through a 50/50 upside split once the minimum sales threshold is met.
Wonderfilm Global has offices in Vancouver, Beverly Hills, London, Ireland, Seoul and China.
Wonderfilm Business Model
Wonderfilm productions are structured to begin generating a return to the company as soon as the camera starts rolling.
Return Before a Film is Delivered: Producer fee line items are included in each production budget. These range from $50,000 to $500,000, depending on the total budget, and are paid to Wonderfilm most commonly on the first day of principle photography.
Distribution: Wonderfilm Global charges sales and distribution fees within each production budget to cover its presale costs.
Note: Wonderfilm’s productions are all structured to minimize risk by matching budget to funds available.
Return After a Film is Delivered: Unsold presale territories are countries or territories left off of a film’s presale list, either for strategic reasons or because the broadcaster/distributor is waiting to see the completed film. These outside-the-budget distribution sales become Wonderfilm profit centers.
Sales overages once contracted presale threshold is surpassed.
The company’s film library grows with each new production, adding to future sales revenue. Depending on the agreement, exploitation rights for future worldwide sales return to Wonderfilm four or seven years after delivery. As of October 2019, Wonderfilm’s growing film library comprises 18 titles for future exploitation.
Note: The nature of the film business is that box office revenue lags production up to a couple of years.
$50 Million Wonderfilm Production Fund (WPF):
Wonderfilm is in the process of raising $50 million to establish a Wonderfilm Production Fund (WPF). WPF is designed to consolidate traditional production financing models into a single diversified, asset-backed debt instrument.
The WPF is a highly specialized investment vehicle with noncorrelated market returns normally reserved for institutional banks and specialty lenders, and it would pay 8% interest directly from each Wonderfilm movie or series budget and not from corporate funds. These same interest payments are already added to each production budget, as the company currently closes a separate financing for every film. The WPF would significantly streamline Wonderfilm’s production rate, adding revenue more quickly and broadening the yearly production slate.
For fund investors, the WPF is a dedicated production-financing vehicle designed to offer a risk-moderated approach to investing in film finance. The managed process provides structure and reassurance that are normally experienced only when working with an institutional lender that has a dedicated staff and resources.
All projects being financed are for Wonderfilm productions, with the fund collateral fully secured by receivables, including presale contracts, government incentives, or a guarantee from Wonderfilm for any unsecured amounts as may be permitted.
Xalles Holdings Inc. (OTC: XALL)
Xalles Holdings Inc. (OTC: XALL) is a fintech holding company leveraging blockchain and other technologies for e-commerce, payments, financial reconciliation, and payment auditing solutions. The company actively seeks acquisition targets with strong management teams and business models, large total attainable markets, and lucrative exit opportunities in which to invest and accelerate growth.
Operations
The common element to all acquired entities and projects is a business model that involves setting up a payment or financial transaction “toll gate,” thereby creating a recurring revenue stream.
Xalles’ business plan focuses on consumer, business and government-oriented payment and financial reconciliation transactions. Combining the blockchain decentralized financial ledger platform with the company’s existing X2X transaction reconciliation system design, Xalles is building technology that supports payment audits, exchanges, and new business models and opportunities worldwide. Xalles will launch new services card and mobile payment and rewards systems, and will expand the technology offerings for referral marketing and e-commerce engines.
Subsidiaries
All current subsidiaries are wholly owned
- Xalles Holdings
Raise capital for fintech accelerator program acquisitions, provide management, administrative, finance and marketing support to all subsidiary companies - Xalles Capital
Management support of investment consortiums, direct investment into funds or projects, and management of investments - Xalles Limited
Design and market new X2X solutions; acquire U.S Government transportation post-payment audit business through GSA schedule and expand to non-transportation payment auditing - Xalles Technology
Technical development of the X2X blockchain systems - Xalles Financial Services
Consumer and small business financial service offerings - Co-Owners Rewards
Stock-based rewards system for payments cards and financial services - Amazing Living Enterprises
Affiliate program and e-commerce platform for enhancing financial lives - Global Savings Network
Not-for-profit fundraising system with consumer discounts at local merchants
X2X Solutions
Xalles provides payment and financial transaction management solutions through the company’s proprietary blockchain-based X2X technology. The X2X solution includes the Investment and Financing System (IFS), which supports complex investment structures, assists international investment consortia, and provides links to Xalles’ Financial Transaction Reconciliation (FTR) solution. FTR supports complex financial ecosystems, making it easier for parties to exchange products, services, grants and government incentives, and assists “Exchange Managers” with liquidity and auditability. X2X also supports the Xalles pre- and post-payment auditing services.
Advancements in 2019
- Co-Owners Rewards subsidiary is working to launch a general purpose reloadable prepaid payment card with a stock rewards program.
- Previously announced LYC Mortgage acquisition will create a structure that will dramatically increase revenues in 2020 with new mortgage business portfolios.
- Xalles Financial Services expects to launch the Cryptocurrency Trading Engine and acquire multiple cryptocurrency asset portfolios to drive increases in value through the trading engine.
“The structure and growth plan for the company contains a balance of diversity and synergy so that we can effectively use limited resources to obtain the best results. We will see the culmination of the fundraising efforts, acquisitions and organic growth in the second half of 2019 put us on the path to tremendous growth in 2020.”
– Xalles CEO Thomas Nash (http://nnw.fm/rU6iT)
Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI)
Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) is a leading omni-direct lifestyle company offering a hybrid of the direct selling business model that includes e-commerce and the power of social selling. Among the Top 100 Global Direct Selling Companies, Youngevity offers products from the six top selling retail categories: health/nutrition, home/family, food/beverage (including coffee), spa/beauty, apparel/jewelry, and a range of innovative services. Created through the 2011 merger of Youngevity Essential Life Sciences with Javalution® Coffee Company, today's Youngevity International Inc. is a virtual worldwide Main Street of products and services under one corporate entity that supports a healthy and empowered lifestyle.
Youngevity International is dedicated to improving lifestyles through the universal desires of vibrant health and flourishing economics. Catering to health-conscious consumers, Youngevity believes that combining the best of the direct selling industry with the fundamentals and capabilities of a traditional business model will maximize shareholder value. The company's Nutritional, Lifestyle and Telecommunications products and services are distributed through a global network of Preferred Customers and Distributors.
Youngevity's wholly owned CLR Roasters LLC business line offers quality branded and private label coffee to retail stores, office coffee services, hospitality, food services, distributors, convenience, petrol stores and vending businesses. Today, CLR Roasters is the largest coffee provider for cruise lines in North America and the second largest roaster in the state of Florida. Producing a consistent premium product with superior taste, CLR Roasters has earned numerous certifications that demonstrate the company's commitment to the craft of providing the highest quality coffee products using the best practice standards available.
Youngevity, operating in the direct-selling channel, is rapidly expanding its product and distributor base through acquisitions and mergers under an innovative concept called "the Network Cloud" that provides other direct selling companies with a home base. The company's YoungevityGO2 mobile distributor app, a new technology-driven web platform supporting expansion of global e-commerce and social selling platforms, is available on Google Play and the App Store. In addition to the Network Cloud concept, Youngevity International owns CLR Coffee Roasters which operates a traditional coffee roasting business offering a JavaFit® gourmet product line that vertically integrates with Youngevity and its growing network of direct marketers.
Youngevity International offers more than 1,000 high quality, technologically advanced products under the following categories:
- Health and Nutrition
- Home and Family
- Food and Beverage
- Spa and Beauty
- Fashion
- Essential Oils
- Photo and scrapbooking
- Services for Home and Business
Youngevity International Inc. has compiled a best-in-class management team with a strong track record of success in private and public companies. Steve Wallach, CEO, has nearly two decades of sales and network marketing experience and has successfully guided Youngevity International Inc. to become an international, publicly-traded direct marketing company positioned for worldwide growth. Dave Briskie, president and CFO, has shepherded the company's development into a fully vertical coffee roasting and distribution company that owns the direct marketing brand JavaFit® and the retail brand, Café La Rica.
Youngevity has also attracted a stunning group of Brand Evangelists who endorse its products. Among these are actress, author and well-known health and wellness activist Marilu Henner; former NBA basket player, Mike "Stinger" Glenn; former NFL wide receiver Drew Pearson; "Greatest Natural Bodybuilder in the World" Gene Nelson; and WNBA champion, Olympic gold medalist Delisha Jones.