Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC).

• Flora Growth just announced the production of its first batch of crude oil through its newly constructed facility in Colombia
• The company has also initiated the EU-GMP certification process that will allow it to target international medical cannabis markets
• Flora Growth also announced the appointment of Tim Leslie as Chairman of its newly established Advisory Board
• Mr. Leslie will play a key role in advising the company on how best to navigate the regulatory framework of building a truly global company
• 360 Financial, Inc. announced the purchase of 13,162 Flora Growth shares as of Q4 2021

Flora Growth (NASDAQ: FLGC) set out to increase sales and grow its market share for the 2022 calendar year, intending to assert its position as a leader in the global CBD sector. Barely a month into the new year, it has already achieved some key milestones that only offer a glimpse into the scale at which this company plans to operate for the rest year. Flora Growth’s (NASDAQ: FLGC), a leading all-outdoor cultivator and manufacturer of global cannabis products and brands, has named Derek Pedro, an industry-leading cannabis genetics and cultivation expert, as an advisor. Pedro is recognized as a pioneer in the cannabis industry and has consulted on cannabis genetic and cultivation projects around the world, including Canada, the United States, Latin America, Europe and China. In his role at FLGC, he will focus on developing the company’s current register of high-THC and high-CBD strains. The company hopes to offer cannabis flower offerings that are uniquely Colombian to both domestic and international markets. Flora Growth is committed to increasing its cannabis production, and Pedro’s appointment is seen as a way to support the company’s continued adaptation of proven genetics to the unique Colombian climate at one of the lowest cost bases in the world. With more than three decades of experience, Pedro has developed and cultivated hundreds of strains with more than 50 being commercialized within the legal Canadian market; his high-THC strain, called Pedro’s Sweet Sativa, was named top sativa flower in Canada by King Magazine. “As an internationally recognized industry expert and innovative cultivator, the appointment of Derek Pedro aligns perfectly with our goals to optimize our expanding Cosechemos facility operations and increase our varietal offering of cannabis flowers,” said Flora Growth president and CEO Luis Merchan in the press release. “Mr. Pedro has a well-earned reputation as one of the world’s leading experts on cannabis cultivation, and we are thrilled to have him join us as we develop our growing portfolio of brands and expand our global distribution.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/1mwso

Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) is an internationally focused cannabis brand builder that leverages natural, cost-effective cultivation practices to supply cannabis derivatives to its diverse business divisions, including cosmetics, hemp textiles, and food and beverage. Flora Growth operates one of the largest outdoor cultivation facilities in the world with an aim of marketing a higher-quality premium product at below-market prices. By prioritizing natural ingredients and value-chain sustainability across its portfolio, the company creates premium products that help consumers restore and thrive.

Flora Growth completed the first traditional cannabis IPO on Nasdaq in May 2021. Although currently headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, with plans to relocate its head office to Miami, Florida, the company’s base of operations is in Colombia, where it has built an extensive distribution network that includes Colombia’s largest distributors.

Currently, Flora Growth is organically growing market share for its existing brand portfolio (pharmaceuticals, textiles, cosmetics, and food & beverage) while seeking revenue-generating acquisitions that offer an accretive distribution network to amplify revenue growth.

Existing Brand & Product Portfolio

Flora Growth’s portfolio spans a number of verticals – each with a thoughtful brand designed to resonate with its intended end consumer. In line with the company’s mission, each brand prioritizes natural ingredients and value-chain sustainability.

Flora Lab S.A.S

Flora Lab is the company’s GMP certified manufacturing and R&D center focused on producing pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals for domestic and international markets. Its offerings include product lines that are private label, white-label, and custom formulas.

Through Flora Lab, Flora Growth has relationships with 1,500+ distribution channels, manufactures 63+ OTC products registered with INVIMA (Colombia National Food and Drug Surveillance Institute), and holds multiple GMP certifications enabling international export in an effort to leverage Flora Lab’s capacity to produce a wide range of CBD-infused products.

Flora Beauty

Flora Beauty is the company’s CBD beauty and cosmetics division founded by fashion and beauty industry icon Paulina Vega. Its current offerings include two CBD skincare brands targeting the U.S. and Latin American markets – MIND NATURALS and AWE. These lines exemplify Flora Growth’s socially conscious approach to business.

Currently, Flora Beauty products are offered globally through e-commerce, as well as through Falabella’s 111 retail locations across Latin America. The company is in negotiations with major department stores to launch the line in the U.S. and is also exploring opportunities in the U.K. and other European markets.

KASA Wholefoods

KASA Wholefoods is a Colombian manufacturer of food and beverages leveraging responsibly sourced exotic fruits from the Amazon. KASA has a $10 million+ distribution agreement with Tropi, Colombia’s largest food distributor, which has 130,000+ distribution points across the country.

Mambe, KASA’s leading brand, is already offered through over 980 distribution points across Colombia. Flora Growth expects this network to grow to over 1,200 distribution points in 2021, including one of Colombia’s largest coffee chains, Tostao Café & Pan.

Hemp Textiles & Co.

Through its Hemp Textiles division, Flora Growth intends to utilize its large land package and cultivation infrastructure to capture market share in the rapidly growing hemp industrials segment.

The company’s first brand through this division, Stardog Loungewear, offers a line of comfortable loungewear made from natural, organic materials. Stardog has been distributing globally through e-commerce and brick and mortar channels in Bogota since fall 2020, and the company intends to open U.S. brick and mortar locations in 2021.

Accretive M&A

Flora Growth is targeting transactions to complete the supply chain via key infrastructure to enhance its global distribution with the aim to compete on low-cost, high-quality inputs paired with premium brands that create business lines with robust margins.

To date, Flora has announced two major transactions.

Koch & Gsell (Acquisition)

• Amplify CPG portfolio’s revenue growth through leading brand, Heimat, currently with TTM revenues of $7.6 million.
• Leverage Koch &Gsell’s distribution network of 2,500+ stores to introduce Flora to the Swiss, European and Asian markets.
• Bring patented hemp cigarette manufacturing technology into new markets utilizing Flora’s high-quality cannabis.

Hoshi International (Investment)

• Equity Investment of €2 million into Hoshi to establish Flora as a preferred supplier to two EU processing facilities.
• Opens gateway for Flora Growth’s cannabis through international distribution agreements in the EU and U.K.
• Hoshi’s experienced team and increased access to the EU cannabis market to serve as a catalyst for revenue growth.

Cultivation

Key to Flora Growth’s expansion efforts is its cultivation strategy. The company’s Cosechemos farm, located in Bucaramanga, Colombia, is currently licensed to cultivate 247 acres of cannabis. Through three successful pilot crop plantings, the location has demonstrated a production cost of just $0.06/gram. For comparison, the average cost of North American cannabis (based on 2019 figures from Aphria, Tilray, Sundial, and Aurora) equates to roughly $1.89/gram.
Flora Growth is uniquely positioned to capitalize on Colombia’s favorable growing conditions, low-cost infrastructure, and affordable local workforce as it looks to ramp up its cultivation efforts moving forward.

Leadership Team

Bernard Wilson is the Chairman of Flora Growth. A senior financial professional, Dr. Wilson is the former Vice-Chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and is the Chairman of the Founders Board of the Institute of Corporate Directors. He has also served as Chairman of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce; Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce – Canada; and Member of the Canada/U.S. Trade Committee. Dr. Wilson draws on this experience to ensure Flora Growth adheres to effective corporate governance practices.

Luis Merchan is the company’s President and CEO. He is a proven executive with over a decade of experience in enterprise sales management, corporate strategy, merchandising and expense management, and customer experience. Mr. Merchan previously served as Macy’s Inc.’s Vice President of Workforce Strategy and Operations, where he managed the enterprise’s multi-billion-dollar P&L expense line for the entire 540 store portfolio. Throughout his tenure at Macy’s, he led various sales and marketing initiatives, including the B2B corporate sales team that was responsible for $160 million in annual revenue. Mr. Merchan obtained his Bachelor of Industrial Engineering from Pontifical Xaverian University in Bogota, Colombia, and his MBA from McNeese State University. He also holds a Graduate Certificate in Marketing Management from Harvard.

Juan Manuel Galan is a Strategic Advisor to the Flora Growth management team. Mr. Galan currently serves as a senior consultant to The World Bank. He is a politician and former senator of Colombia, serving three terms from 2006 to 2018 as a member of the Colombian Liberal Party. He is also a former professor at the University of Rosario and holds more than 20 years of journalistic, academic, governmental and parliamentary experience. During his time as a senator, Mr. Galan was a key leader, with 29 bills and 27 debates on political control, and 17 laws to his name. The most relevant of those laws was authoring the medical cannabis law that resulted in the legalization of medical cannabis in Colombia.

Stan Bharti is a Director of Flora Growth. Mr. Bharti currently serves as Executive Chairman of Forbes & Manhattan. He has more than 30 years of professional experience in business, finance, markets, operations and more, with a focus on the resource and technology sectors. To date, Mr. Bharti has amassed over $3 billion worth of investment capital for the companies with which he has worked and their shareholders. He is a Professional Mining Engineer and holds a master’s degree in engineering from Moscow, Russia, and University of London, England.

Javier Franco is the company’s VP of Agriculture. Mr. Franco is a master horticulturist with more than 25 years of experience in the design, implementation, and management of cultivation and propagation facilities of more than 30 species of cut flowers in Latin America. He completed his agricultural studies at Zamorano University in Honduras and later at an International Exchange Program at Ohio State University. Mr. Franco has directed technical, commercial, and research groups in the cut flower, fruit and vegetable markets in Latin America and has participated in the commercial development of new technologies applied in agribusiness. He has also led the agri-management of organic crops and certifications of Good Agricultural Practices.

Flora Growth Corp. (FLGC), closed Monday's trading session at $1.665, up 14.8276%, on 1,303,437 volume with 6,757 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1.303M and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.31/$21.45.

Recent News

• Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) Appoints Renowned Genetics, Cultivation Expert as Advisor
• Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) Kicks off 2022 with Successful First Cannabis Extraction at new Colombia Facility, the Appointment of Tim Leslie as Advisory Board Chairman, and 360 Financial Inc.'s FLGC stock purchase
• 420 with CNW - Voters Could Decide on Marijuana Measures in 2022 in These States

Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC: SGMD)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC: SGMD).

Sugarmade (OTC: SGMD), an emerging leader in the licensed cannabis sector, today announced its entry into a binding letter of intent (“LOI”) with GenCann Inc., the exclusive licensor for a set of cannabis chemovars particularly rich in the cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabivarin (“THC-V”) (the “GenCann Chemovars”). Under the terms of the LOI, Sugarmade and its licensed cannabis cultivator partners will be granted a five-year license to cultivate what the company believes to be some of the highest THC-V-containing strains in existence. Sugarmade and GenCann plan to begin immediate clone production, upon the signing of the final agreement, with a cultivation program beginning in Lake County, California, this spring. “While THC-V is sometimes referred to as a ‘rare cannabinoid,’ we believe the term no longer applies relative to our planned cultivation effort using GenCann’s Chemovars,” said Jimmy Chan, CEO of Sugarmade. “The test results from certified California laboratories of these chemovars are certainly impressive, with THC-V yields in flower of up to 8%. We think the GenCann Chemovars are a game-changer in the cannabinoid space. Sugarmade plans to make a substantial commitment to bring products based on THC-V to the California market and perhaps to other states in the future. Stay tuned for our upcoming product plan announcements.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/1385F

Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC: SGMD) is a product and brand marketing company investing in operations and technologies with disruptive potential. The company is focused on collaborating with real people in real-time to identify the emerging desires and behaviors poised to unlock new opportunities and pathways for growth. Sugarmade seeks to redefine the marketplace by nurturing an innovative and compelling relationship between brand, botany and business – resulting in both undeniable consumer value and an intriguing cross-pollination of revenue sources.

The company’s core strategic plan is centered on expanding its end-market access as a central player in the growing California cannabis delivery marketplace while developing its in-house cannabis production capacity to verticalize operations in the space. Through a combination of organic growth and strategic acquisitions, Sugarmade intends to develop a full farm-to-door vertically integrated cannabis business.

Brand Portfolio

Sugarmade has investments in a number of subsidiaries with active operations in the California cannabis sector. These include:

• NUG Avenue – Sugarmade owns a 70% stake in NUG Avenue, a cannabis delivery service based in Southern California providing hand-selected top-shelf products from Stiiizy, Kanha, PlugPlay and more.
• BudCars – Sugarmade is an investor in cannabis delivery service of BudCars’ first operating location in Sacramento, California. BudCars is an online-shopping experience designed to provide new customers with an easy way to discover and order cannabis products within minutes.

Acquisition of Lemon Glow Company

On May 17, 2021, Sugarmade took a major step toward closing the loop on what its management team believes to be one of the most promising vertically integrated cannabis models in the thriving California market when it announced the signing of a definitive agreement for its acquisition of Lemon Glow Company Inc.

The Lemon Glow acquisition includes 640 acres of property, 32 of which have already been designated for outdoor cannabis cultivation. Per the company’s news release, the annual potential cultivation yield at the property is estimated to be approximately 4,000 pounds of dry trimmed cannabis flower per acre per year, which represents approximately 128,000 pounds, or 64 tons, of dry trimmed cannabis flower per year in total.

Notably, Sugarmade also benefits from the acquisition in terms of team capital, as Lemon Glow executive team members will stay on and become the core management team at the cannabis cultivation site, granting the operation over 30 years of cannabis cultivation experience.

“The Lemon Glow team are tremendous additions to the Sugarmade team,” Jimmy Chan, CEO of Sugarmade, commented in announcing the definitive agreement. “They have vast experience and established skills, as well as intricate knowledge of the property and its local grow context. That’s an enormous added value proposition in this deal. We look forward to bringing them on board, ramping up operations at the property, and taking key steps toward delivering on the promise of Sugarmade’s farm-to-door vision.”

Market Opportunity

The California cannabis industry has continued to record tremendous growth since voters approved a measure to legalize recreational use of the plant in 2016. According to data from MJBizDaily, California’s legal market hit $4.4 billion in sales in 2020, up from $2.8 billion in 2019 and $1.4 billion in 2018.

Those figures highlight California’s status as the largest legal cannabis market in the world. With roughly 28 million residents over the age of 21, California is more than twice the combined size of the four states (Arizona, New Jersey, Montana and North Dakota) that legalized cannabis in 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a key driver in the growth of cannabis delivery services throughout the state in 2020. One California cannabis delivery firm reported a 60% increase in new delivery customer sign-ups in the 30 days following the March 13, 2020, declaration of a national emergency. As a result of this boom, tech companies in cannabis ecommerce were able to dramatically increase their market share.
Sugarmade’s continued efforts to develop a farm-to-door vertically integrated cannabis business position it to capitalize on these trends as the California cannabis industry continues to expand moving forward.

Management

Jimmy Chan is the CEO of Sugarmade. He is an experienced business executive instrumental in growing multiple business operations with a strong expertise in international trade and banking, 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.

Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC: SGMD), closed Monday's trading session at $0.0009, even for the day, on 123,461,836 volume with 269 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 123.462M and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0007/$0.02.

Recent News

• Sugarmade Inc. (OTC: SGMD) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Sugarmade Inc. (SGMD) Moves to Enter Rare Cannabinoid Market Through License Agreement for Patented THC-V-Rich Chemovars
• CannabisNewsBreaks - Sugarmade Inc. (SGMD) Further Verticalizing Model to Drive Shareholder Value Through Margin Gains
• CannabisNewsBreaks - Sugarmade Inc. (SGMD) Verticalizing Operations, Expanding End-Market Access in California Cannabis Delivery Marketplace

Growth Capital Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: GCAC)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Growth Capital Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: GCAC).

Growth Capital Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: GCAC), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, and its upcoming merger with Cepton Technologies Inc., a Silicon Valley innovator and leader in high performance MMT(R) lidar solutions, will be the focus of a virtual investor day event. The event is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022, at 12 p.m. ET. The event will be hosted by Cepton management and will include a discussion about recent industry trends as well as an update regarding the pending transaction. The webinar will be broadcast live with a replay available on the company website following the event. The two companies entered into a definitive merger agreement in August 2021 that expected to close in Q1 2022; the combined company will be named Cepton Inc., with the expectation that shares will be traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker symbol CPTN. Cepton has developed a patented Micro Motion Technology, known as MMT(R), which is designed take lidar mainstream and achieve a balanced approach to performance, cost and reliability while enabling scalable and intelligent 3D perception solutions across industries. To view the event, visit https://ibn.fm/tNsuM. To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/hfhF1

Growth Capital Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: GCAC), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company listed on February 2, 2021, with $172.5 million in Trust, and Cepton Technologies Inc., a Silicon Valley innovator and leader in high performance MMT® lidar solutions, on August 5, 2021, announced their entry into a definitive business combination agreement. Upon closing of the transaction, the combined company will be renamed ‘Cepton Inc.’ and is expected to be listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange under new ticker symbol ‘CPTN’.

The proposed business combination, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of Cepton and Growth Capital, is expected to be completed early in the first quarter of 2022, subject to, among other things, approval by Growth Capital’s stockholders, satisfaction of the conditions stated in the definitive agreement and other customary closing conditions.

Cepton Technologies Inc. is a provider of state-of-the-art, intelligent, lidar-based solutions serving a range of markets, including automotive (ADAS/AV), smart cities, smart spaces and smart industrial applications. General Motors (NYSE:GM) has granted a series production award for Cepton’s lidar, the biggest such award to date in the automotive space. Cepton’s is the lidar component of GM’s Ultra Cruise autonomous driving platform. By leveraging its patented Micro Motion Technology (MMT®) lidar platform, the company develops reliable, scalable and cost-effective solutions that deliver long-range, high-resolution 3D perception for smart applications.

Cepton was established in 2016 by co-founders Dr. Jun Pei and Dr. Mark McCord. The company is headquartered in San Jose, California, and serves a fast-growing customer base through an international presence spanning North America, Germany, Japan, India and China.

Micro Motion Technology (MMT®)

Cepton was built from the ground up to meet key lidar industry challenges for mass market adoption. This company’s portfolio of proprietary technology is uniquely aimed at facilitating this industry growth through a combination of performance, reliability, affordability and design integration.

Key among its innovations is MMT®, a mirrorless, frictionless, rotation-free 3D imaging platform designed specifically for lidars. Its benefits for OEMs and system integrators include:

• Reliability – The durable design uses common, easily attainable materials.
• Versatility – The platform is capable of achieving near- to ultra-long range with a wide field of view.
• Efficiency – MMT® features a compact form factor, low power usage and inexpensive components.
• Scalability – Its simple design means that scale-up to high manufacturing volumes is easily attainable.

Because of their compact form factor, Cepton lidars are embeddable and ideally suited for advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) integration, whether behind windshield, in headlamp or in fascia.

Agreement with KOITO

KOITO Manufacturing Co. Ltd., the world’s premier Tier 1 auto lighting supplier, originally started an evaluation of Cepton’s MMT® based lidars in 2018. In 2020, KOITO made an investment in Cepton aimed at accelerating the company’s development and enabling KOITO’s industrialization of high-performance and high reliability lidar sensors for ADAS and autonomous vehicle (AV) applications.

Through this collaboration, Cepton was able to secure the largest ADAS lidar series production award[1] with General Motors as a sole source in the automotive space. The award covers GM vehicles for the initial period of 2023-2027.

On August 5, 2021, the two companies deepened their relationship when KOITO committed to invest a further $50 million in Cepton’s business through its participation in a Private Investment in Public Equity (PIPE) offering of shares of common stock of Growth Capital Acquisition Corp. in connection with Cepton’s proposed merger.

Collaboration with GM

On July 13, 2021, Cepton announced that it had secured an ADAS lidar series production award from a leading, Detroit-based global automotive OEM – the biggest lidar production award by any OEM to any lidar company. It was later clarified that the OEM was General Motors, and Cepton’s lidar is part of GM’s ADAS Ultra Cruise system.

GM is “expected to deploy Cepton lidars in its next generation of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) across multiple vehicle classes and models – not just luxury cars.” As such, the agreement marks the potential for “an industry-first, mass-market adoption of lidar technology for automotive ADAS, with an anticipated deployment in consumer vehicles starting in 2023.”

On July 28, 2021, Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) distributed an article on Medium noting, “Ford has been engaged with Cepton almost since their inception in 2016, both for R&D collaboration and small-scale deployments. Cepton LiDAR are deployed in some of [Ford’s] smart city projects. Based on Ford’s guidance, Cepton delivered a custom version of their LiDAR to enable R&D on advanced ADAS features.”

Market Outlook

Driven by increasing development and adoption in automobile safety applications, environmental mapping and 3D-modeling, the global lidar market is forecast to experience considerable growth over the coming years. A research report published by MarketsAndMarkets suggests that the sector will grow to an estimated $3.4 billion by 2026, achieving a CAGR of 21.6% over the next five years.

The report further highlights increasing investments in lidar startups by automotive giants as a driver of growth opportunities in the sector, particularly in North America.

In 2020, ground-based lidar accounted for the lion’s share of the overall lidar market, and this trend is expected to continue as the automotive sector continues to rapidly advance adoption across the full spectrum of vehicle classes. One factor not to be underestimated is the high barrier of entry and the exceptionally long time required for automotive OEMs to vet and award a production win to a lidar company. It is a commonly held view that the over 50 lidar companies will inevitably coalesce into a handful serving all OEMs.

Cepton, having a head start through its established partnership with leading global OEM GM, is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this market growth in the years to come.

Management Team

Cepton’s founder-led team is made up of lidar industry pioneers with decades of collective experience across advanced lidar and imaging technologies.

Jun Pei, Ph.D., is the company’s CEO and Co-Founder. He is a technology specialist with a focus in optics and electronics. Prior to founding Cepton, Dr. Pei founded AEP Technology, a firm focused on developing advanced 3D optical instruments. He received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Stanford University.

Mark McCord, Ph.D., is Cepton’s CTO and Co-Founder. Prior to founding Cepton, he led advanced development at KLA-Tencor. Dr. McCord also formerly served as an associate professor at Stanford University, where he earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering.

Winston Fu, Ph.D., is the company’s CFO. Dr. Fu is the founder of Silicon Valley venture capital firm LDV Partners. Prior to joining Cepton, he served as CFO and Chairman of Active-Semi before its acquisition. Dr. Fu has also helped to build many technology companies as an entrepreneur and/or board member. He received his Ph.D. in applied physics from Stanford University, as well as an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

[1] Largest known ADAS lidar series production award based on number of vehicle models awarded

Growth Capital Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: GCAC), closed Monday's trading session at $9.94, off by 0.200803%, on 35,712 volume with 201 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 35,712 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $9.55/$9.99.

Recent News

• Growth Capital Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: GCAC) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Growth Capital Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: GCAC), Cepton Technologies Inc. Merger to Be Discussed at Upcoming Investor Day
• Growth Capital Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: GCAC), Cepton Technologies Planning Move to Go Public
• Mapping the Future of Autonomous Vehicles Goes Right Through a SPAC

Save Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: SVFD)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Save Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: SVFD).

Save Foods (NASDAQ: SVFD), an agri-food tech company specializing in eco crop protection designed to reduce food waste and ensure food safety, has completed several successful trials with Galilee Export, the second largest exporter of fruit and vegetables in Israel. As a result of the trials, effective immediately Galilee Export will be requiring all its bell pepper suppliers to use Save Foods' treatment; Galilee Export noted that it plans to start using the treatments on avocados as well. According to the announcement, Galilee Export has been evaluating Save Foods’ treatment for several months and has seen a reduction in decay and food waste as well as an improvement regarding the firmness of peppers. The company is hoping to extend its market reach to countries with stricter pesticide regulations as well as evaluate using the treatment on other fruits and vegetables. “Our products address two of the major challenges of the food industry — food waste and loss reduction,” said Safe Foods CEO Dan Sztybel in the press release. “Packing houses around the world are facing new challenges, such as keeping produce fresh throughout the often long transportation and distribution process, and maintaining quality and shelf life with significantly reduced pesticide levels. Many major packing houses are currently carrying out trials on our products. We are looking forward to working with Galilee Export and are confident that we will be adding more major clients to our portfolio soon.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/3mSzO

Save Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: SVFD) is an agri-food tech company focused on developing and selling eco-friendly products specifically designed to ensure food safety and extend the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables. The company is focused on addressing two of the most significant challenges faced by the industry: (1) food waste and loss, and (2) food safety.

Fungi like mold and yeast, as well as foodborne pathogens, are typically responsible for fresh produce spoilage and foodborne illness. Save Foods’ integrated solutions improve safety, freshness and quality every step of the way, from field to fork. The company’s natural products control human and plant pathogens, allowing growers, packers and food retailers to reduce waste and boost revenues. More food ends up on consumers’ plates, and less ends up in landfills.

Save Foods’ products use all-natural ingredients to protect fresh produce from microbial spoilage and pathogens with zero toxicity. The company’s treatments leave no harmful residues on produce or in the environment and maintain product freshness over time. Fresh produce treated with Save Foods’ products can already be found in supermarket chains across the U.S. and Europe. Those chains have reported that the company’s products are reducing fruit spoilage by 50% on average at the retail level. With no need for additional steps in the treatment process nor special equipment, Save Foods’ products are easy to implement and come in versatile applications suitable for the different stakeholders along the food supply chain.

Initial applications for the company’s offerings include post-harvest treatments in fruit and vegetable packing houses that process citrus, avocados, pears, bell peppers and mangos. By controlling and preventing pathogen contamination and significantly reducing the use of chemicals and their residues, Save Foods’ products not only prolong shelf life; they also ensure safe, natural and healthy food. Save Foods has the first green products that could realistically replace the different chemicals used today in food treatment while controlling waste and food safety.

Products & Technology

• SavePROTECT or PeroStar, a processing aid added to fruit and vegetable wash water and used in post-harvest treatment;
• SF3HS and SF3H, post-harvest treartment solutions to control both plant and foodborne pathogens;
• SpuDefender, for controlling post-harvest potato sprouts; and
• FreshPROTECT, for controlling spoilage microorganisms on post-harvest citrus.

Save Foods’ products are based on a proprietary blend of food acids which have a synergistic effect when combined with certain types of sanitizers and fungicides at low concentrations in a non-organic setting. The combination eliminates fungicide residues or reduces them to levels below the established Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs). The company’s fruit and vegetable wash is odorless and does not irritate human eyes, skin or airways. Save Foods’ blend does not leave any residues of toxicological concern on the treated surface of produce, and all its ingredients are classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). There are 7 patent families related to Save Foods’ technology.

Applications

The company’s products have been commercially validated on citrus, mangos, avocados, pears, bell peppers, microgreens and various fresh cut vegetables. Save Foods is in the validation process for bananas, apples, figs, berries, lettuce, papayas and more. The company is also validating the efficacy of its products for pre-harvest treatment, starting with citrus trees.

Market Outlook

The world population is expected to grow to almost 10 billion by 2050, boosting current agricultural demand by some 50%. Providing healthy and safe food for the world’s population is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century.

Globally, around 664 million tons of fresh fruits and vegetables are lost every year from field to fork, wasted by spoilage, and almost one in 10 people globally falls ill every year from eating contaminated food, with an estimated resulting cost around $90 billion.

Disposing of all that wasted food requires additional expense and harms the environment with resulting greenhouse gas emissions. The post-harvest food treatment market was valued at $1.5 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow to $2.3 billion by 2026, achieving a CAGR of 6.5%.

Management Team

David Palach is CEO of Save Foods. He spent over a decade with Intel Israel, where his last position was Manager of Business Development for Israel and Europe. Prior to that, he served as a controller of two of Intel’s largest factories in Israel, where he supervised a budget of over $1 billion. He also served as the CEO of B-Pure Corporation Ltd., a management and maintenance company involved in protecting and improving the environment. During his tenure, he helped turn around several struggling subsidiaries and made them profitable.

Vered Raz Avayo is the company’s CFO. Before joining SaveFoods in 2018, she spent more than 10 years as CFO at LGC, the Leviev Group of Companies. She has operated her own financial and business consultancy and has served as a director for a number of public companies in Israel.

Dan Sztybel is CEO of SaveFoods Ltd., the Israeli subsidiary of Save Foods Inc. He previously led the Life Sciences Advisory at EY Israel and early on recognized the potential of Israel as a center of innovation in the digital health space. He has been an adviser on digital health strategy to large pharmaceutical companies and is a cofounder of MyndYou, a digital health start-up focusing on cognitive impairment. He is also a co-founder of the DigitalHealth.il conference, the largest digital health conference in Israel.

Dr. Neta Matis is Vice President of R&D at Save Foods Ltd the Israeli subsidiary of Save Foods Inc . She holds a Ph.D. in organic chemistry and an MBA from Tel Aviv University. Prior to joining Save Foods in 2019, she held multiple research chemist and product development roles at Verdia Inc. and its parent company, Helsinki-based Stora Enso Oyj.

Nimrod Ben Yehuda is the founder and CTO of Save Foods Ltd. He was previously the CEO/CTO of Swissteril Water Purifications Ltd. He has also been CEO at Nir Ecology Ltd., and was Joint-CEO at NitroJet Ltd.

Dr. Art Dawson is the U.S. Business Manager for SaveFoods Inc. He has been president of The Dawson Company, which focuses on creating sales opportunities for new agricultural technologies, previously Dr. Dawson held senior industry positions like General Manager Worldwide of the Decco , the Post Harvest Division for Elf Atochem. He holds a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from UC Riverside and is licensed in California as an agricultural Pest Control Advisor.

Save Foods Inc. (SVFD), closed Monday's trading session at $4.62, off by 11.1538%, on 924,810 volume with 4,405 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 919,316 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $3.67/$30.10.

Recent News

• Save Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: SVFD) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Save Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: SVFD) Announces Partnership with Israel's Second Largest Exporter of Fresh Produce
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Save Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: SVFD) Appoints New CMO, Positions for Growth on the Global Stage
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Save Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: SVFD) Enters Distribution Agreement to Address Contamination in Cannabis Products

Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD).

• Nemaura Medical is a medical technology company focused on developing non-invasive wearable diagnostic devices
• The company recently announced the rollout of its Miboko application by targeting insurers and employers
• In 2019, over $760 billion was spent on diabetes-related health care, equating to $9,000 per diabetic patient compared to $1,600 for a non-diabetic individual
• The Miboko application provides users with an efficient and accurate means of tracking their day-to-day glycaemic levels, a key determinant of overall metabolic health

Nemaura Medical (NASDAQ: NMRD), a medical technology company focused on developing and commercializing non-invasive wearable diagnostic devices and supporting personalized lifestyle coaching programs, announced that it would launch Miboko, the company's new metabolic health program using a non-invasive glucose sensor, for the use of employers and insurers worldwide. Nemaura Medical aims to promote the broad penetration and adoption of the Miboko device as a form of preventative medicine for a broad user base. The company opts to pursue the above commercial distribution channels to ensure the device's successful rollout and adoption (https://ibn.fm/Yd5xE).

Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD) is a medical technology company developing affordable diagnostic and digital tools for chronic disease management. Its flagship product, sugarBEAT®, is a wearable, non-invasive and flexible Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) designed to help people with diabetes and prediabetes manage their glucose levels. Insulin users can adjunctively use sugarBEAT when calibrated with a finger-stick glucose reading.

sugarBEAT consists of a daily disposable adhesive skin patch connected to a rechargeable transmitter with a smartphone app displaying glucose readings at five-minute intervals for periods of up to 24 hours. One of the great advantages of the product, apart from the fact that users no longer need to draw blood samples or prick their fingers, is that a person can wear the CGM patch on whatever day they choose. Existing CGM devices must be implanted under the skin. Wearable disposability is a unique feature of sugarBEAT and a world first, opening up vast potential for changing the way people manage their chronic disease conditions. sugarBEAT received CE mark clearance in May 2019, allowing it to be marketed and sold within the European Union as a Class 2b Medical Device. The company submitted a premarket approval (PMA) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2020 which is currently under review.

Founded in 2011, Nemaura set out to develop a single platform technology to measure blood markers at the surface of the skin. Since then, the company has evolved with the creation of wearable technologies and digital health care solutions that encourage and empower people to take charge of their own health and well-being. Nemaura’s skin surface blood monitoring technology has allowed the company to create additional products, which are in the pipeline, such as Lactate Monitoring.

Technologies

Digital Solutions for Weight Loss and Potential Reversal of Type 2 Diabetes

This is a digital program that comes with more than a decade of clinical evidence demonstrating excellent efficacy. The company has combined this with its glucose-monitoring platform to bring a product to market to help people with diabetes manage their condition and potentially reverse Type 2 diabetes.

Glucose Monitoring Solutions for Diabetes Prevention and Reversal

Over 420 million people worldwide are living with diabetes, and prediabetes cases total almost three times that number. Undoubtedly, diabetes is an urgent global health crisis. Combining clinical research with patient-friendly technology, Nemaura’s sugarBEAT product delivers a non-invasive, affordable and flexible method of blood glucose tracking for improved diabetes management.

Continuous Lactate Monitoring for Athletic Performance (Non-Medical)

Lactic acid is a key performance indicator for the body and a guide to how well muscles react to long term exertion and recovery. Well-trained athletes and those who regularly engage in sports are very efficient at faster lactate ‘recycling’ for extra energy (ATP). Nemaura expects to launch its lactate sensor to the sports and personal training market in 2022.

Continuous Lactate Monitoring in Disease State (Medical)

An increase in blood lactate levels is also a marker of critical disease states. Recent publications have indicated the presence of elevated lactate levels in patients with COVID-19 infection. Nemaura has developed a lactate sensor that is being integrated into the company’s platform, which will be submitted for regulatory clearance upon completion of requisite clinical studies.

Continuous Temperature Monitoring for Viral Infection Detection and Disease Progression

A person’s body temperature says a lot about their health. Several diseases, including COVID-19, are characterized by an increase in body temperature, so temperature monitoring is a vital tool in the detection, diagnosis and prevention of the spread of disease. Nemaura is expecting to submit this adaptation of the device for regulatory clearance in 2022.

Market Opportunity

Obesity and diabetes are two of the major drivers of the current chronic disease epidemic. According to the International Diabetes Federation, there are more than 463 million people living with diabetes worldwide. In the U.S., about 28,000 people are diagnosed with diabetes every week, and more than 34 million suffer from diabetes. Another 88 million Americans have prediabetes. Other industrialized countries show similar numbers based on their populations. In the U.K., 4.8 million people have diabetes, with another diagnosed every two minutes. In Germany, 9.5 million have diabetes, with almost half estimated to be undiagnosed and so at greater risk.

On average, employers and insurers spend more than $9,000 annually on health care for an employee with diabetes, compared to $1,600 annually for a healthy employee. In the U.S. alone, more than $760 billion was spent on diabetes-related health care expenditures during 2019. Nemaura is positioned at the intersection of the global Type 2 diabetes market that is expected to reach nearly $59 billion by 2025, the $50-plus billion prediabetic market, and the wearable health-tech sector for weight loss and wellness applications forecast to hit $60 billion by 2023.

Management Team

Dr. Faz Chowdhury has been CEO and chairman of the board of Nemaura Medical since 2013. He has more than 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and medical devices industry, taking products from concept to commercial launch. He is sole inventor on more than 100 granted and pending patents and has authored textbook chapters on nano-biosciences for Wiley and Elsevier. He holds a master’s degree in microsystems and nanotechnology from Cranfield University, and a doctorate from the University of Oxford in nano-medicine and drug delivery.

Justin Mclarney is CFO at Nemaura. He most recently was the Senior Director, International Finance at Lands’ End Inc. He also worked for Office Depot as Senior Director of Finance for the largest business unit within the European group. Prior to that, he spent more than 10 years in practice, the majority of which was with Ernst & Young LLP.

Dr. Fred Schaebsdau is Vice President of Strategy & Strategic Alliances at Nemaura. He has more than 15 years of executive experience in the CGM, blood glucose monitoring and insulin delivery industries, including time with Abbott Diabetes Care, as General Manager of Dexcom Germany and at Roche Diabetes Care, where he was Senior Vice-President, Head of Global Strategy and Business Development. The firm he founded is the exclusive distributor in Europe, the Middle East and Africa of UniStrip®, the world’s first generic blood glucose test strip. He is licensed to practice medicine in the U.S. and Germany.

David Scott is Director of Commercial Development and Licensing at Nemaura. He is a trained chemist with over 35 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including deal brokering, marketing, strategic planning, finance, business development and acquisitions. He has also provided licensing training for a number of multinational pharma companies and training organizations and is the author of best-selling report Scrip’s Practical Guide to Pharmaceutical Licensing.

Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD), closed Monday's trading session at $3.95, off by 6.8396%, on 53,080 volume with 248 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 53,052 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $3.57/$17.40.

Recent News

• Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD) - Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD) Commence Rollout of Their Miboko Application; Company Targets Employers & Insurers to Ensure Broad Commercial Distribution
• Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD) Firmly Positioned in Growing Diabetes Tech Market With Recent CGM Shipment to UK Licensee
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD) Launches Miboko - a New Metabolic Health Program

Red White & Bloom Brands Inc. (CSE: RWB) (OTCQX: RWBYF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Red White & Bloom Brands Inc. (OTCQX: RWBYF).

Operating in the legal cannabis space is no mean feat. Due to the plant’s federal status as a controlled substance, marijuana businesses have to deal with a lot of issues that players in other industries don’t even have to think of. For starters, most banks refuse to work with marijuana businesses in fear of federal reprisals, forcing the businesses to operate on a largely cash-only basis. This makes accounting and filing taxes extremely cumbersome and makes the business prime targets for criminals. For quite a while, industry stakeholders have argued for some kind of policy or regulation that would allow these companies access banking services. The only lawmaker who heeded the call was Rep. Ed Perlmutter, who introduced the Secure and Fair Enforcement (“SAFE”) Banking Act to the House of Representatives in March 2019. The legislation would prohibit federal banking regulators from penalizing banks that provided financial services to legal cannabis businesses. Despite the potential benefits it could provide to the industry, the SAFE Banking Act did not gain the traction it needed to advance. He plans on playing a major role in helping to establish cannabis banking and hopes legislators will be able to get the bill through the senate and onto the president’s desk by the end of the year. If this law were to be enacted, cannabis sector players such as Red White & Bloom Brands Inc. (CSE: RWB) (OTCQX: RWBYF) would have one less regulatory hurdle to face in their bid to expand their operations and address the needs of more consumers.

Red White & Bloom Brands Inc. (CSE: RWB) (OTCQX: RWBYF) is a torchbearer blazing a new frontier in American cannabis by adhering to the highest ethical, manufacturing, educational, branding and employment standards available in the industry.

Red White & Bloom is a super state operator, leveraging a sizable footprint to dominate the areas in which it operates. CEO Brad Rogers and other management members have seen the struggles of multi-state operators who have spread themselves too thin, which is why Red White & Bloom is intent on dominating each state it enters before expanding further.

Although targeting individual states in the United States, the company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Red White & Bloom was established after privately held MichiCann Medical Inc. merged with publicly traded Tidal Royalty in 2019.

Brands

Red White & Bloom has entered strategic brand acquisitions and partnerships aimed at helping the company expand its presence and position as one of the largest players in the United States cannabis market. Red White & Bloom is always diligently searching for brands to acquire that will provide additional value to the company and expand its national footprint.

The company’s current brand portfolio includes:

• Platinum Premium Cannabis Products (PV): Platinum uses innovative thinking, honesty and responsibility to remain at the forefront of the cannabis industry. PV holds itself and its partners to the highest standards, providing clean and safe CBD and THC products. In the company’s press release dated January 13, 2021, it reported system-wide sales of Platinum-branded products exceeding $2.8 million for the first week of January alone.
• High Times®: In June 2020, the company acquired the licensing rights and branding of High Times dispensaries and High Times cannabis-based CBD and THC products in Michigan, Illinois and Florida. The company also acquired branding of High Times hemp derived CBD products nationally in the United States carrying the Culture® brand.
• Mid-American Growers: Mid-American began as a family operation in 1971 in Granville, Illinois. The original 8-acre greenhouse has expanded to a 3.6-million-square-foot, state-of-the-art technology and science facility under glass. Mid-American’s product offerings include its CBD Icy Relief Salve, CBD Icy Relief Roll-on and CBD Gummies.

Retail Focus

Red White & Bloom is working to establish a significant retail presence across multiple jurisdictions. In Michigan, the company is invested in and has the rights to acquire (subject to regulatory approvals) a licensed operator that controls the assets of 18 dispensary locations throughout the state. Red White & Bloom is also pursuing opportunities in Florida aimed at making its proposed retail footprint compelling and attractive to the majority of cannabis consumers within each state.

Cultivation

Red White & Bloom is focused on standardization and quality, with everything guided by a relentless commitment to the highest standards. The company acquired a 3.6-million-square-foot standardized facility dedicated to helping it achieve premium value for the products it intends to cultivate.

As it continues to expand, the company remains committed to the practices that have guided its success in the past, including:

• A top-down approach to cultivation developed under the guidance of PhDs with expertise in growing principles, SOPs and, most importantly, the science behind it all.
• Commitment to exceeding the requirement of the states in which it operates. The company cut its teeth under the world’s first national cannabis purity regime – a regime that most new markets use as a benchmark – so quality is in its DNA.
• Science-driven production methods supported by automated, perpetual, standardized operations that enable craft cannabis-like quality at an industrial scale.

Footprint

Assuming completion of the currently proposed investments and acquisitions, Red White & Bloom will be among the cannabis market’s largest companies, joining the ranks of a select few multi-state operators dominating the industry. Red White & Bloom currently has assets (closed and in closing stages) in Michigan, Illinois, Florida, California, Oklahoma and Massachusetts.

The company’s strategic acquisition and super state operator model, combined with its commitment to top-quality product and service, position it to become a leading player in the North American cannabis market.

When evaluated beside competitors in the cannabis space, Red White & Bloom boasts an extremely attractive valuation. While large cap cannabis firms serving North American markets averaged enterprise-value-to-EBITDA multiples of 14.9x as of December 2020, Red White & Bloom’s enterprise multiple was just 3.4x, as noted in the company’s latest investor deck.

In 2020, the cannabis market worldwide was valued at $24.6 billion. This amount is expected to expand at a CAGR of 14.3% from 2021 to 2028, resulting in a market size of $84 billion in 2028 (https://nnw.fm/f09ZL). Of the 2020 valuation, the largest revenue share (91.1%) was attributed to North American consumers (https://nnw.fm/vObW6).

Management Team

Brad Rogers is the CEO and Executive Chair of Red White & Bloom. He is a visionary for the future of cannabis and CBD products in the United States market, with a proven track record of building successful and profitable businesses in the rapidly expanding and new economic sector. Mr. Rogers was a part of the team that built one of the first commercially scaled production facilities in the world for medicinal cannabis. He also served as President for one of the leading licensed producers in Canada. Both of his ventures were successful, with a combined market cap of $2 billion.

Michael Marchese is the company’s Co-Founder and Marketing Advisor. He has played a crucial role in its development and organization, overseeing capital raises, acquisition strategy and brand identity. Mr. Marchese has a strong reputation and presence in the cannabis industry. He also co-founded and directed the branding of Aleafia Health Inc., which he continues to counsel. Through his branded company, Marchese Design, he has served as a highly trusted counselor to top-level execs, including C-Suite level employees, offering insights into the process of creating, building and maintaining brand identities.

Theo van der Linde is the CFO and Director of Red White & Bloom. He is a Chartered Accountant with 20 years of experience in finance, administration and public accounting. The experience he has acquired spans multiple industries, including mining, oil & gas, financial services, retail and manufacturing. For the last nine years, he has primarily focused his career on the mining industry, working with junior exploration and producing mining companies at various stages of growth in several jurisdictions. Mr. van der Linde is also the current President of Executive Management Solutions Ltd.

Red White & Bloom Brands Inc. (RWBYF), closed Monday's trading session at $0.3869, off by 4.1496%, on 386,244 volume with 149 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 386,244 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.289/$1.65.

Recent News

• Red White & Bloom Brands Inc. (CSE: RWB) (OTCQX: RWBYF) - 420 with CNW - SAFE Banking Act Sponsor Vows to See Bill Passed Before He Retires
• 420 with CNW - Study Finds That Hemp Compounds Could Block Coronavirus Infection
• Red White & Bloom Brands Inc. (CSE: RWB) (OTCQX: RWBYF) in 2021, Year in Review

Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. (NEO: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. (MYCOF).

• Mydecine plans to launch a program to provide products and services to healthcare professionals, clinics, and hospitals in Canada looking to treat patients through psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy
• The products and services, which will be available for purchase as a package, include cGMP psilocybin and MDMA, therapy manuals, investigative brochures, protocol training, advisory services, and post-therapy support
• The planned launch follows an amendment to federal regulations allowing physicians to request and prescribe restricted drugs for treatment-resistant patients

Canada began the year on a high note by updating the Special Access Program (“SAP”), a move that demonstrates the government’s serious consideration of the potential of restricted substances to treat a range of conditions. The update removes a previous prohibition enacted in 2013 that outlawed the access of restricted drugs through the SAP. Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. (NEO: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF) announced that it would be launching a special access psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy program, called the Special Access Support and Supply Program. The program will be available to patients who require alternative treatment modalities in Canada. The country recently added psilocybin and MDMA to its Special Access Program. Mydecine’s objective is to change the way in which mental health conditions and addiction disorders are treated. The company will provide support services through the program, which will play an important role in fulfilling the company’s mission statement. This is in addition to offering specialized psychedelic therapy products to physicians, clinics and hospitals in various parts of Canada. Mydecine Innovations (NEO: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF) (FSE: 0NFA), a biotechnology and digital technology company aiming to transform the treatment of mental health and addiction disorders, today announced a partnership with Combat Stress and the King's College London to utilize psilocybin as part of a psychoactive-assisted psychotherapy treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (“PTSD”) in veterans. According to the update, Combat Stress, the leading charity aiding veterans’ mental health in the United Kingdom, will be one of several sites for Mydecine’s upcoming clinical trials. “The team is thrilled to be conducting studies within the veteran population where the help is needed most,” said Mydecine Chief Medical Officer Dr. Rakesh Jetly. “During my 31 years as a medical officer and psychiatrist in the Canadian Armed Forces, I have seen first hand the impact PTSD has on our vets and their families. Sadly, many soldiers and veterans do not respond to the evidence-based treatments readily available to them and the search is on for new safe and effective treatments. Our troops fight and sacrifice together, so it only makes sense that we help them heal together.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/REiSc

Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. (NEO: MYCO) (NASDAQ: MYCOF) is a biotechnology and digital technology company aiming to transform the treatment of mental health disorders and addiction. Founded in 2020 on the guiding principle that there is a significant unmet need and lack of innovations in the mental health and therapeutic treatment environments, Mydecine is dedicated to efficiently developing innovative first- and second-generation novel therapeutics to treat PTSD, addiction and other mental health disorders.

Mydecine’s business model combines clinical trials and data outcome, technology and scientific and regulatory expertise with a focus on psychedelic therapy underpinned by novel molecules with differentiated therapeutic potential. By collaborating with some of the world’s foremost authorities connected by best practices, Mydecine aims to responsibly fast-track the development of new medicines across its platforms, ultimately changing the way we treat mental health disorders. The company seeks to bridge the gap between the needs of patients and what the mental health care system currently provides.

Mydecine Innovations Group is headquartered in Denver with international offices in Canada and Europe.

Research and Technology

The invention and development of novel psychedelic and non-psychedelic molecules for medical use is an important part of Mydecine’s research strategy. The company uses molecules found in nature as building blocks to create improved second-generation drugs. This portfolio of new drugs represents major improvements to existing natural products and synthetics, including enhanced safety, efficacy, stability and dosing, as well as reduced side effects.

The goal of creating these improved second-generation compounds is to enable safer, more effective treatments for patients, along with improved management of dosage and drug behavior for clinicians. Mydecine believes the multibillion-dollar market for mental health and addiction disorder medicines will soon be disrupted amid a resurgence of the study into psychedelics and data showing the immense benefits of these forms of medicine.

The company currently has four lead drug candidates which include various enhancements such as improved controllability, delivery mechanisms, safety, stability and shelf-life. The drug candidates are in clinical trials or in pre-trial stage as potential treatments to aid PTSD, substance abuse and smoking cessation.

Mindleap Health is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mydecine. The Mindleap platform is a virtual community that aims to foster the conscious and responsible adoption of psychedelic medicine into inner wellness. Users access the platform through the Mindleap app. Mindleap provides users with inner wellness resources to assist them in their daily mental-health journeys. The platform also seeks to support the conscious and trustworthy adoption of psychedelics into a widely accepted approach to mental health and inner wellness.

Market Outlook

The global smoking cessation market is expected to reach $63.99 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 16.9 percent from 2018 to 2026. The market for psychedelic therapeutics is in its very early stages. Estimates of current market value and forecasts of expected value in future years are all over the map. Market forecasts range from $6.5 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 15 percent, to more than $69 billion as soon as 2025, at a CAGR of 8.2 percent. What is clear is that interest in psychedelic therapeutic drugs is expanding rapidly.

Management Team

Joshua Bartch is Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Mydecine Innovations Group. He is an experienced entrepreneur who co-founded AudioTranscriptionist.com and founded Denver-based dispensary Doctors Orders in 2009. He also founded a boutique investment firm that operated throughout the U.S. and Canadian markets. In 2014, Bartch co-founded Cannabase.io, the USA’s most significant and sophisticated legal cannabis wholesale platform.

Dr. Rakesh Jetly, OMM, CD, MD, FRCPC, is the Chief Medical Officer of Mydecine. He was formerly Chief of Psychiatry for the Canadian Armed Forces, retiring in 2021 with the rank of colonel after 31 years of service. He began his career as a general duty medical officer and flight surgeon and spent his final 20 years of service as a psychiatrist. He maintains academic appointments at Dalhousie University and The University of Ottawa. He is the inaugural CF Brigadier Jonathan C. Meakins CBE, RCMAC, Chair in Military Mental Health at the Royal Ottawa Hospital.

Robert Roscow is Chief Scientific Officer of Mydecine. As a geneticist, he has spent his academic and professional careers looking for valuable and unique medicinal molecules found in nature. His innovations were applied at Canopy Growth and ebbu, where he ran those companies’ genetics divisions. He has leveraged his expertise to maximize industrial production of cannabinoids in a pharmacological context, resulting in multiple patent filings.

Damon Michaels is Chief Operating Officer of Mydecine. He previously consulted for various hemp businesses through his company, Emerald Baron. Before that, he served as GM for ebbu, the leading multi-platform cannabinoid research and technology firm based in Colorado. He has held leading roles with multiple large brands throughout the cannabis vertical. He also developed a national snowboard brand.

Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. (MYCOF), closed Monday's trading session at $0.1649, off by 10.8649%, on 1,185,783 volume with 346 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1.186M and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.01/$2.20.

Recent News

• Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. (NEO: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Mydecine Innovations Group (NEO: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF) (FSE: 0NFA) Announces Partnership to Treat PTSD in Veterans
• Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. (NEO: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF) to Launch Specialized Psychedelic Program in Canada
• Mydecine Innovations Group Inc.'s (NEO: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF) Plans Program to Provide Resources for Safe, Effective Integration of Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapies into Existing Medical Practices

StraightUp Resources Inc. (CSE: ST) (OTCQB: STUPF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight StraightUp Resources Inc. (CSE: ST) (OTCQB: STUPF).

• StraightUp received its early exploration permit that allows it to begin exploration activities on the eastern block of its RLX North property
• The company will be taking a systematic approach to developing and testing gold targets as it plans to execute its 2022 work programs which will include drilling prospective targets in the summer
• This approval strengthens StraightUp’s commitment to the Red Lake Mining District, having expressed the intention to acquire 100% undivided interest in the RLX property back in September 2021
• StraightUp also announced the appointment of Jacqueline Collins as the company’s new Corporate Secretary

StraightUp Resources (CSE: ST) (OTCQB: STUPF) has, since its inception, remained committed to pushing the envelope with mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets in North and South America. Its flagship property, a 10,000-hectare tract of land located in the Red Lake District, has shown great promise in gold mining. Following extensive studies, surveys, and tests on the property, the company is expected to proceed within its 2022 work programs, including drilling the most prospective targets in the summer.

StraightUp Resources Inc. (CSE: ST) (OTCQB: STUPF) is a public company engaged in the business of mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets in North America. The company’s flagship properties are located in the Red Lake Mining District of Ontario, Canada, renowned for over 30 million ounces of historic gold production. Other key projects extend into the neighboring Meen-Dempster Greenstone Belt of the Uchi Subprovince. The company’s management team is led by dedicated professionals, aiming to maximize shareholder value while employing modern exploration techniques and principles to achieve its goals.

The mission of StraightUp Resources is to maximize shareholder wealth through mineral discoveries at projects with robust potential, maintain long-lasting partnerships, and continue to focus on the acquisition, development and exploration of mineral resource properties in North America. The company’s objective is to continue to locate and develop economic, precious and base metal properties of merit.

The company’s 10,000-hectare (almost 25,000 acres) RLX Projects are contiguous to various Evolution Mining, Great Bear Resources, Pacton Gold and Dixie Gold properties. Its 2,000-hectare (just under 5,000 acres) Belanger Project is contiguous to Infinite Ore’s Fredart and Garnet/Arrow properties. StraightUp intends to conduct exploration on the RLX North, RLX South, Belanger and Ferdinand Gold properties located in the Red Lake District, a location touted as having one of the best metal-endowed greenstone belts in the world. The Bear Head Gold Project is located within the Meen-Dempster Greenstone Belt of the Uchi Subprovince, approximately 80 kilometers west of the Pickle Lake Gold Camp and 14 km northeast of the former gold mine, Golden Patricia. It amassed 620,000 ounces of gold at an average of 15.2 g/t Au from 1988-1997. The property is bordered by an Australian miner massive gold project. Known gold occurrences are already mapped on the Bear Head property, as are previous drill holes and results. Once the data is re-examined, an exploration budget and subsequent plans will be announced by the company.

Projects

Ontario’s Red Lake Mining District is one of Canada’s most prolific gold mining districts, renowned for its high-grade gold deposits. This is a mining-friendly, politically stable jurisdiction with a skilled labor force and infrastructure specifically built around meeting the needs of the mining industry.

RLX North & South Projects
At over 10,000 hectares, the RLX North and RLX South Projects represent a district-scale exploration opportunity. The RLX North and RLX South Projects are well positioned on-strike to the southeast of the district’s largest gold deposit (Red Lake Gold Mines – Evolution Mining). The project is adjacent to Great Bear Resources’ Sobel Project. Great Bear Resources is also in the process of evaluating the area for significant regional-scale structural controls and has proposed additional work on its neighboring project in the near term. These properties are highly accessible, with the southern boundary only eight kilometers from the paved highway into Red Lake, and can be accessed by forest service roads which traverse throughout the properties.

Belanger Project
Historic exploration work on the 2,000-hectare property has identified three significant surface exposures of gold, copper and silver. Early exploration work will focus on validating historic sampling results and following the occurrences along strike with a view to better understanding the nature and controls on mineralization. The property has excellent forest road access from the town of Ear Falls.

Ferdinand Gold Project
The Ferdinand property is situated within the southeastern extension of the Confederation-Uchi greenstone belt, one of the most metal-endowed greenstone belts in the world by square kilometer. It consists of 17 contiguous mining claims covering approximately 7,143 hectares (17,650 acres), located 13 kilometers northwest of the town of Slate Falls. Access is currently by logging roads, with forestry logging operations scheduled for expansion on the property. StraightUp recently completed a heliborne magnetic survey consisting of 1,994 line-km at 50m line spacings covering the entire property. The MAG survey was designed to provide geological and structural details of a 25km long southeast extension of the Confederation-Uchi greenstone belt along the Fry-Bamaji Deformation Zone.

Bear Head Gold Project
The Bear Head Gold Project comprises 31 mining claims totaling 1,944 hectares (4,800 acres) in the Meen-Dempster Greenstone Belt of the Uchi Subprovince, host to the Golden Patricia former gold mine, which produced 620,000 ounces of gold from 1988 to 1997. The Dorothy Main gold deposit owned by Ardiden lies only one kilometer from the Bear Head Gold Project. The Dorothy Main gold deposit holds noncompliant historical resources of 46,600 ounces of gold at 6.17 g/t Au. The company looks forward to adding the Bear Head Gold Project to its exploration efforts, with a work program to be conducted later in the fall of 2021.

Management Team

Mark Brezer is CEO, President, and Director of StraightUp Resources Inc. He is a successful businessman and holds a Geography/Geology degree from the University of Arizona. He has worked as a Project Manager and has overseen quality control, environmental monitoring and safety programs related to road construction. He has also held roles in media relations and marketing. He has been actively involved in the research and investment of junior mining companies for over 25 years. Time in the field and personal interest led him into extensive first aid training, and he is certified as a paramedic and firefighter.

Daniel Cruz is CFO and Director at StraightUp Resources. He is an experienced financial industry professional, having worked for 12 years as a senior investment advisor at Canadian broker-dealers, where he gained experience in equity research, asset management, investor relations, corporate finance and venture capital. He was one of the youngest Senior Investment Advisors at Canaccord Financial Inc. in 2010. He is also the co-founder and current director of Liquid Media Group Inc., a Nasdaq-listed issuer. During his tenure as CFO, he helped that company list on Nasdaq and raise over $20 million.

Matthew Coltura is a Director at StraightUp Resources. He has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Okanagan College, where he specialized in finance. He has worked in the finance industry for more than three years. Currently, Mr. Coltura is the CFO of Cayenne Capital Corp. He was also a director of PreveCeutical Medical Inc. from July 2016 to September 2019, a director of Sproutly Canada Inc. (formerly Stoneridge Exploration Corp.) from March 2015 to July 2018, and, since March 2018, has worked as a financial specialist at Quip Finance.

StraightUp Resources Inc. (OTCQB: STUPF), closed Monday's trading session at $0.12638, even for the day. The average volume for the last 3 months is 224 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.10676/$0.26.

Recent News

• StraightUp Resources Inc. (CSE: ST) (OTCQB: STUPF) - StraightUp Resources Inc. (CSE: ST) (OTCQB: STUPF) Strengthens its Commitment to the Red Lake Mining District Following Approval of its Exploration Permit for RLX
• MiningNewsBreaks - StraightUp Resources Inc. (CSE: ST) (OTCQB: STUPF) Expected to Benefit as Investors Seek Alternatives to Cash
• Barrick Gold CEO Confident Cryptocurrencies Can't Upstage Gold as Hedge Against Inflation

Delic Holdings Corp. (CSE: DELC) (OTCQB: DELCF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Delic Holdings Corp. (CSE: DELC) (OTCQB: DELCF).

Delic Holdings (CSE: DELC) (OTCQB: DELCF), the leading psychedelic wellness platform, recently announced its wholly owned ketamine infusion clinic chain, Ketamine Wellness Centers LLC (“KWC”), will open two new clinics in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Reno, Nevada, by February 2022. KWC, at that time, had cumulatively delivered over 60,000 treatments across Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, Texas, and Washington. A recent article reads, “Delic will open 13 ketamine infusion clinics across the country over the next 18 months, adding to the company’s existing portfolio, which comprises of 12 KWC clinics as well as two clinics operated by subsidiary Ketamine Infusion Centers LLC (‘KIC’), with the latter centers located in California and Arizona, respectively. As such, the company plans to further expand access to millions who can now benefit from new medicines and treatments for a broad array of mental health conditions, building on the company’s reputation as a central hub of education, media and cultural conversations around these novel treatments.” To view the full article, visit https://ibn.fm/p6JqG

Delic Holdings Corp. (CSE: DELC) (OTCQB: DELCF) is the leading psychedelic wellness platform, committed to bringing science-backed benefits to all and reframing the psychedelic conversation. The company owns and operates an umbrella of related businesses, including trusted media and e-commerce platforms like Reality Sandwich and Delic Radio; Delic Labs, the only licensed entity by Health Canada to exclusively focus on research and development of psilocybin vaporization technology; Meet Delic, the premiere psychedelic wellness event; and Ketamine Infusion Centers, one of the largest ketamine clinics in the country.

Delic is backed by a team of industry and cannabis veterans and a diverse network, whose mission is to provide education, research, high-quality products, and treatment options to the masses. Its founders helped build the multi-billion-dollar cannabis industry and aim to do the same in psychedelics as it follows a similar path toward legalization. In its quest to advance the new psychedelic renaissance upon us, Delic has become the pioneer in its field, creating an ecosystem of opportunities by investing in cutting-edge ideas.

The Vancouver-based company was formed in 2019 to address the growing interest in psychedelic wellness backed by science. Delic was the ‎first psychedelic umbrella platform. It is currently a trusted source for those interested in ‎psychedelic culture, education, treatments, and more.

While other emerging companies focus on patent medicine and big pharma for substances limited by government regulation, Delic is blazing a unique trail. It identifies ancillary and fully legal opportunities like IP, new media, live events, ketamine clinics (with the ability to offer additional psychedelic treatments once legalized, and large-scale production and brings them under its big tent of resources and reach.

The Big Problems Delic Is Addressing

• Fifty percent of Americans will meet the criteria for a mental health condition sometime in their lifetime. The FDA has approved psilocybin therapy as a breakthrough therapy for depression.
• Every 40 seconds, someone in the world commits suicide. Ketamine has been shown to decrease thoughts of suicide significantly. In 2019, the FDA approved esketamine as a fast-acting antidepressant.
• Traditional palliative care methods do not eradicate end-of-life (EOL) anxiety. LSD and psilocybin have been shown to reduce EOL anxiety for terminally ill patients. Eighty percent of terminally ill patients with psilocybin sessions experienced significant reductions in depression and anxiety.
• Approximately 50 million people in the U.S. are addicted to some tobacco product. Research shows that psilocybin is helping people quit smoking.

The Delic Ecosystem

The Delic Ecosystem covers three main areas: media, health, and science. The media focus is educating and motivating the masses through a variety of digital platforms, like Delic’s Reality Sandwich digital magazine, a free public education platform providing psychedelic guides, news and ‎culture (1.4+ million page views in 2020 and 54k social media followers across all platforms); Meet Delic, the first-ever psychedelic wellness summit and the premier psychedelic wellness event based in Las Vegas (over 2,000 live attendees and 5,000+ email subscribers); and Delic Radio (over 43 episodes and 100k total streams). Delic has also been featured in numerous media outlets like Forbes, NBC News, The Joe Rogan Experience, Daily Beast, High Times, and The Dr. Drew Podcast.

The focus of Delic’s health operations is the most accessible psychedelic treatments that can help billions of people live happier lives. Delic does this through one of the largest ketamine clinic chains in the country, Ketamine Infusion Centers (KICs), a limited liability corporation formed under the laws of Arizona that runs three ketamine clinics located in Bakersfield, California, and Phoenix, Arizona. Its management team has over 15 years of experience in the clinic and medical space, scaling and operating over 20 clinics, with a plan to open 10 more clinics in the next 18 months. Together, these clinics have overseen 4,000+ treatments delivered to date.

The focus of Delic’s science operations is developing IP and advanced extraction and testing facilities that are the backbone of the legal market. Delic carries this out through Delic Labs, a licensed cannabis and psilocybin research laboratory based in Vancouver. It’s the only entity licensed by Health Canada to exclusively focus on research and development of psilocybin vaporization technology.

Founded by award-winning chemists, Delic Labs focuses on extraction optimization, analytical testing, and chemical process development to advance the cannabis and psilocybin industries. Health Canada gave it a Section 56 Exemption to work with psilocybin compounds, allowing the company to possess and research these products for development and quality control before they hit the market.

Latest Acquisition – Homestead Book Company

On March 4, 2021, Delic announced its acquisition of Seattle-based Homestead Book Company. Homestead is a legacy counterculture distributor of psychedelic media. It’s also the creator of one of the first self-contained psilocybin mushroom grow kits.

The acquisition of Homestead is an exciting one, as it shows how Delic is increasing accessibility to this nascent industry within regulated jurisdictions. Homestead has sold tens of thousands of mushroom kits globally and was one of the earliest distributors for High Times and many other counterculture publications.

The Homestead acquisition allows Delic to increase its product offerings on its website, Reality Sandwich, which recently hit a record for average monthly traffic of over 200,000 unique visitors and over 2.6 million active readers in 2020.

Market Outlook

The psychedelic renaissance is here. Just in time to help address the global mental health crises, plant medicines have the potential to help billions of people live happier lives. Thanks to university-led and FDA-approved studies, North America is leading the way in advancing an industry as psychedelics are becoming accepted globally for therapeutic, medical, and recreational use. Here are some statistics:

• 32 million people in the U.S. have used psychedelics at least once
• 17% of all American adults between 21 and 64 have used psychedelics at least once
• $500 billion is spent in the U.S. every year on prescription drugs
• $238 billion is spent in the U.S. every year on mental health treatments and ancillary services
• The anxiety disorder and depression treatment market is estimated at $16 billion
• $187.8 billion was spent in 2013 on mental health and substance abuse disorders

Management Team

Delic Co-Founder and CCO Jackee Stang was an executive at High Times, a leading counterculture publication that became the voice for the cannabis industry. The monthly magazine had a circulation of over 500,000 copies per issue. Its website attracted 500,000 to five million users each month by 2014.

Likewise, company Co-Founder and CEO Matt Stang was a previous owner and operator of High Times, a position from which he played an instrumental in legalizing cannabis in multiple states and launched the Cannabis Cup in America. After interacting with the cannabis community for two decades, he helped found Delic in 2019 as one of the first psychedelic corporations. He shapes the company’s vision and path using his expertise in branding, marketing, business development, and product viability.

Delic’s VP of Business Development, John Coleman, Ph.D., is a former president of Anandia Labs, a biotech company focused on genetics and analytics. Having experience in both science and business, Dr. Coleman is well-equipped to lead Delic’s business development efforts as it strives to enter new vertical markets.

Zak Garcia is the company’s Chief Marketing Officer. He was the former CMO of Bulletproof Inc., maker of the well-known Bulletproof Coffee brand. Mr. Garcia is a marketing and leadership strategist who helped grow Bulletproof Coffee to over $250 million in revenue.

Delic Holdings Corp. (DELCF), closed Monday's trading session at $0.0878, off by 11.4026%, on 94,121 volume with 33 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 94,121 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.08468/$0.64.

Recent News

• Delic Holdings Corp. (CSE: DELC) (OTCQB: DELCF) - PsychedelicNewsBreaks - Delic Holdings Corp. (CSE: DELC) (OTCQB: DELCF) Expanding Access of New Medicines, Treatment for Mental Health Conditions
• Delic Holdings Corp. (CSE: DELC) (OTCQB: DELCF) (FRA: 6X0) Corporate Update Points to Profitability in 2022 and Beyond
• Delic Holdings Corp. (CSE: DELC) (OTCQB: DELCF) Attended This Year's H.C. Wainwright Bioconnect Virtual Conference

Cannabis Strategic Ventures Inc. (OTC: NUGS)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Cannabis Strategic Ventures Inc. (NUGS).

America’s state-legal cannabis industry may be incredibly lucrative, but it is far from perfect. Barely more than a decade old, the sector is known for its patchwork laws and lack of standardization. For quite a while, industry stakeholders and reform activists have argued for the creation of standard rules and procedures. This would make interstate trade possible and allow the industry to really grow. Last week, local, state and federal officials met to discuss proposals that could end up in a federal handbook for cannabis regulation. Cannabis was on the agenda for two National Conference on Weights and Measures (“NCWM”) committees this past week. If the cannabis-related items that were raised during these meetings are approved in subsequent meetings, they will most likely be incorporated into the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (“NIST”) federal guidance. A proposal from the Laws and Regulations Committee would establish a standard definition for cannabis and cannabis-infused products, standard requirements for packaging and labeling, and a definition for the water activity range of cannabis. Matthew Curran, food safety director at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, says the country’s state-legal cannabis sector needs standards regulations. The proposals unveiled at the meeting can potentially become the “first national standards” through a national consensus organization with a connection to every state, he says. Standard regulations will provide harmony across state lines, streamline regulation and give sector players such as Cannabis Strategic Ventures Inc. (OTC: NUGS) room to grow.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures Inc. (OTC: NUGS) is an emerging leader in the U.S. cannabis marketplace as a publicly traded cannabis cultivator. The company is based in Los Angeles, with a 6-acre cannabis farm in Northern California called NUGS Farm North. The company’s vision is to acquire and scale assets in the legal cannabis market while achieving efficiencies through economies of scale and vertical integration.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures recently expanded its portfolio by completing the transfer process for cultivation, retail, distribution and manufacturing licenses issued by the City of Los Angeles and the State of California, and it is now working toward taking operational control of each license. The company also recently announced the upcoming grand opening of its cannabis dispensary, MDRN Tree. Following that launch, Cannabis Strategic Ventures intends to deploy another of its new licenses to establish an indoor cultivation facility with capacity to produce two to three pounds of premium exotic cannabis flower per light per harvest. The facility will have up to 1,200 grow lights and is anticipated to yield 5.75 harvests per year, bringing it to a total production capacity of over 15,000 pounds of cannabis flower annually.

Brand Portfolio

The company owns multiple brands under the Cannabis Strategic Ventures umbrella. The firm’s NUGS brand provides operational and financial strategic partnerships and a range of essential services to emerging and existing cannabis consumer brands.

The NUGS Farm North brand operates as a six-and-a-half-acre cannabis cultivation property located in northern California. The company believes that the key to success in its business is consistent quality and reliable supply to fit growing consumer demand. Cannabis Strategic Ventures addressed these consumer needs by building NUGS Farm North. At NUGS Farm North, the company’s process is customized, and its product is consistent. Located in the heart of an agricultural mecca for globally distributed produce, NUGS Farm North finds power in its product, not in its size. Decades of agricultural experience and a dedication to consistency ensure quality cannabis.

MDRN Tree is Cannabis Strategic Ventures’ customer-facing dispensary brand. MDRN Tree will open its first Los Angeles location sometime in the fall of 2021. MDRN Tree will be the company’s factory retail store – a direct interface with the end-market community – where Cannabis Strategic Ventures plans on showcasing the cannabis flower produced at its NUGS Farm North cultivation site. This farm-to-sale model offers the potential to drive simultaneous gains in quality control and profitability.

Market Outlook

The demand for legal marijuana is expected to surge due to ongoing changes in U.S. state government policies toward cannabis. In addition, the number of indications for which medical marijuana is prescribed continues to increase steadily. These factors are expected to rapidly boost legal sales of cannabis products, opening new revenue channels for producers and retailers. Furthermore, an anticipated federal legalization of medical marijuana in the U.S. will only present more high growth opportunities for this market.

According to a report from Grand View Research, the global legal marijuana market was valued at $9.1 billion in 2020. Market size is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 26.7 percent from 2021 to 2028. That CAGR would put the market value at roughly $30 billion as soon as 2025.

According to the report, “One of the major factors fueling market growth is the expanding demand for legal marijuana owing to the growing number of legal cannabis countries. (Due) to recent legalizations in different countries, the use of medical marijuana for various ailments is gaining momentum worldwide. Patients suffering from chronic illnesses such as Parkinson’s, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and many neurological disorders are administered medical marijuana. The demand for cannabis oil is increasing rapidly, especially among countries with legalized medical marijuana.”

Management Team

Simon Yu is CEO, President, CFO and Secretary of Cannabis Strategic Ventures. He is also a co-founder, former COO and board member of Clubhouse Media Group Inc., a publicly traded social media company. Mr. Yu holds an MBA from the University of Southern California.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures Inc. (NUGS), closed Monday's trading session at $0.02145, off by 10.9959%, on 1,927,932 volume with 53 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1.928M and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0201/$0.62.

Recent News

• Cannabis Strategic Ventures Inc. (OTC: NUGS) - 420 with CNW - State, Federal Officials Work Together on Draft Cannabis Standardization Proposals
• 420 with CNW - California Disburses $100M in Support of Cannabis Business Development
• CannabisNewsBreaks - Cannabis Strategic Ventures Inc. (NUGS) Strengthening Position Amid Growing Support for Cannabis Legalization

InnerScope Hearing Technologies Inc. (OTC: INND)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight InnerScope Hearing Technologies Inc. (INND).

InnerScope Hearing Technologies (OTC: INND), an emerging and disruptive leader in the direct-to-consumer (“DTC”) hearing technology space, has retained the services of CPA firm Paris, Kreit & Chiu LLP. INND has contracted with the firm to perform independent audits of its 2019, 2020 and Q1–Q3 2021 financial statements. According to the announcement, once the audits are completed and submitted to the required agencies, InnerScope anticipates filing a Form-10 or S-1 to become an SEC fully reporting company. “InnerScope is pleased to announce the company has formally retained CPA firm Paris, Kreit & Chiu LLP to conduct an independent audit of our 2019, 2020 and Q1-Q3 2021 financial statements,” said InnerScope Hearing Technologies president and CEO Matthew Moore in the press release. “PKC LLP is a public accounting firm with offices worldwide and possesses significant experience in auditing public companies.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/BbcyX

InnerScope Hearing Technologies Inc. (OTC: INND) is a Nevada corporation incorporated on June 15, 2012, with its principal place of business in Roseville, California. The company was initially started in 2006 – operating as InnerScope Advertising Agency Inc. – to provide advertising and marketing services to retail establishments in the hearing device industry. On August 25, 2017, the company changed its name to InnerScope Hearing Technologies Inc. to better reflect its current direction as a hearing health technology company that manufactures, develops, distributes and sells numerous innovative hearing health-related products, hearing treatments and hearing solutions, direct-to-consumer (DTC) through a scalable business model.

The company is a manufacturer and a distributor/retailer of DTC, FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) registered, Bluetooth app-controlled hearing aids and personal sound amplifier products (PSAPs), hearing-related treatment therapies, doctor-formulated dietary hearing supplements, proprietary CDB oil for treating tinnitus and assorted hearing and health-related products targeting approximately 70 million Americans suffering from hearing-related problems. The company’s mission is to improve the quality of life of the 70 million people in North America and the 1.5 billion people worldwide who suffer from hearing impairment and/or hearing-related issues.

The management team of InnerScope is applying decades of industry experience and believes it is well-positioned, with its innovative in-store point-of-sale Free Self-Check Hearing Screening Kiosks (“Hearing Kiosks”), to directly benefit when the Over the Counter (OTC) Hearing Aid Act (the “OTC Hearing Aid Law”) is enacted (expected in late 2021 based on the President’s Executive Order issued on July 9, 2021) The OTC Hearing Aid Law allows OTC hearing aids for perceived mild-to-moderate hearing losses to be sold in retail stores without having to see a professional. InnerScope’s Hearing Kiosk is designed to help the tens of millions of Americans with undetected/untreated mild-to-moderate hearing loss treat themselves with the company’s easy, convenient and affordable OTC hearing aids, in-store and/or online.

Industry Game-Changer – New Emerging Market with 48 Million Potential Customers

The following is sourced from The White House Fact Sheet detailing an Executive Order from President Biden aimed at saving Americans with hearing loss thousands of dollars by allowing hearing aids to be sold over the counter at drug stores:

“Hearing Aids: Hearing aids are so expensive that only 14% of the approximately 48 million Americans with hearing loss use them. On average, they cost more than $5,000 per pair, and those costs are often not covered by health insurance. A major driver of the expense is that consumers must get them from a doctor or a specialist, even though experts agree that medical evaluation is not necessary. Rather, this requirement serves only as red tape and a barrier to more companies selling hearing aids. The four largest hearing aid manufacturers now control 84% of the market.”

On July 9, 2021, President Biden noted the following in reference to his Executive Order relating to hearing aids:

“Right now, if you need a hearing aid, you can’t just walk into a pharmacy and pick one up over the counter. You have to get it from a doctor or a specialist. Not only does that make getting hearing aids inconvenient, it makes them considerably more expensive, and it makes it harder for new companies to compete, innovate and sell hearing aids at lower prices.”

“As a result, a pair of hearing aids can cost thousands of dollars. That’s a big reason why just one in seven Americans with hearing loss actually use a hearing aid.”

InnerScope Game-Changers

For InnerScope, this Executive Order could present a significant opportunity. The company is uniquely positioned with a number of strategic advantages and offerings in the space, including:

• First to Market: Free self-check hearing screening kiosks deployed in national pharmacy chains, big-box retailers & national and local groceries chains
• Online Hearing Screening Tests: For national retailers to use their websites to attract more customers in conjunction with the company’s in-store hearing kiosks
• The HearIQ App for iOS and Android users: Offers a free self-check hearing test and provides a user control function for InnerScope’s Bluetooth app-controlled self-adjusting rechargeable hearing devices
• Customer Monthly Subscription Model: Offering the lowest, most affordable monthly payment options (as low as $42 per month for pair of rechargeable, app-controlled hearing aids) for consumers to purchase hearing aids and receive free upgrades every two years.

The In-Store Hearing Screening Kiosks and Online Free Hearing Screening Tests

Innerscope’s hearing screening kiosk and online hearing screening tests offer free self-check hearing evaluation using the world’s first “Hearing Triage” artificial intelligent pattern recognition software, which has a unique ability to classify both level (degree of loss) and pattern (type of loss). In addition, the software can detect the probable location of the hearing problem and its degree of severity.

The tests are developed as a hearing wellness tool to help track hearing ability and (if tests results indicate a hearing loss) make recommendations for in-store point of sale or online purchase of one of InnerScope’s hearing devices, as well as providing recommendations to see one of the professionals in InnerScope’s local contracted network of hearing health care experts for further follow-up testing if necessary. The software also generates an audiometric report which is instantly emailed to the customer.

The HearIQ App

InnerScope is the creator of the HearIQ App, which offers free self-check hearing tests and provides a user control function for InnerScope’s line of Bluetooth app-controlled self-adjusting rechargeable hearing devices. InnerScope developed the free hearing test part of the HearIQ App to help with the early detection of hearing loss for the 1.5 billion people worldwide who have untreated hearing loss or some form of hearing issues that may be undetected and do not have access to a computer for InnerScope’s online hearing screening test.

Hearing Aid Products

Through its dedicated online store, MyHearIQ.com, InnerScope offers affordable, direct-to-consumer, Bluetooth app-controlled, self-adjusting hearing technology to empower consumers to take control of their hearing care. InnerScope’s hearing technology allows the customer in less than 10 minutes using any smartphone to personalize each hearing device to their hearing needs using an onboard in-ear custom-fit self-testing feature through the HearIQ App.

InnerScope is shifting hearing health care from traditional brick-and-mortar hearing care clinics to customers’ homes by providing a unique solution to give customers top quality, affordable access to hearing aids without the need to see a hearing professional or go to a hearing care clinic. As a result, InnerScope can deliver the same level and quality of hearing technology and expert support for the customer from their homes at a fraction of the cost of traditional channels. All InnerScope hearing aid devices are medical-grade and available with professional remote programming and support services from one of the company’s licensed hearing professionals through the HearIQ App.

Hearing & Tinnitus Dietary Supplements

InnerScope has developed a proprietary line of doctor-designed hearing & tinnitus dietary supplements to help people with hearing problems protect themselves from future hearing issues. There are currently three types of formulas to choose from, including Ear-Ring Relief for the 60 million Americans who suffer from tinnitus, HearingVite + Memory Boost for people with hearing loss and cognitive issues, and HearingVite + Multivitamin for maintaining proper hearing health and levels of nutrients.

Complete Line of Hearing Health Care Products

InnerScope offers a brand label of assorted ear care and hearing aid maintenance products. In support of overall ear health and ensuring maximum performance from its hearing aids and comfort for its customers, InnerScope provides a whole line of care items, including cleaning kits, wipes, spray and drying tablets, ear cleaner for wax removal, a natural lubricant agent for new hearing aids and hydrating lubricating ear gel.

Verified Wholesale and Direct-to-Consumer Sales

InnerScope is a verified wholesaler with Walmart for premium affordable direct-to-consumer hearing aids, personal sound amplification and hearing health accessories. InnerScope also created an easy shopping experience for its hearing and tinnitus vitamins through Walmart and Amazon Prime. With new partnerships in the works, the company aims to add other online and brick-and-mortar establishments to its vitamin distribution network in the future.

Hearing Aid Market Outlook

The global hearing aid market is expected to reach $11.02 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period. This marks a significant increase from the $6.47 billion value reported in 2020, an increase largely driven by innovations being made in hearing aid technology (https://ibn.fm/bRWUb).

As a leading wholesale provider and direct-to-consumer business, InnerScope is positioned to disrupt the global hearing aid market. Its partnerships with some of the United States’ largest retail distributors and wholesalers are only strengthening the company’s position within the industry.

Management Team

Matthew Moore is the President and CEO of InnerScope Hearing Technologies Inc. He grew up in the hearing health industry, working alongside his grandfather through internships and mentorships. At the age of 10 years old, he became Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Operating Officer of his parent’s private hearing aid practice, the largest in Northern California and the second largest in the state. Matthew has shown his leadership ability by creating distribution partnerships with big industry names and independent retailers/pharmacies.

Kim Moore is the Chief Financial Officer of InnerScope Hearing Technologies Inc. She has worked in the hearing aid industry for over 45 years, helping her father maintain his hearing aid practice in Central Valley, California. She began working on marketing with her father at the age of eight, learning that no customer walks through the door without proper advertising and marketing. As a licensed hearing instrument specialist, Kim has given hearing tests to more than 30,000 people.

Mark Moore is the Chairman and Co-Founder of InnerScope Hearing Technologies Inc. He has over 35 years of experience in hearing aid dispensing, practice management, private label brand management and hearing aid marketing. He has personally fit hearing aids to over 10,000 hearing-impaired people. In addition, he has been responsible for developing and testing proven new industry marketing and advertising methods and best practice strategies, which has made him one of the most sought-after experts in the hearing aid industry. Mark was previously a columnist for Advanced for Audiologists, a global industry publication, and served on the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) advisory board for AudiologyNow conventions. He has also developed patented and patent-pending nutritional supplements for hearing-related issues, aural rehabilitation programs and low-level laser therapy for tinnitus and sensorineural hearing loss.

InnerScope Hearing Technologies Inc. (INND), closed Monday's trading session at $0.0089, off by 6.3158%, on 43,932,301 volume with 486 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 43.932M and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0015/$0.098.

Recent News

• InnerScope Hearing Technologies Inc. (OTC: INND) - InvestorNewsBreaks - InnerScope Hearing Technologies Inc. (INND) Plans Audits, Announces Agreement with CPA Firm
• InvestorNewsBreaks - InnerScope Hearing Technologies Inc. (INND) Sets Sights on Emerging Market Opportunities
• InnerScope Hearing Technologies Inc. (INND) Seeks to Address Shortfalls in United States Hearing Aid Market; CEO Matthew Moore Presented at the Emerging Growth Conference

Friendable Inc. (FDBL)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Friendable Inc. (FDBL).

• Since Summer 2021, Friendable has been searching for the right music distribution platform to pair with its successful flagship offering, Fan Pass Live
• The acquisition of Artist Republik brings an additional 100,000 artists to the platform and an extensive tech deck that will benefit all parties
• The Artist Republik acquisition provides independent artists with access to a distribution offering, which they would not have unless they paid additional for management and were assigned to a record label

Mobile technology and marketing company Friendable (OTC: FDBL) is releasing more details about the recent acquisition of Artist Republik, a reputable music distribution company, and how it affects the Fan Pass Live artist streaming platform. Since this last summer, Friendable has been looking to acquire a distribution company, platform, or service. The goals for its target acquisition candidate were related to historical and ongoing revenues, technology, services, industry relationships, and an active artist database that is fitting to the service offering that is already being well received by artists on the Fan Pass Live platform (https://ibn.fm/YG86S). Friendable (OTC: FDBL), a mobile technology and marketing company founded in 2014, has scaled its reach and diversified its offering to a level where its current market cap stands at just under $2 million. The company’s current focus is its Fan Pass Live artist platform, which offers artists a way to share their music content and make money. Artists can monetize on the platform through fan subscriptions, ticket and merchandise sales and more. A recent article, which summarizes Friendable CEO and Co-Founder Robert Rositano’s interview with The Los Angeles Tribune, notes “[Rositano] expressed his excitement for the 2022 calendar year, for which he noted Fan Pass intends to grow its artist roster to more than 300,000 artists. Friendable plans to expand its music distribution and playlisting services while also partnering with venues so fans can also purchase virtual tickets. Fan Pass Live is committed to becoming a true artist partner. Through the decisions thus far and the strategic investments made by its founders, the platform is accelerating an important transformation in the music industry.” To view the full article, visit https://ibn.fm/SthGZ

Friendable Inc. (FDBL) is a mobile technology and marketing company focused on connecting and engaging users through its proprietary mobile and desktop applications. Launched July 24, 2020, the company’s flagship offering is designed to help artists engage with their fans around the world and earn revenue while doing so. The livestreaming platform supports artists at all levels, providing exclusive artist content ‘Channels’, LIVE event streaming, promotional support, fan subscriptions and custom merchandise designs, all of which serve as revenue streams for each artist.

With Fan Pass, artists can offer exclusive content channels to their fans, who can use their smartphones to gain access to their favorite artists, as well as an all-access pass to all artists on the platform. Additionally, the Fan Pass team will deploy social broadcasters to capture exclusive VIP experiences, interviews and behind-the-scenes content featuring their favorite artists – all available to fan subscribers on a free trial basis. Subscriptions are billed monthly at $3.99, or about the cost of downloading a couple of songs, and VIP experiences are available at a fraction of the cost of traditional face-to-face meetups.

Friendable Inc. was founded by Robert A. Rositano Jr. and Dean Rositano, two brothers with over 27 years of experience working together on technology-related ventures.

The Fan Pass Mobile & Desktop App

Friendable Inc. launched its Fan Pass platform as a solution for artists and their fans as the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated shutdown have continued to severely hamstring the entertainment industry as a whole. Through Fan Pass, the company aims to reach artists at all levels looking to alter their touring schedules to include ‘Virtual Touring’, new revenue sources and innovative fan engagement opportunities that are expected to become permanent fixtures of artists’ touring routines moving forward.

Fan Pass creates an ecosystem that embraces fans of all kinds, feeding diehard followers and developing lasting connections with more casual supporters. Through the app, qualified artists are provided with a custom designed, exclusive ’Fan Pass Channel’ where they can invite fans and social followers from anywhere around the world to join in chats and live events – allowing fans to experience all there is to see of an artist in one place. Artists earn revenue from monthly fan subscribers, merchandise sales, tickets sold for virtual streaming events and generally from all content views or impressions on their channels. All content views and sales of every kind are reported to each artist through their dashboards, including real-time payout and earnings information.

Fan Pass’ exclusive ‘All Access VIP’ option provides fans with access to content, such as:

• Live performances or online concerts
• Backstage meetups before, during or after events
• Livestreams of studio sessions
• Behind-the-scenes footage of music video and photo shoots
• Special interviews and one-on-one videos
• Streams highlighting the artists’ daily lives

The Fan Pass platform is extremely intuitive, bringing each artist through a streamlined onboarding process, including building out artist ‘Channels’, scheduling LIVE events and designing special edition merchandise to be offered solely through exclusive Fan Pass merchandise stores.

“With the global pandemic disrupting the entertainment industry in such a profound way, artists have had to look to digital distribution and live virtual performances in order to maintain any earning opportunities. Fan Pass and our team are determined to provide solutions and support to all artists, their fans and the industry in general. We are excited about the opportunity we have to shape the future of virtual entertainment, revenue generation and artist/fan engagement,” Robert A. Rositano Jr., CEO of Friendable Inc., stated in a news release.

Market Opportunity

Artists rely heavily on revenue streams that are not often seen by those without intimate industry knowledge. When it comes to traditional performances, the sale of VIP/backstage or meet & greet passes to boost revenue can often become the majority of the artist’s annual tour revenue. Data provided by one of the company’s original entertainment partners, The Kluger Agency (TKA), suggests that as much as 18-23% of artists’ annual tour revenue has historically been derived from these VIP experiences.

The World Economic Forum reports that, in 2020, the six-month-plus disappearance of live music concerts is estimated to have cost “the industry more than $10 billion in sponsorships,” and individual artists are feeling the loss the most. Fan Pass is helping to bridge this gap, providing more affordable virtual VIP experiences that can be offered simultaneously to fans around the world.

While it’s free for artists to join, Fan Pass leverages a monthly subscription model paid by fans to generate revenues. These revenues are shared with all channel artists. In exchange for its platform features, live streaming tools, bandwidth, processing and handling, Fan Pass earns platform fees on each separately ticketed event, as well as splits with each artist on subscriber fees and merchandise designed and sold on the platform.

The U.S. video streaming industry is expected to hit $7.08 billion in value in 2021, with an estimated 100 million internet users watching online video content every day, according to data from Livestream.com. The same report suggests that 45% of live video audiences would pay for exclusive, on-demand video from a favorite team, speaker or performer. Through Fan Pass, Friendable Inc. is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this opportunity.

Friendable App

The company’s second application, Friendable, is an all-inclusive platform where users can meet, chat and date. The app has exceeded 1.5 million total downloads, with over 900,000 historical registered users and more than 580,000 historical user profiles.

Friendable Inc.’s Next Phase of Growth

To facilitate its next phase of growth, Friendable Inc. is seeking an additional $1 million in equity investment, with a follow-on funding that meets or exceeds $5 million. The company intends to utilize its relationships to secure the lowest cost of capital available, as these funds will drive technology advancements, increase head count, fund marketing initiatives and secure additional celebrity talent aimed at bringing larger fan audiences to each released event. These initiatives will assist in building recurring monthly (fan) subscribers, effectively generating recurring monthly revenue for each artist, as well. The next phase of growth is expected to play a key role in accelerating the company’s download and conversion of data for subscription revenue and merchandise sales.

The company’s primary goal is to establish Fan Pass as a premier brand and mobile platform dedicated to connecting and engaging users around the world. In support of this goal, it has entered into a partnership with Brightcove targeting OTT platform expansion, including leaders such as iOS, Android, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku and WWW.

In the highly competitive video streaming market, Friendable Inc. has tapped into an unmet demand from today’s ever-present ‘omni-users’ for constant contact with celebrities and influencers. Via Fan Pass, the company offers investors an opportunity to gain a stake in an organization catering to this new breed of omni-users and their influencers.

The application’s potential is clearly illustrated by the interest it has generated in recent weeks. From September 4 to October 12, the Fan Pass platform added 246 new artists, accounting for a 410 percent increase in just six weeks.

“We are extremely encouraged by the ongoing swell of interest as the value of our Fan Pass platform continues to resonate in the artist community,” Friendable CEO Robert A. Rositano Jr. stated in a news release. “We believe the live streaming functionality, our full-circle offering and diverse revenue opportunities the platform offers will continue to drive exponential growth as management remains focused on building long-term shareholder value.”

Management Team

Robert A. Rositano Jr. is the co-founder and CEO of Friendable Inc. He oversees the daily management and operational duties of all areas of the business. He has over 20 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur, bringing in over $60 million in liquidity events for the companies he has created or managed. Before starting Friendable Inc. with his brother, Rositano was a founding member of the internet’s first IPO, Netcom Online Communications Inc. It was sold to ICG, then to EarthLink in 1995. He has been a co-founder of several successful ventures, including Simply Internet Inc., Nettaxi.com and America’s Biggest Inc., among others. He also authored one of the first web directories for MacMillan Publishers.

Dean Rositano is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Friendable Inc. He handles the day-to-day operations and guides the technical direction of the company. He has over 15 years of executive management, financial management, high technology operations and internet architecture experience. Before co-founding Friendable Inc., Rositano co-founded several other companies, including Checkmate Mobile Inc. and Latitude Venture Partners LLC, among others.

Friendable Inc. (FDBL), closed Monday's trading session at $0.0025, off by 7.4074%, on 6,993,491 volume with 64 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 6.926M and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.00225/$0.0649.

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