Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Mullen Automotive Inc. (MULN).

The internet represents a major playing ground for retailers looking to widen their market base and increase their profits. Retail e-commerce reached around $5.2 trillion in 2021 alone, and online sales are predicted to hit an estimated $8.1 trillion in 2026. But with 12 to 24 million online stores fighting for visibility on the internet, getting customers to consistently visit your e-commerce store and make regular purchases can seem like an insurmountable challenge. E-commerce search engine optimization (SEO) encompasses a suite of strategies that virtual businesses can use to drive organic traffic to their sites and improve sales. These strategies essentially make your business more visible on search engines such as Google by placing your site on the first page of search results. It may be hard for individual e-commerce business owners to get SEO right for their online outlets. However, entities such as NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) (NASDAQ: NXPLW) that provide a platform reaching customers in about 200 countries can be leveraged to get a leg up on matters of maximizing customer reach.

Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) is a Southern California-based automotive company that owns and partners with several synergistic businesses working toward the unified goal of creating clean and scalable energy solutions. Mullen has evolved over the past decade in sync with consumers and technology trends. Today, the company is working diligently to provide exciting EV options built entirely in the United States and made to fit perfectly into the American consumer’s life. Mullen strives to make EVs more accessible than ever by building an end-to-end ecosystem that takes care of all aspects of EV ownership.

Commencement of Trading on Nasdaq

On November 5, 2021, Mullen announced its commencement of trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

“Today is a monumental day for Mullen Automotive. I am especially proud of our team, investors and all who have believed in Mullen and taken us to this point as a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq Capital Market,” David Michery, CEO and Chairman of Mullen Automotive, stated in the news release. “Trading on Nasdaq now opens us up to new investors, both institutional and retail shareholders, and broadens our awareness and company profile, while increasing awareness of Mullen and our technology platform and opening new opportunities in EV and beyond. The road ahead has never been brighter for Mullen, and I am proud to lead us into the future.”

The milestone came in the wake of the company’s stock-for-stock merger with Net Element Inc.

The Mullen FIVE

The Mullen FIVE EV Crossover, debuting at the Los Angeles International Auto Show (LAIAS) on November 17, 2021, embodies Mullen’s Southern California roots with an inspired design focused on two complementary Golden State themes – California landscape and California urban.

The FIVE is built on an EV Crossover skateboard platform that offers multiple powertrain configurations and trim levels in a svelte design that is Strikingly Different™ and exciting to experience in person.

Prior to the start of LAIAS, the Mullen FIVE was selected as a finalist by the LA Auto Show for Top EV SUV in the ZEVA “People’s Choice” Awards.

LAIAS provides Mullen an opportunity to display multiple variants of the FIVE model while also showcasing its powertrain, battery and charging technology. The company intends to bring the FIVE to market in 2024, and reservations are currently open here.

Mullen’s development portfolio also includes EV Fleet Vans, which it intends to bring to market in Q2 2022, and the pure electric, high performance Mullen DragonFLY.

Expansion of Manufacturing Capacity

On November 2, 2021, Mullen announced plans to expand its facility in Robinsonville, Mississippi.

Mullen’s Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Facility (AMEC) currently occupies 124,000 square feet of manufacturing space. The total available land on the property is over 100 acres, and Mullen is moving ahead with plans to build out another 1.2 million square feet of manufacturing space to support class 1 and class 2 EV cargo vans and the Mullen FIVE EV Crossover.

On the expanded site, Mullen plans to build a body shop, a fully automated paint shop and a general assembly shop.

EV Market Outlook

The global EV market was reported to consist of 3,269,671 units in 2019, a figure that is expected to grow at a CAGR of 21.1% through 2030 to a total of 26,951,318 units worldwide. This market’s monetary value was estimated at $162.34 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 22.6%, resulting in an approximate value of $802.81 billion by 2027. The primary driver for this exponential growth is a worldwide increase in vehicle emissions regulations.

Management Team

David Michery is the CEO and Founder of Mullen and has been leading the company and its divisions since inception in 2014. With over 25 years of executive management, marketing, distressed assets, and business restructuring experience, Mr. Michery brings a wealth of relevant knowledge and expertise to the Mullen brand. He has notably created 12 trademarks so far to develop the company brand and vision.

Mr. Michery is working toward a sustainable future accessible to all by creating a suite of clean-energy electric vehicles at varied price points. With entirely U.S.-based manufacturing and operations, he is also determined to have Mullen Technologies play a role in shaping a self-sustaining local economy by creating more jobs in America.

Mr. Michery manages risks and company expectations as a pathway to success and has personally overseen several businesses that totaled over $1 billion in transactions. His key strength is the ability to be fiscally responsible and lead teams to complete projects on time and within budget. As a seasoned professional in this space, Mr. Michery has demonstrated skill in building businesses from the ground up and into successful entities that subsequently sold for hundreds of millions of dollars.

Mullen Automotive Inc. (MULN), closed Thursday's trading session at $6.86, up 3.7821%, on 977,680 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $6.36/$10080.00.

Recent News

• Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) Received Official Notice from NASDAQ, Regains Compliance with Minimum Bid Price Requirement
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Mullen Automotive Inc.'s (NASDAQ: MULN) 1,000-HP EV Crossover Showcased in CarBuzz Article
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) Super-Crossover Five RS Spotlighted in AutoCar Article

Freight Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGT)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Freight Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGT).

Lexaria Bioscience (NASDAQ: LEXX, LEXXW), a global innovator in drug-delivery platforms, has released a shareholder letter from CEO Chris Bunka. In the letter, Bunka notes that near the end of 2023, 446 companies on the NASDAQ were trading under $1 and at risk of being delisted compared to almost none in 2021. Bunka stated that "it was a tough year for microcap companies, which are often too early stage to have profitable operations and withstand the harsh realities of the investment banking and finance industries: capital was much harder to come by in 2023 than at any time in recent years." With that in mind, Bunka says, the company can "at least breathe a sigh of relief and say, ‘we survived,' and, in fact, made considerable advancements." In the letter, Bunka noted the company's progress with its intellectual property ("IP") portfolio front and its new corporate client resulting from its newly created nutraceutical subsidiary; Bunka also acknowledged the "real challenges in the capital markets that negatively affected shareholder value and overwhelmed our progress in other areas." In the letter, Bunka reported on a list of key topics including capital markets and shareholders, U.S. Food and Drug Administration registration, and research and development efforts in the following sectors: hypertension; cholesterol, triglyceride and weight-loss management; human hormones; blood glucose and diabetes; reduced-risk oral nicotine; glucagon-like peptides (GLP-1); and blood semaglutide and glucose levels (mmol/l). Bunka noted that in 2024, the company's efforts will be tightly focused on GLP-1 investigations, with several anticipated studies being planned. Bunka reported that Lexaria received 10 new granted patents during 2023, more than in any previous year; the company now has a total of 38 patents granted worldwide.

"I am more positive than ever before about our chances of establishing a commercial relationship with a significant pharmaceutical company in the year to come," said Lexaria Biosciences CEO Chris Bunka in the shareholder letter. "Why? Because we have never been more confident in our intellectual property portfolio; we have witnessed consistent drug-delivery improvements with a variety of molecules; we have established a foundation for our studied molecules to better qualify them for commercial use and have learned what must be done in advance of gaining a corporate partnership; and we have now demonstrated DehydraTECH's superiority with one of the most valuable molecule classes in the world (GLP-1). Our 2024 research program for GLP-1 drugs is ambitious but logical. It is well within our ability to execute (subject to some financing needs). And, if it continues to deliver results similar to those we've already seen, together with our ever-advancing progress on DehydraTECH-related intellectual property, I'm just not aware of what else we would need to do in order to find a strong commercial partner."

To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/IWEDV

Freight Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGT) (“Fr8Tech”) is a technology company developing solutions to optimize and automate the supply chain process, providing a platform for B2B cross-border shipping in the NAFTA region. The company’s mission is to revolutionize cross-border shipping by providing carriers with increased growth opportunities and shippers with flexibility, visibility and simplicity for the once-complex process of international over-the-road shipping.

Freight Technologies, formerly known as Hudson Capital Inc., assumed its current name and ticker symbol on May 27, 2022. Its primary operating subsidiary and its marketplace are known as Fr8App, and it conducts operations throughout North America under the names of Fr8App and/or Freight App. The company is headquartered in Houston, Texas, with multiple locations across the U.S. and Mexico.

The Fr8Tech Solutions Suite

Fr8Tech leverages artificial intelligence to provide cloud-based platforms aimed at automating the over-the-road transportation process, effectively reducing human touch points and expediting load booking times. The company’s suite of solutions includes:

• Fr8app – A B2B marketplace powered by AI and Machine Learning offering a real-time broker portal to connect shippers with qualified carriers
• Fr8Radar – A tracking solution providing shippers and carriers real-time locational data via Fr8app’s mobile solution or through integration with third-party GPS alternatives
• Fr8TMS – A transportation management system designed to help shippers manage their freight and all of the documents involved in shipping transactions, including invoices, customs documents, confirmation rates and proof of deliveries
• Fr8FMS – A fleet management system allowing transportation companies to better manage their fleets, reduce operational costs and provide better service to their customers
• Fr8Data – A data solution offering real-time dashboards and reports to shippers and carriers in an effort to increase visibility and control while supporting better business decisions
• Fr8Fleet – A platform that provides private fleet management, enabling large corporate shippers to purchase dedicated capacity secured by Fr8app in exchange for a fixed fee

Commitment to the Environment

Through its core focus on technology, Fr8Tech seeks to reduce the carbon footprint of the logistics industry. Its solutions aim to minimize empty miles for transportation firms and reduce overall paper consumption.

Fr8University

Fr8University is an educational program offering classroom and on-the-job training for Fr8Tech team members. Through the program, employees learn in-depth business fundamentals and applications along the truckload freight industry value chain.

Led by corporate educator Mario Mena, Fr8University is designed as an investment in the company’s human capital, providing an opportunity to communicate Fr8Tech’s corporate culture while accelerating operational growth.

Market Outlook

Fr8Tech’s established foothold in Mexico is key to its current efforts to promote sustainable growth in the cross-border shipping industry. Ongoing disruption in U.S.-Chinese trade relations have strengthened Mexico’s status as the largest trading partner of the U.S., with cross-border annual freight spending estimated at $385 billion according to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Annual domestic shipping in Mexico is estimated at $34 billion, while annual domestic shipping in the U.S. is estimated to total $732 billion.

Despite the size of this industry, fragmentation and inefficiencies prevail in the space. Thousands of legacy brokers, tens of thousands of shippers and hundreds of thousands of carriers still rely on outdated systems to arrange transport, spending hours on the phone negotiating pricing, waiting days to find trucks and drivers, preparing and printing forms, and operating without tracking or visibility. Add in cross-border complexity relating to customs and additional paperwork, and you have an industry ripe for technological disruption.

Fr8Tech’s recent revenue growth trends have highlighted the company’s efforts to capitalize on this opportunity. In 2021, Fr8Tech achieved revenues of $21.5 million, marking a year-over-year increase of 134%. The company issued revenue guidance for fiscal 2022 of $40 million in a February 9, 2022, press release, which would account for a further 86% year-over-year increase.

Management Team

Javier Selgas is CEO and a Director of Freight Technologies Inc. and Freight App Inc. He brings to the company over 15 years of experience developing technology and digital marketing strategies, including serving as Country Manager for Osigu, Spain, and as head of AJEgroup’s IT division for the Asia-Pacific region. Prior to joining Fr8Tech, Mr. Selgas founded digital marketing agency Lanzadera Online. He has also served as an IT consultant to major corporations, including Endesa and Ibermatica.

Mike Flinker is President of Fr8Tech. He has over four decades of experience in the transportation industry, with 30+ years focused on cross-border logistics. Prior to joining Fr8Tech, Mr. Flinker founded FLS Transportation, the largest cross-border logistics company in Canada. He also previously held positions with Clarke Transport Inc., Canadian Pacific and Reimer Express Inc. (a division of Roadway Express).

Paul Freudenthaler is the company’s CFO and Secretary to the company Board. He has over 30 years of financial expertise, having previously served as CFO for several leading companies across multiple countries, including Macquarie in Mexico, Old Mutual in Latin America and Ascentium Capital in the U.S. Mr. Freudenthaler’s experience include leadership roles from which he guided IPOs and M&A transactions.

Luisa Lopez is COO of Fr8Tech. She brings to the company 25+ years of management experience in logistics, supply chain, operations and customer service. Ms. Lopez previously served as a Director of Landstar, where she was responsible for commercial and client development strategies in the Mexican market. Additionally, she managed more than 2,000 transport units specialized in staff and school mobility while with Traxion in Mexico.

Freight Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGT), closed Thursday's trading session at $0.2861, off by 5.4215%, on 873,230 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.25/$6.70.

Recent News

• Freight Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGT) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Freight Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGT) Names New CFO, Board Member
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Freight Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGT) Partners with Kawasaki in Contract for Cross-Border Logistics Services
• Freight Technologies Inc. Secures Contract with Kawasaki

SOBRsafe Inc. (NASDAQ: SOBR)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlightFathom SOBRsafe Inc. (NASDAQ: SOBR).

FingerMotion (NASDAQ: FNGR), a mobile services and data company, announced that its board of directors has preliminarily approved a dividend in kind of warrants (each, a "dividend warrant") to purchase shares of the company's common stock to holders of the company's common stock. According to the announcement, the terms of the dividend warrants, as well as the record and payment dates for the dividend, will be fixed by further resolution of the board. The dividend warrants are anticipated to be created and allotted per a warrant agreement to be entered into between FingerMotion and a suitably qualified institutional warrant agent. FingerMotion intends to file a registration statement on Form S-3 with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission for the purpose of registering the dividend warrants and underlying common shares under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to apply to the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC for the listing of the dividend warrants and the underlying common shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/qPYyC

SOBRsafe Inc. (NASDAQ: SOBR) is a provider of a game-changing transdermal (touch-based) alcohol detection technology that can improve workplace safety and provides advanced screening and monitoring solutions for the behavioral health industry.

Alcohol misuse is the fourth leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., and the seventh worldwide. Nearly half of all industrial accidents with injuries are alcohol-related, and 1-in-10 U.S. commercial drivers tests positive for alcohol – the highest rate in the world. Despite these statistics, prevention and monitoring solutions have not kept pace with this epidemic. Legacy detection technologies are invasive and inefficient, unhygienic and unconnected. SOBRsafe believes there is a better way.

The company has developed a patent-pending alcohol detection device called SOBRcheck™ for use in detecting alcohol in humans, with just the touch of a finger. SOBRsafe’s next-generation transdermal technology detects and instantaneously reports the presence of alcohol as emitted through a user’s skin. No breath, blood or urine sample is required. SOBRsafe believes its technology is a superior, hygienic alternative to traditional breathalyzers for frontline, preventative applications.

With a powerful backend data platform, SOBRsafe provides humane, passive and connected alcohol detection for the behavioral health, transportation, oil and gas, judicial and consumer markets.

A preventative solution in historically reactive industries, SOBRsafe technology is being deployed for commercial fleets, workplaces, alcohol rehabilitation, probation management and teen drivers. This monitoring technology helps prevent intoxicated workers from taking the factory floor or drivers from receiving the keys to a truck, bus or family car. An offender is immediately flagged, and an administrator is empowered to take the appropriate corrective actions.

SOBRsafe technology is commercially available for access control (SOBRcheck), wearable use (SOBRsure™) and licensing or white labeling.

The company is headquartered in the Denver (CO) Technology Center.

Products

The SOBRsafe technology is integrated within the company’s robust and scalable data platform, producing statistical and measurable user and business data.

SOBRsafe™

With a mission is to save lives, increase productivity, create significant economic benefits and positively impact behavior, SOBRsafe developed the scalable, patent-pending SOBRsafe™ platform for non-invasive alcohol detection, real-time reporting and historical data aggregation.

SOBRsafe is a solution that has broad applications in behavioral health, fleet and facility safety, youth drivers and judicial markets.

SOBRcheck™

SOBRcheck is the company’s stationary identification and alcohol monitoring product, providing a quick, specific-point-in-time test for the presence of alcohol. In hygienic, real-time fashion, SOBRcheck verifies user identity and determines the absence or presence of alcohol.

SOBRcheck provides an administrator immediate results – delivered securely – to aid in the efficient management of an existing substance abuse policy.

SOBRsure™

SOBRsure is the company’s transdermal, alcohol-detecting wearable. SOBRsure provides continuous, mobile alcohol monitoring. The band’s advanced alcohol safety technology discreetly detects and instantaneously reports the presence of alcohol in the body. Additionally, SOBRsure provides app-based alcohol detection alerts, pinpoint location tracking and band-removal notifications.

The SOBRcheck and SOBRsure revenue models consist of two components: (1) a hardware device purchase and (2) a recurring monthly SaaS subscription fee.

Design, manufacturing, quality testing and distribution for all SOBRsafe devices takes place in the U.S.

 

Market Opportunity

A report from Data Bridge Market Research, an international market research and consulting firm, estimated the global alcohol sensor market at $2.3 billion in 2022. The market is forecast to reach a value of $6.3 billion by 2030, recording a CAGR of 13.7% over the forecast period.

Market growth drivers, as cited by the report, include rising alcohol consumption rates, more stringent laws pertaining to alcohol consumption and new, more effective technologies that facilitate detection and enforcement.

Greater awareness of alcohol consumption as a potential threat to public and workplace safety has led to increased emphasis on preventing operation of motor vehicles and machinery by those under the influence of alcohol and promoting responsible alcohol consumption, as the report details.

Management Team

David Gandini is Chairman and CEO of SOBRsafe. He most recently served as president of IPS Denver, a bank card personalization company. Prior to that, Dave was the COO at First World Communications, a U.S. internet and data center provider, and participated in its successful IPO. He previously founded Pace Network Services and facilitated a successful exit to ICG Communications. Dave also co-founded Detroit-based Digital Signal in the fiber optic long haul market sector, where he executed a successful exit to SP Telecom.

Chris Whitaker, CPA, is CFO of SOBRsafe. Previously, Chris had served as the Company’s Vice President of Finance and Accounting. He has held various executive finance positions with large public multi-national corporations and small entrepreneurial companies throughout a progressive 30-year career that began with KPMG. Chris was formerly President – Americas and Vice President of Finance and Administration for public, multinational corporation Elixinol. He also served as the Managing Director of AEGIS Financial Consulting, leading a team of consultants in providing fractional CFO and financial consulting services to a wide variety of businesses in the public and private sectors.

Scott Bennett is EVP, Business Operations at SOBRsafe. He has more than 20 years of experience as a senior executive in technology-driven enterprises. Prior to joining SOBRsafe, he co-founded cybersecurity firm GBprotect and served as its COO until its successful sale to Nuspire. He previously served as Chief Technical Officer/Chief Information Security Officer of fintech businesses Catalyst Card Company and Integrated Printing Solutions.

SOBRsafe Inc. (NASDAQ: SOBR), closed Thursday's trading session at $0.4125, up 3.125%, on 113,096 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.2004/$3.16.

Recent News

• SOBRsafe Inc. (NASDAQ: SOBR) - InvestorNewsBreaks - SOBR Safe Inc. (NASDAQ: SOBR) to Participate at Lytham Partners 2024 Investor Select Conference, Signs Fourth Behavioral Health Provider
• InvestorNewsBreaks - SOBR Safe Inc. (NASDAQ: SOBR) Selected by Navix Health in 'Significant Milestone' Collaboration Advancing Digital Health
• SOBRsafe Selected as Exclusive Alcohol Data Partner for Next-Generation Digital Healthcare Platform

D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS).

Mullen Automotive (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, was featured in a recent CarBuzz article that highlighted the company's "world-beating" EV crossover, the Mullen FIVE RS. "A company called Mullen Automotive just showed up to CES 2024 with an electric performance crossover that is bound to grab some headlines. It's called the Mullen FIVE RS, based on a crossover called the Mullen FIVE, and it boasts some world-beating specifications that could shock the likes of Porsche and even Tesla," the article reads. "Mullen provided CarBuzz with a tantalizing spec sheet featuring some key numbers: more than 1,000 horsepower, over 200 mph top speed, 0-60 in under two seconds, and 60-0 mph braking in under 110 feet. Power will come from dual electric motors through a two-speed transmission, like a Porsche Taycan, with an 800-volt charging architecture to refill the 100 kWh battery pack. Mullen says a 0-80% charge will take just 21 minutes on a DC fast-charger. Assuming Mullen can deliver on these promises, this car might provide a serious challenge to a Tesla Model X Plaid in a drag race."

To view the corresponding image, visit https://ibn.fm/Dduru

To view the full article, visit https://ibn.fm/h0q3i

D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) is a leader in quantum computing systems, software and services focused on delivering customer value via practical quantum applications for problems such as logistics, artificial intelligence, materials sciences, drug discovery, scheduling, fault detection and financial modeling. As the only provider building both annealing and gate-model quantum computers, the company is unlocking commercial use cases in optimization today, while building the technologies that will enable new solutions tomorrow.

D-Wave is a pioneer in quantum computing, with a history of delivering the world’s first commercial quantum computer; the first real-time quantum cloud service; countless hardware and software product and research milestones; and the planned first cross-platform quantum solution which will deliver both annealing and gate-model quantum computers to customers via an integrated platform. Its current commercial product offerings include: Advantage™ (fifth generation quantum computer), Leap™ (quantum cloud service), Launch™ (quantum computing onboarding service) and Ocean™ (full suite of open-source programming tools).

D-Wave’s relentless pursuit of practical quantum computing has resulted in the technology being used today by some of the world’s most advanced enterprises – more than 25 of the Forbes Global 2000 use D-Wave.

D-Wave’s commercial customers include blue-chip industry leaders like Volkswagen, Accenture, BBVA, NEC Corporation, Save-On-Foods, DENSO and Lockheed Martin. The company boasts an extensive IP portfolio featuring more than 200 issued U.S. patents and over 100 peer-reviewed papers published in leading scientific journals.

Founded in 1999, D-Wave is the world’s first commercial supplier of quantum computers. With headquarters and the Quantum Engineering Center of Excellence based near Vancouver, Canada, D-Wave’s U.S. operations are based in Palo Alto, California.

Advantage™ Quantum Computer

 

With the Advantage™ Quantum Computer, D-Wave has incorporated two decades of experience and over 10 years of customer feedback to create the first and only quantum computer designed for business. The platform features a new processor architecture with over 5,000 qubits and 15-way qubit connectivity. This is 2.5x more connections and more than double the number of qubits than the company’s previous generation quantum computer.

D-Wave’s quantum computers, first located in its facilities in British Columbia, have been available to North American users through its Leap™ quantum cloud service since 2018. It has since introduced new Advantage systems in Julich, Germany, and most recently, Marina Del Rey, California, which marked the availability of the first Advantage quantum computer physically located in the United States.

That new deployment is part of the USC-Lockheed Martin Quantum Computing Center (QCC) hosted at USC’s Information Sciences Institute (ISI), a unit of the University of Southern California’s prestigious Viterbi School of Engineering. Additionally, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and D-Wave announced that the U.S.-based system is available for use in Amazon 2racket, expanding the number to three different D-Wave quantum systems available to AWS users.

Leap Quantum Cloud Service

 

D-Wave’s customers interface with its systems through the Leap™ quantum cloud service. Leap delivers immediate, real-time access to the company’s Advantage quantum computer and quantum hybrid solver service, all with enterprise-class performance and scalability.

Leap allows developers proficient in Python to get started building and running quantum applications. Through a seamless and secure cloud-based connection, users can easily start solving complex problems of up to 1 million variables and 100,000 constraints.

Using Leap, D-Wave customers have developed quantum hybrid applications for use cases in manufacturing, logistics, financial services, life sciences, materials science, retail and transportation. By eliminating the need to wait hours, days or weeks to get good answers to a broad array of problems, D-Wave is helping businesses move forward.

D-Wave Launch

D-Wave Launch™ is the company’s onboarding platform aimed at helping businesses easily start their quantum journey. Through this program, D-Wave’s team of experts and partners aid enterprises in identifying best use cases for quantum and work with them to develop a proof of concept and production pilot.

From there, the team coordinates with customers to get their hybrid quantum applications up and running, providing ongoing Leap quantum cloud access to ensure the application is operating smoothly and delivering real business value.

Target Verticals

While the potential applications for quantum computing are effectively limitless, D-Wave has identified a number of industry verticals as key areas of focus for its quantum architecture, providing case studies for each. These include:

• Manufacturing – D-Wave worked with Volkswagen to identify a commercial optimization application, the binary paint shop problem, which was run on D-Wave’s hybrid solver service. The solver outperformed four purely classical methods on problem sizes at commercial scale (N=3,000). In a separate project, similar inputs were tested using a leading ion trap system, which failed to find any commercial solution.
• Life Sciences – Menten AI makes use of D-Wave quantum computing to assist in the design of novel therapeutic peptides—short strings of amino acids that can act as potent drugs. With the rise of COVID-19, D-Wave’s Advantage system made it possible to identify molecules that might be especially well-suited for binding and inhibiting the related spike protein, producing several promising peptide designs.
• Finance – Multiverse Computing, a leader in developing quantum solutions for the financial sector, leveraged D-Wave’s hybrid solver service in a collaboration with BBVA, one of the world’s largest financial institutions. Multiverse demonstrated management strategies that far exceeded the granularity of traditional returns in a fraction of the time, helping BBVA identify a low-risk portfolio for investment.

Market Opportunity

The quantum computing total addressable market is projected to grow between $450 billion and $850 billion over the next 15 to 30 years, with between $5 billion and $10 billion of anticipated TAM growth coming in the next three to five years, according to Boston Consulting Group. Driving factors behind this growth include rising investments in quantum computing tech by governments and an increasing number of commercial use-cases.

Forward-thinking organizations see quantum as an opportunity to move ahead of the competition. From finding efficiencies and reducing waste to decreasing time to solution and solving problems abandoned due to complexity, the business value is real. According to data from 451 Research, 40% of large enterprises are already experimenting with quantum computing.

D-Wave is strategically positioned – in an industry with significant barriers to entry – as evident by a decades-long track record serving a roster of blue-chip customers. The company is singularly focused on helping its customers achieve clear value by leveraging quantum computing in practical business applications. With a full stack of systems, software, developer tools and services, D-Wave is working to enable enterprises, governments, developers and researchers to access the power of quantum computing, thereby providing an intriguing opportunity for prospective investors.

D-Wave’s current investor base includes PSP Investments, Goldman Sachs, BDC Capital, NEC Corporation, Aegis Group Partners and In-Q-Tel.

Leadership Team

Dr. Alan Baratz has served as the CEO of D-Wave since 2020. Previously, as Executive Vice President of R&D and Chief Product Officer, he drove the development, delivery, and support of all of D-Wave’s products, technologies, and applications. Dr. Baratz has over 25 years of experience in product development and bringing new products to market at leading technology companies and software startups. As the first president of JavaSoft at Sun Microsystems, he oversaw the growth and adoption of the Java platform from its infancy to a robust platform supporting mission-critical applications in nearly 80 percent of Fortune 1000 companies. He has also held executive positions at Symphony, Avaya, Cisco, and IBM. Dr. Baratz holds a doctorate in computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

John Markovich is the company’s CFO. He brings to D-Wave over three decades of experience working with rapidly growing private and public technology companies across all stages of development. Mr. Markovich has directed the finance, accounting, tax, treasury, M&A, legal, operations, customer service, IR, HR, and IT functions for companies ranging from privately held pre-revenue startups to an NYSE-listed Fortune 500 multi-national company with over $1.2 billion in annual revenue. During his career, he has negotiated and closed over 150 debt, equity, M&A, and joint venture transactions exceeding $2.5 billion in value; over a dozen private placements; nearly a dozen M&A transactions; and several international joint ventures. Mr. Markovich holds a BS in Business from Miami University and an MBA from the Michigan State Graduate School of Business.

D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS), closed Thursday's trading session at $0.718, off by 4.9007%, on 1,158,648 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.3962/$3.20.

Recent News

• D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) - InvestorNewsBreaks - D-Wave Announces 1,200+ Qubit Advantage2(TM) Prototype, Strategic Collaboration with Deloitte Canada
• InvestorNewsBreaks - D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) Appoints Former Secretary of Homeland Security to Board of Directors
• InvestorNewsBreaks - D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) to Present at 26th Annual Needham Growth Conference

Scinai Immunotherapeutics Ltd. (NASDAQ: SCNI)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Scinai Immunotherapeutics Ltd. (NASDAQ: SCNI).

Correlate (OTCQB: CIPI), a tech-enabled development, finance and fulfillment platform for distributed energy solutions across North America, recently completed solar projects for American Tire Distributors' headquarters and Continental Envelope's manufacturing plant and announced it had commenced a third project in Reading, Pennsylvania. "The first project was completed at American Tire Distributors (‘ATD') headquarters in Huntersville, North Carolina. The initiative aims to reduce ATD's carbon footprint and generate substantial cost savings by reducing reliance on traditional energy sources. Over the next two decades, it's expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 5,463 tons… The second solar project was constructed at Continental Envelope's manufacturing plant in Geneva, Illinois, one of Illinois' largest rooftop solar facilities. Continental Envelope serves prominent clients in various industries and has integrated the clean energy system into its 84-year-old printing facility, producing 2 billion envelopes annually. The solar project will provide approximately 20%-25% of the facility's energy needs, ensuring energy stability and promoting sustainability for years. The third project in Reading, Pennsylvania, which has grown from 3.8 MW to 5.2 MW, is the company's largest project to date," a recent article reads. "We are thrilled to unveil this remarkable project, reflecting our dedication to providing clients with best-in-class sustainability solutions and reducing their carbon footprint," Todd Michaels, Correlate's CEO, said of the project completed at ATD's headquarters.

To view the full article, visit https://ibn.fm/73Z9h

Scinai Immunotherapeutics Ltd. (NASDAQ: SCNI) is a biotechnology company focused on developing, manufacturing, and commercializing innovative immunotherapeutic products primarily for the treatment of infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases.

In collaboration with the prestigious Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences (MPG) and the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), both in Germany, Scinai is developing a pipeline of innovative nanosized antibody (NanoAb) therapies addressing diseases underserved by current treatments and with large and growing markets, such as COVID-19, asthma and psoriasis.

NanoAbs, also known as VHH-antibodies or Nanobodies, are alpaca-derived nanosized antibodies that exhibit multiple significant competitive advantages over existing antibody therapies, including stability at high temperatures, superior binding affinity, more effective and convenient routes of administration and efficient production. Scinai is uniquely positioned to advance nanosized antibody innovation from R&D through commercialization.

The company’s highly experienced and successful pharmaceutical industry leadership team includes former senior executives from Novartis, GSK and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Since its founding, Scinai has executed eight clinical trials, including a seven-country, 12,400-participant Phase 3 trial of a prior influenza vaccine candidate, and it built, owns and operates a 20,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art GMP biologics manufacturing facility housing its laboratories, production facilities and offices.

Lead Candidate: Inhaled COVID-19 NanoAb

In December 2021, Scinai signed definitive agreements with the Max Planck Society – parent organization of the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences– and the UMG to enter a strategic collaboration for the development and commercialization of innovative COVID-19 NanoAbs.

The company is planning a rapid development path that leverages its expertise and capabilities in biological drug development and manufacturing. Scinai anticipates preclinical proof-of-concept results for an inhaled COVID-19 NanoAb by the end of 2022, with initial Phase 1/2a human clinical trial results expected in 2023.

The intended inhaled mechanism of delivery of Scinai’s COVID-19 NanoAb formulation may serve as a significant differentiator when compared to approved monoclonal antibodies, which are injected. Inhaled delivery has shown to be cheaper, more convenient and likely safer for patients and providers.

NanoAb Pipeline: Psoriasis, Asthma and More

The COVID-19 NanoAb development agreement is part of a broader five-year research collaboration agreement signed in March 2022 covering discovery, development and commercialization of NanoAbs for several other disease indications with large market medical needs, including asthma, psoriasis, macular degeneration and psoriatic arthritis.

Scinai has an exclusive worldwide license for development and commercialization of COVID-19 NanoAbs and exclusive options for similar worldwide licenses for NanoAbs for the above mentioned additional large market disorders currently underserved by approved therapeutic antibodies.

Academic research teams from MPG and UMG have verified strong affinity by the new NanoAbs to their biological target molecules and high thermostability. They have also demonstrated strong neutralization by several NanoAb candidates of their respective target molecules. Neutralization studies of the other NanoAbs are expected to begin later in 2022.

Based on the promising results, Scinai will focus development efforts beginning with the following NanoAbs:

• NanoAbs targeting IL-17 as drug candidates for the potential treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
• NanoAbs targeting IL-13 and NanoAbs targeting TSLP as drug candidates for the potential treatment of asthma

These are conditions for which the antibody target is validated by existing treatments and the mechanism of action is well understood. Both represent large medical needs and growing markets. Scinai anticipates preclinical proof-of-concept for at least one of these NanoAbs in 2023. This is in addition to the aforementioned human clinical Phase 1/2a for the inhaled COVID-19 NanoAb therapy, which is also anticipated in 2023.

CDMO Services

While NanoAb pipeline development is Scinai’s core focus, the company also offers its cGMP manufacturing facility, aseptic fill and finish suite, laboratories and experienced professionals for contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) services. This offering is designed to keep the Scinai team abreast of the latest industry developments and trends while building experience and generating revenue to support the company’s NanoAb pipeline development.

Market Opportunity

COVID-19 treatment, target of the company’s lead NanoAb therapy candidate, had an estimated market size of $22 billion in 2021.

Future Scinai drug candidates will target conditions with large markets growing at attractive CAGRs.

The global asthma treatment market was valued at $18.08 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach $26.01 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period, according to Fortune Business Insights. The research firm predicts that the global psoriasis treatment market will grow from $26.37 billion in 2022 to $47.24 billion by 2029, exhibiting a CAGR of 8.7% over the forecast period.

Management Team

Amir Reichman is Scinai’s CEO. He previously was Head of Global Vaccines Engineering Core Technologies at GSK Vaccines in Belgium. Prior to that, he held leadership roles at Novartis Vaccines’ Global Vaccines Supply Chain Management organization. He was the first employee of NeuroDerm Ltd., a company focused on transdermal drug delivery, and served as Senior Scientist until his departure in 2009. He earned a M.Sc. in Biotechnology Engineering from Ben-Gurion University and an MBA in Finance and Health Care Management from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

Tamar Ben-Yedidia, Ph.D., is Chief Science Officer at Scinai. She has more than 30 years of experience in immunology, with specific expertise in the development of vaccines. She began her career with Biotechnology General Ltd., working on development of a recombinant Hepatitis-B vaccine. She later joined the Weizmann Institute of Science, working on the design of a peptide-based vaccine against several pathogens. She is widely published, with numerous refereed articles and invited reviews in various scientific journals. She received her Ph.D. from the Weizmann Institute.

Elad Mark is COO at Scinai. He has over 15 years of biotechnology industry experience encompassing diverse project stages including feasibility studies, conceptual and detailed design, commissioning, qualification and process validation. Prior to joining Scinai, he led Novartis’s $800 million investment in a biologics facility in Singapore. With Biopharmax and Antero, both global pharmaceutical engineering companies, he successfully led projects in Israel, China and Singapore. He holds a BSc. in Engineering from the Afeka Tel Aviv Academic College of Engineering and an MBA from the Open University of Israel.

Uri Ben-Or is CFO at Scinai. He has served as CFO with public life science companies traded on the TASE, OTC and Nasdaq. Ben-Or provides his services to Scinai through CFO Direct, a company he founded and for which he serves as CEO. He served as the VP of Finance of Glycominds, a leading biotechnology company, and as CFO of a spin-off from Telrad Networks. He also served as a Corporate Controller at Menorah Capital Markets and as an Auditor at PWC. He holds a B.A. in Business from the College of Administration, an MBA from Bar-Ilan University, and is a CPA.

Scinai Immunotherapeutics Ltd. (NASDAQ: SCNI), closed Thursday's trading session at $0.52, off by 3.6857%, on 30,994 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.487501/$2.86.

Recent News

• Scinai Immunotherapeutics Ltd. (NASDAQ: SCNI) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Scinai Immunotherapeutics Ltd. (NASDAQ: SCNI) Scientific Research Collaborator Receives Prestigious Louis-Jeantet Prize
• InvestorNewsBreaks – Scinai Immunotherapeutics Ltd. (NASDAQ: SCNI) Closes on $1.69M Exercise of Outstanding Warrants
• InvestorNewsBreaks – Scinai Immunotherapeutics Ltd. (NASDAQ: SCNI) CEO Releases Shareholder Letter

Arizona Metals Corp. (TSX: AMC) (OTCQX: AZMCF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Arizona Metals Corp. (TSX: AMC) (OTCQX: AZMCF).

Sigyn Therapeutics (OTCQB: SIGY) is a development-stage medical technology company whose therapeutic candidates include Sigyn Therapy(TM), the ImmunePrep(TM) platform, ChemoPrep(TM), and ChemoPure(TM). "The company is advancing Sigyn Therapy to treat pathogen-associated inflammatory disorders that are not addressed with FDA-approved drugs. Candidate treatment indications include community-acquired pneumonia, drug-resistant virus and bacterial infections, endotoxemia, and sepsis, which is the leading cause of hospital deaths in the United States... In vitro studies have demonstrated the ability of Sigyn Therapy to eliminate life-threatening pathogen and inflammatory disease targets from human blood plasma… Sigyn designed the ImmunePrep platform to leverage the use of therapeutic antibodies to create extracorporeal blood purification devices that sweep antibody decoys from the bloodstream prior to the subsequent infusion (normal delivery) of the same therapeutic antibody. The company believes its reverse decoy mechanism will increase the availability of antibodies to interact with their intended disease targets, and, simultaneously, the devices will also extract disease targets from the bloodstream to further improve patient benefits," a recent article explains. "Recent scientific publications have reported that only 1% of chemotherapy is delivered to the tumor cell targets of cancer patients. In response, the Sigyn team designed ChemoPrep to overcome a delivery limitation of the most commonly administered drug to treat cancer. The company is developing ChemoPrep to reduce the circulating presence of tumor-derived exosomes (tumor exosomes), which interfere with chemotherapy delivery… Inversely, the Sigyn team recognized that if 99% of chemotherapy was missing its target, then there was a need to eliminate off-target chemotherapy from the bloodstream to reduce toxicity and limit organ damage. This factor led to the design of ChemoPure to reduce treatment toxicity by reducing the presence of off-target chemotherapy from the bloodstream."

To view the full article, visit https://ibn.fm/o2v9T

Arizona Metals Corp. (TSX: AMC) (OTCQX: AZMCF) is a mineral exploration company engaged in advancing precious and base metal deposits in the state of Arizona. Its flagship copper-gold-zinc-silver asset is the Kay Mine Project, located in Yavapai County. The company also owns Sugarloaf Peak gold project in La Paz County.

The company in October 2022 received permit approval from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for two new drill pads, located approximately 1,200 meters west of the Kay Mine Deposit. These new pads will allow for testing of the company’s Western Target, while also allowing for drilling of additional coincident anomalies located between the Central and Western Targets. Construction of the drill road for the Central Target (located 500 meters west of the Kay Mine Deposit) is currently underway, with drilling expected to begin in November 2022. Road construction for the Western Target will begin upon confirmation of BLM acceptance of the company’s posted bond, with drilling expected to commence in Q1 2023.

The company is fully funded, with $60 million in cash as of June 30, 2022, to complete the remaining 18,000 meters planned for the Phase 2 program at Kay, as well as an additional 76,000 meters in the Phase 3 program (budgeted at $27 million), which will be used to test the numerous parallel targets heading west of the Kay Deposit, as well as the northern and southern extensions of the Kay Deposit.

Arizona Metals Corp. is based in Toronto, Canada.

Projects

Arizona Metals Corp. owns 100% of the Kay Mine property in Yavapai County, which is located on a combination of patented and BLM claims totaling 1,300 acres that are not subject to any royalties. An historic estimate by Exxon Minerals in 1982 reported a “proven and probable reserve of 6.4 million short tons at a grade of 2.2% copper, 2.8 grams per ton gold, 3.03% zinc, and 55 grams per ton silver.” The historic estimate has not been verified as a current mineral resource. None of the key assumptions, parameters, and methods used to prepare the historic estimate were reported by Exxon, and no resource categories were used. Significant data compilation, re-drilling and data verification may be required by a “qualified person” (as defined in National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects) before the historic estimate can be verified and upgraded to be a current mineral resource. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify it as a current mineral resource, and Arizona Metals is not treating the historic estimate as a current mineral resource.

The company also owns 100% of the Sugarloaf Peak Property in La Paz County, which is located on 4,400 acres of BLM claims. Sugarloaf is a heap-leach, open-pit target and has a historic estimate of “100 million tons containing 1.5 million ounces (of) gold” at a grade of 0.5 grams per ton. The historic estimate at the Sugarloaf Peak Property was reported by Westworld Resources in 1983. The historic estimate has not been verified as a current mineral resource. None of the key assumptions, parameters, and methods used to prepare the historic estimate were reported, and no resource categories were used. Significant data compilation, re-drilling and data verification may be required by a qualified person before the historic estimate can be verified and upgraded to a current mineral resource. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify it as a current mineral resource, and Arizona Metals is not treating the historic estimate as a current mineral resource.

Market Opportunity

The World Gold Council, an industry association representing gold producers with hundreds of mining operations in nearly 50 countries around the world, reports that global demand for gold during the first six months of 2022 was 2,189 tons, a 12% increase in demand over the same period in 2021. Demand came primarily from gold bar and coin investors, jewelry consumers, central bank purchases to bolster currency reserves and technology manufacturing.

The average price per ounce for the period was $1,871, marking a 1% year-over-year increase. The council reported gold mine production for the period was up 3% over 2021 at 1,764 tons. For the remainder of 2022 and into 2023, the council projects flat gold demand with possible slight increases in gold mine production. The council notes that unpredictable geopolitical factors, the Ukraine war for example, and likelihood of global economic slowdown could have significant near-term impact on gold demand and prices.

Management Team

Marc Pais is President and CEO of Arizona Metals. He previously founded and served as President of Telegraph Gold (listed as Castle Mountain Mining), which was acquired by Equinox Gold, a TSX-listed mining company. He has seven years of experience as a Mining Analyst, with a focus on precious metals development companies. He holds a B.Sc. in Geological Engineering (Mineral Exploration) from Queen’s University in Canada.

David Smith is the Vice President, Exploration of Arizona Metals. He has 30 years of global precious metals exploration experience, including codiscovery of the Solidaridad/La Sabila deposit in Mexico with deposits estimated at 1 million ounces of gold. His core areas of expertise are managing mineral projects from acquisition to exploration, resource modeling and mineral project development. He holds an M.Sc. from the University of Oregon and an MBA from Pinchot University/Presidio Graduate School.

Paul Reid is the Executive Chairman of Arizona Metals. He previously founded and served as Executive Chairman of Telegraph Gold (listed as Castle Mountain Mining), which was acquired by Equinox Gold, a TSX-listed mining company. Paul has extensive experience as an Investment Banking professional, involved in raising capital, go-public transactions, and advisory services.

Arizona Metals Corp. (OTCQX: AZMCF), closed Thursday's trading session at $1.53, off by 1.2903%, on 139,916 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.45/$3.68.

Recent News

• Arizona Metals Corp. (TSX: AMC) (OTCQX: AZMCF) - Arizona Metals Corp Identifies New Priority Drill Targets at its Kay Mine Project
• Arizona Metals Corp Completes Acquisition of Additional Private Lands at its Kay Mine Project
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Arizona Metals Corp. (TSX: AMC) (OTCQX: AZMCF) Virtual Investor Conference Presentation Available for Viewing

Starco Brands Inc. (OTCQB: STCB)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Starco Brands Inc. (OTCQB: STCB).

Starco Brands Inc. (OTCQB: STCB) is a modern-day invention factory. The company’s unwavering mission is to invent and acquire consumer products and brands with behavior-changing technologies that spark excitement in the everyday.

This consumer product company has grown from a few million dollars in revenue to a current run rate of approximately $67 million in annual revenue in one year.

The company has succeeded by identifying whitespaces in eight core consumer categories and then either: 1) leveraging its internal R&D capabilities and dedicated manufacturing network to invent new technologies and brands or 2) utilizing the management team’s extensive M&A experience to acquire brands that fill the industry void, delighting consumers and retailers alike.

Whether the brand is developed internally or acquired, the company employs a modern marketing playbook to ensure its brands are at the forefront of culture; garnering unprecedented media attention and engagement that supports a robust sales network.

Starco Brands’ core competencies are inventing technologies, acquiring companies, marketing, building trends, pushing awareness, penetrating media (social and otherwise) and executing cutting edge pull-through strategies with a roster of globally recognized celebrities, influencers and media and distribution partners.

A commitment to changing the way people approach everyday activities is innate in the company’s corporate DNA.

The company is based in Santa Monica, California.

Brands

Whereas other consumer products companies are content with evolution, Starco Brands has its mind set on creating a revolution across the industry. From disrupting the spirits industry with Whipshots, the world’s only vodka-infused whipped cream, to Soylent, the original food tech company, Starco Brands is putting the CPG world on notice. Its portfolio of brands includes:

• Whipshots is a first-of-its-kind alcoholic whipped cream launched in 2021 with celebrity partner Cardi B. Consumers have embraced this boozy concoction, putting it on top of cocktails, coffees and desserts, or enjoying it straight from the can. In just over a year, the brand has sold over 2 MILLION cans, making it one of the fastest growing spirits in history.
• Winona Pure gives consumers movie theatre popcorn in the comfort of their own homes. All the flavor and none of the additives is the story behind these all-natural, non-GMO popcorn seasoning sprays. A simple spray is all it takes to add the perfect pop of flavor to the classic theatre treat.
• Art of Sport, co-founded by the great Kobe Bryant, is the number one body care brand for athletes. With a growing line of personal care products tested by the world’s greatest athletes, these daily skin essentials give consumers everything they need to feel fresh, stay protected and confident and perform at their peak every day.
• Skylar is the first and only line of perfumes on the market that are hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive skin. With the strong support of industry titan Sephora, the brand has quickly attracted a loyal following.
• Soylent is a technological feat. Originally funded by Google Ventures and Andreessen Horwitz, Soylent is dubbed as the world’s most perfect food. Made from sustainably grown plant-based ingredients, Soylent’s line of products is scientifically developed to provide all the functional ingredients, vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and protein that the body needs – all in convenient, delicious and affordable packages. Soylent’s innovative product line-up includes complete nutrition powders, ready-to-drink shakes, 100-calorie snack bars, high protein nutrition shakes and energy boosting nutrition shakes. Soylent was also the recipient of the 2023 Product of the Year Award by Kantar, a global leader in consumer research.

With award-winning marketing talent, Starco Brands develops robust, integrated marketing plans for every brand in its portfolio, ensuring an impactful presence across all verticals.

Market Outlook

Starco Brands’ varied brand portfolio gives it access to the growth of numerous product categories that are ripe for innovation.

Through its February 2023 acquisition of complete nutrition pioneer Soylent, Starco Brands is positioned to capitalize on the projected growth of the plant-based nutrition space. Research firm Statista valued the plant-based nutrition market at $29.4 billion in 2020 and forecasts its value at nearly $162 billion by 2030, representing a CAGR of 18.7% for the period.

Likewise, Starco Brands gained improved access to the global fragrance market through its December 2022 acquisition of Skylar. According to a report by Grand View Research, the global perfume market was valued at $50.85 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to a value of nearly $80 billion by 2030, achieving a CAGR of 5.9% over the forecast period.

The company is primed to expand its access to other growth verticals as it advances on its path to invent and acquire behavior-changing technologies and brands.

Management Team

Ross Sklar is the CEO of Starco Brands. A chemical formulator by trade, he started his first company while still in college. Since 2004, he has made over a dozen acquisitions with multiple exits and controls an eclectic collection of industrial, household, personal care and food and beverage manufacturers covering many consumer-packaged goods categories.

Darin Brown is the Chief Operating Officer of Starco Brands. With over 20 years of experience in chemical manufacturing, business development, finance and mergers and acquisitions, he has scaled the company from the ground up. He oversees all internal operations for Starco Brands and is an integral liaison between the company and Mr. Sklar’s manufacturing facilities.

David Dreyer is Chief Marketing Officer of Starco Brands. With over 25 years of experience working with blue chip and startup brands, he oversees all marketing initiatives for the company. Mr. Dreyer comes to Starco having worked with such standout brands as Apple, Pepsi, Pizza Hut, Dr Pepper, Snapple, Infiniti, The GRAMMY’s, Honda and Stamps.com. He is also a Professor of Advertising at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication.

Starco Brands Inc. (STCB), closed Thursday's trading session at $0.15, off by 9.0909%, on 11,600 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.115/$0.205.

Recent News

• Starco Brands Inc. (OTCQB: STCB) - Whipshots® by Starco Brands Shatters Expectations with Explosive Growth and Nationwide Expansion
• Starco Brands Celebrates Unprecedented Organic Growth of Winona Pure® Popcorn Spray
• Starco Brands Partners with B2i Digital to Enhance Shareholder Communication

NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) (NASDAQ: NXPLW)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) (NASDAQ: NXPLW).

NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) (NASDAQ: NXPLW), a next generation e-commerce platform, was created with vision and purpose to capitalize on high growth sectors and global markets. The company collaborates with businesses – large and small – to simplify and accelerate online commerce and uniquely enables customers and partners to optimize their e-commerce reach, presence and revenue. NextPlat recently launched a new e-commerce development program to provide American businesses with easy access to the massive Chinese consumer market.

Current Initiatives

NextPlat provides cutting edge technology in an advanced e-commerce ecosystem. The company is actively expanding its global network of online storefronts serving thousands of consumers, enterprises and governments. The company also has developed a next generation platform built for Web3 that enables the creation and sale of digital assets, as well as optimizing e-commerce transactions and business building activities. The company’s current initiatives include:

• E-Commerce Development Program – In April 2023, NextPlat announced it had entered into a merchant sourcing agreement with Alibaba.com Singapore E-Commerce Private Limited (“Alibaba”) and its Tmall Global e-commerce platform whereby the two companies will collaborate to increase the sale of products produced and sold by American companies to the multi-trillion-dollar Chinese consumer market. Alibaba’s Tmall Global e-commerce platform will provide NextPlat customers a turn-key solution through which products can be sold to the Chinese consumer market. The launch of the Florida E-Commerce Development Program is the first in a series of new NextPlat programs designed to assist U.S. businesses in expanding their online sales capabilities to reach new international customers in the Chinese market. NextPlat intends to rapidly expand this unique e-commerce development opportunity to businesses throughout the United States and all of North America, as well as Central and South America. The new development program features NextPlat’s turnkey global e-commerce solution for customers and leverages NextPlat’s relationships with key partners, including Tmall Global, China’s largest cross-border B2C online marketplace.
• Progressive Care Inc. – In August 2022, NextPlat completed a strategic $7 million investment in Progressive Care Inc. (OTCQB: RXMD), a personalized health care services and technology company. In a news release announcing the investment, NextPlat CEO Charles M. Fernandez noted that the company is “committed to harnessing the power of digital technologies to capitalize on the ongoing digital transformation of Progressive Care and the entire health care industry.” NextPlat intends to accelerate Progressive Care’s digital health care transformation with the launch of a new e-commerce platform for health care products later this year.
• NextPlat NFT Platform – Building on its existing e-commerce initiatives, NextPlat is working to bridge the gap between tangible and digital e-commerce marketplaces by incorporating burgeoning Web3 technologies. The company intends to launch a fully integrated NFT platform in the coming months that will enable brands to create, manage and authenticate digital assets while serving as a new source of revenue for NextPlat. Through this model, the company will receive a portion of the revenue generated from branded NFT drops, as well as subsequent secondary market transactions.
• Global Telesat Communications and Orbital SatCom Corp. – Targeting both domestic and international markets, NextPlat’s subsidiaries leverage partnerships with major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Alibaba, eBay and Walmart to serve a growing base that includes more than 50,000 corporate, governmental and individual customers. In total, the brands market more than 10,000 individual products, with a focus on satellite-based connectivity solutions. In addition to exploring accretive M&A opportunities, NextPlat aims to diversify its range of products and broaden its geographic footprint moving forward in an effort to better capitalize on the tremendous growth potential in the United States, Europe and Asia.

“Our goal for 2023 and beyond is to leverage our improved operational capabilities and enhanced leadership team as we expand our offerings in communications and connectivity into the high-growth health care market where we intend to launch an array of innovative new offerings,” Fernandez said in a March 2023 news release detailing the company’s record top-line performance. “Although there remain supply chain headwinds and the challenge of global inflation, we are confident that we have the right combination of market-tested expertise, technology and partnerships that will enable us to bring the power of e-commerce to more customers, brands and industries in the United States and abroad.”

Market Opportunity

The rapid growth of e-commerce over the last decade is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. According to data published by Forbes, roughly 20.8% of all retail purchases are expected to take place online in 2023, accounting for total sales of $6.31 trillion worldwide. It total, e-commerce sales are expected to grow by 10.4% YoY in 2023, accounting for a whopping 24% of all retail purchases by 2026.

For NextPlat, existing partnerships in the industry could be key to capitalizing on this growth. The Forbes report indicates that Amazon accounts for roughly 38.7% of e-commerce sales, while sites like Walmart, eBay and Alibaba round out the list of most visited e-commerce websites. Alibaba is especially interesting due to NextPlat’s recent strategic merchant sourcing agreement with Tmall Global. The Chinese market is “mammoth,” as a recent Alizila report noted. The country’s annual online retail sales of physical goods have nearly doubled in the last five years, reaching approximately 13.8 trillion yuan in 2022, which is nearly $2 trillion USD.

The health care portion of the e-commerce market is generating particularly bullish forecasts, bolstered by the continued adoption of the 340B Drug Pricing Program in the U.S., which requires most drug manufacturers to provide outpatient drugs to covered entities at significantly reduced prices. Industry reports suggest that the global health care e-commerce market will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 16.8% from 2022 to 2030, climbing to a value of more than $1.37 trillion by the end of the forecast period.

Management Team

Charles M. Fernandez, CEO, Executive Chairman and Director of NextPlat, has over three decades of experience in identifying profitable start-up and dislocation opportunities, building significant value and executing exit strategies as an entrepreneur and global investor. Successful across multiple sectors, Fortune Magazine actually labeled Fernandez ‘a restructuring whiz’. As President of Fairholme Capital Management, which he joined in 2008, Mr. Fernandez co-managed all three Fairholme funds and brought in a $2 billion gain for shareholders. Throughout his impressive career, he has participated in more than 100 significant mergers, acquisitions and product development projects across multiple industries. Mr. Fernandez was the founder, Chairman and CEO of eApeiron Solutions LLC, a brand protection and e-commerce company in partnership with Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) and Eastman Kodak (NYSE: KODK), which was successfully sold to Smartrac, a unit of Avery Dennison Corp. (NYSE: AVY).

Rodney Barreto is Chairman and CEO of the Barreto Group and Director of Nextplat. Mr. Barreto’s business career spans over 35 years, including his role at the Barreto Group and, earlier, as the founding partner of Floridian Partners LLC, a corporate and public affairs consulting firm recognized by policy makers as one of the top in its industry in Florida. He chaired the Super Bowl Host Committee in 2007, 2010 and 2020, helping to raise more than $100 million for the success of Miami Super Bowls. As a philanthropist and conservationist, Mr. Barreto is also a three-time appointee to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, where he has served for over 10 years including holding the title of Chairman eight times. He has twice chaired the Annual U.S. Conference of Mayors, was Chairman of the 1999 Breeder’s Cup Championship held in South Florida and was the Chairman of the 1999 Sister Cities International Convention in Miami. Currently, Mr. Barreto is the Membership Chairman of the Florida Council of 100, and a member of the Boards of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, the Baptist Health South Florida Giving Society, the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, and a member of Miami Dade County Schools Superintendent Carvalho’s Business Advisory Council. Prior to his career in public affairs and real estate, Mr. Barreto was a City of Miami police officer and is a member of the Florida Highway Patrol Advisory Council.

NextPlat Corp. (NXPL), closed Thursday's trading session at $1.65, up 3.125%, on 7,527 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 12,554 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.23/$4.26.

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Prospera Energy Inc. (TSX.V: PEI) (FRA: OF6B) (OTC: GXRFF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Prospera Energy Inc. (TSX.V: PEI) (OTC: GXRFF) .

Prospera Energy Inc. (TSX.V: PEI) (OTC: GXRFF) (FRA: OF6B) is a public oil and gas exploration, exploitation and development company focusing on conventional oil and gas reservoirs in Western Canada. The company uses its experience to develop, acquire and drill assets with potential for primary and secondary recovery.

Prospera is primarily focused on optimizing hydrocarbon recovery from legacy fields through environmentally safe and efficient reservoir development methods and production practices. It is in the midst of a three-stage restructuring process aimed at prioritizing cost effective operations while appreciating production capacity and reducing liabilities.

The company is based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Operations

Prospera’s core properties include more than 42,000 cumulative acres across Cuthbert, Luseland and Heart Hills in Saskatchewan and Red Earth and Pouce Coupe in Alberta. In total, the company estimates that there are half a billion barrels of oil in place at these sites accounting for 20+ years of forward project lifespan, with as little as 8% of total reserves having been recovered via legacy vertical well technology.

Restructuring Initiative

In 2021, Prospera enacted a top-down reorganization. The early results of these efforts were on display in May 2023, when the company reported a three-fold year-over-year increase in annual revenue for 2022 alongside drastically reduced operating costs and record-high cash flow from operations.

Prospera noted in the news release that it has positioned itself in 2023 to execute the second phase of its development plan aimed at increasing production through medium-oil development in Alberta and leveraging horizontal wells to capture the significant remaining reserves in Saskatchewan.

During the company’s investor summit in August 2023, Prospera CEO Samuel David provided more information regarding this three-phase strategy:

Phase I

Prospera completed the first phase of its restructuring by optimizing operations at its existing assets and addressing legacy arrears and non-compliance issues.

At the beginning of this transformation, the company was producing just 80 barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) per day. In Q4 of last year, Prospera peaked at nearly 1,200 BOE per day. Its breakeven is around 500 barrels per day, illustrating the opportunity for free cash flow. This prospect has driven Prospera’s capital development and optimization in recent quarters.

After a temporary slowdown in production due to harsh winter conditions, Prospera is currently producing about 800 BOE per day and anticipates an additional 300-500 barrels of daily production following the completion of ongoing site maintenance work.

This sustained increase has pushed the company’s NPV from roughly $3 million prior to the restructuring efforts to approximately $72 million today.

In an effort to build on this progress and maximize its available resources, Prospera piloted two horizontal reentries to assess a potential horizontal well transformation at its properties.

Phase II

Following up on the optimization efforts of Phase I, Prospera aims to commence a horizontal well transformation at its properties in the coming months. Based on its pilot wells from Phase I, the company has proposed 10 horizontal well locations at its Cuthbert and Heart Hills properties.

Prospera has likewise proposed eight medium light oil direction wells at its Alberta property, and it is exploring strategic acquisitions aimed at expanding its core area and diversifying its product mix.

Other facets of Phase II include piloting an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) application and continuing to execute its liability management goals and ESG initiatives. Prospera has already abandoned 60 vertical wells as part of its three-year LMR plan to reclaim surface land and reduce the environmental footprint of its operations.

Phase III

Beginning next year, Phase III of Prospera’s corporate redevelopment strategy will focus on continuing the company’s horizontal modular development to appreciate production and optimize recovery of remaining reserves. Prospera intends to implement full-scale EOR applications based on the results of its Phase II pilot program, which is forecast to optimize recovery by greater than 10%.

Prospera also intends to continue its acquisition strategy to diversify its product mix. Its goal, as detailed by in August 2023 investor summit, is to attain 50% light oil, 40% heavy oil and 10% gas – all while continuing to eliminate carbon emissions as part of its existing ESG initiatives.

Poised for Growth

Following its transformational efforts in 2022, Prospera is poised to achieve record growth in 2023. The company has forecast significant reductions in production costs through 2024, alongside sizable increases in daily production.

Prospera is currently exploring strategic acquisition targets to potentially increase its production beyond 5,000 BPD while expanding its reserve base to a billion barrels.

Market Opportunity

While the oil and gas industry faces long-term geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty, there is a clear trend to secure supply in the short term. According to Deloitte, the global upstream industry ended 2022 with some of the highest free cash flows on record, driving reinvestment in hydrocarbons and overall investment in clean energy.

The Energy Information Administration recently forecast a dip in global oil inventories over each of the next five quarters, placing upward pressure on oil prices. The agency further forecasts a YoY increase in fuel consumption, exacerbating the effects of OPEC+ production cuts that are set to remain in place through 2024.

For Prospera, these forecasts are promising. The company aims to build on its recent financial growth in the coming months (Prospera reported a three-fold YoY increase in revenue to $13.9 million in 2022), hitting a projected $57 million in total revenue by the end of 2024 while working to expand its core area holdings through accretive M&A transactions.

Leadership Team

Prospera is led by a team with extensive, diverse petroleum industry experience spanning both reservoir management and operations of oil and gas assets. The team boasts a proven track record of reorganizing companies, structuring financing arrangements and positioning for growth.

Samuel David is the company’s President and CEO. He brings to Prospera over 32 years of experience in operation, development and management of oil and gas assets and companies. Mr. David holds a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Calgary. His background consists of both engineering and executive management experience with majors Petro-Canada, AEC Oil & Gas (now EnCana / Cenovus) and Husky Energy, as well as founding and operating juniors Ventura Energy and First West Petroleum. Mr. David has proven expertise in corporate planning, production, reservoir engineering, depletion strategies, EOR, property evaluations, acquisitions and divestitures.

George Magarian is VP Subsurface for Prospera. He is a professional petroleum geologist (APEGA) with over 36 years’ experience in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. After graduating with an Honors B.Sc. degree in Earth Science from the University of Waterloo, Mr. Magarian spearheaded many successful exploration programs, conducted evaluations for improved recovery schemes and assessed/exploited unconventional oil reservoir opportunities. He has held roles of increasing responsibility, from exploration geologist at oil industry major Petro-Canada and intermediates Anderson Exploration and Jordan Petroleum, to geoscience manager and VP exploration at junior companies Ionic Energy, Gentry Resources and Westfire Energy.

Chris Ludtke is the company’s VP Finance & Accounting. He is a high functioning finance leader with extensive expertise in finance, budgets and planning, accounting, economic evaluation, management, governance and sound decision making. Mr. Ludtke has 20 years of experience within the oil and gas, clean energy and renewables industries, including 12+ years working for Husky Energy before moving into an executive role in the junior oil and gas and hydrogen space. He graduated from the University of Lethbridge (Bachelor of Management) and is a Chartered Professional Accountant in the Province of Alberta.

Matthew Kenna is the CFO of Prospera. He has over 30 years’ experience leading organizations and helping them expand, drive efficiencies and grow profitability. Mr. Kenna is a professional accountant (CPA, CMA) and spent 15 years heading up the financial and operating departments at KUDU Industries, where he fostered financing arrangements, client relationships and manufacturing teams to take the organization from $35M to $150M in revenue. He has extensive experience turning companies around, growing them and building efficient organizations.

Prospera Energy Inc. (OTC: GXRFF), closed Thursday's trading session at $0.067, up 5.9707%, on 143,000 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 83,735 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.056/$0.134.

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Software Effective Solutions Corp. (OTC: SFWJ)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Software Effective Solutions Corp. (OTC: SFWJ).

Software Effective Solutions Corp. (d/b/a MedCana) (OTC: SFWJ) is a global infrastructure and holding company in the cannabis industry. MedCana currently has five companies focused on pharmaceutical cannabis production, as well a software company focused on managing processes for plant-to-patient operations. The recent acquisition of an irrigation and greenhouse technology company has rounded out MedCana’s portfolio of holdings.

MedCana’s focus is on developing clients and companies in Latin America, initially in Colombia, and partnerships with laboratories, research facilities and hospitals throughout the world. MedCana is building the technology, laboratories, growing facilities and scientific teams to provide premium pharmaceutical-grade cannabis extracts to the world.

MedCana’s goal is to be the world’s premier resource for pharmaceutical cannabis products. The company believes its advantage is its global view and reach. From initial cultivation to final product, MedCana aims to help partners produce pharmaceutical CBD and other extracts that will have no equal.

The company’s mission is to utilize its technology to partner with and develop companies that provide premium pharmaceutical-grade cannabis extracts with absolute integrity, sustainability and social responsibility. MedCana’s team of pharmaceutical scientists includes some of the most respected chemists in the world. They aim to ensure that the company’s customers and partners create premium cannabis extracts that meet the growing worldwide demand. MedCana’s software is designed to ensure traceability and quality from seed to finished product.

MedCana is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with offices in Colombia.

Production

MedCana announced in May 2023 the beginning of full-scale production of non-THC cannabis for export to Europe in response to high demand in that market. This expansion comes after the successful completion of full crop cycle testing and infrastructure development at production sites in Columbia.

The recent acquisition of the assets of Tokan Corp., a software company focused on creating an enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform for the cannabis industry, and Eko2O S.A.S., a greenhouse and irrigation engineering company, has positioned MedCana for explosive growth in the region.

As a MedCana subsidiary, Eko2O SA will increase the company’s revenue potential in Central and South America. The subsidiary specializes in the construction and distribution of greenhouses and sophisticated irrigation platforms. A positive outlook has resulted from the company’s expansion as it investigates new opportunities for greenhouse and irrigation system installations in Panama and Uruguay. These opportunities are expected to accelerate Eko2O’s development and strengthen its position as a top supplier of innovative agricultural solutions in cannabis and other sectors that are quickly moving to high technology agricultural production.

In addition, MedCana has started talks with the government in Argentina about possible incentives for beginning operations in that country as part of its ongoing worldwide development strategy. Support from the Argentinean government and the start of new operations there would greatly increase MedCana’s market share in Latin America and solidify the company’s position as the market leader in the cannabis industry.

Market Opportunity

According to a report by Grand View Research, a San Francisco-based market research and consulting company, the global cannabis extract market was valued at $3.5 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 20% from 2023 to 2030 to be worth more than $15 billion.

Growing demand for cannabis extracts, including oils and tinctures, and the increased legalization of marijuana for the treatment of different chronic ailments like arthritis, Alzheimer’s, anxiety and cancer are driving the expansion of the industry. The marijuana derivative industry is flourishing due to a greater understanding of its various medical benefits.

Management Team

Jose Gabriel Diaz is CEO of MedCana. He has successfully built, grown and sold multiple telecom companies. He was senior vice president of sales at IP Communications, a national high-speed data provider. He also founded Reallinx, a national data carrier later sold to GTT Communications. Additionally, he is currently president of the A.E.M. Business and Entrepreneurship Association in Austin, Texas.

Claudio Jiménez Cartagena, QF, Ph.D. is Chief Scientific Officer at MedCana. He joined MedCana after working with Sosteli Pharma as Technical Director and serving as a director consultant for the Corporation for Agricultural Industrial Development at the University of Antioquia in Colombia. Before that, he worked as the scientific director at the Institute of Food Science & Technology. He holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical chemistry, a master’s degree in basic biomedical sciences and a doctoral degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Antioquia.

Julián Alberto Londoño Londoño, Ph.D., is Senior Vice President of Operations at MedCana. He previously served as general manager for the Corporation for Agricultural Industrial Development, and as Chief Scientific Officer at Sosteli Pharma in the Resource Management Department. He has developed multiple U.S. patents, and recently served as senior advisor to the Secretariat of Agriculture Development for the Government of Antioquia. He holds a doctorate in Chemical Sciences from the University of Antioquia.

Software Effective Solutions Corp. (OTC: SFWJ), closed Thursday's trading session at $0.068, even for the day. The average volume for the last 3 months is 2,294 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.000001/$0.098.

Recent News

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