180 Life Sciences Corp. (NASDAQ: ATNF)
180 Life Sciences Corp. (NASDAQ: ATNF) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of novel drugs that fulfill unmet needs in inflammatory diseases, fibrosis and pain by leveraging the combined expertise of luminaries in therapeutics from Oxford University, the Hebrew University and Stanford University.
Drug Development Programs
180 Life Sciences is leading the research into solving one of the world’s biggest drivers of disease – inflammation. The company is driving groundbreaking study into clinical programs, which are seeking to develop novel drugs addressing separate areas of inflammation for which there are no effective therapies.
The company’s primary platform is a novel program to treat fibrosis and inflammation using anti-TNF, with its lead program in phase 2b/3 clinical trials with first results expected in 2021. Further clinical trials are scheduled to begin by the end of 2020. The company has two additional programs that are in the preclinical stage and are showing promising results.
- Fibrosis & Anti-TNF (Phase 2b/3 Trials): Based at the Kennedy Institute within Oxford University, the fibrosis and anti-TNF program is being led by Professor Jagdeep Nanchahal, a surgeon-scientist who has been running the phase 2 trials, and Professor Sir Marc Feldmann, a renowned immunologist and one of the pioneers of anti-TNF therapy. The program is designed to address four critical areas of inflammation:
- The phase 2b/3 trial evaluating the treatment of early stage Dupuytren’s disease (DD) is a fully grant-funded and enrolled study, with top line data expected to be available by Q4 2021.
- The phase 2b trial studying the treatment of frozen shoulder is likewise grant-funded and is scheduled to be initiated by Q3 2021.
- The phase 2 trial in post-operative cognitive deficit (POCD) is anticipated to commence in Q4 2021.
- Preclinical studies in liver fibrosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are set to begin in late 2020.
- Inflammatory Pain (Preclinical): Directed by Professor Raphael Mechoulam at the Hebrew University in Israel, this program is focused on discovering novel compounds to treat chronic inflammatory pain.
- A7nAChR (Preclinical): Led by Professor Lawrence Steinman and Dr. Jonathan Rothbard, 180 Life Sciences is seeking to develop a treatment for ulcerative colitis in ex-smokers by targeting the a7nAChR, a nicotine receptor in the body and a central factor in the body’s method of controlling inflammation.
Market Size for Anti-Inflammatory Medication
According to a study carried out by Allied Market Research, the anti-inflammatory therapeutics market is expected to grow to an approximate $106.1 billion annual market size in 2020, registering a CAGR of 5.9% during the period from 2015 to 2020.
Ranging from asthma treatments to targeting the causes of diseases such as arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease, anti-inflammatory therapeutics have seen a sharp increase in usage, particularly given that they allow for medical responses that are more targeted and effective while possessing lesser side effects relative to conventional drugs.
Management Team
Professor Sir Marc Feldmann, Co-Chairman, is known to be a pioneer of anti-TNF therapy, which seeks to suppress the immune system by blocking the activity of TNF, a substance in the body that can cause inflammation and lead to immune-system diseases. As of today, anti-TNF therapy drugs have become the world’s largest drug class, with sales estimated at over $40 billion per annum. Feldmann has received seven international awards for biomedical innovation over the years, including the Crawford and Lasker awards, and he is a member of the Royal Society.
Professor Lawrence Steinman, Co-Chairman, is a scientific luminary, having discovered the role of integrins, which led to the creation of Natalizumab, a highlight effective treatment for multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease. Steinman is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and has received four international awards for biomedical innovation, including the Charcot Prize. Prior to joining 180 Life Sciences, Steinman founded Centocor, a pharmaceutical company that was sold to Johnson & Johnson for $4.9 billion.
Dr. James N. Woody, CEO, was instrumental in the discovery of Remicade as Chief Scientific Officer at Centocor. Previously, Woody founded Avidia and Proteolix, both of which were subsequently sold to Amgen, and he was a General Partner at Latterell Venture Partners. Boasting over 25 years of pharmaceutical research and management experience, Woody was also previously the general manager of Roche Biosciences, the former Syntex Pharmaceutical Company.
AzurRx BioPharma Inc. (NASDAQ: AZRX)
AzurRx BioPharma Inc. (NASDAQ: AZRX) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing treatments for gastrointestinal diseases using recombinant proteins.
The company’s lead drug candidate is MS1819, a recombinant lipase for the treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) in patients suffering from cystic fibrosis and chronic pancreatitis.
AzurRx has already completed two Phase 2 clinical trials for MS1819 and is currently pursuing approval through parallel monotherapy and combination therapy pathways.
The company was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in New York City, with scientific operations in Langlade, France, and clinical operations in Hayward, California.
MS1819 Clinical Trials
The two current ongoing clinical trials for MS1819 in cystic fibrosis (CF) are the Phase 2b Option 2 monotherapy trial and the Phase 2 combination therapy trial, using MS1819 together with porcine pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT), the current standard of care. Pending the Phase 2b trial outcome, the company intends to initiate a Phase 3 trial in cystic fibrosis.
- Phase 2b CF Option 2 Trial – The study was initiated in Q3 2020, using MS1819 doses in enteric capsule form (2240mg and 4480mg). Topline data for the trial is anticipated in Q1 2021.
- Phase 2 CF Combination Trial – The study was initiated in Q4 2019, using daily dose levels of PERT in combination with MS1819 dosages (700mg, 1120mg and 2240mg). Topline data is anticipated in Q2 2021.
These trials are currently addressing the treatment of EPI in patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic pancreatitis – an established global market with an estimated value in excess of $2 billion that has been growing at a CAGR greater than 20% over the past five years.
Results from AzurRx’s Phase 2b Option 2 trial of MS1819 in cystic fibrosis patients demonstrate that the non-porcine MS1819 lipase is well-tolerated by patients, with no significant safety signals observed at the 2240mg daily dose level.
“[W]e have evaluated four different enteric capsules and identified the best suitable formulation for MS1819 that provides gastroprotection of enzyme content and delayed release into the duodenum,” James Sapirstein, President & CEO of AzurRx, stated in a September 2020 news release (https://ibn.fm/27t4W). “Our clinical program continues to advance, and we are determined to develop MS1819 as a safer alternative to porcine pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy, significantly reducing the pill burden of cystic fibrosis patients.”
Financial Highlights
As of July 2020, AzurRx had raised gross cash capital of $22.1 million, including $15.2 million from Series B convertible preferred stock and warrants in July 2020 and $6.9 million from convertible promissory notes and warrants in December 2019 and January 2020. Notably, AzurRx solidified its financial position and created an effectively debt-free balance sheet by exchanging substantially all of its outstanding convertible notes into the Series B convertible preferred stock financing.
The company secured an additional $2.5 million in French Research Tax Credits, received in 2020, for the years 2017-2019 (https://ibn.fm/Qxk7O).
In a letter to shareholder, Sapirstein noted that ensuring the company maintains sufficient capital to support its business operations has been a key focus. He further stated that the company is in “a financially secure position” to complete its two Phase 2 MS1819 clinical trial programs and to begin preparations in 2021 for a pivotal Phase 3 study.
The company has no current plans to access additional financing, as it believes it has enough cash to fund existing operational and clinical objectives through Q3 2021.
Management Team
James Sapirstein is the President and CEO of AzurRx BioPharma. He was previously the CEO and a board member for ContraVir Pharmaceuticals Inc., which is now known as Hepion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: HEPA). Mr. Sapirstein has almost 36 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with expertise in drug development and commercialization. He currently serves on the Emerging Companies and Health Section boards of the BIO (Biotechnology Innovation Organization) and is Chairman Emeritus of BioNJ. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from Rutgers University and has an MBA in management from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Daniel Schneiderman is the Chief Financial Officer of AzurRx. He previously served as the CFO of Biophytis SA and its U.S. subsidiary, Biophytis, Inc., clinical-stage biotechnology companies focused on the development of pharmaceutical candidates for age-related diseases. He was appointed to the AzurRx position in January 2020, bringing to the team over 18 years of experience in capital markets and finance operations. Mr. Schneiderman holds a degree in economics from Tulane University.
James Pennington, M.D., is the Chief Medical Officer of AzurRx. Before joining the team, he was the Chief Medical Officer and Senior Clinical Fellow for 11 years at Anthera Pharmaceuticals. Before becoming a part of the biotech industry, Dr. Pennington was on the Medical Faculty of Harvard Medical School for 10 years. He received his medical degree from Oregon Health & Science University.
Martin Krusin is the Senior Vice President for Corporate Development at AzurRx. He has 20 years of experience in business development, strategic marketing, financing and operations in the health care, financial services and consulting sectors. Before joining AzurRx, he was the VP for Business Development at FluoroPharma Medical Inc. Mr. Krusin received his MBA from Columbia Business School in finance and marketing, an MPhil. in political economy from Oxford University and a BA in international relations from Swarthmore College.
Dinesh Srinivasan, Ph.D., is the Vice President for Translational Research at AzurRx. He has over 15 years of experience leading drug discovery and development in the pharmaceutical industry. He began his career as a post-doctorate fellow at Roche Palo Alto. Dr. Srinivasan received his MSc in Biotechnology from the University of Mumbai, India, and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Arizona – Tucson.
Ted Stover is the Product Development Director at AzurRx. He joined the company in 2020 to oversee CMC and Project Management. Before joining AzurRx, he spent 20 years focused on manufacturing operations and analytical method development for all stages of pharmaceutical drug development. Mr. Stover earned his MBA from the University of Florida.
Brain Scientific Inc. (OTCQB: BRSF)
Brain Scientific Inc. (OTCQB: BRSF) is a commercial-stage health care company focused on developing innovative and proprietary medical devices and software. With a mission of modernizing brain diagnostics by employing cutting edge technologies to bridge the widening gap in access to quality care, the company offers two FDA-cleared products that provide next-generation solutions to the neurology market.
The company’s proprietary, clinical-grade neurological devices are supported by its intellectual property portfolio featuring patents in the United States, China and Europe.
Brain Scientific’s first commercialized devices, NeuroCap(TM) and NeuroEEG(TM), are designed to disrupt the current electroencephalogram (EEG) market by offering cost-effective and disposable substitutes to existing solutions, allowing medical professionals to collect diagnostic information quickly.
The company’s goal is to improve diagnostics by leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning processes to analyze a database of brain readings as a method of detecting seizures and dementia. The company is also working to improve patients’ access to neurological care.
Headquartered in New York, Brain Scientific and its predecessor (and now wholly owned subsidiary, MemoryMD Inc.) was founded in 2015 and went public in 2018.
Brain Scientific’s first phase of development, from 2018 to 2019, saw the inception of portable, clinical-grade, easy-to-use neurological devices. The second phase, currently ongoing, aims to create cloud-based, secure infrastructure to transmit patient data between patients and their neurologists. The company’s third phase of development is scheduled for 2021-2022 and is expected to focus on the use of AI-assisted diagnostic analysis to increase the efficiency, consistency and accuracy of neurology specialists.
NeuroCap(TM) – Disposable EEG Headset
The NeuroCap is a disposable pre-gelled EEG headset featuring 22 electrodes and 19 active EEG channels, all adhering to the international 10-20 system. The NeuroCap was FDA-cleared in 2018. The headset can be used for recording EEGs in virtually any setting, including urban and rural emergency departments, neurology clinics, urgent care clinics, ICUs, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and remote clinical research labs.
Through a universal cable adapter, the NeuroCap is compatible with other EEG amplifiers. The cap also works in parallel with Brain Scientific’s NeuroEEG amplifier, initiating EEG studies in less than five minutes.
The company is currently seeking FDA approval for additional features for the NeuroCap, as the device has the potential to fill a gap in EEG testing availabilities during the current coronavirus pandemic: in October 2020, Brain Scientific filed an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) application. The EUA is required for the rapid distribution of the NeuroCap device to emergency departments, intensive care units and other treatment centers to administer prescriptive EEGs safely on critically ill patients or those suspected of being diagnosed with COVID-19.
With more than 80 percent of hospitalized patients infected with COVID-19 displaying neurological symptoms, the NeuroCap could prove to be a valuable device by offering fast testing with limited contact between technicians and patients.
NeuroEEG(TM) – Miniature and Portable Wireless EEG Amplifier
The NeuroEEG is a compact, portable and affordable wireless EEG amplifier intended for prescription use. The 16-channel, FDA-cleared, clinical-grade device acquires, records, transmits and displays electrical brain activity for patients of all ages.
Both the NeuroCap and NeuroEEG are delivered by MemoryMD Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Brain Scientific.
Products in Active Development
Currently, Brain Scientific and MemoryMD are working on leveraging their existing products and drawing from ongoing research to develop and commercialize the next generation of solutions for the brain diagnostics market. The devices under development are being designed to address the following issues:
Routine EEG
- NeuroCap-8 is an 8-channel EEG cap. The reduced number of electrodes is vital in emergency room situations, where the time it takes to set up the EEG is critical.
Pediatric EEG
- NeuroCap Pediatric is positioned to become the first disposable and pre-gelled headset available for the pediatric market.
Long-Term Monitoring
- NeuroCap LTM for adult and pediatric patients is a disposable cap designed to monitor rhythmic and periodic patterns for up to 72 hours, providing essential diagnostic capabilities.
- NeuroEEG 24 Channel Amplifier is a portable and wireless amplifier with over 24 hours of battery life.
Artificial Intelligence
- Brain E-Tattoo is a minimally invasive four-channel EEG electrode designed for long-term monitoring.
- An AI database of brain biomarkers collects data on both normal and abnormal brain data to detect neurological diseases. The goal is for machine learning algorithms to enhance understanding of brain-behavior related to epilepsy, memory dementia and pre-Alzheimer’s diagnostics.
Telemedicine
Brain Scientific is expanding the vision for telemedicine in neurology. The company aims to address the current acute neurologist shortfall (20 states have less than 10 neurologists per 10,000 patients) through the use of teleneurology.
Partnership with Marketing Brainology
Brain Scientific has a longstanding partnership with Marketing Brainology, a neuromarketing firm using neuroscience approaches to understand consumer behavior. In 2019, Marketing Brainology conducted a study using NeuroCap and NeuroEEG to determine the most effective Super Bowl commercials.
“Thanks to Brain Scientific’s NeuroCap and NeuroEEG, we are able to better understand the art and science of the human decision-making process,” Michelle Adams, Ph.D, Founder of Marketing Brainology, stated in a news release.
In April 2020, Marketing Brainology again conducted a study leveraging Brain Scientific’s disposable EEG cap to determine how brains were reacting to COVID-19 messaging. Subjects were presented with multiple media impressions, and Marketing Brainology analyzed their responsive biomarkers. The results identified the most effective messaging for engaging with an audience during a crisis.
Market Outlook
The current global market for EEG devices is estimated at $956.1 million. It is expected to rise with a CAGR of 8.7% from 2019 to 2026, reaching $1.6 billion in value by 2026, according to Grandview Research.
In total, there are approximately 6,150 hospitals in the U.S., according to the American Hospital Association. Critically, though, just 254 of those hospitals are certified Level 4 Epilepsy centers with 24/7 EEG coverage. Since very few non-Level 4 centers have extensive EEG tech coverage, this creates a significant opportunity for Brain Scientific to bridge the gap by providing over 5,900 hospitals with lower cost amplifiers and disposable EEG caps.
The company also see opportunities to work with other businesses, such as EEG manufacturers hoping to package Brain Scientific’s solutions with their products, which could greatly expand Brain Scientific’s addressable target market.
Management Team
Dr. Baruch “Boris” Goldstein, Ph.D., is co-founder and Chairman of Brain Scientific. He is a seasoned executive with a proven talent for aligning global business strategies with established and emerging management teams. Goldstein’s growth-focused leadership style has helped him raise over $750 million in venture capital for the development of innovative companies and startups in diverse industries, including financial services, biomedicine, alternate energy and new materials, as well as groundbreaking work in artificial intelligence. His recent achievements include important advancements in neurology and unlocking the potential of AI correlations and machine learning applied to life sciences and medical research. He built a suite of first-to-market companies as a technology-oriented leader, including Ryah Medtech, Brain Scientific, GrapheneCA, E-Forex and Intelligent Video Systems. He also co-founded BrainRX, a company specializing in pre-Alzheimer’s diagnostics.
Dr. Nikolay Kukekov, Ph.D., is a Director of Brain Scientific and a partner at HRA Capital. Before joining HRA Capital, Kukekov was Managing Director of Healthcare Investment Banking at Summer Street Research. His scientific background includes a bachelor’s degree in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience from Columbia University – College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York.
Stuart Bernstein is the company’s Vice President of Marketing. He was recently named to the role after spending the first part of his professional career in senior technical management roles with Fortune 500 companies such as NCR (NYSE: NCR), IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Control Data Corp. He was the CEO of BioSignal, an EEG medical device company. He is also a co-founder of several software engineering and telemedicine firms. One of them, Brain Saving Technology, is now Specialist on Call (SOC Telemed) – a leading telemedicine company that powers over 850 facilities for teleneurology, telepsychiatry and critical care telemedicine with over 200 physicians.
Bullfrog Gold Corp. (CSE: BFG) (OTCQB: BFGC) (FSE: 11B)
Bullfrog Gold Corp. (the “Company”) (CSE: BFG) (OTCQB: BFGC) (FSE: 11B) is a Delaware corporation engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of gold and silver properties in the United States. The Company controls strategic lands with established 43-101 compliant resources in one of the most exciting gold exploration areas in the United States. The Bullfrog Gold Project (“Project”) includes a lease/option on much of the lands where Barrick Bullfrog Inc., a subsidiary of Barrick Gold Corp., produced more than 2.3 million ounces of gold and 2.49 million ounces of silver from 1989 to 1999. The Project is located within the prolific Walker Trend about 125 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada.
Project Highlights
- The Company initially acquired 79 unpatented claims and two patents in mid-2011 and has since staked, leased, optioned, or purchased lands that now total 5,250 acres. Via a 2015 lease/option with Barrick, the Project includes the northern one-third of the Bullfrog deposit where most of the current resources in the Bullfrog mine area occur, along with their interest in the Montgomery-Shoshone deposit which gave the Company 100% control.
- In mid-2017, a NI 43-101-compliant report by independent mining consultancy Tetra Tech Inc. estimated measured and indicated (“M&I”) resources of 624,000 ounces of gold and 1.73 million ounces of silver at average grades of 0.70 g/t and 1.93 g/t, respectively. The expansion plans of these two pits were based on a $1200 gold price, use of heap leach processing, and also included 110,000 ounces of inferred gold resources averaging 1.20 g/t. Barrick used conventional milling to process an average gold grade of 3 g/t.
- The established resources and exploration potential of the Project are strongly supported by a large data base obtained from Barrick, including detailed information on 155 miles of drilling in 1,262 holes in the Bullfrog mine area.
Gold Rush in the Bullfrog Territory
The area around Beatty, Nevada has now attracted AngloGold Ashanti, Kinross Gold, Corvus Gold, Coeur Mining as well as the Company and Waterton. In this regard, Northern Empire Resources Corp’s property located a few miles east of the Project was acquired by Coeur Mining in October 2018 for C$117 million, implying a valuation of C$134/oz of inferred resources. As of today, the Company is trading at a significant discount to the valuation at which Northern Empire was purchased (http://nnw.fm/9NaaN), thereby highlighting the Company’s value proposition for investors.
Bullfrog Gold Corp. is focused on enhancing shareholder returns by concurrently advancing Project development and performing exploration drilling programs on several targets identified by the Company.
Secured Financing for 2020 Operations
Bullfrog Gold Corp. raised C$2 million in January 2020 through a private placement of shares priced at C$0.13/share plus a one-half warrant exercisable within two years at C$0.20 on a full warrant basis. The raise was carried out primarily to fund a drill program that started on May 1 (http://nnw.fm/6nZ0m), and was completed on June 6, 2020. Results from drilling 12,520 feet in 25 holes will be released in the coming weeks. The Company subsequently intends to conduct a preliminary financial analysis and complete further drill programs to advance the Project and add value. The financing was subscribed by several influential shareholders, including a former director of Northern Empire, who handled the sale of the company to Coeur Mining, and Eros Resources, the management of which has been involved with several high-profile mining projects and sales in the past.
Gold Prices estimated to average $1,800/oz in 2021
Gold prices have been on a remarkable run in 2020, rising by $245/oz to $1,760 prior to peaking in early May. Global central banks carried out 144 interest rate cuts thus far in 2020, reducing their rates by a cumulative 5,035 basis points (http://nnw.fm/jzZt0). Meanwhile, the IMF has estimated that global governments have introduced fiscal support measures amounting to over $9 trillion since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (http://nnw.fm/Or9rI). The resulting weakness in the U.S. dollar and eventual inflationary pressures stemming from these measures prompted Credit Suisse to recently hike their gold price forecasts for the full year to $1,701/oz (from $1,570 previously), while the outlook for 2021 has been raised to $1,800/oz (versus $1,600 previously) (http://nnw.fm/Iqg0X).
Management Team
David Beling, CEO, President and Director
David Beling is a Registered Professional Mining Engineer with 55 years of diverse experience in areas such as engineering, development, permitting, construction, financing and management of mines and plants and the building and growth of several corporations. His initial employment included 14 years with Phelps Dodge, Union Oil, Fluor, United Technologies, and Westinghouse, followed by 41 years of senior management and consulting with 25+ U.S. and Canadian mining companies. In 2006-2007, he spearheaded an IPO, successfully drove equity raises totaling C$112 million and grew that Company’s market capitalization to $460 million. Beling has served on 14 boards since 1981, including three mining companies distinguished by the TSX Venture Exchange as top-10 performers.
Alan Lindsay, Chairman of the Board
Alan Lindsay is an entrepreneur and businessman who has founded seven companies within the mining and pharmaceutical industries, including Anatolia Minerals Development Ltd., Uranium Energy Corp., Oroperu Mineral, Strategic American Oil and AZCO Mining. Lindsay also developed the strategic vision for the 2011 acquisition and placement of the Project from NPX Metals into Bullfrog Gold Corp.
Kjeld Thygesen, Director
Kjeld is a graduate of the University of Natal in South Africa and has 48 years of experience as a resource analyst and fund manager. In 1972, he joined James Capel and Co. in London as part of its highly rated gold and mining research team before subsequently becoming manager of N. M. Rothschild & Sons’ commodities and Natural Resources Department in 1979. In 1987, he became an executive director of N. M. Rothschild International Asset Management Ltd., before co-founding Lion Resource Management Ltd., a specialist investment manager in the mining and natural resources sector, in 1989. Thygesen has been a director of Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. since 2001 and served as investment director for Resources Investment Trust PLC from 2002 to 2006.
Tyler Minnick, CFO and Director of Administration & Finance
A registered member of the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants with over 24 years of experience within the fields of accounting, auditing, and administrative services. Minnick has been engaged with the Company since mid-2011 and previously worked in the finance department of MDC Holdings/Richmond American Homes, one of the largest residential construction companies in the United States.
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.
CannAssist International Corp. (OTCQB: CNSC)
CannAssist International Corp. (OTCQB: CNSC) , owner of Xceptor Labs, is a biotechnological pharmaceutical and wellness company marketing the Xceptol consumer brand.
CannAssist, a Delaware corporation, was established in May 2017 and is headquartered in San Diego County, California.
2018 Farm Bill and CBD Market Size
Signed into law in December 2018, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) removed hemp from its classification as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.
There are over 100 known cannabinoids within the hemp plant. The two most commonly utilized cannabinoids are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). Cannabinoids have been shown to affect the endocannabinoid system within the human body, which is why CBD has demonstrated effectiveness as a therapeutic option when delivered through the right absorption avenues.
The 2018 Farm Bill is expected to have a sustained impact on the growth of the cannabidiol market and related sectors. In 2018, the global cannabidiol market was valued at $4.6 billion, and it’s expected to increase almost sixfold by 2025, reaching $23.6 billion (https://ibn.fm/PL6PO).
This growth is expected to provide multiple opportunities to CannAssist and its high-quality, high-performance brands, including products currently under development. Based on current revenue from licensing agreements, retail sales and the Xceptol brand’s international distribution, the company expects to reach first-year sales of $5 million. With additional products in the pipeline and an unwavering commitment to quality and effectiveness, the company expects to see steady sales growth in the years ahead.
Xceptor Labs
Xceptor Labs is an R&D and raw material manufacturing company that partners with TakaUSA, in Coppell, Texas, for contract manufacturing and production services.
CiBiDinol Technology
Xceptor Labs’ technology, CiBiDinol, is formulated using a proprietary process developed by CannAssist Founder Mark Palumbo. It is specifically designed to address many critical issues with oil-soluble CBD molecules, including delivery, bioavailability and short shelf-life. This technology provides the basis for Xceptor Labs and Xceptol consumer products.
CiBiDinol is believed to provide CBD in a format that is more in line with the body’s natural bioactivity. The company’s proprietary processes are used to combine CBD molecules with penetration enhancing cyclodextrin, effectively modifying the CBD molecule’s surface and rendering it water dispersible. This technology enhances absorption through the skin and gut.
The company believes that CBD products created using its CiBiDinol technology offer more predictable potency and enable reduced dosage requirements. This technology clears the way for a wide variety of products, including many oil-soluble active ingredients and highly effective consumer product applications.
Independent Testing
Third-party testing has confirmed that products made with CiBiDinol demonstrate a 400 percent increase in skin penetration as compared to regular CBD in oil carriers alone, as well as a 300 percent higher absorption rate in the gut. The company believes that the results indicate that the amount of CBD needed to achieve targeted endpoints can be significantly lower, resulting in lower costs for manufacturers and consumers with little to no side effects.
“Oversight of manufacturing and third-party testing of this ingredient produced consumer products designed to provide clinicians and consumers safe, effective, and affordable treatment options to address their health and wellness concerns,” Palumbo said in a news release.
CiBiDinol is currently being evaluated for safety by the National Science Foundation for Global Recognition and has been submitted to the FDA’s bulk drug substance program. The company is developing a commerce pathway in each state’s pharmaceutical distribution network through the National Board of Pharmacies. The company aims to capture increasing market share through product extensions and advancements by seeking critical third-party analysis and physician feedback regarding its proprietary technology’s attributes. Xceptor Labs intends to offer licensing arrangements for brand-consumer companies.
Xceptol Products
CiBiDinol technology is the foundation for Xceptor Labs and the Xceptol line of products, including topical creams, capsules, tinctures and pet drops. The Xceptol line began launching its products in September 2020, and it currently has five National Drug Code topical pain creams utilizing ingredients registered with the FDA.
Xceptol products will be sold online, through Range Me, as well as through national and international retail and pharmaceutical distributors. Marketing for Xceptol products is planned through multiple social media campaigns including using celebrities and former athletes associated with Freedman Sports Promotional Relations.
Xceptol is establishing sales channels in North America, Central America, South America, South Africa, the EU, the UK and the Philippines.
Management Team
Mark Palumbo, CEO and Founder, is an entrepreneur, scientist and executive with over 30 years in the health care, laboratory and manufacturing industries. His entrepreneurial endeavors include a successful personal care industry distribution company, a currently owned and operated tissue culture laboratory and Xceptor Labs, now part of CannAssist International.
Marla Palumbo, President, is a health care professional and registered nurse with over 30 years of experience in the industry. She handles sales, patient advocacy, patient care and general management. Marla Palumbo has effectively developed and grown a personal care distribution company with significant year over year increases in sales. Her management and organization skills were instrumental in the early development of Xceptor Labs, leading to its CannAssist International public company status.
Dr. Rahul Dixit, MD, Medical Director, is a doctor of gastroenterology at Providence St. John’s Medical Center in Santa Monica, California. He was part of a double fellowship with the University of Miami in Gastroenterology and Hepatology/Liver Transplant at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He has over 20 years of experience with cannabis and hemp-related products.
Takako McGowan, Managing Director, Founding Member and Owner of TakaUSA, brings 40 years of experience in manufacturing and consumer product research & development to the CannAssist team.
Camron Elizabeth, Managing Director-Sales and Marketing, is an entrepreneur and leader who has brought immense success to the companies with whom she has worked. As Founder and CEO of Platinum Pack, Elizabeth was responsible for all aspects of its success in bringing products from concept to completion and successful sell-through on the retailer’s shelf. She has been in the beauty industry for over 40 years.
Benjamin Perlstein, VP of Operations, has been a part of the health care and business development field for over 25 years. As a surgical technologist, he has experience as a clinical application specialist and materials manager.
Braden Traub, Director of Marketing and Customer Development, is an entrepreneur and business owner with 10 years of experience in the health and fitness industries. Traub also has skills and experience as a tax resolutionist and legal document preparer.
Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements
Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the following: the timing and nature of any capital raising transactions; the Company’s ability to offer products and services for use by customers in existing and new markets; the Company’s ability to deliver in a timely fashion and to its customers’ satisfaction the products purchased; the risk of competition; its ability to find, recruit and retain personnel with knowledge and experience in selling products and services in existing and new markets; its ability to manage growth; and general market, economic and business conditions. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company’s forward-looking statements are under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year 2019 and its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, all filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and the Company expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update forward-looking statements.
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) (OTC: SHRMF) (FWB: 496)
Champignon Brands Inc. (CSE: SHRM) (OTC: SHRMF) (FWB: 496) 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.
Clean Power Capital Corp. (CSE: MOVE) (FWB: 2K6) (OTC: MOTNF)
Clean Power Capital Corp. (CSE: MOVE) (FWB: 2K6) (OTC: MOTNF) is an investment holding company that focuses on investing in and providing early-stage financing to both public and private businesses. Since its original listing with the Canadian Stock Exchange (“CSE”) on January 23, 2019, the company has made investments in a number of different businesses in a variety of industries, including the energy and cannabis sectors. As per the company’s investment policy, its primary goal is to identify and capitalize on high-return investment opportunities presenting the ability to achieve capital appreciation and liquidity.
Clean Power Capital continues to be opportunistic in evaluating prospects across the renewable energy, bio-medical, pharmaceutical and naturopathic sectors, both as an investor and as an operator. The company’s main focus at the moment is to identify such opportunities in the renewable energy industry, including wind, solar and geothermal power and hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, as well as in the biomedical, pharmaceutical and naturopathic sectors, which may include medical or recreational cannabis.
Clean Power Capital currently has 10 investments in a variety of sectors and successfully held nearly C$120 million in investments during the past fiscal year (https://ibn.fm/8oktZ). It returned capital to its shareholders through the distribution of its interest in AgraFlora Organics International Inc. in May 2020 (https://ibn.fm/FRAvq).
Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Clean Power Capital was formerly named Organic Flower Investments Group Inc. As of November 10, 2020, the company officially changed its name to Clean Power Capital and started trading on the CSE under new ticker symbol ‘MOVE’.
PowerTap Acquisition, Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure Collaboration
In alignment with its updated investment policy, a reconstituted investment committee and a revised strategy to reflect its focus on the renewable energy market, Clean Power Capital recently completed the acquisition of a 90 percent equity interest in California-based PowerTap Hydrogen Fueling Corp.
Leveraging an impressive portfolio of IP and advanced deployed technologies developed over two decades via substantial investments and partnerships, PowerTap is working on building and expanding a hydrogen filling station network, initially across North America. The company believes that its platform has a significant advantage over other hydrogen fueling stations, because it has a smaller physical footprint and further has the capacity to produce hydrogen fuel on site. As most other hydrogen fueling stations buy hydrogen for storage at higher costs, PowerTap’s model is believed to be exponentially more cost-effective and expandable.
Clean Power Capital’s investment and acquisition will allow PowerTap to step up its efforts and begin work on the hydrogen fueling station network in stages, starting with engineering and design, ongoing development of PowerTap’s third generation product and, finally, licensing & permitting and site preparation. Development is expected to begin in Q4 2021 with engineering and design. Overall, the initial portion of the project is expected to cost $17 million, with Clean Power Capital and PowerTap planning to secure government financing and credit, as well as equity, debt and convertible debt offerings, to fund the infrastructure’s development.
PowerTap technology is already deployed across multiple hydrogen fueling stations in public and private enterprises spanning California, Maryland, Massachusetts and Texas. The company plans to deploy its hydrogen fueling infrastructure at existing truck stops and gas stations across the country, beginning with up to 1,000 stations within the next three to five years. At the moment, there are roughly 70 active hydrogen fueling stations operational and available to consumers in the United States.
Hydrogen Industry Outlook
The project is expected to bring significant opportunities for PowerTap and Clean Power Capital on the fast-growing hydrogen market, driven by a worldwide focus on clean energies and environmentally friendly fueling solutions for the transportation industry.
Hydrogen-powered vehicles come with tremendous advantages over gas, diesel and even electric vehicles in terms of cost per mile, fueling time and driving range, as well as boasting significantly lower emissions. Well-established vehicle manufacturers such as Hyundai, Toyota, Daimler and Volvo are already including hydrogen-powered cars in their product lineups, and Nikola Motors has announced plans to manufacture hydrogen electric long-haul vehicles.
“As an experienced developer of technology in an important area that is finally having its time as a green but also economically compelling energy option, PowerTap is intent on becoming a leading part of the multi-billion dollar hydrogen fueling space,” PowerTap CEO Raghu Kilambi explained in a news release on October 28, 2020 (https://ibn.fm/oaXem).
A recent industry report developed by a coalition of major oil and gas, power, automotive, fuel cell and hydrogen companies indicates that the sector is expected to grow to $140 billion a year in revenue by 2030, creating 700,000 jobs in the U.S. alone (https://ibn.fm/UMI5q). According to Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association President Morry Markowitz, the sector could expand to $750 billion a year in revenue and 3.4 million jobs by 2050.
The U.S. is already engaged in the hydrogen economy, having more than half of the global number of fuel cell vehicles and investing hundreds of millions of dollars a year, but the country can greatly expand its global energy leadership by scaling up operations in the hydrogen economy, per the industry report.
With the upcoming change in administration in January 2021, the U.S. is expected to renew its commitment to clean energy. Moreover, the U.S. federal government is expected to invest significantly in clean energy and related infrastructure, including hydrogen, according to PowerTap.
“As the U.S. federal government has previously invested in the PowerTap technology, we are optimistic that we will have a seat at the table when USA clean energy/hydrogen infrastructure spending initiatives are designed,” Kilambi added.
Management Team
Joel Dumaresq is the CEO and interim CFO of Clean Power Capital. He is a proven executive with extensive operational and senior management experience in mining, energy and alternative energy, as well as the cannabis and hemp space. Dumaresq began his career in the corporate finance space, having spent 12 years with RBC Dominion Securities. He brings 30 years of experience in the financial sector to the company, has been instrumental in raising over $250 million in venture capital finance, and he has personally managed a number of successful public listings.
Brendan Purdy serves as a director of Clean Power Capital. An experienced businessperson who has led five different companies, Purdy brings years of experience in different industries, including cannabis, blockchain and data security, gaming, mining and energy, and finance and law. He received a graduate degree from the University of Ottawa and an undergraduate degree from the University of Western Ontario.
Theo van der Linde serves as a director of Clean Power Capital. He is a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years extensive experience in finance, reporting, regulatory requirements, public company administration, equity markets and financing of publicly traded companies. He has served as a CFO & Director for a number of TSX Venture Exchange- and Canadian Securities Exchange-listed companies over the past several years. His industry experience spans the financial services, manufacturing, oil & gas, mining and retail industries. More recently, van der Linde has been involved with future use trends of natural resources, as well as other disruptive technologies.
Raghu Kilambi is the CEO and CFO of PowerTap Hydrogen. He is a seasoned investor and entrepreneur with over 25 years of global business experience in public and private investments, building businesses and creating shareholder value. He has raised over $1 billion of equity and debt capital for private and public companies and been involved in many M&A acquisitions and exits.
CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP)
CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) is a clinical stage biotechnology company specializing in the development of novel treatments for primary and metastatic cancers of the brain and central nervous system.
The company was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Organ Targeted Therapeutics
The company’s lead drug candidate, Berubicin, is proposed for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (“GBM”), an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer. Berubicin also has potential to treat other central nervous system malignancies. Based on limited clinical data, Berubicin appears to be the first anthracycline to cross the blood brain barrier in the adult brain, and it was the subject of a successful Phase 1 study which found the MDT and produced efficacy data as well.
CNS holds a worldwide exclusive license to the Berubicin chemical compound. The company has acquired all requisite data and know-how from Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc. related to a completed Phase I clinical trial of Berubicin in malignant brain tumors. In this trial, 44% of patients experienced a statistically significant improvement in clinical benefit. In 2017, CNS entered into a collaboration and asset purchase agreement with Reata.
CNS intends to explore the potential of Berubicin to treat other diseases, including pancreatic and ovarian cancers and lymphoma. The company is also examining plans to develop combination therapies that include Berubicin.
CNS estimates that more than $25 million in private capital and grants were invested in Berubicin prior to the company’s $9.8 million IPO in November 2019.
CNS intends to submit an IND for Berubicin during the fourth quarter of 2020 and expects to commence a Phase II clinical trial of Berubicin for the treatment of GBM in the U.S. in Q1 2021. A sub-licensee partner was awarded a $6 million EU/Polish National Center for Research and Development grant to undertake a Phase II trial of Berubicin in adults and a first-ever Phase I trial in pediatric GBM patients in Poland in 2021.
The company’s second drug candidate, WP1244, is a novel DNA binding agent licensed from the MD Anderson Cancer Center. In preclinical studies, WP1244 proved to be 500-times more potent than the chemotherapeutic agent, daunorubicin, in inhibiting tumor cell proliferation. The company has entered into a sponsored research agreement with the MD Anderson Cancer Center to further the development of WP1244.
CNS Pharmaceuticals recently engaged U.S.-based Pharmaceutics International Inc. and Italian BSP Pharmaceuticals SpA for the production of the Berubicin drug product. The company has implemented a dual-track manufacturing strategy to mitigate COVID-19-related risks, diversify its supply chain and provide for localized availability of Berubicin. CNS has already completed synthesis of Berubicin’s active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and has shipped the API to both manufacturers in order to prepare an injectable form of Berubicin for clinical use.
Global Brain Tumor Therapeutics Market
The high recurrence rate of malignant brain tumors is due to reappearance of focal masses, indicating that a sub-population of tumor cells in these cancers may be insensitive to current therapies and may be responsible for reinitiating tumor growth. This necessitates the development of newer drugs in the market that demonstrate greater efficacy in treating such aggressive cancers.
A global increase in neurological disorders has placed increased attention on cancers of the brain over the past decade. Neurological disorders are becoming one of the most prevalent types of disorders, due to longer life expectancy, greater exposure to infection and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Because few treatments for primary and metastatic cancers of the brain exist, costs are high and have acted as a restraint for the brain tumor therapeutics market.
Despite progress in surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapeutic strategies, effective treatments for brain cancer are limited by a lack of specific therapies for the brain and the difficulty in transporting therapeutic compounds across the blood brain barrier. Therefore, there is a significant need for novel and effective therapeutic drugs and strategies that prolong survival and improve quality of life for brain tumor patients.
Several companies are making significant investments into R&D, which is expected to bring more treatment options to the market in the near future. Industry reports consistently project continued growth in the market.
One report estimates that the global brain tumor therapeutics market will reach a valuation of $2.74 billion in 2023, with the market expected to register a CAGR of 11% during the forecast period from 2018 to 2023. Another report projects that the global brain tumor therapeutics market will reach $3.4 billion by 2025, up from $2.25 billion in 2019 (http://nnw.fm/eDUjp).
Management Team
John M. Climaco is the CEO of CNS Pharmaceuticals. For 15 years, Climaco has served in leadership roles for a variety of health care companies. Recently, Climaco served as the Executive Vice President of Perma-Fix Medical S.A, where he managed the development of a novel method to produce Technitium-99. Climaco also served as President and CEO of Axial Biotech Inc., a DNA diagnostics company. In the process of taking Axial from inception to product development to commercialization, Climaco forged strategic partnerships with Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson and Smith & Nephew.
Christopher Downs, CPA, is the company’s Chief Financial Officer. Downs previously served as Interim Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of InfuSystem Holdings Inc. (NYSE: INFU), a supplier of infusion services to oncologists in the United States. Downs holds a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy at West Point, an MBA from Columbia Business School and a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.
Dr. Donald Picker is the Chief Scientific Officer of CNS. Picker has over 35 years of drug development experience. Prior to joining CNS, Picker worked at Johnson Matthey, where he was responsible for the development of Carboplatin, one of the world’s leading cancer drugs, which was acquired by Bristol-Myers Squibb with annual sales of over $500 million. In addition, he oversaw the development of Satraplatin and Picoplatin, third-generation platinum drugs currently in late-stage clinical development.
Sandra L. Silberman, M.D., Ph.D., is the Chief Medical Officer of CNS Pharmaceuticals. Silberman is a hematologist/oncologist who earned her B.A., Sc.M. and Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Arts and Sciences, School of Public Health and School of Medicine, respectively, and her M.D. from Cornell University Medical College. She then completed both a clinical fellowship in hematology/oncology and a research fellowship in tumor immunology at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. Silberman has played key roles in the development of many drugs, including Gleevec(TM), for which she led the global clinical development at Novartis. Silberman advanced several original, proprietary compounds into Phases I through III during her work with leading biopharmaceutical companies, including Bristol-Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, Imclone and Roche.
Creatd Inc. (NASDAQ: CRTD)
Creatd Inc. (NASDAQ: CRTD) 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.
Creatd’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, Creatd 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, Creatd 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
On September 11, 2020, Creatd Inc. officially changed its name from Jerrick Media Holdings Inc. and uplisted its stock to the Nasdaq Capital Market. The company also announced the pricing of its underwritten public offering of 1,725,000 units of securities at an offering price of $4.50 per unit.
This rebranding initiated Creatd’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 Creatd’s potential market value via a plethora of new revenue streams.
Creatd focuses on a community of creators that includes 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 intends to 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
Creatd was founded in 2012. Initially a private media company providing online content through a portfolio of brands, Creatd’s needs quickly outpaced its initial technology and product offering. In 2015, Creatd 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, Creatd’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, Creatd’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 Creatd in 2013, bringing with him 10 years of experience in the creative industry. Since partnering with Frommer to establish Creatd, 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 Creatd’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.
Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN)
Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) is a Canada-based life sciences company focused on the pharmaceutical development of psychedelic products, as well as the functional mushroom market.
The early-stage company boasts an experienced management team featuring industry veterans from pharmaceutical and consumer product backgrounds who have run multiple clinical trials and collectively helped facilitate billions of dollars in product revenues. The team is dedicated to the development of products and protocols within the psychedelic, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.
In particular, Cybin aims to further build upon and expand its intellectual property (IP) portfolio, which is structured around unique psilocybin delivery mechanisms that target a number of different therapeutic indications. In addition, the company has dedicated itself toward furthering its research and IP within the fields of synthetic compounds, extraction methods, the isolation of chemical compounds, new drug formulations and protocol regimes.
Serenity Life Sciences & Natures Journey Inc.
The company’s business model is centered around its two core subsidiaries, Serenity Life Sciences and Natures Journey Inc., which comprise Cybin’s two-pronged approach toward delivering fungi-derived psychedelic and medicinal products.
Serenity Life Sciences is focused on furthering research and development of psilocybin-based medications. Psilocybin is found in certain species of mushrooms and is a non-habit forming, naturally occurring psychedelic compound. Research into psilocybin has shown positive results for the treatment of depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, eating disorders, ADHD and other indications.
Natures Journey Inc. operates the Journey brand, which specializes in developing proprietary medicinal mushroom products that target and promote mental wellness, immune boosting detoxification and overall general health and wellbeing.
Partnership with the Toronto Centre for Psychedelic Science (TCPS)
Staying true to its axiom of being a research-first medicinal mushroom life sciences company, Cybin recently announced its entry into a strategic partnership with the Toronto Centre for Psychedelic Science (TCPS), with the goal of furthering its ongoing psilocybin research efforts and expanding Cybin’s psilocybin IP portfolio (http://nnw.fm/9EUkI).
“While there is evidence to support psilocybin as a treatment for certain indications, the Toronto Centre for Psychedelic Science is taking a clinical approach to prove or disprove the safety and efficacy of psilocybin-based microdosing through an open science approach,” Paul Glavine, CEO of Cybin, stated in a news release.
“We are excited to join forces with Cybin and to offer our expertise. A number of firms had approached TCPS, but Cybin demonstrated a superior commitment to high-quality research and integrity in product development. Our high standards for scientific rigor and transparency will find a fitting home within the culture Cybin is cultivating in Canada and abroad,” Thomas Anderson, co-founder of the Toronto Centre for Psychedelic Science, added.
Journey’s Product Monetization & Market Potential for Nutraceutical Supplements
Although Cybin is at the forefront of companies seeking to conduct clinical trials aimed at gaining regulatory approval for psilocybin and other psychedelic products, the company has also placed a great deal of emphasis on generating meaningful revenue from its very outset.
Cybin’s Journey brand has is launching a range of supplements comprised of popular fungi-derived ingredients such as Reishi, Lion’s Mane and Cordyceps. Purported to aid focus and concentration while promoting neurogenesis, Journey’s range of nutraceutical products provides Cybin with a crucial foothold within the non-psychedelic legal supplement market, which is valued at over $25 billion globally and growing at a 9% year-over-year rate.
Pharmaceutical Psychedelics
In addition to the company’s range of non-psychedelic supplements, Cybin has plans to carry out a clinical trial with a new delivery system for its psilocybin-based medications later this year. Ultimately, the company aims to enter into technology transfer agreements with global pharmaceutical companies after phase 1 & phase 2 clinical trials are complete in order to accelerate regulatory approvals in major indications in global markets with entire lifecycle product management.
With products such as psilocybin truffles already legal in nations such as the Netherlands, Jamaica and Bulgaria, Cybin has positioned itself to capitalize on an eventual legalization of psychedelic mushroom-derived products in the future. Working within a regulatory environment with strong similarities to that which dealt with cannabis prior to the industry’s eventual legalization by the Canadian government in 2018, Cybin is laying the groundwork for the moment pharmaceutical psychedelics gain acceptance in North America and abroad.
Amalgamation Agreement and Financing
Cybin recently announced its entry into an amalgamation agreement dated June 26, 2020, with Clarmin Explorations Inc. (TSX.V: CX) and 2762898 Ontario Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Clarmin (http://nnw.fm/w04LH). Completion of the transactions contemplated in the amalgamation agreement will result in the reverse takeover of Clarmin by Cybin.
In connection with the proposed transaction, Cybin plans to complete a “best-efforts” brokered private placement of subscription receipts of Cybin, with a syndicate of agents co-led by Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc. (Stifel GMP) and Eight Capital, to raise a minimum of C$14 million ($10 million) and a maximum of C$21 million ($15 million), with a 15% agents’ option.
To date, Cybin has raised approximately C$10,400,000 through an initial financing round and its series A financing round.
DarioHealth Corp. (NASDAQ: DRIO)
New York and Israel-based DarioHealth Corp. (NASDAQ: DRIO) leads global digital therapeutics (DTx) with its popular, smartphone-centered personalized chronic illness management software-as-a-service (SaaS). The company’s strategic advantages include:
- AI-powered digital solutions that drive durable behavior change in chronic disease patients, and
- Personalized user experience at scale to make behavior change the path of least resistance.
Approximately $3 trillion in annual U.S. costs associated with chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension and obesity are largely preventable with behavioral therapies. Formerly limited to periodic office visits, these therapies can now scale to millions with tech-enabled, continual and remote health monitoring, as well as AI-driven digital and live coaching. This is all possible while still maintaining the personalization required for success in reducing illness and its related effects and costs.
Roughly 51,000 active, paying users manage their health with Dario’s platform that combines smartphone-connected vitals measurement, remote patient monitoring (RPM), lifestyle management tools, and AI-driven and human coaching to deliver improved clinical outcomes.
Among the most downloaded medical apps, the Dario platform is rated at 4.9 stars on the Apple App Store and features 11,000 reviews, along with a Net Promoter Score (a measurement of consumers’ willingness to recommend the product to others) that’s the highest in its field.
Company Strategy
Clinical studies demonstrate Dario’s direct improvement on users’ health measures like H1AC scores (diabetes) and blood pressure (hypertension).
Patient engagement in therapies leads to health success. Dario’s platform centers on continual maximization of patient engagement through personalization, including ‘nudges’ and live, AI-generated responses to health measures provided by Dario’s smartphone-connected medical devices.
Proprietary data analysis provides valuable insights that not only improve health care providers’ medical capabilities but, through artificial intelligence, encourage patients to take evidence-based and highly personalized preventative measures that reduce risk, emergency room visits and preventable hospitalization.
Dario is now deploying its successful B2C platform in B2B2C, targeting employers and health plans with competitive advantages in cost, software and hardware.
The company estimates an annual addressable U.S. market of $72 billion, only 1% of which has been penetrated with digital therapeutics.
The strategic transition to B2B2C (from exclusively B2B) is intended to accelerate revenue growth by reducing Dario’s cost per acquisition per user and expanding margins.
Dario’s commitment to aggressive growth is also shown by its appointment of a new president, chief medical officer and head of sales for North America, all from a highflyer behavioral health company.
Key growth drivers planned include expansion of the company’s paying B2C subscriber base; lateral expansion into other chronic conditions that overlap with its core diabetes populations, such as hypertension, obesity and depression; and increased B2B2C penetration.
Financial Highlights
The company plans to leverage a massive opportunity for growth, with a global addressable market for digital therapeutics of roughly $108 billion. In the U.S. alone, that number is estimated at $72 billion, and only about 1% of that market has been penetrated.
Dario’s strategic transition to an SaaS membership business model increased gross profit by 87% in Q1 2020, as compared to the prior year. Membership revenue increased from 27.1% to 46.7% in the same period. The company is seeing improved operating efficiencies as it shifts focus to the B2B2C business model, and it expects average revenue per user per month (ARPU), which was $6 and $25 in 2019 and 2020, respectively, to reach $70.
Value to Consumers and Businesses
Dario continually evaluates and optimizes the value and return its platform delivers to consumers and businesses.
Consumers seeking to understand how their everyday behavior impacts their personal health and chronic conditions benefit from actionable feedback on how to improve health and better collaborate with health care providers.
Businesses looking to increase employee satisfaction, loyalty and productivity with fewer health-related absences take advantage of Dario’s services for employers.
Health care providers improve patient compliance using the platform’s interactive services that allow for greater monitoring, which improve engagement with patients at the right times and with the right treatments.
Health plans can leverage DarioHealth’s solutions to improve patient outcomes and lower costs.
Recent Studies
The company recently presented the results of two new studies at the American Diabetes Association’s 80th Scientific Sessions, which showed sustained improvements in blood glucose levels and blood pressure among users of its digital therapeutic platform for chronic diseases. The results of these two studies demonstrate that the use of Dario’s therapeutic platform promotes behavioral modification, enhanced individual engagement and improved clinical outcomes.
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Agreements
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently approved RPM codes for Medicare patients, which enables physicians to bill for between-visit patient care.
This simplifies implementation of the company’s open and scalable AI-driven platform and further supports transition to the company’s high-margin, recurring SaaS model targeting B2B2C revenue channels.
Emergency COVID-19 FDA Guidelines Allow Self-Test Blood Glucose Meters
In an effort to preserve personal protective equipment (PPE) and reduce contact between health care providers and patients in hospital settings due to COVID-19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized that home-use blood glucose meters, including Dario’s smartphone-connected metering device, may be used by patients with diabetes who are hospitalized due to COVID-19 to check their own blood glucose levels and provide the readings to the health care personnel caring for them.
As a result, hospitals can now allow patients to self-test using their Dario blood glucose testing strips and smartphone-connected devices, or hospitals can issue patients Dario devices upon admission for COVID-19-related conditions.
Irregularities in blood glucose levels are suspected as a factor in the increased severity of potentially deadly COVID-19 complications. As such, a high priority is being placed on stabilization of patients’ blood glucose levels.
Awards and Recognition
DarioHealth’s Blood Glucose Monitoring System was voted as the ‘Best Glucometer for Data Management’ by Top Ten Reviews. Jeph Preece, senior editor at Top Ten Reviews, said, “The Dario app is the best data management system that I’ve seen. Compared to apps by popular brands, Dario’s system looks and feels like it’s years ahead of the curve.”
‘The Global Digital Health 100’, an annual award sponsored by the reputable Journal of Health, recognized DarioHealth as a leader among health technology companies demonstrating the greatest potential to change the way that health care is delivered.
Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR)
Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) , based in Lakewood, Colorado, is the country’s largest producer of uranium and the leading conventional producer of vanadium, both designated by the U.S. government as critical minerals.
As the leading U.S. diversified uranium miner, Energy Fuels’ uranium production portfolio stands apart in the world. Energy Fuels has more uranium production facilities, more production capacity, and more in-ground resources than any other company in the United States. In fact, the company’s assets have produced over one-third of all U.S. uranium over the past 15 years and is uniquely positioned to increase production to meet new demand.
Energy Fuels utilizes both conventional and in-situ recovery (“ISR”) technology to produce uranium from three strategic facilities:
- White Mesa Mill in Utah (conventional) has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U3O8 per year. The highly strategic White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill in the country and is proximate to some of the largest and highest-grade uranium mines and projects in the U.S., including the Company’s Canyon mine, La Sal Complex, Henry Mountains Complex and Roca Honda Project. White Mesa Mill provides Energy Fuels with significant production scalability as uranium demand increases. The White Mesa Mill also has other diverse businesses, including vanadium, rare earth elements (REE’s), alternate feed materials recycling and land cleanup, all described below.
- Nichols Ranch Plant (ISR) is located in the productive Powder River Basin district of Wyoming and has a total licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U3O8 per year. Nichols Ranch has produced 1.2 million pounds of U3O8 since commissioning in 2014, and it has significant future expansion potential from 34 fully licensed wellfields containing significant in-ground uranium resources.
- Alta Mesa Plant (ISR) is located on over 200,000 acres of private land in Texas. The fully licensed and constructed ISR project has a total operating capacity of 1.5 million pounds of uranium per year and produced nearly 5 million pounds of U3O8 between 2005 and 2013. This low-cost production facility is currently on standby, maintained in a state of readiness to respond to expected increases in demand.
In addition to being the largest uranium miner in the U.S., Energy Fuels’ overall portfolio also includes a pipeline of high-quality, large-scale exploration and development projects that are permitted or are in advanced stages of permitting, as well as an industry-leading U.S. NI 43-101 Mineral Resource portfolio.
FACTOID: Energy Fuels has led industry efforts over the past two-plus years to get the U.S. government to recognize the importance of domestically produced uranium, including the 2018 – 2019 Uranium Section 232, the ongoing Nuclear Fuel Working Group and the recently announced creation of the U.S. strategic uranium reserve. The U.S. is by far the largest consumer of uranium in the world, yet we import almost all of our requirements; Energy Fuels aims to change that.
Nuclear Market Potential
Multiple studies in top scientific journals have shown that nuclear power is cleanest and most economical way to produce reliable electricity as worldwide demand continues to soar. Nuclear power is presently the only available and affordable low-carbon power source that can meet both current and future baseload electricity demands while simultaneously reducing air pollution and mitigating climate change. U.S. nuclear power plants currently generate nearly 20% of the nation’s electricity overall and 55% of its carbon‐free electricity and even a modest increase in electricity demand would require significant new nuclear capacity by 2025. According to the World Nuclear Association (WNA), there are currently 441 operable reactors, with another 54 units under construction and 439 in various stages of planning; in addition, the WNA has identified a potentially massive supply/demand gap through 2040 of 1 billion pounds. These factors among others are expected to significantly drive increased demand for uranium.
Reasons Nuclear is Gaining Traction
- Nuclear reactors emit no greenhouse gases during operation. Over their full lifetimes, they result in comparable emissions to renewable forms of energy such as wind and solar.
- Unlike any other form of energy, the waste from nuclear energy is contained and managed securely. Used fuel is currently being safely stored for ultimate disposal or future reprocessing, and 96% of this waste can potentially be recycled.
- Greater demand for clean electricity to power everything from homes to automobiles, reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
No. 1 U.S. Producer of Vanadium in 2019
Energy Fuels also produces vanadium as a byproduct of uranium production. Vanadium is designated a critical mineral, essential to the economic and national security of the United States. Energy Fuels was the largest producer of vanadium in the U.S. in 2019, and has significant high-grade, in-ground vanadium resources, as well as a separate high-purity vanadium production circuit at their White Mesa Mill, which is also the only conventional vanadium mill in the country. Crucial for use in the steel, aerospace, and chemical industries, vanadium plays a critical role in the production of high-strength and light-weight metallic alloys and demand is expected to increase across the globe.
Energy Fuels has several fully permitted and developed standby mines containing large quantities of high-grade vanadium, along with uranium, including:
- La Sal Complex (Utah)
- Whirlwind Mine (Colorado/Utah)
- Rim Mine (Colorado)
Vanadium has also gained increased attention as a catalyst in next-generation high-capacity, “community-scale” batteries used for energy storage generated from renewable sources. Demand is only expected to grow as this market expands. With recent upgrades in its vanadium production operations, in 2019 Energy Fuels produced commercial levels of the highest purity (99.7%) vanadium in the mill’s history and can rapidly adjust production to meet volatile market conditions. Energy Fuels is one of the very few known avenues that provides investors access the vanadium market.
Rare Earth Element (REE) Production, Alternate Feed Material Recycling, and Land Cleanup
The White Mesa Mill also provides the company with diverse cashflow generating opportunities. Security of supply for Rare Earth Elements (REEs) supporting U.S. military and defense requirements is a major issue today. Energy Fuels has been approached by a number of entities, including the U.S. government, inquiring about the potential to process certain REEs at the mill. The White Mesa Mill is currently licensed to process certain REEs, including tantalum and niobium. And, early indications are that the mill can be utilized to produce several other REEs. The White Mesa Mill is also the only facility in North America licensed and capable of recycling alternate feed materials (AFMs). AFMs are essentially low-level waste materials that contain recoverable quantities of natural (or unenriched) uranium. The Company typically generates between $5 and $15 million per year from AFM recycling. Finally, Energy Fuels is seeking to become involved in the cleanup of legacy Cold War era uranium mines in the Four Corners region of the U.S., including on the Navajo Nation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has access to over $1.5 billion for the cleanup of just a fraction of the sites on the Navajo Nation. The White Mesa Mill is fully licensed to receive much of this material, we are one of the government’s lowest cost options, and we have the ability to recycle the material and produce usable uranium from it.
Management Team
Mark S. Chalmers, President and CEO
Mark S. Chalmers is the president and chief executive officer of Energy Fuels, a position he has held since Feb. 1, 2018, following his role as chief operating officer of Energy Fuels from July 1, 2016 – Jan. 31, 2018. From 2011 to 2015, Chalmers served as executive general manager of Production for Paladin Energy Ltd., a uranium producer with assets in Australia and Africa, including the Langer Heinrich and Kayelekera mines where, as head of operations, he oversaw sustained, significant increases in production while reducing operating costs. He also possesses extensive experience in in situ recovery (“ISR”) uranium production, including management of the Beverley Uranium Mine owned by General Atomics (Australia), and the Highland mine owned by Cameco Corporation (USA). Chalmers has also consulted to several of the largest players in the uranium supply sector, including BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, and Marubeni, and until recently served as the chair of the Australian Uranium Council, a position he held for 10 years. Chalmers is a registered professional engineer and holds a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from the University of Arizona.
W. Paul Goranson, COO
W. Paul Goranson is the chief operating officer for Energy Fuels. Goranson has 30 years of mining, processing and regulatory experience in the uranium extraction industry that includes both conventional and in-situ recovery (“ISR”) mining, and he is a registered professional engineer. Prior to the acquisition by Energy Fuels of Uranerz Energy Corporation, Goranson served as president, chief operating officer and director for Uranerz, where he was responsible for operations of the Nichols Ranch ISR Uranium Project. In addition to those duties, he also managed uranium marketing, regulatory and government affairs, exploration and land. Prior to joining Uranerz, Goranson served as president of Cameco Resources, where he led the operations at the Smith Ranch-Highland, Crow Butte and North Butte ISR uranium recovery facilities. Goranson also served as vice president of Mesteña Uranium LLC, and he has served in senior positions with Rio Algom Mining, (a subsidiary of BHP Billiton), and Uranium Resource Inc. Goranson has a Bachelor of Science in Natural Gas Engineering from Texas A&I University, and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
David C. Frydenlund, CFO, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary
David C. Frydenlund is chief financial officer, general counsel, and corporate secretary of Energy Fuels. His responsibilities include oversight of all legal matters relating to the company’s activities. His expertise extends to NRC, EPA, state and federal regulatory and environmental laws and regulations. From 1997 to 2012, Frydenlund was vice president of regulatory affairs, general counsel and corporate secretary of Denison Mines Corp., and its predecessor International Uranium Corporation (“IUC”). He also served as a director of IUC from 1997 to 2006 and CFO of IUC from 2000 to 2005. From 1996 to 1997, Frydenlund was vice president of the Lundin Group of international public mining and oil and gas companies, and prior thereto was a partner with the Vancouver law firm of Ladner Downs (now Borden Ladner Gervais) where his practice focused on corporate, securities and international mining transactions law. Frydenlund holds a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Simon Fraser University, a master’s degree in economics and finance from the University of Chicago and a law degree from the University of Toronto.
Curtis H. Moore, Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Development
Curtis H. Moore is the vice president of Marketing and Corporate Development for Energy Fuels. He oversees product marketing for Energy Fuels, and is closely involved in mergers & acquisitions, investor relations, public relations, and corporate legal. He has been with Energy Fuels for over 12 years, holding various roles of increasing responsibility. Prior to joining Energy Fuels, Moore worked in multi-family real estate development, government relations and public affairs, production homebuilding, and private law practice. Moore is a licensed attorney in the State of Colorado. He holds Juris Doctor and MBA degrees from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a Bachelor of Arts dual degree in Economics-Government from Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California.
ev Transportation Services Inc.
ev Transportation Services Inc. (“evTS”) is a designer, developer and manufacturer of all-electric lightweight commercial vehicles and fleet management solutions.
Founded in 2015 in Brookline, Massachusetts, and currently based in Boston, the company is focused on the essential transportation services market. End-user applications for evTS vehicles include services such as security, parking enforcement, local small package delivery, meter reading, sanitation, parks and recreation, university and corporate campuses, and warehouse operations.
The FireFly ESV(R)
The company’s flagship product is the FireFly ESV(R), a high-performance, low-maintenance electric vehicle with zero emissions. This utility vehicle was created specifically to meet the needs of essential services users. The FireFly ESV utilizes the safest Lithium Ion battery technology available (LiFePO4, Lithium Iron Phosphate) for superior acceleration, improved energy efficiency and enhanced reliability. As a result, it boasts a range of 100+ miles on a single charge, further than any other electric vehicle in its class.
Additionally, its design can be modified according to the requirements of virtually any task and application, from parking enforcement and security to property and grounds maintenance, last mile urban delivery, on-campus tasks and more.
Parking Enforcement
The ideal parking specific vehicle (PSV), FireFly can be equipped with features that enable parking enforcement officers to do their jobs more effectively, significantly reducing operating costs while fully integrating with existing parking enforcement systems, including advanced license plate recognition programs. Key design features of the FireFly ESV that are critical for the successful execution of parking control tasks include:
- High maneuverability with a tight turning radius and slim design, allowing the vehicle to maneuver on narrow streets and park in compact urban environments;
- Electronically governed speeds of up to 50 mph in just seconds, allowing operators to quickly enter and keep up with fast moving traffic;
- Full-height DuraGlide(TM) doors and low steps allowing for rapid ingress and egress on both sides of the vehicle;
- Superior impact protection featuring an integrated safety cage and seatbelts;
- A modular bed design allowing users to include a lockable or sectional bed to make room for boots, parking cones and other equipment; and
- Friendly size and appearance, helping change the public’s perception of parking enforcement efforts.
Security
Specifically designed for flexible and quiet operation at low speeds, the FireFly ESV is an ideal vehicle for security and perimeter patrol tasks in different environments, including cities, office buildings, retail malls, prisons and educational institutions. With a range of 100+ miles, it allows security officers to patrol for the duration of an entire shift before returning to dispatch to recharge, thus generating savings compared to fuel-powered patrol vehicles. Key features that give the FireFly ESV a significant edge over its competition in security applications include:
- Agility and speed, allowing officers to provide rapid response and engage in light pursuit at speeds exceeding 50 mph;
- Comfort and security for the driver with the help of its tubular 2” steel roll cage and three-point safety harness;
- High maneuverability with a 20-plus-degree approach angle and 6” of curb clearance, along with a tight turning radius; and
- Low energy, high intensity lighting features for traffic control while idle for several hours.
Property and Grounds Maintenance
As a durable, customizable vehicle with minimal environmental impact, the FireFly ESV can be used for a wide range of maintenance operations on sidewalks and in recreation areas on a daily basis. Key features include:
- A customizable modular design allowing the vehicle to be built according to use specific maintenance requirements, with features such as a sectional bed, an electronic lift dump, a refuse hauler, a van box, a utility bed with locking compartments and ladder racks, and other cleaning, sweeping or watering accessories;
- A strong tubular steel frame and robust suspension design including the company’s proprietary DuraSteer(TM) front end featuring best-in-class anti-dive control and 1,100 pounds of payload capacity; and
- A light, three-wheel design offering a tight turning radius and a small footprint, allowing FireFly to maneuver in landscaped areas, navigate around pylons and bollards, and operate in narrow corridors, indoors or out.
Last Mile Urban Delivery
Designed for short-range trips with stop-and-go driving, the 100% Electric FireFly ESV is ideal for delivery services in crowded urban environments, being able to accommodate anything from small packages and food delivery to spare parts, medical deliveries and more. Key features that make the vehicle a top choice for delivery services include:
- More cargo space and hauling power than its competitors, due to its modular bed design and 1,100-pound payload capacity;
- Speed and efficiency, as a fully licensable and street legal vehicle that can reach governed speeds of up to 50 mph;
- Durability and maneuverability, making it a valuable addition to any delivery service’s vehicle fleet; and
- Exceptionally low cost of operation, as a virtually maintenance-free vehicle with long-lasting battery power.
The Firefly ESV 2021 Model
On September 15, 2020, the company announced the new 2021 model of its Firefly ESV vehicle. This model will retain all of its predecessor’s original components, with added features for the new 2021 line. The upgrades and new features include, but are not limited to:
- Larger door for easier vehicle access;
- More legroom within the cab;
- Improved visibility through the redesigned windshield;
- New rear bed accessory attachment options to better accommodate specific service industries; and
- An optional trailer hitch with electronic braking control.
Each vehicle will also be equipped with the evTS Connected Vehicle System, which includes in-vehicle Wi-Fi, an internet-accessible vehicle management system, the ability to perform remote diagnostics, low battery alerts and optional 360-degree video monitoring that runs in real-time.
In a news release, David Solomont, CEO of evTS, stated, “The 2021 FireFly is our best and most advanced model yet and will enable evTS to fill the critical and rapidly expanding need for essential service vehicles, particularly for last-mile on-demand urban delivery vehicles.”
Deal with ADOMANI
In April 2020, ADOMANI Inc. (OTCQB: ADOM) signed a letter of intent to purchase 120 FireFly ESV vehicles from evTS. Under the agreement, ADOMANI, a leading provider of zero-emission purpose-built electric vehicles and drivetrain solutions, serves as a distributor of current and future evTS electric vehicle offerings in the state of California.
In addition, ADOMANI may perform final assembly and testing activities of evTS vehicles, as well as warranty repair services, at its recently-opened assembly factory in Corona, California – a location that’s close to urban centers and a variety of terrains where the FireFly ESV can be utilized, according to ADOMANI COO Rick Eckert.
“The agreement with ADOMANI represents a major milestone for evTS, and we are excited to explore a partnership with them,” Solomont added. “Our FireFly ESV all-electric lightweight commercial utility vehicle is a perfect complement to their existing lineup of EVs, and we expect to significantly expand our sales in California and surrounding states based on the quality and reach of ADOMANI’s sales, service and support organization.”
Electric Vehicle Market
In 2019, the global electric vehicle market was valued at $162.34 billion. Registering a CAGR of 22.6%, the market is projected to reach $802.81 billion by 2027, according to an Allied Market Research report (https://nnw.fm/JAMbl).
Essential services fleet vehicles represent a replacement market of approximately 100,000 vehicles. These vehicles roughly translate to a $2.5-billion market opportunity each year.
Management Team
David Solomont is the Founder and CEO of evTS. He has over 40 years of experience in information technology, software and interactive media. He is an active investor and advisor to early-stage tech companies. Solomont has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Tufts University and a master’s degree in management from MIT’s Sloan School.
Greg Horne is the Chief Technology Officer at evTS. He directs the company’s vehicle development efforts and is responsible for the new model year of the FireFly ESV being brought to market. He previously served as CTO of eFleets Corporation, worked on software and flight testing for the Bell/Boeing V-22 Osprey and served as a design engineer at Bell Helicopter.
Jim Sabitus is the company’s Vice President of Operations. He has experience as a corporate executive leading emerging and established publicly traded companies. Sabitus’ previous roles include CEO of Row One Brands Inc., CFO of Modern Shoe Company and various management roles at Converse Inc.
Paul Barrett is evTS’ Vice President of Marketing and Product. He is an experienced senior executive and serial entrepreneur with 45 years of experience in the automotive and electronics industries. His prior roles include serving as COO of Fixed Ops Pros, NavResearch and Cimble Corporation. Barrett also held numerous executive positions during his 20+ years at LoJack Corporation.
Eric Burmeister is the company’s Vice President of Sales and Business Development. He has held a number of positions within the specialized vehicle industry. Prior to joining evTS, he was the Director of National Sales and Business Development for Westward Industries. Burmeister also held national and regional sales positions for eFleets, Global Electric Motors and ZENN Motor Company.
Michael Tepfer is the company’s Vice President of Manufacturing Engineering. He is also the current president of Integrity Global Manufacturing Ltd. He has 30 years of experience in project management and oversight of overseas manufacturing businesses.
Todd Marcucci is evTS’ Director of Customer Satisfaction. He is a former Vice President of Research and Development for eFleets. He assembled and led a team that designed, supported and produced the original FireFly ESV. Marcucci has worked as a consultant for numerous projects related to electric vehicle powertrains.
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.
Friendable Inc. (FDBL)
Friendable Inc. (FDBL) 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.
Gage Cannabis Co.
Gage Cannabis Co. is a leading vertically integrated operator in the cannabis industry led by the former CEO and Chairman of Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC), Bruce Linton. The company is currently focused exclusively on the Michigan market, working with the declared goal of building the fastest growing cannabis brand in the state.
One of the reasons Gage targeted Michigan as its location of choice is due to the state’s fast-growing legal cannabis market and consumption habits amongst consumers. In 2018, Michigan became the 10th state to legalize the recreational use of cannabis. In light of such favorable market dynamics, Gage opened its first medical provisioning center (dispensary) shortly after, in 2019. The company now has 13 medical or adult-use locations open or in the works, with an additional 10+ planned to open during 2021. Gage’s current portfolio features 19 Class C cultivation licenses across four cultivation assets and three processing licenses.
Current Asset and Brand Portfolio
Gage’s current brand portfolio consists of five unique product classes: flower products, edibles, hardware, concentrates and vape pens/disposables.
The company has already created relationships with a wealth of exclusive brand partners, including some of the most illustrious brands in the country. Notably, Gage’s exclusive partnership with Cookies, one of the most well-respected cannabis lifestyle brands in the United States, illustrates Gage’s operational prowess in cultivating quality flower and operating its branded retail stores. Today, Gage operates the 8 Mile Cookies location in Detroit, Michigan, which is one of the top performing dispensaries in the state despite being a medical-only dispensary.
Committed to providing only products of the highest quality, Gage uses small-batch, indoor-grown, high-quality cannabis that is hand-trimmed and hung to dry. Gage ensures that every gram of cannabis sold is consistently of the highest quality and offers a superb customer experience.
The company currently has four cultivation assets, located at Monitor Township (expansion planned), Harrison Township, Warren and Lenox Township, and it operates one processing facility located in Harrison Township, with plans to operate another two processing facilities in Monitor Township and Lenox.
Its operating dispensaries include Ferndale (adult-use), Adrian (adult-use), Lansing (adult-use), Traverse City (medical) and Detroit (Cookies establishment – medical). Additional dispensaries coming soon include Battle Creek (adult-use), Kalamazoo #1 (adult-use), Bay City (adult-use), Grand Rapids (medical), Buena Vista (medical), Center Line (medical), Kalamazoo #2 (Cookies establishment – adult-use) and Lenox Township.
The company offers delivery within a one-hour radius of its dispensaries – a footprint that encompasses an estimated 90% of Michigan’s population.
Financial Highlights
In Q1 2020, the company recorded sales of $5.8 million. This number grew substantially in Q2, reaching $11.9 million. Management estimates Q3 sales at roughly $13.1 million, marking a 157% growth in sales from January to September 2020, within a year of operations.
This increase reflects the company’s significant expansion efforts since the beginning of 2020. Starting with only 200 pounds per month, Gage now estimates its monthly cultivation capacity at more than 1,000 pounds of product.
This increase in cultivation capacity has helped Gage promote rapid growth through its retail locations. Average basket size, which refers to the retail value of each consumer transaction, is estimated at $85 for the Michigan cannabis industry. As of August 2020, Gage has an average basket size of $180 at its locations, more than double the state average.
Michigan Medical and Adult-Use Marijuana Market Size
The recreational marijuana market in Michigan is expected to rival the numbers currently seen in Nevada and Colorado by 2023. Approximately 3% of Michigan’s residents are medical marijuana cardholders – a much higher rate than many other medical markets – leading Brightfield to predict that the state’s recreational market could triple in size between 2020 and 2023 (https://ibn.fm/9cO0h).
Michigan saw a steady increase in sales for the first three quarters of 2020, with a recorded growth rate of 502% from January to August. In August alone, $109 million in cannabis sales occurred within the state. The Marijuana Regulatory Agency estimates that the potential market size for cannabis within the state is around $3 billion.
Neither Gage nor the state has seen any significant drop in sales in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the contrary, demand has continued to grow steadily, as dispensaries were among the few businesses deemed essential and permitted to operate throughout the shutdown. All Gage and Cookies locations have remained operational, offering curbside pickup.
Plans to Go Public in Q1 2021
Gage Cannabis is currently planning a Canadian listing for the first quarter of 2021 (https://ibn.fm/V73dL). Additionally, Gage intends to launch a Regulation A+ offering of up to 28,571,400 subordinate voting shares priced at $1.75 per share, for gross proceeds of up to $50 million before offering expenses, assuming all shares are sold (https://ibn.fm/FteTi), but it has not yet made an announcement regarding the launch of that financing.
A Regulation A+ offering, also called a mini-IPO, allows companies to raise capital without actually listing shares on a stock exchange.
Management Team
Bruce Linton is the Executive Chairman of Gage Cannabis. He joined the company in 2019 and is the founder and former CEO and Chairman of Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC). Mr. Linton has extensive executive and board experience in a variety of industries and is considered to be a pioneer in the global cannabis industry. He provides incomparable support to the company’s strategic and capital markets efforts.
Michael Hermiz is the Co-Founder and Director of Gage Cannabis, and he is also the founder of a federally licensed producer in Canada. Mr. Hermiz has had great success in various industries, including real estate, mortgage, telecommunications, import, export and many others.
Fabian Monaco is Gage’s President and Director. He previously worked at XIB Financial Inc., GMP Securities L.P. and Scotiabank. In addition to his vast investment banking and legal background, Mr. Monaco has 10+ years of capital markets experience. His advisory experience in the cannabis industry is also extensive.
Dr. Rana Harb is a Director of Gage Cannabis. She has 25+ years of experience handling research, compliance, quality assurance and regulatory affairs. A significant portion of her regulatory and compliance history is in the cannabis industry. Dr. Harb has worked for many pharmaceutical companies worldwide, dealing with regulatory agencies such as the FDA, the EMA and Health Canada.
Mike Finos is the President (USA) and a Director of Gage Cannabis. He is the former COO of Horizon Global, the world’s number one towing accessories company. He has experience with start-ups, M&A and business integration with both private and publicly traded companies. With 20+ years of operational leadership expertise, Mr. Finos has extensive knowledge relating to supply chain logistics, manufacturing and information technology.
David Watza is the Chief Financial Officer of Gage Cannabis. He is an experienced C-Suite executive and former CFO and board member of Perceptron Inc. (NASDAQ: PRCP). Mr. Watza has 30+ years of experience in finance, accounting, and operations, including time as a public company CFO.
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™.
GoldHaven Resources Corp. (CSE: GOH) (OTCQB: ATUMF)
GoldHaven Resources Corp. (CSE: GOH) (OTCQB: ATUMF) (formerly Altum Resources Corp.), a Canada-based company engaged in the business of acquiring and exploring mineral resource properties, recently announced its entry into agreements to acquire seven advanced gold projects in the Maricunga Gold Belt of Chile that hosts over 100 million ounces of gold within the last 10 years.
Chilean Gold Properties Being Acquired
On April 17, 2020, GoldHaven Resources entered into an agreement to purchase a 100% interest in two gold projects located in the Maricunga Gold Belt of Northern Chile. The first property, Rio Loa, is located 25 kilometers south of Gold Fields Ltd.’s Salares Norte, where, this year, a five-million-ounce discovery was made. The second property, Coya, is located only 10 kilometers east of the Kinross La Coipa open pit mine, which has produced over 7.5 million ounces of gold to date.
Rio Loa Project
Initial geophysical studies of the Rio Loa site have exposed highly anomalous ardennite and lead values, a key characteristic of gold mineralization within silicified resistive bodies. The studies have also produced initial findings which are similar to those seen at contiguous mines, such as Salares Norte (operated by Gold Fields), which has over five million ounces in estimated gold deposits.
The potential economics for the site look particularly promising when taking the unit costs at the neighboring Salares Norte mine into account. Gold Fields has estimated that its production AISC (all-in sustainable costs) will approximate $552 per ounce and have forecast a 2.3-year payback period for its initial investment, assuming a $1,300 per ounce gold price.
Coya Project
The Coya site is located within close proximity to one of the richest and largest epithermal gold and silver districts in Chile and is in close proximity to active mining sites, specifically the La Coipa mine owned by Kinross. A study carried out in 2017-2018 on the Coya site of 796 rock chip samples found favorable gold and silver values, in some cases ranking as high as 764 grams/tonne of gold and 719 grams/tonne of silver – values which are near certain indicators of potential gold and silver deposits. The La Coipa mine (Kinross) has produced over 6.9 million ounces of gold to date.
On August 11, 2020, GoldHaven Resources acquired five potential gold projects in the Maricunga Gold Belt of Northern Chile. The Maricunga hosts discoveries within the last 10 years of over 100 million ounces of gold and over 450 million ounces of silver. These newly acquired properties are in close proximity to seven other mines, which possess an estimated aggregate of 81 million ounces of gold in total reserves.
GoldHaven’s five new projects cover a total area of approximately 22,600 hectares, or 226 square kilometers, located in the northern portion of the Maricunga Belt in proximity to the 5 million-ounce gold equivalent Salares Norte project owned by Gold Fields. Gold Fields announced in April 2020 its intention to proceed with the development of Salares Norte at a cost of $860 million, with a $138 million expenditure budgeted for 2020.
The Maricunga Belt extends approximately 150 kilometers north-south and 30 kilometers east-west, straddling the border between Chile and Argentina. This region hosts known mineral resources of more than 100 million ounces of gold, 450 million ounces of silver and 1.3 billion pounds of copper.
The Maricunga project’s opportunity came about as a result of a $150 million initiative launched by the Chilean Economic Development Agency (“CORFO”), with the objective of encouraging exploration and mining prosperity in Chile and strengthening Chile’s position as a world leader in the sector.
As part of CORFO’s program, a total of $15.3 million was given to private equity fund IMT Exploration to evaluate 403 projects, beginning in 2011. This led to a generative program carried out from 2016 to 2019, resulting in 126 potential epithermal targets from which 57 field evaluations were made. Due diligence work followed on 19 of these. Work programs were then conducted, including geological mapping, rock and soil sampling and TerraSpec (PIMA) analyses on geochemical grids for alteration mapping, and, as a result, the five high-priority Maricunga projects were identified. No drilling has been carried out on any of the Maricunga projects.
Securing Financing for Upcoming Operations
In conjunction with its announcement regarding its acquisition of five Chilean mining interests, GoldHaven Resources also detailed plans for a non-brokered private placement of 11.5 million units at a price of $0.35 per unit, for gross proceeds of $4,025,000. Each unit will consist of one share of the company and one warrant, the latter of which can be exercised to acquire an additional share of the company for a period of 18 months from the date of issuance at a price of $0.50 per share. Net proceeds from the offering are intended to be used to fund general expenses, as well as exploration and drilling of its mineral properties.
Gold Prices Hit Record High in 2020
Gold prices have been on a remarkable run in 2020, breaking above $2,000 per ounce for the first time on record. Having begun the year at $1,515 per ounce, the precious metal has seen a huge surge on the back of widespread economic uncertainty stemming from governments’ worldwide propensity to expand the money supply, from the reduction of the value of the U.S. dollar as expressed by the decrease in the U.S. dollar index, and from the very real economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Global central banks have carried out 144 interest rate cuts thus far in 2020, reducing rates by a cumulative 5,035 basis points (http://nnw.fm/jzZt0). Meanwhile, the IMF has estimated that global governments have introduced fiscal support measures amounting to over $9 trillion since the start of the pandemic (http://nnw.fm/Or9rI). The resulting weakness in the U.S. dollar and eventual inflationary pressures stemming from these measures has prompted a number of investment banks to boost their near-term outlooks for gold prices, with Bank of America raising its 18-month gold price target to $3,000 per ounce (http://nnw.fm/PQJtc).
Leadership Team
David Smith, President, CEO and Director, has been immersed in the mining industry for the last eight years, working in corporate development and finance. Prior to GoldHaven Resources, Smith cofounded a multifaceted real estate development and sales company, which has now been in operation for over 35 years. He also cofounded two successful environment-focused companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Both companies were sold independently and returned a significant profit for shareholders.
Darryl Jones, Chief Financial Officer, is a finance executive and CPA with over 30 years of public company and project buildout experience. Most recently, Jones served as the CFO of Lupaka Gold Corp., retiring in June 2018. Prior to that, Jones serves as CFO of Corriente Resources, which was sold to CRCC-Tongguan in May 2010 for C$680 million.
Patrick Burns, VP Exploration and Director, is a Canadian geologist with over 40 years of experience throughout the Caribbean and Central and South America. He played a direct role in the discovery of the Escondida porphyry copper deposit in Chile and has been involved in publicly traded mining companies, predominantly in Chile, for 35 years.
Marla Ritchie, Corporate Secretary, brings over 25 years of experience in public markets to the GoldHaven team. Throughout this time, she has worked as an administrator and corporate secretary specializing in resource-based exploration companies. Currently, Ritchie is the corporate secretary for several companies, including International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. and Trevali Mining Corp.
Gordon Ellis, Director; has over 50 years’ experience in mining and resource development. A professional engineer and entrepreneur, he has held multiple senior management and director roles with public mining companies, as well as a multi-billion-dollar ETF fund. Ellis holds an MBA in international finance and a Chartered Directors designation.
Scott Dunbar, Director is a professor and head of multiple departments at the University of British Columbia, including mineral extraction and mining innovation, as well as mining engineering. He has been involved in projects around the world in regard to mining exploration, geotechnical engineering and mine design. Dunbar received his PhD in geophysics and civil engineering from Stanford University.
Grey Cloak Tech Inc. (GRCK)
Grey Cloak Tech Inc. (GRCK), through its growing portfolio of wholly owned subsidiaries, is engaged in the proprietary research and development of natural plant-based formulations, sales, and distribution of cardiovascular and neuro products. The company’s focus is to advance its market positions in the broader health industry through the unique assets and operations of its science-based BergaMet North America and Ultimate Brain Nutrients (“UBN”) subsidiaries and to offer better lifestyles through superior health technology.
BergaMet North America
BergaMet NA is engaged in the sale and distribution of a full line of proprietary product formulations derived from the rare Citrus Bergamot SuperFruit™ called “bergamot.” Bergamot is native to Southern Italy and is naturally sourced and uniquely loaded with various antioxidant polyphenols. Thanks to this composition, bergamot supports and promotes overall wellness specific to cholesterol, cardiovascular and metabolic health with no known side effects.
BergaMet NA is the only Citrus Bergamot SuperFruit™ heart health supplement backed by 17 clinical studies. The BergaMet brand supplement boasts the highest quality and concentration of polyphenols and flavonoids available anywhere in the world. It is also the only bergamot supplement approved by the prestigious Accademia del Bergamotto of Italy. BergaMet NA is the only company authorized to manufacture, distribute and sell these products in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Consumers are including the Citrus Bergamot SuperFruit™ in their everyday personal health programs. The clinically proven antioxidant provides benefits to tens of thousands of people daily.
The company’s line of products can be found at www.bergametna.com, through Amazon, other online retailers and in doctors’ offices throughout the United States.
The BergaMet Advantage
BergaMet has been studied in 17 published clinical trials which reported results of lower LDL cholesterol, higher HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower blood pressure, lower blood glucose, increased arterial function, improved liver function and is effective as a complement to statin use.
Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S. and worldwide, claiming nearly 18 million lives each year accounting for 31% of all global deaths. In the U.S., statins are one of the most commonly prescribed medicines for cardiovascular disease. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 28% of American women and men over the age of 40 take a statin to lower the amount of cholesterol in the blood.
Taking aim at this market for cardiovascular care, BergaMet NA continues to advance the awareness of its medical-grade supplements and separate its formulation from competitors.
BergaMet NA products contain 47% BPF (bergamot polyphenolic fraction), while its closest competitors have only 38%. The company’s increased dosages (600-675mg vs 500mg) and 47% BPF are clinically proven to be more effective in improving heart health and metabolic syndrome.
BergaMet Citrus Bergamot SuperFruit™ supplements:
- Support healthy immune systems with powerful antioxidants and proprietary formulations.
- Reduce cholesterol and support healthy glucose and blood pressure levels.
- Are fully organic, vegan-friendly and dairy, gluten, soy and GMO-free.
- Contain five key unique flavonoids that make up the most powerful 47% BPF (bergamot polyphenolic fraction) in the world, providing superior results compared to their competitors.
- Have been clinically shown to increase arterial elasticity while reducing arterial and muscle inflammation.
Ultimate Brain Nutrients
Grey Cloak’s Ultimate Brain Nutrients (“UBN”) subsidiary is a science-based company that develops unique, plant-based superior health technology neuro-products that improve brain health, including memory, cognition, focus and neuro-energy.
UBN’s KETONOMICS® proprietary formulations – targeting brain activity, focus, headache and cognitive behavior — provide multiple intellectual property license opportunities for monetizing the company’s portfolio.
License opportunities include multiple beverage formats, individual products, proprietary mixtures and other food platforms.
UBN has five unique formulation patents – one issued and four pending – targeting brain activity, focus, headache and cognitive behavior.
The UBN Advantage
UBN’s all-natural, sugar-free and caffeine-free proprietary formulations are the result of 20 years of scientific research and are positioned to provide consumer neuro-products that are natural brain solutions. UBN has filed for approval to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make a Qualified Health Claim for its migraine formulation, tapping into consumer demands for healthy beverages that contribute to brain health, overall well-being and performance.
Over 50 million Americans consume unhealthy energy shots and drinks each day, while the neuro/energy market generates over $10 billion per year in revenue. Within this growing market, UBN is advancing its position to meet rising consumer demand for healthy, science-based options. The company’s KETONOMICS® proprietary formulations have been proven to naturally elevate brain energy and function, including memory, cognition and focus.
UBN’s KETONOMICS® supplementation has also been studied in sports physiology, with specific regard to its potential benefits for competitive performance and endurance.
Grey Cloak Executive Team
Kevin “Duke” Pitts, Director, President and Chief Operating Officer
- Started and built from the ground up two multi-million-dollar businesses, one of which grew into a Top 100 retailers in the U.S.
- Unique management skills led to the development of successful teams for 35 years
- Pioneered direct marketing for a Fortune 200 company, creating a 20% increase in targeted incremental sales
- Founded Einstein’s Hemp, which developed and brought to market one of the only odorless and tasteless water-soluble CBD products in the world
- Developed and implemented digital/guerrilla marketing strategies for public and private companies focused on long-term brand position and acquisition efforts
- Specialized in customer relationship management (CRM) tools for creating the best customer experiences
- Worked in publicly traded industries for 10 years, overseeing up to $20 million in annual marketing budgets
William “Bill” Bossung, Director, Chief Financial Officer
- 35 years of diverse experience in corporate finance, insurance and accounting
- 20 years of experience with IPOs focusing on audits, FINRA and SEC regulations
- Specializes in the formation of capital raising over $100 million, recently raising $12 million for Splash Beverage
- Specializes in upgrading penny stocks companies to the NYSE or Nasdaq
- Involved in 30+ companies transitioning from private to public identities
- Founded several companies, including BCF Technology Inc., which sold to Vertafore; managing partner at Bishop Equity Partners LLC; director at Splash Beverage Group; and director of finance at Chadmoore Wireless, where he licensed channels to Nextel for $162 million
Bill Croyle, Director, Private Investor and Accomplished Senior Executive
- More than 40 years of success in the IT, energy, manufacturing, telecommunications, venture capital and finance industries
- Broad expertise includes negotiating mergers and acquisitions, as well as service and delivery contracts
- Formerly was a founder, owner or executive of EnTX Group; Impact Legacy Partners; FB Oilfield Special Tools; and Western Energy Advisors
Dr. Gerald Haase, Chief Medical Officer
- Clinical professor of surgery at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine
- Actively involved in medical research and clinical trials for 35 years
- Received U-10 grant funding from the National Institutes of Health cooperative group clinical trials program, as well as U.S. Congressional funding for Cooperative Research and Development Agreements with the Department of Defense and NASA
- Was chairman of the Department of Pediatric Surgery at Children’s Hospital Colorado; consultant surgeon to the Department of the Army; vice-chairman of the Children’s Cancer Group, a cooperative research consortium of the National Cancer Institute; on the National Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society; a senior member of the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons; and a member of the editorial board of The Annals of Surgical Oncology
- Has published 180 scientific papers and is the inventor or co-inventor of 12 issued U.S. patents for micronutrient and phytonutrient therapy, with five pending patents
- Recipient of clinical research grants and contracts funded at a several million-dollar cumulative level
- Is an editorial reviewer for medical journals and a member of numerous professional societies, including the American Association for Cancer Research, International College of Surgeons, American Academy of Pediatrics, New York Academy of Sciences and American College of Physician Executives
HempFusion Wellness Inc.
HempFusion Wellness Inc. is a leader in the health and wellness CBD industry, providing innovative and diversified proprietary formulations utilizing the power of whole-food hemp nutrition.
Invested heavily in regulatory compliance, HempFusion aims to consistently meet and even exceed the high standards required by retailers and consumers – putting safety, quality and consistency first. In support of these efforts, the company is U.S. Hemp Authority Certified and is a current board member of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, a coalition of leading companies committed to advancing safe hemp and CBD products.
HempFusion reported 1,750 shareholders and $18.3 million in cash as of June 30, 2020 – the second-largest cash position in its sector – with no debt. Looking ahead, the company is currently preparing to launch an IPO directly onto the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) senior board, where it has already reserved ticker symbol ‘CBD.U’. Learn More About HempFusion Upcoming IPO.
HempFusion is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.
HempFusion’s Proprietary Wellness Portfolio
The diverse product portfolio showcased by HempFusion includes 46 products that are currently on shelves. The company’s leading offerings include HempFusion-owned Biome Labs, HF Labs and Probulin. Due to the time and resources allocated to increasing the compliance of these proprietary products, HempFusion may have a competitive advantage and create additional retail opportunities that are not available for other CBD companies.
HempFusion’s Diversified Revenue Pipeline
HempFusion’s focus and investment into regulatory compliance has opened doors to major food and drug mass or big box retailers that are not available to other CBD companies. This strategic approach includes five distinct channels:
- Natural Health Retailers
- eCommerce
- Big Box / Food and Drug Mass
- Doctor Practitioner
- Convenience
HempFusion’s Line of Products
HempFusion’s branded line of products is based on the company’s proprietary Whole Food Panoramic Full-Spectrum Hemp Complex. Each product is condition-specific, targeting needs such as sleep, energy and stress.
All of HempFusion’s products are made from DNA-verified, European Union registered, non-GMO, organic industrial hemp. The company’s offerings span multiple product categories, including:
- Tinctures and capsules – These offerings make up the most popular product category in the $4 billion U.S. CBD market.
- OTC topicals – HempFusion is one of the few CBD companies marketing FDA Drug Listed Topicals. The FDA compliance standards ensure that these products meet the standards set by larger national retailers.
- Condition-specific OTC products – HempFusion has OTC products that are condition-specifically targeted, including:
- OTC Pain Products – The global pain relief market for topicals is projected to reach $13.3 billion by 2025, with a CAGR from 2018 to 2025 of 7.4%.
- OTC Eczema Products – The global dermatitis market is projected to reach $13.6 billion by 2026.
- OTC Acne and Aging/Beauty Products – The global market for beauty and anti-aging products is currently estimated at $1.08 trillion.
- OTC First Aid and Wound Healing Products – In 2019, the 10 top-selling first aid ointments in the United States generated over $650 million in sales.
Probulin Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes
Probulin Probiotics is a 100% wholly owned subsidiary of HempFusion Wellness Inc. and is currently one of the fastest growing probiotics brands in the United States, according to Spins syndicated data.
The Probulin product line addresses a wide range of consumer needs, including daily care, total care, women’s health and children’s products. The probiotics market represents a growing opportunity, as it is estimated to reach $7 billion globally by 2022.
Because of the diverse offerings of the Probulin line, it serves as HempFusion’s gateway to retailers who may not currently carry CBD products.
This ‘Trojan Horse Strategy’ is intended to allow the company to establish, develop and build relationships among these retailers. By achieving approved vendor status, the company may be able to facilitate faster onboarding times, enabling accelerated access to its CBD products in the future.
HF Labs and Biome Research – Doctor and Practitioner Product Lines
The HF Labs and Biome Research product lines are directed toward doctors and practitioners and cater to hospitals, compounding pharmacies and free-standing dispensaries. With an estimated target market of 28,000+ integrative medical doctors and 70,000+ licensed chiropractors in the United States, these offerings create a unique market opportunity as HempFusion continues to broaden its footprint in the CBD industry.
Research on CBD and Human Safety
HempFusion is one of 12 CBD companies selected to participate in ValidCare’s groundbreaking study regarding CBD and human safety, which is expected to be complete by the end of October 2020. The study is designed to address previous questions from the FDA regarding CBD products.
As part of this study, HempFusion and the other selected companies will be conducting human trials to determine if the daily use of full-spectrum hemp-derived CBD or CBD isolate impacts the human liver.
Management Team
Jason Mitchell, N.D., is the co-founder, Director and CEO of HempFusion. He has over 20 years of experience in the natural products industry and is a naturopathic doctor certified by the ANMCB. Mitchell received his doctorate from the Trinity College of Natural Health and is a member of the American Naturopathic Medical Association and the CNHP. He is an expert in supplemental formations and was responsible for successfully creating and launching over 300 industry-leading products during his 15-year tenure at Country Life Vitamins.
Ian DeQueiroz is the Chief of Brand Strategy & Partnerships and a Director for HempFusion. He is a serial entrepreneur with experience in early-stage cannabis and hemp companies. In 2010, he acquired his first cannabis CO2 extraction company in the United States. DeQueiroz has facilitated the licensing process for many companies in the United States, as well as one of Jamaica’s premier cannabis companies, Epican Medicinals Ltd.
Jon Visser is HempFusion’s Chief Revenue Officer. He has over 25 years of experience in all areas of sales and marketing, with a proven track record of consistently driving growth across all major channels. Visser was previously the Senior Vice President of Sales at Navajo Inc., a multi-national manufacturer/distributor of brands like Pennzoil Automotive Supplies, Piranha Eyewear and Navajo Inc., the largest distributor of trial- and travel-sized health and beauty products in the United States. Visser grew annual sales from $60 million to $128 million in less than three years while at Navajo Inc.
Bruce Valentine Jr. is the Chief Financial Officer of HempFusion. He has a proven track record working with high-growth companies and was named CFO of the Year in 2013 by the Northern Colorado Business Report. Valentine is the former CFO of Otter Products and has over 15 years of financial management experience.
Ola Lessard is the Chief Marketing Officer of HempFusion and is also the President of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable. She has experience in marketing creative and effective brand strategies. She is a former Vice President of Marketing at Barlean’s, an award-winning supplements provider based in Washington.
Nancy Angelini is the Director of the Doctor/Practitioner Channel. She has over 25 years as an active, licensed practitioner. Angelini travels the country as a lecturer and product manager. She is responsible for opening doors to some of the largest doctor/practitioner networks in the United States.
Daniel Brody is the Chief Corporate Officer of HempFusion. He is the co-founder and former Vice President of The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF). Brody has been instrumental in listing multiple world-class cannabis companies, including TGOD, Emblem Corp. and Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQX: PLPRF). Before joining the cannabis industry, he spent seven years working at two leading Canadian brokerage firms.
iClick Interactive Asia Group Ltd. (NASDAQ: ICLK)
iClick Interactive Asia Group Ltd. (NASDAQ: ICLK) is an independent online marketing and enterprise data solutions provider connecting worldwide marketers with audiences in China. Built on cutting-edge technologies, iClick’s proprietary platform possesses omni-channel marketing capabilities and fulfills various marketing objectives in a data-driven and automated manner, helping international and domestic marketers reach their target audiences. Headquartered in Hong Kong, iClick operates in 10 locations worldwide, including Asia and Europe.
iClick aims to become a fully integrated Enterprise and Marketing Cloud Platform in China, providing clients a full consumer-cycle solution. This is facilitated by two pillars’ growth strategy through two business segments: Marketing Solutions and Enterprise Solutions.
Marketing Solutions
Using data and AI-driven technology to help brands efficiently identify, target and acquire the right customers
As the leading programmatic marketing platform in China, iClick’s proprietary platform collects a wealth of data from multiple sources to precisely reach the right audience at the right moment, on the right channel and right device. Cross-screen search solutions capture critical micro-moments when users proactively search for what they need. This multi-dimensional approach to marketing allows iClick to effectively understand internet users and exponentially widen target audiences for its brand clients. Multiple monetization models available in the Marketing Solutions segment allow iClick to serve its clients in several ways, such as audience targeting.
Data-driven marketing is indispensable to marketers targeting specific audiences in China. More than 825 million internet users in China are anonymously profiled on iClick’s platform, which boasts cross-channel and cross-screen capabilities.
Enterprise Solutions
Enabling brands to efficiently manage their consumers through online and offline data integration and analysis, increase the repurchase rate, and enhance consumers’ loyalty
iClick’s Enterprise Solutions segment addresses enterprise needs in China, particularly focusing on “smart retail,” an expanding and innovating market involving the combination of online and offline consumers’ behavioral information. Enterprise Solutions support detailed profiling of customers, which facilitates data-driven business strategies, enhances business processes at various levels, and increases operational and marketing efficiency.
Enterprise Solutions leverages iClick’s proprietary platform that incorporates Artificial Intelligence (AI) to learn, build and store knowledge, enabling accurate predictions about consumer behavior that ultimately provide marketing solutions derived from the large amount of available data.
Through a strategic partnership with Tencent, iClick’s Enterprise Solutions presents strong recurring revenue streams with tremendous opportunities to upsell multi-national corporations (MNCs). Tencent’s proprietary API connection enables brands to build 360-degree consumer profiles based on the collection and integration of purchased behavioral information from online and offline touchpoints, including WeChat Mini Programs, WeChat Payment, WeChat Work and more.
As iClick continues to provide integrated marketing and smart retail solutions targeting Chinese consumers, the company believes Enterprise Solutions has strong long-term growth potential and will become a major gross margin contributor in the future.
Partnerships
In 2019, iClick established various agreements and partnerships with a number of leading southeast and northeast Asian companies for regional diversification and in 2020 is focused on continuing to develop additional partnerships and new business models globally. Many of the world’s top companies are leveraging iClick’s proprietary data platform to precisely identify and reach out to core target audience groups in China.
The company’s partnerships include:
- A tri-partnership with BTG WELINK, an online retail services arm of Beijing Tourism Group (“BTG”), and Tencent Holdings Ltd., China’s leading provider of internet value added services. As part of this partnership, iClick applies its upgraded solutions to build a private DSP (Demand Side Platform) system for BTG. Using Tencent’s big data advertising platform, iClick can assist BTG to develop precision marketing campaigns.
- An Advertising Agency Authorization Certificate from Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU), under which iClick is designated the authorized agency for native advertising of Baidu’s news feed ads. Native advertising is a consumer-friendly, non-disruptive advertising format that has gained rapid popularity among advertisers in recent years. Native advertising and creative marketing content have become a more effective marketing method among the Chinese young consumers. In 2019, the native advertising sector was estimated to have an around 53.5% share of the online advertising revenue, according to Statista.
- A joint-venture partnership with VGI Global Media Plc (VGI.BKK), Thailand’s No. 1 online to offline (O2O) solutions provider across advertising, payment and logistics platforms, which enables brands in Southeast Asia to capture the multi-billion-dollar Chinese consumer market through a range of technology-driven marketing solutions.
Case Study: Armani Hotel Dubai
Dubai has been gearing up to welcome the growing wave of Chinese visitors. Chinese nationals are eligible for a 30-day visa-on-arrival into the UAE, which gives Chinese travelers tremendous convenience. In light of this, Armani Hotel Dubai set the objective to increase its sales in this market.
The challenge: What Aarmani Hotel Dubai lacked in executing this goal was insightful understanding of Chinese travelers in particular the demographics that were likely to be attracted to the hotel. Challenged by the huge differences in the business practice, unique culture and language barrier in running digital campaigns in China, Armani Hotel Dubai turned to iClick’s know-how and expertise to guide its campaign to success and meet its sales goal.
The solution: iClick tailored an optimal solution for the hotel to increase brand awareness and booking rate from China – which is the key market for the hotel – and successfully assisted Armani Hotel Dubai in reaching its target Chinese audiences by using China’s most popular mobile and internet sites, including WeChat and Weibo, to improve reach and booking potential.
The results: Due to iClick’s unrivaled technological and execution strengths, Armani Hotel Dubai’s ads were delivered in an omnichannel manner, raising brand awareness and garnering interest between Chinese consumers. Subsequently, Armani Hotel Dubai saw a surge in conversion rate.
During the campaign, the Armani Hotel Dubai brand was connected with 87% of Chinese mobile users.
Award-winning Provider
iClick, a Deloitte Technology Fast50, has received multiple industry awards from the international marketing community. The company is committed to helping clients access digital China with its omni-channel, data-driven marketing solutions that deliver uniquely sharpened marketing capabilities and outstanding advertising results.
Most recently, iClick subsidiary OptAim (Beijing) Information Technology Co., Ltd was recognized by Tencent Ads as a 2019 Gold Service Provider. Tencent Ads also named OptAim the winner of three major annual awards for the second half of 2019: “Outstanding Contribution of the Year,” “Best Technology & Data Application Award,” and “Best Branding Awards.”
In November 2019, company co-founder and CEO Sammy Hsieh was chosen as the winner of the “EY Entrepreneur of The Year China 2019 Award in Technology Category,” an award recognizing his entrepreneurial acumen, innovative spirit and strong leadership. As one of the world’s most prestigious business accolades, the “EY Entrepreneur of The Year” awards program honors those who accomplish success by combining ability with opportunity, and inspire others with great vision, leadership and outstanding achievement.
iClick won the Annual Influential Platform Award and the Innovation Golden Award in Marketing at the Creative Award 2019, as well as the Best Tourism Marketing Agency. The company was also the recipient of the “Best Brand and Performance Marketing Award” at the Performance Marketing Ecosystem Summit 2018 hosted by the Advertising & Marketing Service, a division of Tencent Holdings Limited.
The company in 2018 was also recognized as “Platinum Service Partner of Tencent Social Ads” at the Tencent Key Accounts Mid-Year Summit held in Beijing. The mobile division of iClick, Optaim, received the same award beginning in 2016. Optaim was also the “Best DSP Partner” and “Key Account Data Partner” of Tencent, making it the only player in China with such unique and deep level of cooperation with Tencent Social Ads.
Leadership
Sammy Wing Hong Hsieh, chairman of the board and co-founder, was CEO from 2009 to 2019. Prior to co-founding iClick, Hsieh held senior positions in several prominent technology companies. He was general manager for Asia Pacific at Efficient Frontier (now an Adobe company), a leading digital performance marketing company, and was director of Search Marketing at Yahoo Hong Kong from 2000-2008. Hsieh received a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Jian Tang, director, CEO and co-founder, has 20 years of experience in digital advertising and is well-known in China for his expertise in advertising technologies and big data. In 2012, he founded OptAim, which was acquired by iClick in 2015, and has served key research, engineering and management roles at Yahoo’s global research and development center. Tang received his doctorate in computer engineering from Tsinghua University and was named by Campaign Asia as one of the leaders in its Digital A-List in 2016.
Terence Chi Wai Li, chief financial officer, has 15 years of experience in financial management, investment and business operations. He has served in management roles and advisory capacities at several start-ups, in addition to financial management and fundraising roles. He previously worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers, specializing in M&A due diligence and cross border tax and deal structuring projects. Li received an MBA from Oxford University’s Said Business School. He is a Fellow Member of ACCA, a Member of HKICPA, and a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Imagin Medical Inc. (CSE: IME) (OTCQB: IMEXF)
Imagin Medical Inc. (CSE: IME) (OTCQB: IMEXF) is a surgical imaging company focused on establishing a new standard of care in visualizing cancer during minimally invasive procedures. Its initial focus is on bladder cancer.
The company’s first product is the i/Blue Imaging™ System, based on advanced optics and light sensors and employing patented ultrasensitive imaging technology. Imagin Medical believes the system can significantly improve surgeons’ ability to visualize and remove cancer cells.
Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, the company works to enhance its market potential by expanding its technology to multiple endoscopic indications, such as laparoscopic, colorectal and thoracic procedures, accommodating multiple contrast agents and illumination sources.
i/Blue Imaging™ System
The conventional method used for visualizing bladder cancer during surgery is an endoscopic procedure called a cystoscopy. This procedure uses white light to illuminate the bladder. White light has been used for decades and is the standard for more than 90% of the market. Blue light cystoscopy uses blue-filtered white light, which addresses the limitations of white light (such as detecting flat tumors and the fine edges that may result in cancerous cells being left behind during removal).
Blue light uses a contrast agent that causes cancer cells to fluoresce when illuminated. Surgeons are then able to more effectively visualize and resect the margins of bladder tumors to reduce the risk of recurrence. Notably, the use of the white light is still necessary during a blue-light procedure so that the surgeon can orient their position within the bladder.
Imagin Medical’s i/Blue Imaging System addresses the limitations of both white and blue light cystoscopies. The i/Blue System combines the white and blue light with an FDA-approved imaging agent and simultaneously displays side-by-side images in real-time, without the necessity to switch back and forth between the two images.
The i/Blue Imaging System is unlike other methods available on the market today. It is external to the body and can attach to almost any endoscope model currently in use. This way, hospitals adopting Imagin Medical’s technology have the ability to use their current endoscopes without the need to purchase new equipment.
Bladder Cancer Prevalence
The company’s initial focus is bladder cancer, which is the sixth most prevalent form of cancer in the United States. In 2020, the number of new bladder cancer cases is expected to total 81,400, accounting for 4.5 percent of all new cancers diagnosed. The death rate in 2020 for cancer deaths associated with the bladder is forecast at 17,980, or 3% of all cancer-related deaths (https://ibn.fm/qLi3l).
Bladder cancer also has one of the highest recurrence rates among all forms of cancer, leaving about 600,000 people in fear that their cancer will return, according to Imagin Medical. The company is committed to addressing this issue, and i/Blue demonstrations have indicated that the use of both white and blue light can enhance accuracy of detection and removal of cancer cells, potentially lowering recurrence rates.
Based on Verified Market Research, the global bladder cancer research market was valued at $3.43 billion in 2018. It is estimated to grow with a CAGR of 4.03% through 2026, resulting in a projected $4.71 billion market (https://ibn.fm/rI7G6).
Management Team
E. James Hutchens is the Chief Executive Officer of Imagin Medical Inc. He is a proven entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in management in the medical technology industry. Hutchens served as a managing partner with Origin Partners, a $55 million early-stage venture capital fund. He was also the founder and CEO of both Microsurge Inc. (a venture-backed minimally invasive surgical company) and Choice Therapeutics (an advanced wound-care company). He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Brigham and Women’s and Faulkner hospitals. Hutchins holds a BS in Business Administration from Boston University.
John Vacha is the company’s Chief Financial Officer. He has 20 years of experience in the health care industry. Prior to Medtronic’s acquisition of Intact Medical Corp. in 2017, Vacha was the company’s President, CEO and a board member for seven years. He is a licensed CPA in Massachusetts. Vacha has an MBA and an MS in Accounting from Northeastern University in Boston. He is also a serving member of the Board of Directors at the South Boston Health Center. He currently has two patents in electrosurgical instrumentation.
Michael G. Vergano is the Director of Operations of Imagin Medical. He has been the President of The Harvest Group Inc. since 1998, where he has provided consultant services for startups and major corporations. Vergano has over 30 years of experience in the medical device industry. He has held management positions at Microsurge Inc., Ciba Corning Diagnostics and Boston Scientific Corp. He is currently the holder of 11 medical device patents and holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University.
Pam Papineau is the company’s Director of Regulatory Affairs. She has over 30 years of experience in quality and regulatory affairs with Boston Scientific, Baxter and Cogentix. She has served as a consultant on various devices including imaging, endoscopy, orthopedic, GI/GU and cardiovascular applications. Papineau has successfully prepared dozens of FDA pre-market and EU submissions to support CE marking of a broad spectrum of medical devices. She is an ASQ Certified Quality Engineer, a Certified Biomedical Auditor, a Certified Quality Auditor and an ISO 13485:2016 Lead Auditor, and she is certified by the Regulatory Affairs Professional Society – U.S., EU and Canada. Papineau works with the company’s legal counsel to prepare pre-submission meetings with the FDA and activities through the regulatory approval process.
Innovative Payment Solutions Inc. (OTCQB: IPSI)
Innovative Payment Solutions Inc. (OTCQB: IPSI) is a digital payment technology service company offering cutting-edge solutions for consumers and service providers. It is focused on building a 21st century payment platform based on its proprietary fintech payment architecture.
Incorporated in 2015 and headquartered in Northridge, California, the company has spent the last five years perfecting its payment platform through its operations in Mexico, which still facilitate over two million users.
IPSI’s new business structure will use the latest technology, including blockchain and an e-wallet, to provide consumers the ability to make payments worldwide. The company’s innovative ecosystem will include multiple devices, such as POS terminals, mobile applications and self-service kiosks, offering alternative payment methods to meet the needs of unbanked and underbanked consumers.
IPSI Kiosk Platform
The IPSI Kiosk platform strategy aims to provide simple payment solutions and low-cost financial services for consumers and businesses. These kiosks offer access to digital payments for the unbanked and underbanked, allowing for remittance, merchant payments, microloans and other financial services.
The kiosk enables new features and transaction modules to be added and implemented easily, leveraging a flexible, open architecture to minimize costs. Current services provided by the kiosks include bill pay and cellphone top-up. Additional features are currently in development, including payday loans, gaming, auto insurance, title loans, lottery, international remittance, a mobile app and an e-wallet.
Already linked to Mexico’s largest service providers, the IPSI network is expected to add over 150 services for payment, including mobile networks, cable providers, home lenders, banks and microlenders. In 2019, IPSI’s kiosk network processed roughly 4.5 million transactions in Mexico totaling over $17 million.
The company currently has 50 kiosks that it intends to install at retail locations in Southern California. It also plans to deploy kiosks in other states.
IPSI Kiosk Channel Value
The IPSI Kiosk provides value for businesses and consumers.
For businesses, the IPSI Kiosk:
- Serves as an additional revenue source;
- Attracts new traffic and potential customers;
- Offers remote software updates and monitoring, making the kiosks low maintenance;
- Is easy to use, with little need for customer service intervention; and
- Requires minimal staff training and overhead.
For consumers, the IPSI Kiosk:
- Offers a more comfortable alternative for making payments for cash-dependent unbanked individuals and those uncomfortable with online payments and
- Is accessible 24/7 for bill payment services.
The IPSI Kiosk also provides add-on services that further its value proposition for both businesses and consumers. These include second screen and targeted advertisement options, payday loans, check deposits, prepaid cards and checkout services.
IPSI Coin
IPSI is currently working on plans to launch its own stable IPSI Coin and has retained Horizons Law and Consulting Group to advise on its stable coin creation. The company plans for IPSI Coin to be backed by the U.S. dollar and administered by an independent custodian to ensure transparency and stability.
The creation of the coin will enable customers to send payments directly to over 200 service providers in Mexico and transfer funds in a matter of minutes via the self-service kiosks to be implemented in Southern California.
“The fintech industry is undergoing a massive shift with the introduction of artificial intelligence, everchanging distribution models, fee diversion and digital payments,” IPSI CEO William Corbett stated in a news release (https://ibn.fm/wwtBV). “We are focused on providing a comprehensive solution in the digital payment arena for those who need it most. Our goal is to provide the millions of unbanked and underbanked as well as banked consumers in California, a cost efficient and convenient method to make payments and remittances with instant settlement.”
Digital Payment Market Outlook
In 2018, the global digital payment market was estimated at $43.5 billion. It is expected to register a CAGR of 17.6% through 2025, reaching a forecast market size of $132.5 billion, according to Grandview Research (https://ibn.fm/pLTUt).
The growth is expected to be led by expanding use of smartphones, e-wallet payment solutions and the introduction of unbanked payment solutions to the market, offering companies such as IPSI significant opportunities for expansion.
Management Team
William Corbett is the CEO and a Director of IPSI. He has 30 years of experience financing and advising development and growth stage tech and biotech companies. Before IPSI, he was the founder and CEO of California-based Digital Power Lending. Corbett gained experience as a managing director during his time with Paulson Investment Co. and in senior banking and top producer roles at Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns. He was a co-founder of the San Francisco and PIPE pioneer boutique investment bank, The Shemano Group. He has raised over $2 billion during his extensive career.
Andrey Novikov serves as IPSI’s Chief Technical Officer and Chief Operating Officer. He is the former VP of Global Business Development of Qiwi PLC (NASDAQ: QIWI). Leveraging extensive knowledge of the industry, Novikov played a lead role in the development of Qiwi startups in China, Mexico, India, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and other countries.
James W. Fuller holds a Director position at IPSI. He is the former chairman of San Francisco think tank Pacific Research Institute. He is a board member for The International Institute of Education, a member of the Pacific Council for International Policy, and a former member of the Committee of Foreign Relations and the board of trustees of the University of California – Santa Cruz. He is the former Senior Vice President of the New York Stock Exchange and was responsible for corporate development, marketing, regulation oversight, research, corporate listing and public affairs.
InsuraGuest Technologies, Inc. (TSX.V: ISGI)
InsuraGuest Technologies, Inc. (TSX.V: ISGI) is a leading global SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) company leveraging its proprietary, flagship insurtech (insurance + technology) software, InsuraGuest, which is integrated with the property management systems of hotels and vacation rentals to deliver custom Hospitality Liability coverages.
InsuraGuest’s Hospitality Liability coverages are purchased by hotels and vacation rental properties, which can address claims from guests and their room occupants. The combination of the integrated software and customized insurance provides the property liability coverages the guests benefit from in the event a loss is incurred during their stay.
The Hospitality Liability policy is offered through integration of InsuraGuest’s API with the clients’ property management systems. InsuraGuest’s platform is currently capable of integrating with approximately 71 different hotel and vacation rental property management systems, giving it access to millions of rooms worldwide.
InsuraGuest continues to pursue expansion opportunities in the United States, and has plans to expand to its distribution platform and Hospitality Liability coverages to the United Kingdom and Europe regions by third quarter 2020, as well as expansion into Asia by the end of 2020.
Protection that Enhances the Guest’s Experience
InsuraGuest’s Hospitality Liability coverages add a layer of protection for the property on a primary basis, should a guest experience an accident or theft while staying at an InsuraGuest member hotel or vacation rental property.
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 that are not the properties fault.
Though the potential for accidents, slip and falls and mishaps can be widespread, it can be covered under the InsuraGuest Hospitality Liability policy to provide guests a worry-free and enjoyable stay that potentially increases loyalty for the property.
Investment Consideration
- 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 Bachelor of Science in consumer studies with an emphasis in architecture as an undergraduate at the University of Utah. He subsequently earned his MBA. 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.
Logan Anderson, CFO & Director
Logan Anderson (bachelor’s degree in communications, accounting and economics) holds the designation of ACA with the Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand. He began his career as an associate chartered accountant in New Zealand and then Canada. This was followed by his position as controller of a management services company which was responsible for the management of numerous private and publicly traded companies. Since 1993, Anderson has served as president of Amteck Financial Corp. (and its predecessors), a private financial consulting services company servicing both private and public companies. He is a former director of 3D Systems, Inc. (NYSE: DDD), and was formerly a founder, officer, and director of Worldbid.com. Anderson has also been involved in raising funds for numerous private and public companies in all stages of their development and has been an officer and director for numerous public and private companies over the past 40 years.
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.
Tony Sansone, COO & VP of Finance
Tony Sansone has over 30 years of financial, operations and business development experience which includes serving as CFO in the health care, foodservice distribution, manufacturing and technology sectors, including public company experience. He has held senior finance positions in the banking, telecommunications, medical products, and food & drug retailer industries, closing over $430 million of private debt, equity and line of credit financings and over $350 million of a merger, acquisitions, real estate and state incentive transactions, including due diligence, negotiations, closing, and integration. Sansone coordinated and was the executive sponsor for four ERP implementations and multiple other best-in-class software & technology solutions. He received his MBA from the University of Utah and a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Utah State University. Sansone also currently serves as president-elect of the Utah Chapter of Financial Executives International and a past president and current member of the board of trustees for Catholic Community Services of Utah. He is the proud father of three children.
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 and 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.
Jennifer Epperson, Vice President of Sales
Jennifer Epperson has over 20 years of B2B sales experience with exceptional success history. She has grown and developed sales territories across multiple industries. Her ability to find and develop strategic relationships has given her top-level performance throughout her career. Epperson’s passion and knowledge provide an inherent ability to connect and retain relationships for the growth of the company. Throughout her professional career, she has achieved peak performance sales results and awards year after year. She captures the vision of the company and drives it forward with enthusiasm and expertise. Her commitment to providing an exceptional customer experience has been the key to her success.
Richard Matthews, Interim Financial Controller
Richard Matthews joined the InsuraGuest team in March 2019 as the interim financial controller. Leading the Finance and Audit team, Matthews is responsible for the delivery of financial services such as accounting, treasury, reporting, budgeting and insurance management, in accordance with legislative requirements and organizational policies and strategies. He has over 30 years of experience in providing professional services across a broad range of finance areas including compliance, business process, audit, and financial reporting. He holds a degree in accounting from the University of Utah and is a licensed CPA in the state of Utah.
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.
Jim Kilduff, Board Advisor
James “Jim” C. Kilduff has nearly 40 years of experience in the insurance and risk management sectors. He is a dynamic and energetic team leader and builder with extensive experience in the changes affecting the insurance business through Gas, alternative distribution, insurtechs and program business. His skillset includes experience as chief insurance officer with Outdoorsy Insurance Group, CEO with Harbor Hill Solutions Inc., and senior vice president and chief marketing officer with State National Insurance Companies. His career has spanned MGA creation and management, insurance company management, business development and underwriting, primary insurance and reinsurance.
Don Archibald, Board Advisor
Don Archibald brings to InsuraGuest’s advisory board 54 years of experience as an insurance agent. Archibald is the founder and former owner of Archibald Clarke and Defieux (ACD Insurance), as well as the co-founder and former equity partner of Sussex Insurance, and an agent with Sussex since 2014.
ISW Holdings (ISWH)
ISW Holdings (ISWH) is a brand management portfolio company with diverse partnerships that focus on growing businesses in multiple sectors, including crypto mining, renewable energy, home health care for the chronically ill, wellness and restoration, and the adult beverage industry, as well as early-stage operations in supply chain and logistics management. ISW Holdings operates as the nexus between its partnerships and their essential services for end users.
Mission
The company’s core mission is to enhance these sectors by implementing innovative services and products ready to meet the demands of a changing world. To that end, ISW Holdings leverages its strategic expertise, resources, and innovative software to establish market-leading companies and partnerships, which ensure their success in their chosen industries. This enables the company to return maximum shareholder value with its focus always on its partnerships’ various sector volatility.
The Revolution
Positioned to create industry leaders, the company’s process entails strategic development and aggressive early growth of its partner brands to establish them as profitable and viable. ISW Holdings’ method is to nurture emerging partner brands through the essential stages of market development (from conceptualization to distribution) in sectors relevant to today’s marketplace. In addition, the company has a holistic approach to business development, with every strategy being delivered person-to-person from developers to end users.
The Challenge
The company’s goal is to turn its target audience into loyal consumers by ensuring transparency and a clear understanding of its products and services, thus creating visibility, credibility, and trust.
ISW Holdings’ Innovative Approach
ISW Holdings has diversified positions in its partnerships across technology, health care, wellness, renewable energy, and the adult beverage sectors. The company seek to provide industry leading modern solutions to its clients and sound business practices to its partners. This is accomplished through an early growth platform that cultivates its partnerships with the necessary resources and expertise to expand exponentially.
ISW Holdings’ Opportunity
The company’s opportunity is considerable. In the ever-changing high demand global marketplace, the need for timely innovation is critical. ISW Holdings’ portfolio brand management and creative thinking has allowed the company to develop and deploy enterprises that meet the needs of 21st century consumers. Through a fully vetted system of scalability, it is able to meet consumer demands with turn-key solutions.
Portfolio of Partnerships and Businesses
ISW Holdings’ diverse portfolio reflects the growing demand for essential services in a dynamic modern operational landscape. With partnerships that incorporate a depth of experience and industry insight, ISW Holdings has established itself as a portfolio company in technology, home health care, and wellness, with a focus on reshaping industry benchmarks.
Bit5ive
ISW Holdings operates a joint venture with Bit5ive, a global leader in cryptocurrency mining. As an official distribution partner of Bitmain (the industry’s leading fabless manufacturer of computing chips and distributor of Antminers to more than 30 countries in Latin America, Central America, and the Caribbean), Bit5ive is quickly becoming one of the largest U.S.-based companies in the cryptocurrency mining and bitcoin farm sectors of the market.
Valued at $293.66 million in 2019, the bitcoin technology market is expected to reach $477 million by 2025, according to Mordor Intelligence. The joint-venture agreement enables ISW Holdings to collaborate with the experienced team at Bit5ive to innovate the infrastructure needed to run profitable and efficient crypto mining projects.
Proceso, LLC
With a growing awareness of the importance of renewable energy worldwide, ISW Holdings has partnered with Proceso, LLC to create high-density processing and mobile data centers powered by renewable energy. These innovations will allow Proceso to offer lower-cost and diverse services to its clients, including hosting and colocation services to growing sectors such as the gaming industry and cryptocurrency mining – two fields with a typically high energy demand.
Because crypto mining companies mostly operate outside of the United States with higher asset security risks, Proceso will assist these entities in securing their investments by providing a local source of power and infrastructure development. This is aimed at helping to reduce power consumption while creating secure crypto mining data centers in the U.S. For the gaming industry, Proceso is ready to tackle one of its biggest problems, latency, by building next-level infrastructure in key locations.
PHH – Home Health
PHH Paradigm Home Health answers the growing need for homecare services in a world where health care delivery is changing and an increasingly large aging community is looking for efficient and effective ways of accessing health care. PHH aims to be at the forefront of this change by offering quality care services infused with new emerging technologies.
ISW Holdings’ home health division is currently developing a pilot for on-demand health care, which consists of a dedicated, stable platform for different medical services. The platform will offer greater freedom of choice and transparency by allowing users to find outpatient clinics in their vicinities, compare costs, and pick the most suitable choices. PHH is also developing specialized technology and tools to support health care services outside of the bounds of specialized facilities by focusing on homecare facilities. This can not only shift the burden from hospitals and clinics, but also streamline specific parts of the health care process to enhance service and product distribution.
VOLUM
ISW Holdings’ logistics and supply chain management division was designed with the core goal of increasing supply chain efficiency as one of the key aspects of successfully growing any business. The VOLUM project’s focus is on identifying and then implementing advanced supply chain management strategies and methods that will enable ISW Holdings’ partner companies to scale and grow exponentially. To achieve this goal, the company develops and offers reliable systems and solutions that create innovative technologies and unmanned system operations for overall higher cost-effectiveness.
In the wellness sector, ISW Holdings has opted for a two-pronged approach to create effective, technologically advanced products, as well as developing innovative ways to educate customers about these products. To this end, ISW Holdings has partnered with BioPulse to achieve state-of-the-art research and development and production capabilities, as well as a direct route to market. The company plans to design and launch up to five unique brands in the wellness and restoration sector in 2020.
ISW Holdings is committed to developing product and service innovation in the consumer spirits and adult beverage industry, which faces increasingly strict regulations but growing demand. The company has been a key innovator in the industry for 25 years, having grown successful luxury brands such as Besado Tequila and others. By leveraging its expertise, ISW Holdings can help companies in the adult beverage industry increase production, streamline their supply chains, implement better processes, innovate their marketing strategies, expand into new areas, and build sustainable relationships with partners and customers.
Management Team
Terry Williams, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Terry Williams brings to the company more than 30 years of experience in accounting and information systems, logistics, insurance, and transportation. With a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in accounting and management information systems, Williams amassed considerable corporate experience at United Parcel Service, where he took several logistical roles, including controller, where he managed more than 2,000 employees and a budget of more than $10 billion.
Williams also serves as president of Airwave Transportation and logistics and chief financial officer of AVI Insurance Caribbean, and he has worked in over 37 domestic and international airports. In 2013, he received the National Airport Minority Advisory Council Award for mastering skills in the aviation industry.
Alonzo Pierce, Chairman
Alonzo Pierce is chairman of ISW Holdings and brings a wealth of business development and wealth management experience to the ISW team. He has spent the past 20 years building recognizable brands in multiple industry sectors. He has launched enterprises in life-styled brands which were delivered to high-profile, high-net worth families and individuals. He has worked in the adult beverage industry, establishing a formidable background in marketing and brand creation. Pierce has a B.A. from Baylor University and has received multiple awards in the adult beverage industry, including ‘Outstanding Sales Performance in the Southern Region’ for Sapphire Brands, including selling the world’s only black vodka. He served as regional director for Sapphire Brands, covering the Southwest and Southeast regions. Pierce also served as a national liaison to a Super-Regional Bank’s private wealth division. In addition to his for-profit endeavors, Pierce has served on multiple charitable boards, sourcing funding for JRA, food insecure families and housing insecure families.
Kristina Mahoney-Brown, Secretary, Treasurer, Director
Kristina Mahoney-Brown is secretary and treasurer as well as director of ISW Holdings. With more than 20 years of experience providing tax and financial consulting to real estate companies, as well as investors, developers and construction companies, Mahoney-Brown has gained solid business expertise and market knowledge and prides herself on staying abreast of the latest industry trends. Her professionalism, impeccable work ethic and advanced marketing strategies have earned her the nickname ‘The Tax Diva’. Mahoney-Brown has a Bachelor’s in accounting, a Master’s in taxation and a Master’s in business administration, specializing in personal financial planning.
Josemaria Resources Inc. (TSX: JOSE) (OTC: JOSMF)
Josemaria Resources Inc. (TSX: JOSE) (OTC: JOSMF) is a Canadian natural resources company based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The company’s current focus is on advancing the development of its wholly owned Josemaria copper-gold mining project.
Josemaria Resources is part of The Lundin Group of companies, a conglomerate of 13 business entities operating in the mining, oil and gas and renewables sectors all around the world.
The Josemaria Copper-Gold Project
The company’s flagship Josemaria Copper-Gold Project is located in the San Juan Province of Argentina – a well-known mining hub supporting a wide variety of mining service companies. The Lundin Group has been active in Argentina for approximately 30 years. Committed to advancing the project, Josemaria Resources has already begun the bridging phase, with basic and detailed engineering planning expected to commence in early 2021.
The company recently announced the results of a feasibility study at the Josemaria Project. The study, prepared by a team of engineering and consulting providers including Fluor Canada Ltd., SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. and Knight Piésold Ltd., highlights a robust, low-risk project with rapid payback expected via an open pit operation with forecast capacity to feed a conventional process plant at a rate of 152,000 tonnes a day over a 19-year mine life.
According to the feasibility study, the project is expected to yield an average annual production of 136,000 tonnes of copper, 231,000 ounces of gold and 1,164,000 ounces of silver. Other highlights of the study include:
- The optimized mining production plan provides average grades in the first three years of production that are notably better than the life-of-mine average. This supports a forecast 3.8-year payback period from the start of production.
- The project’s total initial cost, including engineering, procurement, construction, management, on- and off-site infrastructure, contingency and pre-construction engineering work, amounts to roughly $3.09 billion.
- The location provides readily available access to essential resources, including water, grid power, transportation and logistics infrastructure within San Juan Province.
- An Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the project is already underway and is expected to be submitted to relevant authority agencies for review during Q1 2021.
The Josemaria Copper-Gold Project has been designed to incorporate the latest technology. Per the feasibility study, the project will include the use of autonomous trucks and production drill fleets, with the option of incorporating green energy, indicating the company’s commitment to minimizing and mitigating the adverse effects of mining on the environment.
To this end, the company intends to leverage suitable planning, impact assessment and monitoring tools while also incorporating water and energy efficiency systems and ecosystem conservation services in the design and implementation of its operations.
Josemaria Resources President and CEO Adam Lundin welcomed the results of the study as confirming that this is one of the very few readily developable copper-gold projects in the world and forecasting an attractive economic outcome for the asset, comparable with other copper-gold projects in development.
“We believe that Josemaria is perfectly positioned to commence production by mid-decade, meeting rising copper demand from a rapidly electrifying global economy. I believe the study results will allow us to unlock various financing opportunities as we move toward construction,” Lundin said in a news release.
Market Outlook
The global smart mining market was estimated at $6.8 billion in 2019. It is forecast to reach $20.31 billion by 2025. The significant increase is expected to be driven by technological advancements within the sector.
Global demand for copper is also growing steadily, due to the metal’s versatility and multiple uses for industrial, domestic and high-technology indications. The global copper market is expected to reach $222.1 billion by the end of 2026.
Management Team
Adam Lundin is the President, CEO and Director of Josemaria Resources. He has several years of experience in managing capital markets and public companies across the natural resources sector. His background includes oil, gas, mining technology, investment advising, international finances and executive management. Lundin began his career working for several of the Lundin Group mining companies. He is currently engaged in multiple roles, as he is also the Chairman for Filo Mining Corp. and Africa Energy Corp. and a Director of NGEx Minerals Ltd. and the Lundin Foundation.
Ian Gibbs serves as CFO of Josemaria Resources. He is a Canadian Chartered Accountant and a graduate of the University of Calgary, holding a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Gibbs has held many prominent positions within the Lundin Group of companies over the last 15 years, most recently as the CFO of Africa Oil Corp.
Arndt Brettschneider is the company’s Vice President of Projects. He has over 23 years of international mining, consulting and project development experience. Before joining Josemaria Resources, he was Vice President of the mining consulting businesses of two globally recognized engineering companies. Brettschneider obtained a Bachelor of Science with Honors from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. He received his MBA from Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.
Bob Carmichael is the company’s Vice President of Exploration. He joined Josemaria Resources from Lundin Mining Corporation’s UK office. In his UK role, he was the General Manager of Resource Exploration. Carmichael is a registered Professional Engineer in the Canadian province of British Columbia. He obtained a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of British Columbia. His dual role includes serving as Vice President of Exploration for Filo Mining Corp. and NGEx Minerals Ltd.
Alfredo Vitaller is Josemaria Resources’ General Manager in Argentina. He has been involved in the mining industry since 1993. He graduated as a Licentiate in Geological Sciences from Buenos Aires University and has an M.Sc. from Mackay School of Mines at the University of Reno. Vitaller has worked with the Lundin Group since 1993 and was a part of the exploration teams for Filo, Helados and Josemaria.
Notable Directors
Ashley Heppenstall, chairman of the Josemaria Resources board of directors, has over 30 years of experience in the oil and gas and resources sectors. From 2002 to 2015, Heppenstall served as the President, CEO and Finance Director of Lundin Petroleum AB, an oil and gas exploration and production company with core assets in Norway and Southeast Asia. He is credited with building Lundin Petroleum into the largest independent oil firm in the world today, leveraging a single equity raise of $50 million to guide Lundin in the design and implementation of a strategy that’s led it to a current market cap of roughly $6 billion.
Ron Hochstein has worked for the Lundin family directly as a consultant for over 20 years and is currently the President and CEO of Lundin Gold, a gold-producing business whose key asset is the Fruta del Norte gold deposit in Ecuador. Hochstein led construction efforts on the first mine in Ecuador, which went into production in 2019 and was completed on time and on budget.
Paul Conibear has been with The Lundin Group for over two decades, including serving as the CEO and Director of Lundin Mining from 2011 through 2018. Lundin Mining’s current market cap is estimated at $3.5 billion. In total, Conibear has more than 35 years of experience in progressively more responsible positions in the resource sector ranging through management of all phases of mine investment, including exploration, economic assessments, construction, operations and closure.
Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW)
Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW) is a functional wellness and natural health products company. Through its proprietary line of offerings leveraging the therapeutic and medical benefits of cannabidiol (CBD), the company is dedicated to advancing research into CBD for treatment and relief of a range of ailments, including ultraviolet exposure, psoriasis, eczema, skin aging and other conditions.
Jupiter Wellness was formed in 2018 and is headquartered in Jupiter, Florida.
An Award-Winning Brand Portfolio
Jupiter Wellness currently markets seven unique CBD brands targeted toward specific niches of the larger CBD space. These brands include:
- CaniSun – This line of products is dermatologist tested and recommended. Its high-performance, ultra-moisturizing formulas provide protection from UVA, UVB and IRA rays while defending skin against photo-aging and dehydration.
- fitCBD – This line is ideal for athletes of all levels seeking to incorporate CBD into their training regimens. fitCBD proudly incorporates natural, proven essential oils and cutting-edge CBD technology in a selection of vegan, natural and cruelty-free formulations.
- Wellness CBD – This brand includes products designed to provide immediate support through a proprietary combination of essential oils and industrial hemp-derived CBD.
- Black Belt CBD – This brand features products formulated to offer immediate relief for the most exhausted and stressed muscles. Menthol provides immediate cooling action, while a proprietary essential oil blend helps boost recovery time.
- Bella – This product line includes a wide selection of luxury skin and hair products designed to boost lift and shine by leveraging the antioxidant power of CBD.
- Felix & Ambrosia – This brand features premium CBD-infused foot cream formulated to provide immediate relief for long days in high heels and boots, as well as award-winning flavored lube available in five tantalizing flavors.
- Jack – This line of CBD-infused creams, serums and moisturizers is designed to meet all of the skincare needs of even the most rugged of adventurers.
Jupiter Wellness retails its full portfolio of brands and products on its ecommerce site, www.CBDCaring.com.
Share Offering
On October 13, 2020, Jupiter Wellness filed a preliminary prospectus with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission detailing plans to offer one million units consisting of one share of common stock and one warrant in a firm commitment initial public offering at an assumed price of $7.50 per unit (https://ibn.fm/jGmkc). Each warrant is immediately exercisable and entitles the holder to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $8.50. Warrants will expire five years from the date of issuance.
In line with this proposed offering, the company has been approved to list its shares and warrants for trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market, subject to official notice of issuance, under ticker symbols ‘JUPW’ and ‘JUPWW’, respectively.
Management Team
Brian John is the CEO of Jupiter Wellness. For the past 20 years, he has been an investor and advisor to companies around the globe. He is the founder of a highly successful financial consulting firm specializing in assisting emerging growth companies and has worked with hundreds of companies in dozens of countries over the last 25 years. John also serves on the board of directors of The Learning Center at the Els Center of Excellence – a school for children with autism in Jupiter, Florida.
Richard Miller is the COO of Jupiter Wellness. Since 2000, Miller has managed a consulting firm that advises emerging growth companies. Over the last 20 years, he has provided strategic advice to hundreds of companies across diverse industries. He has assisted C-Level executives with expanding, financing and other challenges facing emerging companies. Miller co-founded Teeka Tan Suncare Products. Prior to the company’s sale, he was instrumental in the design and launch of a full line of boutique suncare products. He managed the deal from concept to sale. He is an advocate for school safety and local schools through his grass roots group, ‘My School Counts’.
Doug McKinnon is the CFO of Jupiter Wellness. His 35+ year professional career includes financial, advisory and operation experience across a broad spectrum of industry sectors, including oil and gas, technology, cannabis and communications. He has served in C-Level positions in both private and public sectors, including as chairman and CEO of an American-stock-exchange-traded company; as VP – Chief Administrative Officer of a $12-billion-market-cap Nasdaq-traded company; as CFO of several publicly-held U.S., Canadian and Australian companies; and as CEO/CFO of various other private enterprises.
Kaival Brands Innovations Group Inc. (KAVL)
Kaival Brands Innovations Group Inc. (KAVL) is focused on growing and incubating innovative and profitable products into mature, dominant brands. It aims to develop internally, acquire or exclusively distribute these products, helping them grow into market-share leaders by providing superior quality that is recognizable in their individual industries.
Formerly known as Quick Start Holdings Inc., the company changed its name to Kaival Brands Innovations Group Inc. (also known as Kaival Brands) in July 2019. Headquartered in Grant, Florida, the company commenced business operations on March 9, 2020.
Bidi™ Stick – Revolutionizing the Vaping Experience
On March 9, 2020, Kaival Brands entered into a partnership with Bidi Vapor LLC. The latter granted Kaival Brands exclusive global distribution rights for the innovative Bidi™ Stick.
Bidi™ Stick is a completely self-contained disposable product that is tamper-proof and recyclable. The innovative product is made from high-quality components and equipped with a long-lasting battery and class A nicotine. Its product engineering also includes a sensitivity control system, along with a proven mechanism designed to help identify and eliminate counterfeit products.
Available in 11 flavors, the Bidi™ Stick offers a premium vaping experience for adult consumers only. From its packaging design to its marketing strategies, Bidi Vapor makes sure that everything is compliant with government regulations.
On March 31, 2020, Kaival Brands partnered with QuikfillRx Digital as a digital service provider to help promote and commercialize the Bidi™ Stick. As a direct result of the partnership, Kaival Brands received back-to-back orders for the vaping device, totaling approximately $135,000, from sizable national convenience chains.
On September 8, 2020, the company announced that Bidi Vapor had submitted its Premarket Tobacco Product application (PMTA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for review. In total, over 285,000 pages of research, studies and surveys were submitted to support the application of Bidi™ Stick’s 11 variants.
“We are confident that, upon review, the FDA will authorize Bidi Vapor’s Bidi™ Stick for continued marketing in the United States,” Niraj Patel, President and CEO of Kaival Brands, stated in a news release (http://nnw.fm/unAyG).
Bidi Vapor is an industry leader in recycling – a position that was furthered through the creation of the Bidi Cares Initiative. The program encourages users to recycle their used Bidi™ Sticks instead of trashing them. As motivation, Bidi Vapor offers a free Bidi™ Stick for every 10 used devices recycled by a consumer. Kaival Brands is the exclusive recycling provider for the initiative.
Partnership Impact and Market Outlook
Bidi Vapor is a related party to Kaival Brands, as it is owned by Kaival Brands CEO Nirajkumar Patel. Patel is also the majority stockholder of Kaival Brands, placing both entities under common control.
The partnership has already had a positive impact on Kaival Brands, helping the company expedite growth, as evidenced by its Q2 financial results. According to Kaival Brands’ consolidated fiscal results for the quarter that ended on April 30, 2020, its revenues grew to approximately $22.5 million from no revenue in the same quarter of 2019. The company also scored a gross profit of $4.2 million for the three-month period. Net income was reported at $2.8 million for the quarter, compared to a net loss of about $4,000 in the second quarter of 2019. The company ended the second quarter of 2020 with a cash balance of $2 million (http://nnw.fm/44sq4).
The positive results are primarily an effect of Bidi™ Stick distribution amid the growing worldwide demand for high-quality vape products, as Patel explained in a news release. “Our focus now is to continue to increase revenues by increasing Bidi Vapor’s market share in the vaping industry,” he added.
Internationally, Kaival Brands has already taken steps to expand distribution of the Bidi™ Stick into Guam, Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
To this end, the company has set up a market engagement and sales force to reach a higher volume of retail and wholesale customers. It also created a dedicated customer support team to provide high-quality service and an enhanced customer experience.
Kaival Brands is dedicated to developing innovative and viable options for adults who use tobacco and vape products and want a premium experience. The company wants to set higher standards to transform perceptions and elevate consumer experience in the vape and CBD industries, with a goal of increasing market share in the ever-growing vaping industry. In 2019, the reported global market for the vaping industry alone was $12.4 billion. These forecasts indicate a potential CAGR of 23.8% through 2027.
Cancellation of 300 Million Shares of Common Stock
In August 2020, the company canceled 300 million shares of common stock, marking a 52.1 percent reduction in its issued and outstanding shares of common stock (http://nnw.fm/W7s9T). Currently, the company’s outstanding common shares total 277,282,630. The cancelation was done in exchange for three million shares of Series A Preferred Stock. The Series A Preferred Stock cannot be converted before November 2023, barring any event that may trigger early conversion.
According to Patel, this move will benefit all shareholders and help maintain stability of the market pricing of remaining common stock. The overall goal is to increase value for long-term investors.
Management Team
Nirajkumar Patel is the CEO, CFO, President, Treasurer and Director of Kaival Brands and owner of Bidi Vapor LLC. In 2004, Patel received a Bachelor of Science in pharmaceutical sciences from AISSMS College of Pharmacy in Prune, India. He moved to the United States in 2005, and he continued his education at the Florida Institute of Technology, where he graduated in 2009 with a master’s degree in medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry. He currently holds a Six Sigma Black Belt Certification.
Eric Mosser is the COO, Secretary and Director of Kaival Brands. Mosser attended Arizona State University, where he studied business management. In 2004, he graduated from Rio Salado College with an associate degree in applied science in computer technology.
Knightscope, Inc.
Knightscope, Inc., founded in 2013 and based in Mountain View, California, is a leader in the development of autonomous security capabilities and are on target to disrupt the $500 billion security industry. Knightscope’s technology uniquely combines self-driving technology, robotics and artificial intelligence.
Knightscope designs and builds Autonomous Security Robots (ASRs) that provide 24/7/365 security to the places you live, work, visit and study. The company’s client list covers public institutions and commercial business operations, including ten Fortune 1000 companies to date. These ASRs have been proven to enhance safety at hospitals, logistics facilities, manufacturing plants, schools and corporations. ASRs act as highly cost-effective complementary systems to traditional security and law enforcement officials, providing an additional advantage by continuing to offer uninterrupted patrolling capabilities across the country, despite the pandemic (note: robots are immune).
The company’s ASRs have assisted in the arrest of suspects involved in crimes ranging from armed robbery to hit-and-runs. Their machine-embedded thermal scanning capability even aided in preventing the breakout of a major fire.
The company has achieved several milestones since its creation in 2013, including:
- Establishing itself in a 15,000-square-foot facility located in Mountain View, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley, where Knightscope designs, engineers and builds its technology;
- Operating for more than one million hours in the field and securing contracts across five time zones;
- Navigating through the global pandemic without interruption by continuing to operate on a daily basis across the nation and supporting clients classified as essential services; and
- Continuing its hiring processes despite the current societal and economic disruption.
Growth Capital
With more than 10,000 investors and over $40 million raised since inception, Knightscope is poised to be an industry leader in the future of public safety and security.
The company is presently in the process of raising up to $50 million in growth capital as it prepares for a potential public listing. Knightscope has reserved ticker symbol ‘KSCP’ with Nasdaq.
Investors can buy shares exclusively through the company’s managing broker-dealer, StartEngine (http://nnw.fm/l9GLX) until July 20, 2020. Concurrent with this live offering and contingent upon various factors, including raising a sufficient amount of funds and meeting applicable listing standards, the company intends to begin preparation of an S-1 format Form 1-A and Nasdaq Capital Market application in anticipation of a possible public listing of the stock at the conclusion of the Regulation A+ offering.
Company Mission – The Greater Good
Knightscope’s long-term vision has an eye on the greater good. The company’s mission is to make the United States of America the safest nation in the world while supporting millions of law enforcement and security professionals across the country.
Crime has a negative economic impact in excess of $1 trillion annually. As crime is reduced, positive impacts will likely be realized across several aspects of society, including housing, financial markets, insurance, municipal budgets, local business and safety in general.
Knightscope CEO William Santana Li was recently interviewed by Kevin O’Leary, more commonly known as Shark Tank’s Mr. Wonderful. When asked to explain how the benefits provided by the ASRs outrank a human doing the same job, Li said, “First, just the simple presence of a physical deterrent causes criminal behavior to change. Second, the machines are self-driving cars that patrol all around and recharge themselves. They also generate 90 terabytes of data per year. No human would ever be able to process that. The robots are intended to be eyes and ears for the humans, not a one to one replacement.”
The Knightscope solution to reduce crime combines the physical presence of ASRs, sometimes referred to as proprietary Autonomous Data Machines, with real-time onsite data collection and analysis. The ASRs are fitted with eye-level 360° cameras, thermal scanning, public address announcements and various other features that work in tandem with humans to provide law enforcement officers and security guards unprecedented situational awareness.
Those 90 terabytes of data are then formatted in a useable way, so law enforcement can leverage that information and execute their responsibilities more effectively.
Public Safety Innovation
The company’s recurring revenue business model is set up to mimic the recurring societal problem of crime, and it takes into consideration the fact that innovation in the security and public safety industry has been stagnant for decades. Because the traditional practices of the sector have remained unchanged for years, automation has potential to drive substantial cost savings – and significant improvement in capabilities.
Human security guards are one of both the largest expenses and the largest liabilities for companies. Knightscope’s robots are offered at an effective price of $4 to $11 per hour, compared with approximately $85 and $30 per hour for an armed off duty law enforcement officer and an unarmed security guard, respectively.
This innovation has the potential to drive considerable cost savings. Based on these estimates, manufacturing costs can be recovered as soon as the first year of operation.
Product Offerings
The company has four patents and a framework of unique intellectual property. Knightscope currently offers a K1 stationary machine, a K3 indoor machine and a K5 outdoor machine. A K7 multi-terrain four-wheel version is in development.
The ASRs autonomously patrol client sites without the need for remote control, providing a visible, force multiplying, physical security presence to help protect assets, monitor changes in the area and deter crime. The data is accessible through the Knightscope Security Operations Center (KSOC), an intuitive, browser-based interface that enables security professionals to review events generated by the ASRs providing effectively ‘mobile smart eyes and ears’.
The ASRs and all the related technologies were developed ground up by the Company and are Made in the USA.
Management Team
Chief Executive Officer William Santana Li is a veteran entrepreneur, a former executive at Ford Motor Company and the founder of GreenLeaf, a company that grew to be the world’s second-largest automotive recycler and is now part of LKQ Corporation (NASDAQ: LKQ).
Chief Client Officer Stacy Dean Stephens brings his experience as a former Dallas law enforcement officer, as well as his skills as a seasoned entrepreneur, to assist on the client acquisition side.
Chief Intelligence Officer Mercedes Soria is an award-winning technologist and former Deloitte software engineer.
Chief Design Officer Aaron Lehnhardt brings over two decades of two- and three-dimensional product and industrial design in modeling and VR to the table, on top of his experience as a senior designer at Ford Motor Company.
LexaGene Holdings Inc. (TSXV: LXG) (OTCQB: LXXGF)
LexaGene Holdings Inc. (TSXV: LXG) (OTCQB: LXXGF) is a molecular diagnostics company that develops genetic analyzers for rapid detection of pathogens at the point-of-need.
Based in the greater-Boston, Massachusetts area, the company’s fully automated genetic analyzer for pathogen detection, the MiQLab™, is designed to deliver reference-quality data with ease of use. MiQLab’s technology screens samples for up to 27 different targets at once—looking for pathogens and antimicrobial resistance factors—and returns results in approximately one hour. It is designed to be operated at the site of sample collection to avoid the delay associated with shipping and manually processing samples. This technology is designed for use in multiple markets, including human and veterinary diagnostics, as well as food safety testing ($12.9B, $2.2B, and $23.4B markets, respectively).
Portfolio Benefits
Rapid, automated pathogen detection
LexaGene’s MiQLab pathogen detection system offers rapid and sensitive testing to markets in need of better vigilance against pathogens that could endanger health and harm public safety and the bottom line. The company’s disruptive technology is on-demand and offers results in approximately an hour.
End users collect a sample, load it onto the MiQLab genetic analyzer with a sample preparation cartridge, enter a sample ID and press ‘go’.
MiQLab is open-access, which allows users to easily customize their own tests, in addition to running the company’s own validated tests. No comparable technology exists on the market today for automating customized testing. The open-access market is over $20 billion in value and includes industries like pharma and biotech that currently need an automated method of performing PCR testing in a cost-efficient way.
Improved COVID-19 Testing
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose a threat to global safety, the need for improved testing procedures has been well established. LexaGene’s technology is automated and designed to be used at the point-of-need, thereby avoiding the 12- to 24-hour shipping time. Plus, it performs sample preparation and the gold standard RT-PCR chemistry for exceptional data quality in about one hour.
Because LexaGene’s open-access instrument can be rapidly configured to detect novel pathogens, it is ideally suited to prevent pandemic spread with its easily deployed testing that facilitates rapid quarantine-related decision making.
This speed is in stark contrast to competitor point-of-care technologies that have reagents pre-embedded into complex and expensive cartridges that are only manufactured at specialized production sites – making it impossible to rapidly meet a swift increase in demand.
According to Dr. Jack Regan, LexaGene’s CEO and founder, the world needs easy-to-use, fully automated pathogen detection instruments operating at points-of-need that can be equipped with tests to detect a novel pathogen within a week of knowing its genetic sequence. For this pandemic, the lack of such technology forced the majority of testing to occur in distant reference laboratories, making rapid decisions on quarantine impossible and making the likelihood of successful containment remote.
Regan explained in a press release (http://nnw.fm/Vz5Ju), “LexaGene expects to be the first company to commercialize an automated open-access microfluidic technology designed for use at the point-of-need that can be configured to detect a novel pathogen in just a week’s time of its emergence – for use on-site to return results in one hour – and improve our chances of successful containment.”
Market Potential
LexaGene’s technology has a wide range of applications across many other markets, including biotech and pharma testing, water quality monitoring, agricultural testing, biodefense, and use at point-of-need at border crossings, military bases, aircraft carriers and cruise ships.
Markets for customized testing solutions are poised for significant growth. Industry analysts forecast considerable expansion of many of LexaGene’s potential target markets in the coming years, including:
- The genotyping sector, forecast to reach a valuation of $31.9 billion by 2023;
- PCR assays, expected to make up a $7 billion market opportunity by 2026;
- The sample prep market, forecast to eclipse $9.3 billion by 2025;
- Water quality monitoring, set to grow to $1.59 billion by 2022; and
- Agricultural testing, anticipated to reach $6.29 billion by 2022.
LexaGene’s patented microfluidic system was invented by company CEO Regan, a leading scientist who developed a bio-warfare surveillance instrument that has been adopted by the Department of Homeland Security. Regan is also known for developing an instrument that detects respiratory pathogens from nasal swab samples. The development of these instruments was supported by $20 million in government funding.
Management Team
LexaGene’s experienced leadership team drives company growth with a focus on innovation, pursuing unique market opportunities and providing shareholder value.
Dr. Jack Regan, Chief Executive Officer & Director, is the inventor of the company’s flagship automated pathogen detection technology, the MiQLab. Before founding LexaGene, he led a team of scientists at Bio-Rad Laboratories (NYSE: BIO) in developing tests for detecting pathogens, cancer and neurological disorders using droplet digital PCR. Prior to Bio-Rad, Regan helped QuantaLife, a startup company, bring its product from concept to commercialization, where it was subsequently acquired by Bio-Rad. He has also worked at Applied Biosystems/Life Technologies on automated sample preparation and did his post-doctoral training at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. His doctoral training at the University of California San Francisco focused on influenza viral replication.
Daryl Rebeck, President, has over 20 years of capital market experience with an established international financial network. Rebeck was a vice president and senior investment advisor with Canada’s largest independent investment bank, Canaccord Genuity, where he was responsible for raising significant risk capital for growth companies, with a particular focus on natural resources and medical technology. He has since worked to provide management expertise and grow shareholder value. He served as senior VP of corporate finance of Auryn Resources (NYSE: AUG), a $250 million market cap mining exploration company.
Jeffrey Mitchell, CFO, boasts over two decades of financial and SEC experience. Before joining LexaGene, he served as controller and director of finance, overseeing areas such as public company financial reporting, audits, and financial planning and analysis for Palomar Medical Technologies Inc. In addition to his many years at Palomar, Mitchell has served in numerous financial and strategic advisory roles for medical device, imaging and diagnostic companies.
Loop Insights Inc. (TSX.V: MTRX) (OTCQB: RACMF)
Loop Insights Inc. (TSX.V: MTRX) (OTCQB: RACMF) is an innovative technology company leveraging Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to deliver contactless solutions, including its venue management platform, personalized engagement services and AI-driven insights.
The company was founded on June 12, 2019, and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Loop is currently offering its solutions to major players in the telecom, sports, casino gaming, hospitality, entertainment and retail industries across Canada, the United States, South America, the UK, Australia, Indonesia and Japan.
Scaled and Fully Managed Services
Loop Insights has integrated both its Fobi and SmarTap devices with its proprietary cloud to provide end-to-end services for the retail, travel, entertainment and hospitality industries.
Loop’s Automated Venue Management Platform
Loop’s venue management platform is a fully managed contactless check-in platform that securely aggregates venue and visitor information in order to generate real-time feedback to both venue hosts and consumers. Loop’s venue management platform can be applied to venue tracing for COVID-19 or used in traditional environments for applications in ticketing, retail and hospitality.
Loop’s COVID-19 Venue Tracing Solution
Loop Insights is committed to leveraging its solutions for COVID-19 management, allowing for easier tracing, testing and data collection.
Loop Insights has adapted its existing technology to create a venue management platform designed specifically for tracing the COVID-19 pandemic. The company’s complete end-to-end COVID-19 management platform provides a means for venues and event hosts to manage attendees and instantly trace and notify potential at-risk visitors.
Loop Insights has partnered with a number of medical testing companies including iSTOC and Empower Clinics to provide rapid testing options wherever its COVID-19 venue management system is deployed.
Loop Insights signed a referral and partnership agreement with Finland’s iSTOC Ltd. in November 2020, providing the company COVID-19 testing and integrated lab capabilities in Europe. The partnership allows Loop to provide FDA and HIPAA-compliant tracing and testing that can be deployed by any health care organization, NGO or government worldwide. “Our partnership with iSTOC positions us as a true global leader regarding complete COVID-19 management solutions,” Loop Insights CEO Rob Anson explained.
Through its partnership with Summit Services Inc., Loop Insights deployed the first-ever COVID-19 venue bubble solution in a live environment at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Fort Myers, Florida, and #VegasBubble in Las Vegas. The venue bubble was deployed to test, trace and notify over 500 NCAA players, coaches and staff that attended the tournament.
Loop’s Personalized Engagement Platform
Loop Insights’ personalized engagement platform leverages the power of the company’s technology to provide retail operators with an automated marketing platform focused on delivering the right marketing to the right customers to optimize retail engagement.
By leveraging the power of the Wallet pass functionality found on all Android and iOS devices, Loop establishes a direct line of communication with consumers, allowing merchants to provide an AI-personalized marketing experience designed to drive spending and encourage brand loyalty through rewards and other promotions.
Like the digital credit cards or boarding passes that use Wallet pass technology, Loop Insights’ engagement platform provides a seamless user experience without the need to download an additional application. Consumers receive automated promotions and discounts that can be personalized based on user data.
Loop’s Real-Time Insights Platform
By aggregating retail information about consumers and their preferences, Loop’s Insights platform takes the guesswork out of decision making for retailers. Loop’s Insights platform aggregates retail performance data, recording 100% of each transaction before delivering insights and analytics regarding macro and micro buying trends, consumer behavior and optimization opportunities.
As part of its Insights offering, Loop provides AI-based forecasting, modeling and inventory management services to retailers with the ability to integrate third-party data services such as foot traffic and weather.
Loop Insights Devices and Technologies
Loop Insights has developed a line of simple, yet powerful technologies designed to transform industries through the power of IoT technologies and artificial intelligence. The company offers fully automated plug-and-play platforms that can seamlessly integrate and enhance clients’ existing operational infrastructure. The company’s devices are designed to work together seamlessly on top of its enterprise-level cloud infrastructure, providing clients in the retail, entertainment and hospitality industries with the ability to easily optimize their operations.
Fobi
Fobi is an IoT device designed to seamlessly integrate into any existing point of sale or customer management infrastructure. It collects 100% of transactional data and then connects this data to other data points, enabling optimization through AI and data-driven insights.
Loop Insights’ cloud-based AI is designed to aggregate an organization’s data, optimizing the information so it is actionable and easy to use. The Fobi device is hardware agnostic and seamlessly connects with existing points of sale or customer relationship management infrastructure, physically or digitally.
By aggregating an organization’s entire dataset, Fobi is able to merge transactional and behavioral data with customer data to create 360-degree customer profiles, enabling highly-personalized, omnichannel marketing strategies across a number of platforms including email, SMS, paper receipts and the company’s proprietary Wallet pass technology. Loop’s data aggregation service is supported by Amazon Web Services, providing clients with the digital infrastructure and security necessary to protect their data.
SmarTap
SmarTap is a Near Field Communication (NFC) device that enables consumers to “tap” to check-in to locations using their smartphone’s NFC compatibility, enabling contactless customer engagement through the use of Wallet pass technology. By leveraging the functionality of the Wallet pass technology found on Android and iOS devices, Loop is able to drive engagement and provide personalized, data-driven insights without the need for an additional application.
Loop’s SmarTap device can connect to the Loop cloud via LTE or Wi-Fi, allowing retailers to securely transfer encrypted data from wherever their businesses operates.
Loop Cloud
The Loop Cloud brings together datapoints from its Fobi and SmarTap devices to create a unified database for the company and its clients. Instead of individual tills and stores generating their own unique datasets, Loop Insights aggregates data together from a number of sources, creating a complete picture of a client’s retail environment.
By hosting this database in the cloud, Loop Insights provides its clients with more accessible and actionable data that can be accessed from anywhere. Additionally, the Loop cloud allows for real-time monitoring, and its API can be directly integrated into existing PoS systems.
When paired with Loop’s Fobi and SmarTap devices, the Loop Cloud allows for businesses to transform their edge-based legacy systems into a unified database that can be accessed from anywhere.
Uklipz
Expected to launch in January 2021, Loop Insights’ latest product offering, Uklipz, is a next-generation platform that enables consumers to create verified video reviews that can be purchased, analyzed and leveraged by brands to drive engagement and sales.
The addition of Uklipz marks an important milestone for the company, because it further strengthens its product portfolio by providing a reliable solution in the massive but problematic consumer review industry, as Anson explained in a November 2020 news release (https://ibn.fm/YpNlR). He added that the company expects this platform to become a very valuable asset and a significant source of revenue in 2021.
Market Outlook
Loop Insights’ integrated technology solutions and its recent advances in providing end-to-end COVID-19 solutions position the company for significant growth opportunities in the expanding IoT market. According to MarketsandMarkets research, the global IoT sector is expected to reach $561 billion by 2022, up from $180.6 billion in 2017. This market growth can be attributed to an increase in cloud platform adoption and a reduction of costs (https://ibn.fm/1BIPB) which Loop is driving through its engagement and insights platforms.
According to Loop Insights’ August 2020 investor presentation, its innovative solutions open the door to multiple opportunities in additional sectors, including but not limited to:
- Brick and mortar retail – an estimated value of $31,880 billion by 2023 (Mordor Research)
- Sports and entertainment – an estimated value of $614.1 billion by 2022 (The Business Research Company)
- Telecom partnerships – an estimated value of $3,435.2 billion by 2022 (The Business Research Company)
- Casino gaming – an estimated value of $565.4 billion by 2022 (Research and Markets)
- Cannabis – an estimated value of $66.3 billion by 2025 (Grandview Research Inc.)
Management Team
Rob Anson is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Loop Insights. He has also served, since October 2017, as the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Fobisuite Technologies Inc., a private British Columbia technology company. In a prior role, Anson was the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of One Team Media, a private Vancouver-based media company with digital and television production assets.
Abbey Abdiye is Chief Financial Officer of Loop Insights. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) who has served as Chief Financial Officer for a range of public companies throughout his extensive career. Before obtaining his CPA, he received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University and completed his Co-Op Education Certificate.
Gavin Lee is the company’s Chief Operating Officer. He has over 20 years of experience with global consumer products, with expertise in building top-performing sales teams, brand management, operational excellence and consumer insights. Lee has a strong business understanding and a background in improving salesforce effectiveness. His experience ranges from small entrepreneurial brands to multi-million-dollar global leaders in a variety of marketing segments.
Casey Matson-DeKay is Chief Technology Officer of Loop Insights. He previously held the same position at Fobisuite Technologies, from January 2017 until January 2018. Matson-DeKay has been a developer and information technology consultant for various enterprises. He has been involved with the core technologies utilized by Loop Insights for nearly a decade.
Mobius Interactive Ltd.
Mobius Interactive Ltd. is an online gaming operator launching in September 2020 with a variety of unique offerings catering to diverse demographic groups. In partnership with Ultra Play, a leading eSports and iGaming platform, Mobius Interactive is seeking to attract a network of high-net-worth gamers from around the world through the use of loyalty and gamification programs designed to enhance customer engagement by leveraging state-of-the-art customer relationship management systems and joint-ventures with over 600 VIP and Master gaming affiliates.
Array of Brands
Mobius Interactive is seeking to target a variety of customer segments and geographies through its diverse brand offerings, including:
- Aragon Casino: Austria, Finland, the Balkans, Canada, Africa and New Zealand
Catering to consumers aged 21 to 45, Aragon Casino brands itself along the lines of medieval fantasy, mimicking elements from the likes of The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones. - Club Double: Austria, India, Brazil, Finland, Canada, Africa and New Zealand
Targeting the 30 to 65 age demographic, Club Double is designed to exude a classic yet magical old Hollywood and vintage Miami & Las Vegas air. - MobiusBet: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Brazil, Latin America, New Zealand and India
MobiusBet is designed to appeal to the 18- to 38-year-old eSports community, bringing together loyalty programs, targeted gamification and product merchandising in one seamless package.
Key Differentiating Indicators
Mobius Interactive has designed its platform with a number of key differentiation traits relative to its target market. These include:
- The use of affiliates: Mobius Interactive has partnered with over 600 VIP and Master gaming affiliates, who will introduce high-value players to the company’s award-winning iGaming platform. Mobius added over 150 proven affiliates in Europe, Brazil, Finland and New Zealand over a period of just 20 days.
- eSports Focus: Mobius.Bet, Mobius Interactive’s dedicated eSports hub, will cater to the quickly growing eSports segment, which is expected to rise to a value of $1.7 billion in 2021. With Mobius’ COO being one of the original founders of the eSports.com brand, the company aims to capitalize on this growing segment of the gaming industry.
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Mobius has partnered with Solitics, a new and real-time CRM system, enabling the company to personalize customers’ gaming experiences in an interactive and highly intelligent manner.
- Loyalty & Gamification: Mobius Interactive is set to introduce a unique loyalty and gamification program designed to increase customer engagement from signup. Loyalty and gamification programs have been proven to increase daily active wagering volumes by 30% while simultaneously increasing daily player activity by 60%. Furthermore, the introduction of these programs can help lower the company’s customer acquisition costs while adding a differentiating element to its platform.
Partnership with Puurl
Puurl provides a solution that embeds eGaming platforms into any existing online e-commerce store. First, shoppers can install the Puurl add-on to their browsers. Then, when visiting their preferred e-commerce stores, players will be prompted to bet, with the potential to win the products they’re browsing. The Puurl solution enables e-commerce operators and eGaming platforms to earn additional gambling revenues – even when their players are shopping. Through its partnership with Puurl, Mobius Interactive will look to add a unique revenue stream to complement its core business operations.
Management Team
Lynn Pearce, CEO, is an experienced, data-driven, commercially focused, strategic brand marketer with over 15 years of proven success in the global gaming industry, from land-based casinos in the UK to online gaming companies offering sports betting, poker and casino games. She was head-hunted to join a startup in Prague that launched 26 casinos, becoming profitable within the first three months of operation, before she relocated to Malta to join a leading B2B casino software development company as head of marketing, where she led global marketing, PR, product development, branding and go-to-market campaigns, retaining full control of a six-month budget of €1 million to increase brand awareness and customer engagement. She recently returned to the B2C side of gaming to launch three new brands in Germany, Brazil and India. She writes articles regularly for Infinity Gaming Magazine and has been a judge for the prestigious International Gaming Awards, a significant event for the gaming industry held each year prior to the largest gaming exhibition of the year, ICE London.
Robin Lawson, Vice President & COO, has been involved in iGaming for over 10 years, successfully founding two VIP casino departments across international locations in Latin America, as well as startup company Tabella in Europe. He most recently co-founded and acted as COO for eSports.com, which raised over $5.5 million as a startup ICO and was sold to German media giant ProSieben. Lawson is also a senior iGaming consultant for startup casino groups and an advisor to blockchain-based tech groups. His long-time experience and proven track record in startup organizations demonstrate his operational leadership skills.
Nicholas de Freitas, Vice President, Marketing, is one of the pioneers of digital stills photography for major retail companies in Africa and Australia. He left to start up UrbanActive, an outsourcing agency, working as marketing project manager and implementing major retail projects. He received his certification in digital marketing from the University of Stellenbosch. He has worked over the past few years as the marketing manager for various poker rooms and casinos, liaising and building relationships with software developers, successfully implementing a number of casino and poker products and holding regular weekly report sessions with the heads of all divisions of the company, spanning South Africa, Canada, Malta, Norway and Costa Rica.
Gary Eldridge, Chairman, is an experienced entrepreneur with a history of working in the venture capital and private equity industry. He is skilled in capital markets, M&A and funding startups and is a strong business development professional. For the past 30 years, he has created and managed numerous public and private companies in Canada, the U.S., Amsterdam, London, Zurich, Dusseldorf, Singapore and Panama. In addition to holding the role of chairman of the company, Eldridge is acting as a mentor to the team, assisting with the financials and structure of the company while allowing the team to be fully focused on Mobius’ growth and operations.
MustGrow Biologics Corp. (CSE: MGRO) (OTCQB: MGROF) (FRA: 0C0)
MustGrow Biologics Corp. (CSE: MGRO) (OTCQB: MGROF) (FRA: 0C0) is an agricultural biotech company focused on developing and commercializing natural biological solutions for high-value crops, including fruits and vegetables. The company uses novel compounds from the mustard plant to provide superior and safer alternatives to current synthetic chemicals used as pesticides, fungicides and nematicides. Management & advisors own 22% of the company’s 37 million shares outstanding.
Leveraging its innovative platform, MustGrow effectively extracts the natural defense mechanisms of the mustard seed for broad use in crop production and protection. The company uses components of mustard seed to provide high quality, organic pest control to growers facing challenges associated with soil-borne diseases and pests like nematodes. This company’s all-natural, effective, safe and easy-to-use solution is ideal for farmers looking to raise healthy crops without chemical pesticides amid growing concerns worldwide over the negative effects of chemical pesticide solutions.
MustGrow, which went public in 2019, was founded in Saskatoon, Canada, and is currently focused on disrupting the $65 billion global pesticide market with its 100% owned and patented mustard-derived technology. Canada produces 28% of the global mustard crop and is the world’s largest exporter, with a 57% market share.
TerraMG and Pipeline
The company’s technology extracts the mustard plant’s natural organic compounds, which, when combined with water, form Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) and serve as a natural defense mechanism for the plant against pests and diseases. MustGrow’s mustard-derived technology acts as both a natural bio-pesticide and as a non-selective bio-herbicide.
There are currently more than 110 independent third-party trials that confirm the safety and efficacy of MustGrow’s solutions, potentially positioning the company as a leading provider of safe plant protection solutions in a market that is gradually eliminating the use of chemical compounds.
MustGrow’s primary product at the moment is the new liquid formulation TerraMG, which has the potential to compete against existing chemistries on both efficacy and price. Its initial target market is as a pre-plant soil bio-pesticide for use with higher-value crops such as fruits and vegetables. This liquid formulation is safe and easy to transport and has already demonstrated its efficacy against several pests and diseases.
In addition to its use as a pre-plant soil treatment, TerraMG has significant potential for multiple applications in several other markets, which is expected to aggressively expand the company’s IP portfolio. MustGrow has already confirmed or is in the process of testing multiple applications of TerraMG, including fruit and vegetable soil fumigation ($1.2 billion estimated global market), container fumigation ($2 billion estimated global market), tobacco nematode and disease fumigation ($4 billion estimated global loss), non-selective herbicide ($13 billion estimated global market), food-borne pathogens ($15 billion estimated global market) and more.
The company anticipates registration approval for the liquid formulation (TerraMG) as a pre-plant bio-pesticide for soil-borne diseases and pests from the EPA (United States) and PMRA (Canada) in 2021. The company already has EPA and PMRA approval for the product’s granular form.
Currently, MustGrow’s pipeline also includes:
- TerraMG, a pre-plant soil bio-pesticide, for:
- Fruit & Vegetable – currently in Phase 4
- Turf & Ornamental – currently in Phase 4
- Tobacco – currently in Phase 4
- Potatoes – currently in Phase 4
- Canola – targeting Clubroot Disease – currently in Phase 3: Advanced Development/Field Trials
- Bananas – targeting Fusarium wilt TR4 – currently in Phase 1: Proof of Concept/Laboratory
- Pulse Crops – targeting Aphanomyces – currently in Phase 1: Proof of Concept/Laboratory
- Non-Selective Bio-Herbicide – targeting noxious or resistant weeds – currently in Phase 2: Early Development/Greenhouse
- Storage Bio-Pesticide for Bulk Grain, Fresh Produce – targeting toxins, diseases and insects – currently in Phase 1: Proof of Concept/Laboratory
- Storage Bio-Pesticide for Shipping Containers – targeting fungus, invasive pests and diseases – currently in Phase 1: Proof of Concept/Laboratory
- Bio-Pesticide for Foodborne Pathogens – targeting E. coli, salmonella, Listeria, human pathogens, etc. – currently in Phase 1: Proof of Concept/Laboratory
Market Opportunity
The protection of crops with synthetic chemical pesticides represents a $65 billion-dollar global market that is expected to grow in the coming years as the global population grows and needs more food. This number doesn’t include bio-pesticide sales, which are projected to increase to $8.5 billion by 2025, with a CAGR of 14.7%. MustGrow, with its natural bio-pesticide, is targeting not only the bio-pesticide market, but also the global synthetic chemical market so as to help replace harmful synthetic pesticides and provide a natural biologic that has the efficacy of controlling pests and disease compared to synthetic chemicals in some instances.
Management Team
Corey Giasson is the President, CEO and Director of MustGrow. He is an entrepreneur focused on the agriculture, mining, real estate and oil/gas industries, primarily in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Giasson is co-founder and director of Legacy Capital Corp. This private equity company focuses on participating in management buyouts of strong, sustainable cash flowing businesses. He has an MBA and B.Sc. in Agriculture Economics from the University of Saskatchewan.
Colin Bletsky is COO and Director of MustGrow. He grew up in Eastern Saskatchewan on his family’s third-generation farm, growing canola, wheat and oats. The majority of his time is spent helping other organizations and farmers grow their businesses – locally and globally. Bletsky has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan and executive education from the London School of Business and INSEAD.
Todd Lahti is the company’s CFO. He has extensive experience evaluating and managing biotech, agricultural and oil/gas start-up companies by working directly on financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, business development, corporate strategy, technology transfer and operations setup. Lahti is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Chartered Professional Accountant.
Brad Munro is Chairman of MustGrow. He is the President and CEO of Bittercreek Capital Corp., a private investment and advisory firm. He has extensive corporate finance and investment experience in the natural gas and oil industries, among others. Munro has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan.
MustGrow Biologics Corp. (CSE: MGROF) (OTCQB: MGRO) (FRA: 0C0)
MustGrow Biologics Corp. (CSE: MGROF) (OTCQB: MGRO) (FRA: 0C0) is an agricultural biotech company focused on developing and commercializing natural biological solutions for high-value crops, including fruits and vegetables. The company uses novel compounds from the mustard plant to provide superior and safer alternatives to current synthetic chemicals used as pesticides, fungicides and nematicides. Management & advisors own 22% of the company’s 37 million shares outstanding.
Leveraging its innovative platform, MustGrow effectively extracts the natural defense mechanisms of the mustard seed for broad use in crop production and protection. The company uses components of mustard seed to provide high quality, organic pest control to growers facing challenges associated with soil-borne diseases and pests like nematodes. This company’s all-natural, effective, safe and easy-to-use solution is ideal for farmers looking to raise healthy crops without chemical pesticides amid growing concerns worldwide over the negative effects of chemical pesticide solutions.
MustGrow, which went public in 2019, was founded in Saskatoon, Canada, and is currently focused on disrupting the $65 billion global pesticide market with its 100% owned and patented mustard-derived technology. Canada produces 28% of the global mustard crop and is the world’s largest exporter, with a 57% market share.
TerraMG and Pipeline
The company’s technology extracts the mustard plant’s natural organic compounds, which, when combined with water, form Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) and serve as a natural defense mechanism for the plant against pests and diseases. MustGrow’s mustard-derived technology acts as both a natural bio-pesticide and as a non-selective bio-herbicide.
There are currently more than 110 independent third-party trials that confirm the safety and efficacy of MustGrow’s solutions, potentially positioning the company as a leading provider of safe plant protection solutions in a market that is gradually eliminating the use of chemical compounds.
MustGrow’s primary product at the moment is the new liquid formulation TerraMG, which has the potential to compete against existing chemistries on both efficacy and price. Its initial target market is as a pre-plant soil bio-pesticide for use with higher-value crops such as fruits and vegetables. This liquid formulation is safe and easy to transport and has already demonstrated its efficacy against several pests and diseases.
In addition to its use as a pre-plant soil treatment, TerraMG has significant potential for multiple applications in several other markets, which is expected to aggressively expand the company’s IP portfolio. MustGrow has already confirmed or is in the process of testing multiple applications of TerraMG, including fruit and vegetable soil fumigation ($1.2 billion estimated global market), container fumigation ($2 billion estimated global market), tobacco nematode and disease fumigation ($4 billion estimated global loss), non-selective herbicide ($13 billion estimated global market), food-borne pathogens ($15 billion estimated global market) and more.
The company anticipates registration approval for the liquid formulation (TerraMG) as a pre-plant bio-pesticide for soil-borne diseases and pests from the EPA (United States) and PMRA (Canada) in 2021. The company already has EPA and PMRA approval for the product’s granular form.
Currently, MustGrow’s pipeline also includes:
- TerraMG, a pre-plant soil bio-pesticide, for:
- Fruit & Vegetable – currently in Phase 4
- Turf & Ornamental – currently in Phase 4
- Tobacco – currently in Phase 4
- Potatoes – currently in Phase 4
- Canola – targeting Clubroot Disease – currently in Phase 3: Advanced Development/Field Trials
- Bananas – targeting Fusarium wilt TR4 – currently in Phase 1: Proof of Concept/Laboratory
- Pulse Crops – targeting Aphanomyces – currently in Phase 1: Proof of Concept/Laboratory
- Non-Selective Bio-Herbicide – targeting noxious or resistant weeds – currently in Phase 2: Early Development/Greenhouse
- Storage Bio-Pesticide for Bulk Grain, Fresh Produce – targeting toxins, diseases and insects – currently in Phase 1: Proof of Concept/Laboratory
- Storage Bio-Pesticide for Shipping Containers – targeting fungus, invasive pests and diseases – currently in Phase 1: Proof of Concept/Laboratory
- Bio-Pesticide for Foodborne Pathogens – targeting E. coli, salmonella, Listeria, human pathogens, etc. – currently in Phase 1: Proof of Concept/Laboratory
Market Opportunity
The protection of crops with synthetic chemical pesticides represents a $65 billion-dollar global market that is expected to grow in the coming years as the global population grows and needs more food. This number doesn’t include bio-pesticide sales, which are projected to increase to $8.5 billion by 2025, with a CAGR of 14.7%. MustGrow, with its natural bio-pesticide, is targeting not only the bio-pesticide market, but also the global synthetic chemical market so as to help replace harmful synthetic pesticides and provide a natural biologic that has the efficacy of controlling pests and disease compared to synthetic chemicals in some instances.
Management Team
Corey Giasson is the President, CEO and Director of MustGrow. He is an entrepreneur focused on the agriculture, mining, real estate and oil/gas industries, primarily in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Giasson is co-founder and director of Legacy Capital Corp. This private equity company focuses on participating in management buyouts of strong, sustainable cash flowing businesses. He has an MBA and B.Sc. in Agriculture Economics from the University of Saskatchewan.
Colin Bletsky is COO and Director of MustGrow. He grew up in Eastern Saskatchewan on his family’s third-generation farm, growing canola, wheat and oats. The majority of his time is spent helping other organizations and farmers grow their businesses – locally and globally. Bletsky has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan and executive education from the London School of Business and INSEAD.
Todd Lahti is the company’s CFO. He has extensive experience evaluating and managing biotech, agricultural and oil/gas start-up companies by working directly on financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, business development, corporate strategy, technology transfer and operations setup. Lahti is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Chartered Professional Accountant.
Brad Munro is Chairman of MustGrow. He is the President and CEO of Bittercreek Capital Corp., a private investment and advisory firm. He has extensive corporate finance and investment experience in the natural gas and oil industries, among others. Munro has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan.
Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE)
On June 15, 2020, Net Element announced its entry into a binding letter of intent to merge with privately-held Mullen Technologies Inc., a Southern California-based electric vehicle company, in a stock-for-stock reverse merger in which Mullen’s stockholders will receive the majority of the outstanding stock in the post-merger company. The proposed merger is currently pending the execution of a definitive agreement, shareholder vote and regulatory approval.
Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE) is a global financial technology and value-added solutions group that supports electronic payments acceptance in an omni-channel environment spanning across point-of-sale, e-commerce and mobile devices. The company operates a payments-as-a-service transactional model and value-added services platform for small to medium enterprises in the U.S. and selected emerging markets.
Net Element believes the future of global commerce is being revolutionized as consumers quickly migrate toward omni-channel shopping utilizing mobile devices, desktop, and online services. The company’s all-in-one payment solutions support and unify a whole range of applications through a single, robust platform, allowing global onboarding and support for multiple payment methods.
Net Element has also launched a blockchain-focused business unit that will develop and deploy blockchain technology-based solutions. Net Element expects the new division to create a decentralized crypto-based ecosystem that will act as a framework for an unlimited number of value-added services, connecting merchants and consumers in a seamless, economically efficient transaction. This new business unit intends to also identify and invest in unique projects that decentralize and disrupt the payment processing industry by combining blockchain technology and real-world applications with talented development teams, strong fundamentals and addressable markets large in size.
“We believe that we’re at the dawn of a new evolution where additional digital payment methods are being introduced,” Net Element chairman and CEO Oleg Firer, says. “Introduction of our division focused on blockchain as part of the NASDAQ-listed entity will add transparency and compliance assurance to our investors as well as provide access to deploy value-added services to over 20 million electronic commerce clients that are currently part of Net Element’s growing network.”
Net Element clients are treated to customized solutions that provide the flexibility needed to keep up with customers. Among the services offered are mobile payment apps that accept payments anywhere, anytime; cloud-based solutions built to increase productivity and enhance revenue for clients and partners; marketing solutions that turn lookers into buyers; and business analytics that make it easy for clients to monitor business metrics, engage with customers and compare the competition. Its multi-channel platform combines e-commerce, offline, point-of-sale, comprehensive back office tools, mobile point-of-sale, credit scoring and customer interaction in one powerful platform-as-a-service technology.
Net Element owns and operates a global mobile payments and transactional processing provider, TOT Group, Inc., with the following subsidiaries:
- Unified Payments – An award-winning, customized mobile billing and payments solution, recognized by Inc. Magazine as the No. 1 Fastest Growing Company in America in 2012.
- Aptito – A next-generation, all-in-one, cloud-based restaurant management and point-of-sale payments platform using wireless technology.
- Payonline – A fully integrated, processor agnostic electronic commerce platform.
Net Element is ranked on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500™ list of North America’s 500 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and energy tech companies in both 2017 and 2018, during which the company grew 190 percent and 183 percent, respectively. The company credits its progression to organic growth in its North America Transactions Segment, specifically the success of its Unified Payments brand, which focuses on value-added payment acceptance solutions for small to medium enterprises in the United States.
Net Element was also listed among South Florida Business Journal’s 2016 fastest growing technology companies.
Leveraging its suite of application performing interfaces (APIs) and connectors, Net Element powers commerce for businesses of all sizes through multi-channel platforms, all-in-one digital solutions, and end-to-end encryption of cardholder data utilizing tamper resistant hardware that ensures integrity and simplifies security.
Leading this innovation is chairman and CEO Oleg Firer, who is responsible for the overall vision, strategy and execution of the company’s mission of powering global commerce. He is joined by CFO Jeffrey Ginsburg, CPA, and Steven Wolberg, the company’s chief legal officer and secretary. Each corporate officer brings a unique blend of leadership, vision, experience and creative energy to the company.
From mobile payments and value-added transactional innovations like Aptito to e-commerce and retail payment transaction processing brands like Payonline and Unified Payments, Net Element is transforming the online and mobile experience.
Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. (CSE: PACR)
Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. (CSE: PACR) is a Canadian cannabis company dedicated to producing premium-quality strains and products by leveraging a genetics-focused approach.
The company began operations in 2012, with activities primarily directed toward exploration and development of mineral properties in Canada. Today, it is focused on cannabis and hemp cultivation, leveraging high-end genetics and specialized cultivars to produce top quality products. Pac Roots has announced multiple promising initiatives in recent months, including its formation of an outdoor premium hemp joint venture with partner Rock Creek Farms in British Columbia, Canada, and its agreement to acquire all issued and outstanding shares of a firm holding 250 acres of land in the famed Fraser Valley Region of British Columbia.
Pac Roots is also in the process of completing its 20,000 square foot cultivation facility in Lake Country, British Columbia. The facility is expected to feature approximately 7,600 square feet of cultivation space that will enable the company to cycle through an elite line of 350+ unique, high-grade cultivars. Pac Roots expects to receive a cultivation license for the facility in the fourth quarter of 2020.
High-End Selectively Bred Genetics
Pac Roots focuses on high-end genetics in order to maximize the quality of its products while maintaining high yields and profit margins.
Through the process of artificial selection, farmers and cultivators have been adapting their plants to develop particular phenotypic traits for generations. Historically, this practice was restricted to underground cannabis producers developing their own strains.
The legalization of the cannabis industry has given producers access to thousands of cultivars located throughout the world while accelerating research into cannabis genetics. By carefully selecting strains, growers can control the size, color, smell, density and texture of cannabis buds, thereby creating distinctive, premium cannabis products.
Plants are bred to thrive in specific growing environments. This maximizes the yield of high-quality, resilient cannabis. Medical cannabis strains can also be tailored for specific medicinal purposes.
A strategic partnership with Phenome One, a plant breeding management and analytics firm, gives Pac Roots access to some of the world’s best cannabis genetics from the largest genetic library in Canada. The company is using these genetics to develop unique strains featuring a variety of beneficial characteristics.
The company’s 350+ licensed live cultivars and over 1,800 seed varieties are the result of a meticulous gene selection process, through which as many as 600 individual plants may be grown to produce a single strain. Selecting optimized genetics in this way provides benefits beyond simply producing a high-end product. In addition to potency and bud quality, cannabis plants are bred for yield and resilience. By selecting genetics that result in larger and more numerous buds on each plant, Pac Roots is able to grow more cannabis per grow light.
Breeding plants to be more resilient also reduces the cost and labor required. These factors, combined with the premium price point associated with top-quality cannabis, have the potential to improve Pac Roots’ overall profit margin.
Partnership with Phenome One
Pac Roots has secured its cultivars through a strategic licensing agreement with Phenome One. Under the agreement, Pac Roots has unlimited access to Phenome One’s live genetic library, including any of Phenome One’s cultivars and its growing, breeding and cloning IP.
Phenome One is an agricultural technology company focused on providing software solutions to seed companies. Phenome One’s platform gives its partners access to a massive database of detailed information on over 350 unique cannabis cultivars to support each stage of the breeding process. Each cultivar has been laboratory analyzed and rigorously field-tested, with data going back more than 30 years.
Using Phenome One’s data, Pac Roots plans to grow a variety of cannabis plants optimized for certain traits. One such trait will be plants with an abundance of cannaflavin, a rare terpene with high anti-inflammatory properties. Phenome One’s library could enable Pac Roots to produce plants that are bred to thrive in a range of different growing climates, including plants suited to grow in cold weather and plants that are resilient to region-specific fungi.
Joint Venture with Rock Creek Farms of British Columbia
Pac Roots recently entered a definitive investment agreement with Rock Creek Farms, a reputable agricultural enterprise, for a 100-acre commercial hemp operation in Rock Creek, British Columbia. The growing space is located in the highly lucrative farming area known as the ‘Golden Mile’ in the South Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. (http://nnw.fm/Gbf9I).
Under the agreement, the two companies have formed an outdoor premium hemp joint venture company to which Pac Roots is providing an aggregate of $450,000 in capital and Rock Creek Farms is contributing two commercial leases for 100+ acres of growing space, along with cultivation licenses, agricultural infrastructure and equipment, consulting services, intellectual property relating to hemp operations and proprietary biomass storage methods. Pac Roots holds a 60 percent interest in the project.
About 127,500 premium hemp CBD seedlings were planted across 100 acres as of early July 2020. The joint venture is planting a premium grade CBD hemp variety utilizing the rich native soil and both traditional and custom farming techniques.
“Our operational partners at Rock Creek Farms bring decades of generational farming expertise in one of Canada’s pre-eminent growing regions,” Pac Roots President and CEO Patrick Elliott said in a news release detailing the venture. “It will be an exciting outdoor growing season for the joint venture as we anticipate a successful harvest in the fall.”
Infinite Development Possibilities at Fraser Valley Property in British Columbia
In mid-July 2020, the company initiated a share purchase agreement with 1088070 BC. LTD. (“1088”) and its shareholders for the acquisition of all issued and outstanding shares of 1088 (http://nnw.fm/xlpw7). Notably, 1088 owns and controls 250 acres of land spread over nine parcels in the Fraser Valley Regional District.
The Fraser Valley Regional District is one of the most productive and intensively farmed areas of Canada, offering access to high-quality soil, favorable climate, water and a local market of 2.5 million people. Agriculture in this region yields an annual economic value of more than $3 billion.
The closing date for the transaction is slated for September 4, 2020, after a 51-day due diligence period. According to Elliott, the addition of such a significant package of land is a major step for Pac Roots.
“This land has no zoning restrictions and is not situated within the agricultural land reserve, which provides for infinite development possibilities,” Elliott added in a July 2020 news release.
Board of Directors member Chad Clelland also welcomed the acquisition, adding that between Fraser Valley and Rock Creek – both of them among the most productive agricultural regions in Canada – Pac Roots is very well positioned for production and the future development of its hemp and cannabis infrastructure.
The RAD Americas Genetic Program – Research and Development in Americas Genetic Program
Pac Roots intends to deploy a global R&D program focused on rigorously testing elite strains in various rich agricultural regions throughout the Americas, with a goal of mass selection to achieve the utmost environmental resilience while achieving notable quality and yields. From seed to software, collection data, proprietary techniques and custom nutrient formulas, Pac Roots and Phenome will provide the specific knowledge to cultivators in different climates in order to achieve optimal yields for THC, CBD, CBG and other unique cannabinoids. R&D from global testing programs situated throughout the Americas will allow the partnership to deploy and stress test a range of suitable cultivars in the world’s lowest cost outdoor growing regions.
The company expects an industry shift in 2020 from the COVID-19 global pandemic. The ‘new normal’ will bring more focus on efficiencies and optimal yields to deliver a cost effective, high quality product to the end user. There has been much to be learnt from the inefficiencies in the cannabis industry in recent years, which have been detrimental to the credibility of the sector. Pac Roots is well positioned to enter the scene and take advantage of the deficiencies, reinforcing the notion that genetics and flawless growing techniques are paramount to success. Genetics and systems innovation may be the most overlooked components when comparing cannabis to other established agricultural crops. Pac Roots plans to invest into cannabis R&D to ensure a solid foundation is built that will be used by cannabis farmers worldwide.
Through its RAD Americas Development and Innovation, Pac Roots is focused on:
- Deploying one of the largest live genetic libraries in Canada, diversified for high yield output and unique climates
- Continued stress testing for indoor, high yield, THC and medicinal genetics
- Continued stress testing for outdoor, high yield, THC and medicinal genetics
- Exotic, genetic cloning for the luxury, high margin, cannabis flower market
- Psychoactive/medicinal ratio testing for effect and
- Unique Cannabinoid and terpene elevation and isolation.
Through its RAD Americas Field Testing System, the company is focused on:
- Global testing in different microclimates to assess genetic and complete systems for optimal yields
- Data collection, testing and optimization to prove process for commercial implementation and
- High quality yield testing for THC, CBD, CBG and other unique medicinal cannabinoids.
Lake Country Cultivation Facility near Kelowna, British Columbia
Pac Roots is in the process of completing its 20,000 square foot cultivation facility in Lake Country, British Columbia. The facility is expected to feature approximately 7,600 square feet of cultivation space that will enable the company to cycle through its line of high-grade cultivars. Pac Roots plans to submit a video evidence package of the facility build under Health Canada’s Cannabis Tracking and Licensing System, and the company expects to acquire its cultivation license in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Lake Country is a municipality located just outside of Kelowna in the Okanagan region of British Columbia. For decades, the region’s favorable growing climate has made it a hub for cannabis cultivation. As the Canadian legal cannabis industry ramps up, the Okanagan region is attracting attention from dozens of cannabis companies, including some of the industry’s biggest names. The region’s strong agricultural history has left it rich with experienced agricultural workers and an abundance of Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) property.
Management Team
Patrick Elliott, MSC, MBA, President and CEO of Pac Roots Cannabis, is also the President & CEO of Lexore Capital Corp., a private resource and cannabis investment company, as well as Phenome One Corp., a full-service cannabis farming company focused on elite strain selective breeding. Elliott brings over 15 years of corporate finance, mineral exploration and financial markets experience to the Pac Roots team. He is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario in geology and holds an MSc. in mineral economics and an MBA from Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Australia. Elliott specializes in economic resource evaluation, financial modeling, CAPEX estimation, corporate development and finance. Combined with his technical knowledge, Elliott has a wealth of contacts in the financial sector.
Marc Geen, Founder and Strategic Operations Advisor, is a fourth-generation British Columbia farmer who has been active in the legal medical marijuana industry for more than 10 years – consulting on, complying with, and participating in the MMAR, MMPR and ACMPR programs. Prior to co-founding Speakeasy Cannabis Club Ltd., Geen spent 14 years as Head of Operations for Kettle Mountain Ginseng Ltd., one of North America’s largest ginseng producers. With the experience gleaned from a long career in large scale commercial farming, Geen has been able to apply many cost-effective farming practices to the outdoor, indoor and greenhouse cultivation of cannabis. Geen is also the co-creator of a full line of cannabis extract products designed under ACMPR regulations.
Matt McGill, Director, has a strong background in both commercial and residential real estate and has played a major role in many development projects. McGill, through McGill Realty, has established a tremendous commercial and residential outfit servicing British Columbia’s Fraser Valley and the lower mainland. McGill is skilled at crafting strategic financing options for corporations and has a substantial network of retail and institutional clients.
Chad Clelland, Director, has experience in the sector dating back to 2009, when he purchased Medicalmarijuana.ca, which became an information portal for thousands of patients, doctors and growers. Through this company, he and his team have helped thousands of Canadians find legal, safe medication. His team also consulted, designed and submitted dozens of applications to the government under the MMPR, ACMPR and Cannabis Act. In 2011, Clelland co-founded Greenleaf Medical Clinic, which is now recognized as a training facility by the University of British Columbia and offers preceptorships to physicians, nurse practitioners and pharmacists. He also co-founded Folium Life Science in 2013, an approved Canadian Licensed Producer. His roles in these organizations have included Chief Operating Officer, head of security, alternate master grower and alternate responsible person in charge.
Josh Bromley, Senior Cultivation Strategist, is a second-generation farmer with over two decades of experience farming, breeding, cultivating and selecting unique cultivars for the medical community. He is an expert in plant science and possesses a comprehensive knowledge of cultivars and a mastery of medicinal implementation. Bromley has developed proprietary farming systems, as well as low cost/high output nutrient systems. Through thoughtful design and engineering, he has been able to consistently show improvements in crop yields, pathogen resiliency and quality.
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.
PowerBand Solutions Inc. (TSXV: PBX) (OTCQB: PWWBF) (Frankfurt: 1ZVA)
PowerBand Solutions Inc. (TSXV: PBX) (OTCQB: PWWBF) (Frankfurt: 1ZVA) is revolutionizing the world’s automotive industry with a cloud-based platform that makes buying, selling, leasing and trading cars and trucks as easy as purchasing a product on Amazon or ordering an Uber from a smart phone. PowerBand offers auction and finance portal software tools that increases sales, efficiencies and profitability to its customers and dealers. It provides a transparent, simple, buy-sell online-auction and inventory-management system.
A Better Way to Connect and Acquire Vehicles
PowerBand’s mission is to create an online, consumer-directed marketplace that streamlines the interactions among all participants in the automotive industry. It transforms today’s antiquated business model with speed, transparency, access to information and ease of use for consumers and dealers.
Consumers can easily connect with new sources to buy vehicles, network with motivated buyers and sellers, maximize their trade-in values, improve their customer experience. PowerBand’s standardized system and transaction process also increase efficiencies and benefits with hands-on, process-driven, in-store training and support.
Through internal development, acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic partnerships, PowerBand is developing solutions for consumers, dealers, manufacturers, commercial customers and lenders that are poised to transform the trillion-dollar U.S. automotive industry.
The PowerBand Auto Platform
PowerBand’s transaction platform was developed by a team of experienced automotive, technology and finance experts, and has been refined through years of operational experience. Built on the core belief that the consumer prefers to primarily conduct automotive transactions online and avoid interactions with unnecessary middlemen, PowerBand’s product solutions include:
- Leasing: PowerBand is currently licensed in 33 U.S. states via a majority interest in MUSA Auto Finance LLC, an advanced online leasing technology platform that has transformed the new and used vehicle leasing industry. MUSA is the only approved, non-captive lease partner for Tesla in the U.S., and the platform can approve leases in a matter of seconds.
- Inventory and Financing: A partnership with RouteOne LLC, a leading financial platform founded in 2002 by Ally Financial, Ford Motor Credit Co., TD Auto Finance and Toyota Financial Services, allows access to a network of more than 18,000 dealerships and 1,400 financing sources.
- Auction Platform: PowerBand and its joint-venture partner, D2D Auto Auctions, are developing a direct consumer-to-dealer and a consumer-to-consumer automotive portal, which will provide an innovative alternative to physical dealership and auction locations.
- LiveNet Auction: An online platform portal that allows dealers to create instant live vehicle auctions to a vast network of the industry’s top used vehicle buyers.
- MarketPlace Auction: An online listing auction site for buying and selling automotive inventory – ideal for dealers, fleet, OEM and rental companies.
- Used Vehicle Inspections: An LOI agreement with TÜV NORD Mobility Inc., a German-based global leader in vehicle inspections operating in more than 70 countries, will provide the most comprehensive, certified vehicle inspection reports available in North America. Appointments booked within the platform can be performed nearly anywhere.
- Product Development: PowerBand’s comprehensive consumer solution, Driveaway, will be a fully transactional consumer marketplace where dealers and consumers can buy, sell, trade-in and finance vehicles, often in seconds, from the comfort of their home.
Automotive’s Growing Markets
The automotive dealership and commercial fleet vehicle auction industry is a $100-billion sector with more than 40 million used vehicles transacted in the U.S. each year. Of those, ten million are sold through auctions. From 2013 to 2017, the growth of online-only auctions far outpaced physical auctions, growing at a 33% compound annual growth rate compared to 2% CAGR at physical auctions.
Automotive leasing is another large, growing and fragmented market, generating approximately $120-billion in annual revenue. As a percentage of vehicle sales, leasing reached 30% in 2018, up from 21% in 2012, and is seen as a substantial opportunity for PowerBand and MUSA Auto Finance. Using proprietary technology and by focusing on high-quality, credit-worthy customers, MUSA grew its automotive lease originations to $182 million.
Disrupting Auto Leasing with MUSA
Legacy solutions are complicated, expensive and slow at processing leases. MUSA’s first-of-its-kind technology platform eliminates third-party decisions and the human capital required in the underwriting process. MUSA’s platform navigates the entire customer experience – underwriting, funding and the delivery process – within minutes. Leases can be approved in seconds.
PowerBand’s acquisition of MUSA brings together two leading-edge companies with the vision to become a one-stop platform for the entire vehicle purchase lifecycle.
Experienced Leadership
PowerBand is led by a collection of automotive veterans with a passion to collectively and positively impact the industry.
- Kelly Jennings, president and CEO, is the founder of PowerBand Solutions and a franchise dealer owner/operator with more than 27 years of automotive experience. Jennings received General Motor’s Triple Crown Award, Ford Motor Company President’s Award and Honda Canada’s Excellence Award.
- Darrin Swenson, COO of PowerBand and D2D Auto Auctions/Hunt Automotive Group, has more than 25 years of automotive/auction experience.
- Jeff Morgan, CEO MUSA, holds over 25 years of experience in the auto finance sector.
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.
Processa Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: PCSA)
Processa Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: PCSA) aims to develop products where existing clinical evidence of efficacy already exists in unmet medical need conditions. In support of this goal, the company has assembled an unparalleled management team, board of directors and product development team featuring experts in developing drug products, from IND-enabling studies to NDA submission. In total, the team’s combined scientific, development and regulatory experience has resulted in more than 30 drug approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and more than 100 meetings with the FDA while working on more than 50 drug development programs, including drug products targeted to orphan disease and unmet medical need conditions.
Headquartered in Hanover, Maryland, Processa has built a pipeline of drugs which already have some proof-of-concept clinical data supporting clinical use in their selected indications.
Development Pipeline
The Processa process focuses on the advancement of drugs that are ready for clinical development or have minimal pre-IND enabling studies to complete. More specifically, Processa:
- Acquires drugs that already have some clinical data to support the targeted treatment – whether it be the drug itself, an analog of the drug or a drug with similar pharmacological targets;
- Navigates through the FDA, collaborating with the reviewers to define a complete development program; and
- Develops each drug over the course of 2-5 years, out-licensing the drug either just prior to pivotal study after Phase 2b or after the completion of the pivotal study.
Processa’s current development pipeline features multiple drug candidates, including PCS499 and PCS100. The company has also announced three additional licensing agreements since June 2020, further bolstering its clinical efforts. Each drug is briefly described below.
PCS6422
On August 27, 2020, Processa announced its entry into a contingent precedent exclusive licensing agreement with Elion Oncology Inc. to develop, manufacture and commercialize eniluracil (PCS6422) globally. PCS6422 is an oral drug to be administered with fluoropyrimidine cancer drugs (e.g., capecitabine, 5-FU) to decrease the breakdown of the cancer drug to inactive metabolites or metabolites that are known to cause unwanted side effects and to increase the anti-cancer related metabolites.
An IND for a Phase 1B study was cleared by the FDA in May 2020. The study will evaluate the safety and tolerability of several dose combinations of PCS6422 and capecitabine in advanced GI tumor patients. Processa intends to enroll the first patient in 1H2021, obtain interim results, and have a final report completed in 2H2022.
“Having worked on 5-FU and other cancer agents in the past, adding PCS6422 to our pipeline and expanding our involvement in oncology was an easy decision given the significant impact that PCS6422 may have on improving the efficacy and safety of capecitabine or other fluoropyrimidines,” CEO Dr. David Young said of the agreement.
PCS499
PCS499 as a potential treatment for necrobiosis lipoidica (“NL”) was first presented to the FDA in a pre-IND meeting in 2018. In 2019, it was the subject of an IND submission and a promising Phase 2 safety study. On March 30, 2020, Processa announced a successful meeting with the FDA regarding the design and execution of the next clinical study to evaluate the ability of PCS499 to completely close ulcers in patients with NL.
“We are pleased with the outcome of the FDA meeting and the feedback we received from the FDA. We believe that the results from our completed Phase 2 trial in NL patients, especially those with more severe ulcerated forms of NL, are encouraging and we appreciate the guidance provided by the FDA regarding our next clinical trial and the requirements to support our NDA submission,” Dr. David Young, CEO of Processa, stated in the news release.
NL is a chronic, disfiguring condition affecting the skin and tissue under the skin, typically on the lower extremities, with no currently FDA-approved treatments. More severe complications can occur, such as deep tissue infections and osteonecrosis, threatening the life of the limb. Approximately 22,500 – 55,500 people in the United States and more than 150,000 – 400,000 people worldwide are affected by the ulcerated form of NL.
YH12852
On August 20, 2020, Processa announced its entry into an agreement with Yuhan Corporation, a South Korean firm, to license YH12852, a small molecule drug in development for the treatment of functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Under the terms of the agreement, Processa will acquire the rights to a portfolio of patents with an exclusive license to develop, manufacture and commercialize YH12852 globally, excluding South Korea.
YH12852 is a novel, potent and highly selective 5-hydroxytryptamine 4 (5-HT4) receptor agonist. Other 5-HT receptor agonists with less 5-HT4 selectivity have been shown to successfully treat GI mobility disorders such as chronic constipation, constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia and gastroparesis. The less selective 5-HT4 agonists, such as cisapride, have been removed from the market because of the cardiovascular side effects associated with the drugs binding to other receptors, especially 5-HT receptors other than 5-HT4.
CEO Dr. David Young called the agreement “further evidence of Processa’s commitment to seek out novel treatments for unmet medical conditions.” Processa intends to meet with the FDA in early 2021 to further define the clinical development program. In 2021, Processa expects to initiate a Phase 2 trial in a functional GI motility-related disorder that that needs better therapeutic options, such as postoperative ileus and opioid-induced constipation.
ATT-11T
On June 1, 2020, Processa announced its entry into a licensing agreement with Aposense Ltd. for the patent rights and know-how to develop and commercialize ATT-11T, a next generation irinotecan cancer drug. In the release, CEO Dr. David Young noted that the licensing deal fit with Processa’s strategy to “continue to bring innovative products to patients with an unmet medical need condition.”
ATT-11T is a novel lipophilic anti-cancer pro-drug that is being developed for the treatment of the same solid tumors as prescribed for irinotecan. This pro-drug is a conjugate of a specific proprietary Aposense molecule connected to SN-38, the active metabolite of irinotecan. The proprietary Aposense molecule on ATT-11T allows ATT-11T to bind to cell membranes to form an inactive pro-drug depot on the cell, with SN-38 preferentially accumulating in the membrane of tumors cells and the tumor core. This unique characteristic is expected to make the therapeutic window of ATT-11T wider than irinotecan, such that the anti-tumor effect of ATT-11T will occur at a much lower dose than irinotecan with a milder adverse effect profile than irinotecan. The wider therapeutic window will likely lead to more patients responding with less side effects when on ATT-11T compared to irinotecan.
The ATT-11T licensing agreement is conditioned upon Processa’s closing of a satisfactory financing round and the listing of the company’s shares on the Nasdaq or NYSE, among other conditions.
PCS100
On September 3, 2020, Processa announced its entry into an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Akashi Therapeutics to develop and commercialization Akashi’s lead drug, HT-100. Rebranded PCS100, the candidate is an anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory drug demonstrated to have some clinical anti-fibrotic effect in children. Processa intends to develop PCS100 first in rare adult fibrotic related diseases such as focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) or Scleroderma, where there are still few therapeutic options.
Management Team
David Young, Pharm.D., Ph.D. is the CEO and founder of Processa. He has over 30 years of pharmaceutical research, drug development and corporate experience. Young has served in leadership roles with a number of pharmaceutical firms throughout his career, including serving as founder and CEO of Promet Therapeutics LLC since 2015 and as Chief Scientific Officer of Questcor Pharmaceuticals from 2009 to 2014. At Questcor, he was responsible for working with the FDA on modernizing the Acthar Gel label and for obtaining FDA approval in infantile spasms. In total, Young has met with the FDA more than 100 times on more than 50 drug products and has been a key team member on more than 30 NDA/supplemental NDA approvals.
Sian Bigora, Pharm.D., is Processa’s Chief Development Officer and founder. She has over 20 years of pharmaceutical research, regulatory strategy and drug development experience, working closely with Young. Prior to joining Processa, Bigora served as Co-Founder, Director and Chief Development Officer at Promet Therapeutics LLC and as Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Questcor Pharmaceuticals from 2009 to 2015, where she led efforts to modernize the Acthar Gel label and obtain FDA approval in infantile spasms – events which were of material importance to Questcor’s subsequent success.
Patrick Lin is Chief Business & Strategy Officer and founder of Processa. He has over 20 years of financing and investing experience in the biopharma sector. Prior to joining Processa, Lin served as Co-Founder and Chairman of Promet Therapeutics LLC. He is also founder and managing partner of Primarius Capital, a family office that manages public and private investments focused on small capitalization companies.
James Stanker has served as CFO of Processa since 2018. He has over 30 years of financial and executive leadership experience in the areas of accounting principles and audit standards, regulatory reporting, and fiscal management and strategy. He served in a financial leadership role as an audit partner at Grant Thornton from February 2000 until his retirement in August 2016, where he was responsible for managing audit quality in the Atlantic Coast market territory.
Wendy Guy is the Chief Administrative Officer and founder of Processa. She has more than two decades of experience in business operations, having worked closely with Young over the last 18 years in corporate management and operations, HR and finance. Prior to joining Processa, she was Co-Founder, Director and Chief Administrative Officer of Promet Therapeutics LLC and Senior Manager, Business Operation over the Maryland office for Questcor Pharmaceuticals.
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.
Pure Extracts Technologies Corp. (CSE: PULL)
Pure Extracts Technologies Corp. (CSE: PULL), headquartered in Pemberton, British Columbia, is a plant-based extraction company with a new vertical in functional mushrooms. The firm is positioned to be the dominant extraction company and a leader in the rapid development and commercialization of functional and medicinal psychedelic products.
The Company’s business model consists of three verticals: in-house brands; toll processing, offering contract cannabis and hemp processing to Canadian Licensed Producers and international partners to sell under their own brands; and white labelling, supplying products, including edibles and custom formulated oils, in consumer-ready packaging for companies licensed to sell cannabis oil extracts and for CPG brands seeking licensed cannabis manufacturing partners.
Market Position
The psychedelic and functional mushroom industries are among the fastest growing in North America. As the industry transitions from dry biomass to extracts, many companies are unprepared for this new opportunity. The global medicinal mushroom market is expected to grow by $13.88 billion annually by 2024.
When assessing investment strategy, market analysts suggest that psychedelics are more comparable to biotech than to cannabis. Unlike traditional biotech, however, psychedelics can claim years of human consumption. Because their efficacy and safety are already well understood, the hurdles for development are likely to be lower. As known molecules, psychedelics won’t spend as much time in discovery and pre-clinical development.
Current research is finding psychedelic benefits including anti-tumor, anti-viral, detoxification, immune function, and mental wellness. As such, psychedelic compounds are now being examined by leading medical research and academic institutions for treatment of depression, PTSD, anxiety, bi-polar disorder, obesity, narcolepsy, OCD, Alzheimer’s, ADHD and drug and alcohol dependence. In 2020, the FDA granted breakthrough therapy status to psychedelics for treatment-resistant depression, with approvals anticipated in 2021.
Pure Extracts is well positioned to partner with organizations planning to develop both functional and psychedelic products. A dealer’s license with Health Canada will enable buying, selling and producing of psychedelics in an EU-GMP-compliant environment. The Company’s 10,000 square foot facility is designed for EU-GMP certification, which allows for international sales. The Company has signed NDAs to explore joint development endeavors for Q4 2020 product launches, as well as an advisory agreement with Dr. Alexander MacGregor, founder of Transpharm Canada Inc. (“TCI”), the parent company of Toronto Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, whose facility is a fully compliant Health Canada licensed Good Manufacturing Practice (“GMP”) manufacturing and testing facility and is a full-service clinical development business that provides clinical trial services to biotechnology companies.
Research on Psychedelics
Naturally occurring psychedelics, like psilocybin mushrooms, peyote and ayahuasca, have been used by humans for centuries. First seen as potentially medicinal in 1938 by a chemist at Sandoz Pharmaceuticals (now Novartis), the desired stimulant effect was unsuccessful and therefore the drug was shelved. Twenty years later, in 1958, Sandoz began selling lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) to treat mental disorders. From 1950 to 1965, over a thousand scientific papers on these compounds were published. During the 1960s, however, psychedelics made their way out of the lab and onto the street. The war on drugs followed, and psychedelic research essentially ended.
Research continued slowly on the fringes. The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies was formed in 1986 with the goal of becoming a leading non-profit psychedelic pharmaceutical company. Still being researched, psychedelics’ primary and most common mechanism of action is agonism of serotonin receptors in the brain, which promotes serotonin production in order to regulate mood.
Growing societal awareness and acceptance of mental illness as a legitimate disease due, in part, to its increasingly prevalence have been a catalyst for a new search for innovative treatments. As such, interest in psychedelic medicines has been revived in recent years.
Extract Segment Leader with Cannabis
Canada’s cannabis industry is dominated by dried flower products. Extract products are estimated to represent only 13% of the market share. With no dominant brands in the cannabis sector, Pure Extracts is the development leader in this segment, which is estimated by Deloitte to be worth $2.7 billion annually. Pure Pulls, the company’s private label brand, is nationally recognized through compliant event sponsorship and ongoing product engagement.
Management Team
Pure Extracts is led by a team of dedicated professionals leveraging extensive industry knowledge.
Ben Nikolaevsky, the company’s CEO, has more than a decade of experience in corporate leadership roles across the natural products, agriculture and cannabis sectors. Nikolaevsky has served as CEO at Natura Naturals Inc. and Blue Goose Capital Corp., as well as market vice president at CIBC and chief credit officer & capital markets manager at IBM Global Financing Canada.
Doug Benville founded Pure Extracts and serves as the company’s COO. He is highly proficient in cannabis cultivation, system operations and oil extraction.
Alexander Logie, Pure Extracts’ vice president of business development, has over 30 years of experience in the financial services sector, having most recently served as interim CFO, COO and senior vice president of business development at Natura Naturals Inc., a licensed cannabis producer acquired at the start of 2019.
Andy Gauvin is vice president of sales for Pure Extracts. Gauvin is an accomplished senior sales leader with over 30 years of experience in the cannabis space. Gauvin also brings extensive knowledge of the complex federal and provincial regulatory environment to the Pure Extracts team.
Rritual Superfoods Inc.
Rritual Superfoods Inc. is a private company founded in 2019, whose declared purpose is to help people meet the demands of modern life with style and ease by incorporating functional mushrooms, adaptogens and superfoods into their diets.
The company manufactures premium plant-based products such as small-batch elixir powders, and each product features mindfully selected medicinal mushrooms and adaptogenic herbs. Pursuing customers with various need-states, Rritual offers products that fit every lifestyle.
Suite of Premium Rritual(TM) Products
Rritual recently announced the launch of its suite of premium functional mushroom and adaptogenic elixirs. These elixirs were developed by a leading team of scientists, doctors and experts across the wellness industry, under the guidance of Rritual President Dr. Mike Hart.
The initial product line includes:
- Chaga (immune booster) – Full of bioactive polysaccharides, Rritual’s Chaga blend combines the Chaga mushroom with Eleuthero root for optimal immune system benefits.
- Lion’s Mane (brain booster) – Designed to support cognitive function and brain health, Lion’s Mane is paired with Rhodiola root. The elixir can also help the body manage stress.
- Reishi (stress support) – Rich in polysaccharides, triterpenes, amino acids and fatty acids, the Reishi blend is infused with Ashwagandha root. This combination aims to help the body and mind fight anxiety, with long term effects that may improve quality of sleep for those with restless minds.
“The health and wellness benefits of mushrooms and plant-based therapies are backed by decades of scientific research. Rritual’s new line of elixirs embraces that research and provides consumers with an easy way to get a daily dose of the powerful effects,” Hart said in a news release.
Rritual CEO David Kerbel noted that the company is proud to bring together age-old mushroom consumption practices and data-backed research to create new formulas that meet the needs of modern consumers. “Whether to relieve stress, increase mental output or boost immunity, we want to be a trusted and effective component of a consumer’s daily health and wellness routine,” he added.
Rritual Timeline
According to its investor presentation, Rritual has already fulfilled most of the milestones it set for Q1 and Q2 2020 as part of its growth and development timeline. So far, the company has completed formulation R&D, product line development, test marketing, brand development, logistics partnerships and agreements, initial distributor partnerships, seed financing and the phase one launch of its product suite.
Rritual E-Commerce Rollout Strategy
The company’s strategy for e-commerce rollout success consists of direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales through the use of multiple online platforms and through team connections to facilitate rapid expansion within the market.
In the first stage, Rritual will use its own website and Amazon to facilitate its D2C initiative, followed by leveraging its team connections to sell products through planned specialty e-commerce channels such as Costco, CVS, Walmart, and Vitacost using preexisting relationships.
Brick-and-Mortar Rollout Strategy
Using partnerships already in place with The Jet Collective and leveraging the preexisting connections of its team for direct discussions with global retail brands, Rritual’s brick-and-mortar strategy features a two-stage rollout that targets 15 leading retailers.
In the first stage, Rritual aims to launch with four non-competing chains, while utilizing best practice agreements (320 Sprouts stores, 330 H-E-B stores, 240 Meijer stores and 1,600 Publix stores). In stage 2, distribution is expected to advance to additional retail establishments (100 Wegmans stores, 77 Fresh Thyme stores, 440 Whole Foods stores, 120 Shaw’s stores, 400 Stop & Shop stores, 300 Wakefern/Shoprite stores, 610 Vitamin Shoppe stores, 90 Bartell Drug stores, 40 Giant Eagle market district stores and 1,800 Target stores), while collaboration with Kroger will take place within two sub-markets (300 Ralphs stores and 120 Harris Teeter stores).
Market Growth Outlook
As it is yet in its early stages, the functional mushrooms market is rife with opportunities for growth. At this time, no dominant brand is in place, and there remains an absence of a premium brand to lead the category.
The entire functional food market is currently valued at more than $275 billion, with global shifts supporting wellness and a 7.9% CAGR forecast through 2025. Demand for functional mushrooms is also growing, with a forecast rise from $23 billion to $34 billion by 2024 as a result of growing popularity due to the superfood’s unique properties that have been shown to boost immunity, cognitive function and more. The worldwide functional mushroom market is projected to exceed $50 billion by 2025, with recent data indicating an increase in demand for key mushroom varieties of up to 800%.
Management Team
David Kerbel, CPC, is CEO of Rritual and has over 30 years of senior experience in retail, brokerage and CPG industries. From 2008 to 2011, Kerbel served as Senior Vice President of Sales for Celsius Holdings Inc., helping that company achieve a number of important milestones. During his tenure, Celsius grew its retail sales from $400,000 to a multimillion-dollar figure, developed nationwide representation with CROSSMARK Inc. and established distribution with industry giants such as 7-Eleven, Ralph’s, C&S, Costco, BJ’s Wholesale, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Rite Aid, Target, Duane Reade and Stop & Shop. In total, Celsius’ new distribution stemming from Kerbel’s direct efforts led to $36 million in incremental sales in 2010 alone. He also implemented new procedures that led to a 10 percent reduction in operating expenses. Kerbel brings tremendous experience to the Rritual team, as well as vital relationships with industry leaders such as Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Walgreens, CVS, 7-Eleven, Safeway, Publix, Sprouts and more.
Warren Spence is the COO and a Director of Rritual. He has over 25 years in the food and beverage industry. His roles within the industry have included senior positions with brands like Red Bull and Olivieri. His specialization is in supply chain and operations systems. He was appointed Head of Supply Chain for Nude Beverages in 2019.
Dr. Mike Hart, MD, is the President of Rritual. His work has been published in peer-review journals about therapies involving cannabis and ketamine. His outspoken stance on these subjects landed him an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast in 2019. On-air, he discussed the use of psychedelic medicines as a treatment for mental health conditions, including PTSD.
Stacie Gillespie is CCO and Director of Formulations for Rritual. She has over 25 years of leadership in the branding and product strategies used by wellness companies. She has leveraged this expertise for companies such as Aura Cacia, MegaFood and Gaia Herbs. She is the creator of multiple award-winning consumer health products.
Sarton Molnar-Fenton is Vice President of Sales-USA for Rritual. She started her career with Vitamin Water, with other large companies under her belt, including Danone, as a District Manager. She worked with Nestle on its Tribe Hummus brand and played an integral part in relaunching the brand, gaining category share and establishing product development partnerships with companies like Trader Joe’s. She also played a key role in launching the Hydralyte brand in the United States.
Scott Naccarrato is the company’s Vice President of Sales-Canada. He is experienced in sales with a deep connection in retail. Recently, he worked with Nutiva, assisting in the pioneering of Organic MCT oil, healthy fats and the plant-based protein categories. He is data-oriented in his approach, which has resulted in over $100 million in sales and double-digit year-over-year growth for the brands of which he has been a part.
RYAH Group Inc.
RYAH Group Inc. is a leading digital health care analytics and technology company with a mission to advance the world’s transition to remote-health solutions and data analytics in patient treatments. Through the company’s IoT dose-measuring devices and AI analytics, RYAH is reshaping understanding of the value of devices combined with data, to positively impact the future treatment of patients for various medical conditions.
The company is a leading developer of dose-measuring IoT devices connected with its turn-key platform designed to aggregate and correlate HIPPA-compliant data, suitable to all participants in the patient treatment cycle. The company also specializes in customized, fully integrated, mobile applications and APIs, specifically designed to meet the needs of clinics, clinical trials, government and university research centers, for experimentation and treatment validation – significantly reducing variations in patient-related trials. RYAH unlocks data in the complete therapeutic plant lifecycle – from seed to consumption.
Since it began developing and commercializing its smart inhaler solution in 2018, the company has evolved a complete IoT device and data analytics platform that includes multiple delivery mechanisms, designed to capture anonymous patient dosing and feedback, combined with detailed strain analytics, enabling customized dosing regiments. The company has secured numerous partnerships across the globe, including establishing a footprint in the UK, USA, Australia and Canada, and it has closed several deals in the European Union, as well. The company’s Smart-Inhaler has been selected as the dose-measurement, dose-control and data analytics platform for a UK pain management study and one of the world’s most ambitious and largest clinical trials ever to be conducted in cannabis.
Product Portfolio
The company’s current portfolio incorporates an ecosystem of IoT products, each consisting of three elements: the device, the medicine-carrying component and the mobile application. The product line currently includes a Smart Dry-Herb Dose-Measuring Inhaler in the commercial stage, a Smart Transdermal Patch in the production stage and a Smart Liquid Dispensing Pen in the prototype stage.
RYAH Smart-Inhaler
The RYAH Inhaler is the first dry-herb inhaler that allows users to track and control how much is inhaled, providing consistent and predictable results. This inhaler connects with the RYAH Health App, which features stat-tracking and presets for temperatures and dosages, all of which can be customized to individual needs and doctor recommendations, as well as a post-session review mechanism that allows the collection of session data and feedback for further efficacy analysis for customized dosing capabilities.
RYAH’s proprietary stainless-steel cartridges for the inhaler use QR technology that contains lab testing and grower information pertaining to the specific strain, thereby mitigating elicit product use and enabling completely transparent remote medicinal analytics, from seed to consumption.
In addition, the RYAH Cartridges provide a unique closed-loop recurring revenue opportunity for the company, as the RYAH Inhaler only works with this type of proprietary cartridges that licensed partners fill with medicine. The partners benefit from all the back-end data, providing them access to consumption habits, statistics and other data on patient preferences.
RYAH Smart-Patch
The RYAH Smart Transdermal Patch is a lightweight, reusable, mobile-controlled patch used for site-specific therapies. The Patch is an Electronic Topical Delivery Patch system intended for recommendation and administration by pain relief professionals and physical and occupational therapists. The patch data and the heating element is completely IoT and controlled by RYAH’s proprietary smartphone applications, which allows scheduling and ‘boosting’ medicine release, on-demand.
RYAH Smart-Pen
The RYAH Pen is an app-controlled liquid dispenser designed to provide a precise mix of up to three medicine components to create an ‘entourage effect’, enabling customized, wide-spectrum recommendation opportunities by licensed clinicians. The Smart-Pen will feature cartridges that contain CBD, THC and other isolates such as flavonoids or vitamins, or other solutions. There is a built-in mechanism designed to control usage based on recommended dosing schedules.
RYAH MD
RYAH MD serves as a remote and interactive patient-doctor collaboration and dosing administration platform. Doctors can remotely set dosage amounts for their patients, creating digital prescriptions for the RYAH IoT devices and tracking patient usage in real-time. RYAH MD offers features that include real-time monitoring, appointment booking, doctor-patient video calls and science-based strain recommendations, as well as promoting a better understanding of the effects and benefits of those recommendations among patients. Information is gathered from all of the RYAH devices.
PotBot App
The PotBot App is a medical cannabis education mobile application that leverages patented AI technology to capture structured and unstructured data to assist patients in learning about various treatments in plant-medicine based on their efficacy goals. The PotBot App is currently one of the top-rated medical cannabis educational mobile applications on the Apple App Store in the United States, with over 300,000 downloads.
Through the combination of peer-reviewed and empirical data, the PotBot App provides detailed information on the targeted and tested cannabinoid levels and associated strains from cannabis patients. The result is personalized and driven by data to inform patients of potential product matches associated with similar ailments and efficacy goals.
Market Outlook
RYAH holds a unique position in the $100.3 billion medical plant market, with the potential to capture and capitalize on growth opportunities made available by both the IoT and Data Intelligence sectors.
In 2018, the global IoT market was valued at $212.1 billion, and it is expected to grow exponentially to $1.3 trillion by 2026, registering a CAGR of 25.68%, according to Verified Market Research (https://ibn.fm/XtkPZ).
Management Team
Dr. Boris Goldstein, Ph.D., is the founder and Chairman of RYAH Group. He is a seasoned entrepreneur, investment banker and venture capitalist. He started his career as the founder of Software House HT, which grew into a worldwide corporation with over 40 offices in 17 countries. Since then, Goldstein has founded and served on the boards of directors and advisory boards for numerous companies in Silicon Valley and Silicon Alley. Goldstein brings experience in fundamental research, investment and technology, authoring multiple patents and books.
Gregory Wagner, MBA, is Chief Executive Officer and Director of RYAH Group. He has over 20 years of experience in global financial markets and entrepreneurship. Wagner has held executive roles in the United States and London. He has co-founded and built several startups from the ground up. His current licensures and degrees include FINRA Series 7, 63, 24 and 55, as well as an MBA from Fordham University. Wagner received a Certification in Innovation and Strategy from Harvard University.
Sanwire Corp. (SNWR)
Sanwire Corp. (SNWR) is a diversified company currently focused on technologies for the music industry. The company specializes in locating unique opportunities in fragmented markets and implementing its aggregated technologies to consolidate distinct services into unified platforms of delivery. Sanwire is currently focusing these efforts on advanced entertainment technologies.
Founded in 1997 and based out of Las Vegas, Nevada, Sanwire has operated and sold several subsidiaries as it has worked in various industry segments, including Sanwire Software Inc., Bullmoose Mines Ltd. and Squeeze Report Inc. Currently, there are two new holdings that were added to the company’s portfolio through two recent acquisitions, including Intercept Music Inc. in March 2020 and the Art is War Record Label in June 2020.
Intercept Music Inc. – Artist-Focused Services
Intercept Music Inc. is an entertainment technology company offering a unique suite of artist-focused services that are specifically designed to meet the needs of recording artists. Intercept’s proprietary online platform is dedicated to helping millions of global independent artists effectively promote their music and distribute it worldwide to hundreds of digital stores and every major streaming platform, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora and Google Music.
With Intercept Music, recording artists have all the tools needed to market, promote and sell their music online and through social media. Comprehensive reporting allows artists to track the fan response to their releases, all the way down to individual music tracks.
There are three foundations of Intercept Music’s product offering:
- Its music distribution platform that is well augmented via the company’s partnership with InGrooves, a wholly owned subsidiary of Universal Music, which is arguably one of the largest music companies in the world.
- Its social media system, which is tailored to work the way artists use social media to promote their music and engage with their fans. The scheduling system integrates artists’ profiles across multiple social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube) to facilitate new audience sampling, fan development and the ability for music to be previewed and purchased.
- The third is represented by the team of developers that brings a unique combination of deep technical expertise (in products like Skype), a team of well-accomplished executives and what the company calls Brand Ambassadors – senior reps from multiple genres who have helped artists earn over 100 Grammys.
Intercept Music is the confluence of technology and this music expertise.
The company currently markets three plans to its clients, with each offering different distribution and royalty options, as well as various marketing and reporting options. The plans are described below:
- Intercept Distro is a basic plan for self-service music distribution with royalty collection. Artists keep 100% of the royalties while receiving unlimited releases and full analytics with reporting.
- Intercept Artist includes all of the benefits of the basic Distro plan with added emphasis on social marketing and distribution for emerging artists. With this plan, artists receive scheduled and ad-hoc posting, social media reporting, reusable content libraries and access to other valuable features.
- Intercept PLUS is available by invite only and is for established artists looking for a complete suite of marketing, distribution and monetization services. The PLUS plan includes everything available through the Distro and Artist plans, as well as offering a dedicated service representative, a branded online store, on-demand merchandise, additional marketing, YouTube monetization and other pro features.
Intercept PLUS is the flagship plan. Artists of this caliber often do $3-$10k/month in merchandise sales alone, at 50%+ profit. Intercept is responsible for marketing to the fan base through its social media system and shares in the profits generated. The stores are managed by intercept so both top-line revenues and bottom-line profits flow through Intercept.
Intercept Music has partnered with Ingrooves Music Group, the largest online music distribution company in the world, for worldwide distribution to streaming services and leading stores. Completing more than 50 billion transactions weekly across over 150 countries, Ingrooves supplies music to leading streaming music platforms and lists some of the world’s largest and most reputable music labels among its clients. The partnership allows Intercept Music and its clients to reach a much wider audience and start earning revenue as soon as possible by leveraging Ingrooves’ quality control systems and direct relationships with leading music streaming services.
Physical Distribution Options for Intercept Music Clients
In a press release on June 25, 2020, Intercept Music announced that it would be offering artists physical distribution through major retailers such as Amazon, FYE and Walmart (http://nnw.fm/NSrbE). The physical distribution will consist of CDs and vinyl and will serve as a supplement to the online streaming platform access provided by the company to represented artists.
“In the current climate, artists can’t play shows or otherwise engage in public at all, so they’re focusing on all other opportunities to bring in revenue,” Intercept Music President Tod Turner stated in a news release. “Our only priority is to help artists monetize music in every way, and with physical distribution added to the mix, we’re leaving no stone unturned in helping artists to earn money from their creative output.”
Creation of Preferred Stock
On June 29, 2020, Sanwire CEO Christopher Whitcomb announced that the company would be filing certificates of designation with the Nevada Secretary of State for its Series A, B and C preferred stock (http://nnw.fm/svrQt).
Speaking about this designation in a news release, Whitcomb stated, “Our paramount goal is to maintain a balanced approach between future investments and shareholder value while minimizing shareholder dilution. The effective utilization of preferred stock ensures our company can grow with the least amount of shareholder dilution.”
Sanwire is leveraging a multi-dimensional strategy that includes additional acquisitions, attracting investors and enhancing the current balance sheet while minimizing dilution for shareholders. A primary goal of these efforts is to support Intercept’s ongoing operations.
Financial Highlights
For the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2020, Sanwire announced significant revenue growth related to the acquisitions of Intercept Music and Art is War Records. Since acquiring Intercept Music in March and Art is War Records in June, Sanwire’s revenue has increased by approximately 300% (http://nnw.fm/j0S0j). Sanwire attributes the increase in revenue to Intercept Music’s customer acquisition and the release of its PLUS plan.
For the third quarter, revenue is expected to continue an upward climb, owing largely to physical distribution plans and a rising number of PLUS subscribers. The company’s acquisition of Art is War Records is also expected to fuel this growth.
Management
Christopher M. Whitcomb is the current CEO of Sanwire Corp. and Intercept Music Inc. He is a CPA in the state of California, holding bachelor’s degrees in accounting, corporate finance and business management with a focus on real estate. A seasoned executive, his business ventures are always strongly focused on the development and financing of companies.
Whitcomb worked alongside Ralph Tashjian at SMC Entertainment Inc. and Digital Music Universe. They are currently working together again following Sanwire’s acquisition of Intercept Music, which was founded by Tashjian.
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.
Siyata Mobile Inc. (NASDAQ: SYTA) (TSX.V: SIM)
Siyata Mobile Inc. (NASDAQ: SYTA) (TSX.V: SIM) 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, thereby creating a new category in the cellular device market with a dedicated smartphone tailor-made for the commercial vehicle market.
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, as well as AT&T in the U.S. Further expanding its availability, Siyata is completing network approval with another U.S. Tier 1 operator to launch the UV350 in Q3 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.
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) (OTCQX: STLHF)
Standard Lithium Ltd. (TSX.V: SLL) (FRA: S5L) (OTCQX: 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) is headquartered in Monrovia, California, where the company recognizes new opportunities in the cannabis delivery space and in the market for supplies to the quick-service restaurant industry – both of which have fast-changing dynamics due to the recent outbreak of coronavirus in the United States.
The Coronavirus Cannabis Boom Market
Retailers across the nation are closing their doors and curtailing operations due to the coronavirus pandemic, inherently pinching sales. In the California cannabis sector, however, business has never been better – especially relative to home delivery.
California’s cannabis industry continues to operate, and media reports reveal booming cannabis sales as the state’s citizens stay home to wait out current events. The Los Angeles Times recently published the headline, “Marijuana Sales on Fire amid Virus Outbreak; New York Post “Cannabis sales hit new highs”; USA Today “American Stock Up on Pot” Fox News “California marijuana sales surge”; and ABC News Cannabis Shops thrive in coronavirus pandemic.
The state of California benefits from the ultra-high taxes paid by the highly regulated cannabis industry, and has thus deemed cannabis companies as “essential” businesses, allowing for full operations to continue. While pot shops are seeing strong foot traffic, the real growth action is in-home delivery as consumers seek to embrace social distancing. Many delivery operators are reporting difficulty in meeting demand with sales growth of up to 10% sequentially each week. It is certainly a boom time for the industry.
Sugarmade Growth Strategy
Recognizing new investment and operational opportunities within California’s cannabis market, Sugarmade is strategizing to take advantage of opportunity specifically in delivery services (non-storefront retailer), manufacturing via co-branding, and selective genetic cultivation. The company is taking a highly selective approach, targeting only the best of these opportunities for company growth.
In line with this strategy is northern California delivery service Budcars, in which Sugarmade owns a 40% interest and an option to gain a controlling interest. Budcars connects consumers with premium products sourced from top-tier farms and extractors, offering a curated menu of fully compliant cannabis products. The company maintains a competitive advantage by sourcing premium cannabis offerings and same-day delivery. In addition to maintaining its own cars, California licenses, and fulfillment center, Budcar orders its premium products in bulk at lower prices, enabling the company to rein in costs and maintain competitive pricing for its customers. Currently serving major communities within the metropolitan area of Sacramento, Budcars plans to continue the expansion of the company’s delivery reach.
Sugarmade plans to continue its expansion into burgeoning new sectors of the cannabis market through the following avenues:
- Geographic expansion of Budcars delivery scope
- New delivery geographies
- Cannabis cultivation as a key component of a hybrid vertical integration strategy
- Product technology expansion—including products containing exotic and lesser-known cannabinoids
Diversified Portfolio
Sugarmade has positive market exposure to cannabis delivery, as well as to the restaurant industry, at a time when these businesses are being force to move toward take-out and delivery models in order to survive.
The company has various business operations in diverse marketplaces, including food, safe packaging and sanitary supplies for various industries, and agricultural supplies. Sugarmade entered the industrial hemp and CBD space by investing in Hempistry, Inc., a privately held Nevada corporation. Hempistry began planting an ultra-high cannabidiol (CBD) industrial hemp strain on a land option it holds on 5,000 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% of THC, the psychoactive ingredient found in cannabis.
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% of the market share. Sugarmade plans to expand operations via the addition of market share and the introduction of new product offerings.
Market Opportunity
There is little doubt among industry participants, and recently confirmed by Forbes, that California is the single largest cannabis market in the world. The state is expected to produce more than $3.5 billion in cannabis sales during 2020, with growth topping 23% annually. The global industrial hemp market size was estimated at $4.71 billion in 2019 and is expected to register a revenue-based CAGR of 15.8% over the forecast period of 2016-2027, according to Grandview Research. Market growth drivers include the 2018 Farm Bill and society’s increasing knowledge of the benefits of hemp products.
Overall industry growth is great, but specific vertical sector growth is even better. Cannabis delivery is clearly the fastest growing sector of the marketplace and with coronavirus fears the already robust growth rate has accelerated.
Sugarmade seems to be in the right industry at the right time in history.
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.
Dedicated to getting the highest caliber of THC and CBD to its customers’ door, the company’s priority is to ensure that they receive the highest quality cannabis product free from logistical hassles. 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.
Sustainable Green Team Ltd. (SGTM)
Sustainable Green Team Ltd. (SGTM), 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
SGTM 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.
SGTM’s customers include governmental, residential and commercial customers and now big box retailers. The company is headquartered in Florida.
Strategic Acquisition
SGTM 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 SGTM 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
SGTM’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
SGTM 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 its 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 SGTM’s debris hauling division to realize significant savings on its transportation costs.
SGTM has chosen as its new headquarters the 100,000-square-foot Mulch Manufacturing 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 needed.
Leadership
SGTM’s leadership 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
The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (NASDAQ: WTER) (CSE: WTER)
Founded in 2012, The Alkaline Water Company Inc. (NASDAQ: WTER) (CSE: WTER)is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Its flagship product, Alkaline88®, is a leading premier alkaline water brand available in bulk and single-serve sizes, along with eco-friendly aluminum packaging options. With its innovative, state-of-the-art proprietary electrolysis process, Alkaline88® delivers perfect 8.8 pH balanced alkaline drinking water with trace minerals and electrolytes and boasts the company’s trademarked label ‘Clean Beverage’. Quickly being recognized as a growing lifestyle brand, Alkaline88® launched A88 Infused™ in 2019 to meet consumer demand for flavor-infused products. A88 Infused™ flavored water is available in six unique all-natural flavors, with new flavors coming soon. Additionally, in 2020, the company launched the A88CBD™ brand, featuring a broad line of topical and ingestible products. These products are made with lab-tested full and broad-spectrum hemp and include salves, balms, lotions, essential oils, bath-salts, CBD infused drinks, tinctures, capsules, gummies and powder packs.
Innovation and Expansion
Founded in 2012, The Alkaline Water Company began with a mission to create the best-tasting water in the world. At the time, there were two emerging trends in health-conscious consumers: a growing interest in the alkaline diet and perceived health benefits of pink Himalayan rock salt. By combining these two concepts in an alkaline water and trademarking the name Alkaline88, The Alkaline Water Company began offering what it calls the smoothest tasting Clean Beverage™ in the U.S. enhanced-water category.
Now a top bulk alkaline-water brand (the company reported record sales in March and April 2020, surpassing March and April 2019 numbers by 114% and 171%, respectively), The Alkaline Water Company is committed to growing its national footprint through innovation and expansion. That mindset was evident as the company introduced eco-friendly aluminum bottles and branched out into flavor-infused waters; the company currently offers six different flavors: peach/mango, lemon/lime, raspberry, watermelon, blood orange and lemon.
The company’s commitment to innovation may be most evident in its newest product line: A88CBD. This line of CBD-infused products includes tinctures, capsules, gummies, salves, balms, hand and foot lotions, essential oils, bath bombs and bath salts, as well as CBD-infused drinks, water and beverage shots. These quality, CBD-infused offerings are all made with lab-tested, full-spectrum hemp and are conveniently packaged and perfect for on-the-go or at home use.
In addition, The Alkaline Water Company has implemented an aggressive growth strategy, with numerous organic initiatives focused on national multichannel, mass-market expansion through a direct-to-warehouse model and co-packing facilities that are strategically located within 600 miles of 95% of the U.S. population. In addition to this strong brick-and-mortar approach, the company recently launched a B2C e-commerce platform (www.A88CBD.com) and aggressive digital-marketing campaigns.
Clear Advantages in a Growing Market
With consistent growth year over year, the company reported $32.2 million in revenue in fiscal 2019 and has emerged as a growth leader in the functional (value-added) waters space, which is the fastest-growing segment of the bottled water industry.
The Alkaline Water Company’s efforts are focused on its clear competitive advantages, including its strong marketing (the inclusion of alkaline in product names); existing grocery channels, which feature excellent relationships and a nationwide broker network; distinctive branding; proprietary technology, which produces great-tasting, high-quality water, infused drinks and other products; and price, with a broad range of products in all formats, from bulk bottles to single serve.
As the company focuses on strategic growth, it is eyeing the impressive potential of a market that is on a strong upswing. Annual bottled water sales have now surpassed soda consumption, with soda sales in the United States having declined by $1.2 billion over the past five years. Some research indicates that the global bottled water market will reach an estimated $280 billion this year, while the CBD market is forecast to top $20 billion by 2024.
With its products available in all major trade channels, including grocery stores, drug stores, c-stores and big-box retailers, The Alkaline Water Company is also looking to expand into new spaces, such as health and beauty, hospitality and specialty retailer locations.
Seasoned Management Team
The Alkaline Water Company is led by an experienced team focused on the company’s core strategy of building a national retail footprint and extending its lifestyle brands into other consumer packaged goods categories.
Richard A. Wright, President, CEO and Co-Founder of The Alkaline Water Company Inc., oversees all aspects of the business, successfully guiding the company through strategic opportunities and delivering greater than 50% growth since the company’s inception. A passionate and versatile leader with a strong track record of innovation, collaboration and achieving goal-driven results, Wright is a serial entrepreneur with more than 41 years of experience. Early in his career, he spent years at one of the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms, working his way up to Regional Director of Tax and Financial Planning. As a CPA, entrepreneur and former CFO, Wright brings extensive knowledge of finance, operations, sales and marketing to the team, and he has participated in hundreds of M&A transactions throughout his career.
David Guarino, CFO, Secretary, Treasurer and Director, earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting and a Master of Accountancy from the University of Denver. From 2008 to 2013, Guarino was President and a Director of Kahala Corp., a worldwide franchisor of multiple quick-service restaurant brands with locations in 49 states and more than 25 countries. From 2014 to 2015, Guarino was President of HTI International Holdings Inc., a technology company focused on forward osmosis water filtration technology.
Frank Chessman, National Sales Manager, is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. He spent 25 years with Ralph’s Grocery, Kroger’s largest division, working at many levels before ultimately becoming Vice President of Advertising & Marketing. He then served 14 years as Executive Vice President at Simon Marketing. Chessman has more than a decade of experience in the beverage manufacturing industry.
Brian Sudano, Director, is managing partner of Beverage Marketing Corporation and BMC Strategic Associates. Sudano’s experience covers nearly the entire beverage industry, from energy drinks to wine, with special expertise in beverage alcohol by virtue of varied industry experience across a broad range of projects. Sudano manages several major clients, providing ongoing strategic and market advice and leading projects in strategic planning, market entry analysis and planning, sales/distribution, business modeling, brand repositioning and international opportunity assessment. He has spoken at many beverage industry events and is a contributing editor at Beverage World magazine.
Aaron Keay, Chairman, has been a successful investor, entrepreneur and financier to multiple small cap and startup companies over the last decade. During his time with these companies, he served in advisor, board-member and senior-management roles. His experience ranges across multiple sectors in mining, biotech, health and wellness, tech and cannabis, where he has invested and raised more than $500 million.
The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF)
The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: 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.
The Movie Studio Inc. (OTC: MVES)
The Movie Studio Inc. (OTC: MVES) is a vertically integrated motion picture production company focused on acquiring, developing, producing and distributing independent motion picture content for worldwide consumption via subscription and advertiser video on demand (SVOD/AVOD), over the top (OTT) platforms, foreign sales and various media devices. The company is currently engaged in establishing its own OTT VOD platform to integrate both its own and aggregated feature film projects, television programming and other media intellectual properties. The Movie Studio is disrupting traditional media content delivery systems with its digital business model of motion picture distribution, and the company intends to create a direct server access platform of its content with geo-fractured territories for worldwide distribution.
The company has launched The Movie Studio App on Google Play and the App Store, enabling users to both view the company’s content and potentially become part of it. The app is in the completion stage, and The Movie Studio is conducting its final beta test of the app’s unique “audition submission” function, leveraging the company’s “Watch Our Movies, Be in Our Movies!” content platform and “Everyone’s a Star” campaign, which will be marketed via social media. Using the app, subscribers can upload a thumbnail photo of themselves along with a selfie video audition submission that showcases them reading character dialog. Audition submissions will then be reviewed by producers for possible participation of the auditionee in upcoming feature films.
The audition submission function provides the subscriber the ability to disrupt traditional motion picture casting and management, enabling access to participation in The Movie Studio’s independent motion picture and media content. At the same time, for the company this significantly reduces capital expenditures associated with those traditional media mechanisms. The Movie Studio’s unique business model capitalizes on the global demand for film content through the production and distribution of its own films while also providing opportunities for direct viewer involvement in its content.
The company operates using a growth-by-acquisition strategy that includes:
- Purchasing legacy film libraries.
- Upgrading acquired films to 4K resolution and remonetizing with “new” film content on popular VOD streaming platforms across the internet.
- Strategic partnerships and media content alignment with other OTT platforms and cross-collateralization of leverageable media assets for worldwide distribution.
- Producing micro-budget motion picture content with substantial production value utilizing new 4K technology and the company’s extensive legacy resources and unique production process, thereby significantly reducing capital expenditures while allowing for the potential of significant return on investment (ROI) with one successful production.
- Controlling its revenue streams through server-driven geo-fracturing global territories and its own OTT platform.
Currently, The Movie Studio is producing three upcoming feature films: “Cause and Effect,” “The Last Warhead” and “PEGASUS” — all with completed electronic press kits and pitch decks and fully produced motion picture-quality trailers ready for talent, distribution and financial integration.
The company has been successful in producing, casting and distributing its films on major SVOD platforms without recognizable stars, which reduces capital expenditures. However, The Movie Studio intends to integrate recognizable stars into the productions at value propositions either pre- or post-completion of the intellectual property.
Through successful beta testing, The Movie Studio has monetized film assets on the Amazon, tubi tv, Comcast and Showtime platforms.
The company’s proposed server-based model will provide licensing payment from global territories without third-party distribution fees, which have traditionally been as high as 35%.
Founded in 1961 and formerly known as Destination Television, Inc., the company changed its name to The Movie Studio, Inc. in November 2012. The Movie Studio is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Cord-Cutting Creates Opportunity for VOD Players
Consumers are no longer content waiting for their favorite programming to come on the air – they expect instant streaming access where and how they want it. This has led to increased “cord cutting,” with consumers severing ties with their traditional pay TV providers in favor of digital streaming services.
With the advent of smart TVs with app integration, consumers can now watch what they want to watch when they want to watch it, fracturing traditional cable bundling mechanisms.
With pay TV usage steadily declining – satellite and cable TV businesses in the United States lost approximately 6 million customers in 2019 alone – streaming platforms are poised to potentially replace traditional pay TV distribution models altogether. Approximately 12,000 U.S. consumers are cutting the cord every day.
As this shift in media delivery continues and as digital devices become more sophisticated and bandwidth increases, VOD platforms have the potential to scale significantly. The Hollywood “streaming wars” of recent years have created an environment in which smaller competitors, like The Movie Studio, are able to emerge as major brands.
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.
VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN)
VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN) is a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing and commercializing a new generation of medications that go beyond the standard of care for anxiety, depression and other central nervous system (CNS) disorders.
The company is headquartered in South San Francisco, California, the “Birthplace of Biotechnology,” among the largest cluster of biotechnology companies in the world.
New Generation Medications
VistaGen currently has three innovative CNS drug candidates in its pipeline: PH94B, PH10 and AV-101. With a differentiated mechanism of action and an exceptional safety profile in all clinical studies to date, each of VistaGen’s three drug candidates offers significant commercialization potential in multiple large CNS markets.
PH94B
Fast-acting (10-15 minutes), non-systemic and non-sedating in Phase 2 clinical studies, PH94B is a first-in-class neuroactive nasal spray that, administered in microgram doses, binds to chemosensory receptors in the nasal passage that trigger neural circuits responsible for suppressing fear and anxiety caused by stressful social or performance situations.
PH94B is currently being developed as an acute treatment of anxiety in adults with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). In December 2019, PH94B became the first drug candidate to be granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for development of a treatment for SAD, positioning it to potentially become the first FDA-approved fast-acting acute treatment for adults with the anxiety disorder, if planned Phase 3 studies are successful.
A successful Phase 2 program has been completed, and, after achieving consensus with the FDA in mid-2020 that the design of its Phase 3 studies of PH94B in SAD may mirror the design of the highly statistically significant (p=0.002) Phase 2 public speaking study of PH94B in SAD, the company’s preparations for pivotal Phase 3 clinical development of PH94B are underway.
To support Phase 3 development and commercialization of PH94B for anxiety disorders in large anxiety disorder markets in Asia, VistaGen recently entered into a strategic licensing and collaboration agreement with EverInsight Therapeutics, a company formed and currently funded by a large global venture capital firm, CBC Group. The company received a $5 million non-dilutive upfront license payment from EverInsight in August 2020. If Phase 3 development is successful, VistaGen is eligible to receive additional development and commercial milestone payments of up to $172 million, plus tiered royalties on sales of PH94B in Greater China, South Korea and Southeast Asia. VistaGen retains exclusive rights to develop and commercialize PH94B in all other markets.
VistaGen is also assessing potential Phase 2A clinical development opportunities to evaluate PH94B in a range of other anxiety disorders, including:
- Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Postpartum Anxiety
- Perioperative Anxiety
- Panic Disorder
- PTSD
PH10
PH10 is an investigational fast-acting synthetic neuroactive nasal spray with therapeutic potential in a wide range of neuropsychiatric indications involving depression and suicidal ideation. VistaGen is initially developing PH10 as a potential fast-acting, non-sedating, non-addictive new generation treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).
Upon self-administration, a microgram-level dose of PH10 sprayed into the nose binds to nasal chemosensory receptors that, in turn, activate neural circuits in the brain that lead to rapid-onset antidepressant effects, without side effects, systemic exposure or safety concerns that may be caused by FDA-approved drug treatments for MDD, including oral antidepressants and intranasal esketamine.
In a published exploratory Phase 2A MDD study, PH10 demonstrated rapid-onset and sustained antidepressant effects without the serious psychological side effects and safety concerns of ketamine-based therapy.
Following successfully completed Phase 2A development of PH10 for MDD, the company is currently preparing for a Phase 2B program in MDD.
VistaGen is also assessing the potential for Phase 2A clinical development of PH10 in a range of other depression-related indications, including:
- Postpartum Depression
- Treatment-resistant Depression
- Suicidal Ideation
AV-101
Part of a class of new generation investigational medicine in neurology and neuropsychiatry known as N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) modulators, AV-101 is an oral prodrug of 7-chloro-kynurenic acid (7-Cl-KYNA), a potent and selective NMDAR glycine site antagonist. This drug candidate has the potential to serve as an innovative treatment for MDD and multiple neurological indications where current therapies are unsatisfactory.
VistaGen is currently evaluating AV-101, in combination with FDA-approved probenecid, in a range of neuropsychiatric and neurological indications, with both MDD and Neuropathic Pain already granted Fast Track designation by the FDA. The company is assessing the combination for a potential Phase 1B study to support a potential Phase 2A program in one or more of the following indications:
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Neuropathic Pain
- Levodopa-induced dyskinesia associated with Parkinson’s disease therapy
- Epilepsy
- Suicidal Ideation
CNS Therapeutics Market Outlook
The global CNS therapeutics market is estimated to reach $130 billion by 2025. The market was valued at approximately $82.3 billion in 2017 and is anticipated to grow at a healthy CAGR of more than 5.93% from 2018 to 2025. Even before the onset of the anxiety- and depression-provoking stressors from the COVID-19 pandemic, this growth was expected to be driven by a rise in mental illnesses and increased awareness of psychiatric disorders (https://nnw.fm/K2m0s) – all likely to be amplified by the diverse impacts of the pandemic.
The two most common mental health conditions – anxiety and depression – cost the global economy an estimated $1 trillion each year. The impact of these conditions is particularly devastating among the young. Industry data suggest that approximately 20% of the world’s children and teens are affected by mental health conditions, and suicide is the leading cause of death among 15- to 29-year-olds (https://nnw.fm/oftNb).
VistaGen’s mission is to help address the unmet needs of patients suffering from CNS disorders whose current treatments are either inadequate or generate debilitating side effects and serious safety concerns, including risk of abuse and death.
“Now more than ever, the new generation anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications we are developing at VistaGen – PH94B, PH10 and AV-101 – are relevant, necessary and demand the highly-focused and passionate efforts of our team and partners, with the support of our stockholders, to advance them to patients whose lives are disrupted by anxiety and depression disorders,” VistaGen CEO and Director Shawn K. Singh said in his closing remarks at the company’s 2020 Annual Meeting of stockholders.
Management Team
Shawn K. Singh, J.D. is the Chief Executive Officer and a Director of VistaGen. He has served on the company’s board of directors since 2000. He has nearly 30 years of experience serving in numerous senior management roles across multiple industries, including private and public biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, venture capital, contract research and development, and law. Singh has a B.A. with honors from the University of California – Berkley. He has a J.D. degree from the University of Maryland Carey School of Law. He is also a member of the State Bar of California.
H. Ralph Snodgrass, Ph.D., is the Founder, Chief Scientific Officer and Director of the company. Snodgrass has more than 20 years of experience in the biotechnology field as a senior manager. He is recognized as an expert in stem cell biology, with over 28 years of experience using stem cells as biological research tools to promote development and drug discovery. He received a Ph.D. in immunology from the University of Pennsylvania. Snodgrass has published over 50 scientific papers with more than 17 patents and a number of patent applications.
Mark A. Smith, M.D., Ph.D., is VistaGen’s Chief Medical Officer He has over 20 years of pharmaceutical industry experience, primarily with CNS drug development. Smith has been a successful leader in the discovery and development of approximately 20 investigational new drugs. He has been a part of numerous CNS-related clinical trials. Smith received a bachelor’s and Master of Science from Yale University and a Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy in Physiology and Pharmacology from the University of California – San Diego. He completed his residency in the psychiatry department at Duke University Medical Center.
Jerrold D. Dotson, CPA, is the Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of VistaGen. He has over 25 years of experience in senior management positions in finance and administration at both public and private companies. Dotson is a licensed CPA in California and received his B.S. degree (Cum Laude) in business administration with a concentration in accounting from Abilene Christian College.
Mark A. McPartland is the company’s Vice President of Corporate Development and Investor Relations. He has over 20 years of experience in senior management roles in corporate development and investor relations at both public and private companies. McPartland received his Bachelor’s in business administration and marketing from Coastal Carolina University.
Willow Biosciences Inc. (TSX: WLLW) (OTCQX: CANSF)
Willow Biosciences Inc. (TSX: WLLW) (OTCQX: 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.
Wrap Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: WRAP)
Wrap Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: WRAP) is an innovator of modern policing solutions. The company’s BolaWrap® product is a patented, hand-held remote restraint device that discharges an eight-foot bola style Kevlar® tether to restrain an individual at a range of 10-25 feet. Developed by award-winning inventor Elwood Norris, the company’s chief technology officer, the small-but-powerful BolaWrap assists law enforcement in safely and effectively controlling encounters, especially those involving an individual experiencing a mental crisis.
Non-Lethal Weapons Market Potential
The BolaWrap Remote Restraint device is an innovative police solution, designed to provide law enforcement with a unique mobile and humane restraint option that does not inflict pain and enables subjects to be detained from a distance without the use of force.
In 2015, the 10 cities with the largest police departments in the United States paid out a cumulative $248.7 million in settlements and court judgements in police misconduct cases, marking a 48% increase from the $168.3 million in 2010 (http://nnw.fm/ri0L9). The majority of these cases have centered around the improper use of force by law enforcement when subjugating individuals, with 25% of all fatal shootings by law enforcement in the United States reportedly involving mentally ill individuals who are often incapable of comprehending officer commands (http://nnw.fm/YVm8P). Moreover, the use of alternate devices has failed to produce the desired outcomes, with the use of tasers by police resulting in over 1,080 fatalities since 2000 (http://nnw.fm/2Nb1A).
This, in turn, has led to a greater demand for humane tools which are not reliant on pain compliance to subdue subjects. Since its IPO in December 2017, Wrap Technologies has enjoyed a spectacular rise in prominence. The company began field testing the BolaWrap product in July 2018, with the first international order received only a month later, in August 2018. By December 2018, the company had been uplisted to the Nasdaq Capital Market with over 1,000 shareholders – a significant increase from the 50 shareholders who had participated in the IPO just 12 months prior. Recently, the company has sought to increase its commerciality and product monetization, appointing Tom Smith, the founder of TASER International (now Axon, NASDAQ: AAXN), as its president in March 2019.
At present, over 140 police departments throughout the United States are actively carrying the BolaWrap, while over 1,700 police departments across the nation have reached out to the company to request BolaWrap demonstrations, training and quotes. BolaWrap has also been successfully marketed internationally and has been shipped to 19 countries thus far.
As of today, Wrap Technologies has built a network of 11 distributors across 45 states in the United States who are actively marketing the product to the over 900,000 active police officers in the country. In addition, the company now has a network of 15 international distributors based in 26 countries – with over 600 international requests received thus far for product demonstrations, training and quotes.
As a result and following the opening of its new 11,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Tempe, Arizona, in October 2019, Wrap Technologies announced a 352% year-on-year increase in revenues for 3Q2019 – a testament to the growing popularity of its mobile restraint device.
The company expects its growth to continue as adoption rates of the BolaWrap product increase throughout the United States and globally. According to a study by Stratistics MRC, the addressable global market for non-lethal weapons accounted for $6.32 billion in 2016 and is set to rise to $11.85 billion by 2023.
Product Received to Positive Acclaim
- “An innovation that is changing the world of policing.” – Chief Luther Reynolds, Charleston Police Department
- “Anytime you can have a more humane response to someone in crisis, it’s not only good for the department, it’s good for society.” – Redditt Hudson, Regional Field Director of the NAACP (http://nnw.fm/1STXm)
- “This is going to save lives.” – Chief Ed Hudak, Coral Gables Police Department
- “I see this as one of the great tools if you encounter someone with a mental health crisis.” – Chief Steven Casstevens, Buffalo Grove Police Department
Recently completed $12.4 million financing round
Wrap Technologies announced that it had successfully completed its capital raising round on June 4, 2020, raising $12.4 million through a primary share placement priced at $6.00/share. The net proceeds will be use to further scale engineering, fund product development and provide working capital to meet worldwide demand for BolaWrap products and accessories (http://nnw.fm/byLV7). The company also announced that its founder, Elwood Norris, had chosen to exercise 100,000 outstanding warrants to contribute $500,000 to the capital raising efforts. Following the financing round, Wrap Technologies reported over $30 million in cash on hand.
Management Team
Elwood G. “Woody” Norris, Founder and Chief Technology Officer
Elwood G. “Woody” Norris is an award-winning American inventor and serial entrepreneur and currently serves as chief technology officer for Wrap Technologies Inc. Norris founded and served as a director and president of Parametric Sound Corporation (now Turtle Beach Corporation (NASDAQ:HEAR)) and also served as chief scientist at Turtle Beach. Norris previously founded LRAD Corporation (NASDAQ: LRAD) and, prior to retiring in 2010, was chairman of LRAD Corporation’s board of directors, serving as a technical advisor and product spokesperson. Norris has authored more than 80 U.S. patents, primarily in the fields of electrical and acoustical engineering, and has been a frequent speaker on innovation to corporations and government organizations. He is the inventor of Wrap Technologies’ patented and patent pending BolaWrap® technology.
Scot Cohen, Executive Chairman
Scot Cohen has more than 20 years of experience in institutional asset management, wealth management, and capital markets. Cohen founded and served as principal of the Iroquois Capital Opportunity Fund, a closed-end private equity fund which focused on investments in North American oil and gas. Cohen also co-founded Iroquois Capital, a New York-based hedge fund that managed approximately $300 million across its family of funds. Prior to Iroquois Capital, Cohen founded a merchant bank which actively participated in structured investments in public companies. Cohen is currently active on a number of public and private company boards and is involved with various charitable ventures.
David Norris, Chief Executive Officer
David Norris is an experienced executive who joined Wrap Technologies full-time in January 2018. From April 2014 to December 2017, he served in various executive roles, including president, at privately held loanDepot LLC as it rapidly expanded into the fifth largest mortgage lender in the U.S. loanDepot had 6,000 employees and generated $1 billion in revenue in 2017. Norris also served as CEO of Greenlight Financial, and president of LendingTree Loans. Norris’ career also includes executive and management roles at Toshiba America Information Systems and Qualcomm Personal. Earlier in his career, Norris served as a probation officer in San Diego for five years.
Tom Smith, President
Tom Smith co-founded TASER International (now Axon Enterprise Inc. (NASDAQ: AAXN)) (“TASER”) in 1993 and served as president of TASER until October 2006. He served as chairman of the board of directors of TASER from October 2006 until he retired to pursue entrepreneurial activities in February 2012. Amongst his most significant roles and responsibilities at TASER, Smith managed domestic and international sales, significantly expanding the sale and distribution of TASER’s products, including sales to more than 17,200 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in over 100 countries. In 2012, he founded Achilles Technology Solutions LLC, which, through subsidiary ATS Armor, developed a line of ballistic solutions for law enforcement and military applications. Smith holds a B.S. in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Arizona and an M.B.A. from Northern Arizona University.
Jim Barnes, Chief Financial Officer
Jim Barnes has served as president of Sunrise Capital Inc., a private venture capital and financial and regulatory consulting firm, since 1984. Barnes was chief financial officer of Parametric Sound Corporation (now Turtle Beach Corporation), and also served as vice president administration at Turtle Beach Corporation. Since 1999, Barnes has been manager of Syzygy Licensing LLC, a private technology invention and licensing company he owns with Elwood Norris. Barnes previously practiced as a certified public accountant and management consultant with Ernst & Ernst and Touche Ross & Co., and as a principal in J. McDonald & Co. Ltd. in Phoenix, Arizona.