Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Energy Fuels Inc. (UUUU).

Energy Fuels (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) is a leading U.S.-based uranium mining company that supplies U308 to major nuclear utilities, holds three of America’s key uranium production centers, and boasts more uranium production capacity than any other U.S. company. And as the year unfolds, a rosy Uranium Investing report, whose excerpts are contained in a recent article, notes that things in the uranium sector look good. This 2022 forecast means good news for Energy Fuels. The Uranium Investing report notes that uranium was one of the few commodities to register two solid years of gains amid a global pandemic, causing many analysts to predict that higher uranium prices are here to stay. “‘This idea has been bolstered by rising demand for clean energy, specifically the need for carbon-free electricity,’ the article continued. The article went on to quote John Kotek, vice president of policy development and public affairs at the Nuclear Energy Institute, who said: ‘Globally, nuclear continues to account for 10% of total electricity and is the second-largest source of carbon-free power… While that number won’t change much in the near term given the number of nuclear reactors under construction today, the interest we’re seeing in new nuclear construction coupled with the increasing drive to decarbonize gives us confidence that share will grow over time.’” To view the full article, visit https://ibn.fm/hwVnc

Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR),based in Lakewood, Colorado, is the country’s largest producer of uranium and the leading conventional producer of vanadium, both designated by the U.S. government as critical minerals.

As the leading U.S. diversified uranium miner, Energy Fuels’ uranium production portfolio stands apart in the world. Energy Fuels has more uranium production facilities, more production capacity, and more in-ground resources than any other company in the United States. In fact, the company’s assets have produced over one-third of all U.S. uranium over the past 15 years and is uniquely positioned to increase production to meet new demand.

Energy Fuels utilizes both conventional and in-situ recovery (“ISR”) technology to produce uranium from three strategic facilities:

• White Mesa Mill in Utah (conventional) has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U3O8 per year. The highly strategic White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill in the country and is proximate to some of the largest and highest-grade uranium mines and projects in the U.S., including the Company’s Canyon mine, La Sal Complex, Henry Mountains Complex and Roca Honda Project. White Mesa Mill provides Energy Fuels with significant production scalability as uranium demand increases. The White Mesa Mill also has other diverse businesses, including vanadium, rare earth elements (REE’s), alternate feed materials recycling and land cleanup, all described below.
• Nichols Ranch Plant (ISR) is located in the productive Powder River Basin district of Wyoming and has a total licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U3O8 per year. Nichols Ranch has produced 1.2 million pounds of U3O8 since commissioning in 2014, and it has significant future expansion potential from 34 fully licensed wellfields containing significant in-ground uranium resources.
• Alta Mesa Plant (ISR) is located on over 200,000 acres of private land in Texas. The fully licensed and constructed ISR project has a total operating capacity of 1.5 million pounds of uranium per year and produced nearly 5 million pounds of U3O8 between 2005 and 2013. This low-cost production facility is currently on standby, maintained in a state of readiness to respond to expected increases in demand.

In addition to being the largest uranium miner in the U.S., Energy Fuels’ overall portfolio also includes a pipeline of high-quality, large-scale exploration and development projects that are permitted or are in advanced stages of permitting, as well as an industry-leading U.S. NI 43-101 Mineral Resource portfolio.

FACTOID: Energy Fuels has led industry efforts over the past two-plus years to get the U.S. government to recognize the importance of domestically produced uranium, including the 2018 – 2019 Uranium Section 232, the ongoing Nuclear Fuel Working Group and the recently announced creation of the U.S. strategic uranium reserve. The U.S. is by far the largest consumer of uranium in the world, yet we import almost all of our requirements; Energy Fuels aims to change that.

Nuclear Market Potential

Multiple studies in top scientific journals have shown that nuclear power is cleanest and most economical way to produce reliable electricity as worldwide demand continues to soar. Nuclear power is presently the only available and affordable low-carbon power source that can meet both current and future baseload electricity demands while simultaneously reducing air pollution and mitigating climate change. U.S. nuclear power plants currently generate nearly 20% of the nation’s electricity overall and 55% of its carbon‐free electricity and even a modest increase in electricity demand would require significant new nuclear capacity by 2025. According to the World Nuclear Association (WNA), there are currently 441 operable reactors, with another 54 units under construction and 439 in various stages of planning; in addition, the WNA has identified a potentially massive supply/demand gap through 2040 of 1 billion pounds. These factors among others are expected to significantly drive increased demand for uranium.

Reasons Nuclear is Gaining Traction

• Nuclear reactors emit no greenhouse gases during operation. Over their full lifetimes, they result in comparable emissions to renewable forms of energy such as wind and solar.
• Unlike any other form of energy, the waste from nuclear energy is contained and managed securely. Used fuel is currently being safely stored for ultimate disposal or future reprocessing, and 96% of this waste can potentially be recycled.
• Greater demand for clean electricity to power everything from homes to automobiles, reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

No. 1 U.S. Producer of Vanadium in 2019

Energy Fuels also produces vanadium as a byproduct of uranium production. Vanadium is designated a critical mineral, essential to the economic and national security of the United States. Energy Fuels was the largest producer of vanadium in the U.S. in 2019, and has significant high-grade, in-ground vanadium resources, as well as a separate high-purity vanadium production circuit at their White Mesa Mill, which is also the only conventional vanadium mill in the country. Crucial for use in the steel, aerospace, and chemical industries, vanadium plays a critical role in the production of high-strength and light-weight metallic alloys and demand is expected to increase across the globe.

Energy Fuels has several fully permitted and developed standby mines containing large quantities of high-grade vanadium, along with uranium, including:

• La Sal Complex (Utah)
• Whirlwind Mine (Colorado/Utah)
• Rim Mine (Colorado)

Vanadium has also gained increased attention as a catalyst in next-generation high-capacity, “community-scale” batteries used for energy storage generated from renewable sources. Demand is only expected to grow as this market expands. With recent upgrades in its vanadium production operations, in 2019 Energy Fuels produced commercial levels of the highest purity (99.7%) vanadium in the mill’s history and can rapidly adjust production to meet volatile market conditions. Energy Fuels is one of the very few known avenues that provides investors access the vanadium market.

Rare Earth Element (REE) Production, Alternate Feed Material Recycling, and Land Cleanup

The White Mesa Mill also provides the company with diverse cashflow generating opportunities. Security of supply for Rare Earth Elements (REEs) supporting U.S. military and defense requirements is a major issue today. Energy Fuels has been approached by a number of entities, including the U.S. government, inquiring about the potential to process certain REEs at the mill. The White Mesa Mill is currently licensed to process certain REEs, including tantalum and niobium. And, early indications are that the mill can be utilized to produce several other REEs. The White Mesa Mill is also the only facility in North America licensed and capable of recycling alternate feed materials (AFMs). AFMs are essentially low-level waste materials that contain recoverable quantities of natural (or unenriched) uranium. The Company typically generates between $5 and $15 million per year from AFM recycling. Finally, Energy Fuels is seeking to become involved in the cleanup of legacy Cold War era uranium mines in the Four Corners region of the U.S., including on the Navajo Nation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has access to over $1.5 billion for the cleanup of just a fraction of the sites on the Navajo Nation. The White Mesa Mill is fully licensed to receive much of this material, we are one of the government’s lowest cost options, and we have the ability to recycle the material and produce usable uranium from it.

Management Team

Mark S. Chalmers, President and CEO
Mark S. Chalmers is the president and chief executive officer of Energy Fuels, a position he has held since Feb. 1, 2018, following his role as chief operating officer of Energy Fuels from July 1, 2016 – Jan. 31, 2018. From 2011 to 2015, Chalmers served as executive general manager of Production for Paladin Energy Ltd., a uranium producer with assets in Australia and Africa, including the Langer Heinrich and Kayelekera mines where, as head of operations, he oversaw sustained, significant increases in production while reducing operating costs. He also possesses extensive experience in in situ recovery (“ISR”) uranium production, including management of the Beverley Uranium Mine owned by General Atomics (Australia), and the Highland mine owned by Cameco Corporation (USA). Chalmers has also consulted to several of the largest players in the uranium supply sector, including BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, and Marubeni, and until recently served as the chair of the Australian Uranium Council, a position he held for 10 years. Chalmers is a registered professional engineer and holds a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from the University of Arizona.

W. Paul Goranson, COO
W. Paul Goranson is the chief operating officer for Energy Fuels. Goranson has 30 years of mining, processing and regulatory experience in the uranium extraction industry that includes both conventional and in-situ recovery (“ISR”) mining, and he is a registered professional engineer. Prior to the acquisition by Energy Fuels of Uranerz Energy Corporation, Goranson served as president, chief operating officer and director for Uranerz, where he was responsible for operations of the Nichols Ranch ISR Uranium Project. In addition to those duties, he also managed uranium marketing, regulatory and government affairs, exploration and land. Prior to joining Uranerz, Goranson served as president of Cameco Resources, where he led the operations at the Smith Ranch-Highland, Crow Butte and North Butte ISR uranium recovery facilities. Goranson also served as vice president of Mesteña Uranium LLC, and he has served in senior positions with Rio Algom Mining, (a subsidiary of BHP Billiton), and Uranium Resource Inc. Goranson has a Bachelor of Science in Natural Gas Engineering from Texas A&I University, and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering from Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

David C. Frydenlund, CFO, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary
David C. Frydenlund is chief financial officer, general counsel, and corporate secretary of Energy Fuels. His responsibilities include oversight of all legal matters relating to the company’s activities. His expertise extends to NRC, EPA, state and federal regulatory and environmental laws and regulations. From 1997 to 2012, Frydenlund was vice president of regulatory affairs, general counsel and corporate secretary of Denison Mines Corp., and its predecessor International Uranium Corporation (“IUC”). He also served as a director of IUC from 1997 to 2006 and CFO of IUC from 2000 to 2005. From 1996 to 1997, Frydenlund was vice president of the Lundin Group of international public mining and oil and gas companies, and prior thereto was a partner with the Vancouver law firm of Ladner Downs (now Borden Ladner Gervais) where his practice focused on corporate, securities and international mining transactions law. Frydenlund holds a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Simon Fraser University, a master’s degree in economics and finance from the University of Chicago and a law degree from the University of Toronto.

Curtis H. Moore, Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Development
Curtis H. Moore is the vice president of Marketing and Corporate Development for Energy Fuels. He oversees product marketing for Energy Fuels, and is closely involved in mergers & acquisitions, investor relations, public relations, and corporate legal. He has been with Energy Fuels for over 12 years, holding various roles of increasing responsibility. Prior to joining Energy Fuels, Moore worked in multi-family real estate development, government relations and public affairs, production homebuilding, and private law practice. Moore is a licensed attorney in the State of Colorado. He holds Juris Doctor and MBA degrees from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a Bachelor of Arts dual degree in Economics-Government from Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California.

Energy Fuels Inc. (UUUU), closed Monday’s trading session at $8.17, up 8.6436%, on 7,649,759 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 7.603M and the stock's 52-week low/high is $4.32/$11.39.

Recent News

• Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) - MiningNewsBreaks - Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) Favorably Poised as 2022 Report Forecasts Good News for Uranium Sector
• Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR) Emerging Leader in Rare Earth Sector Slated for Growth in 2022
• Cameco to Resume Operations at McArthur River Mine

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX).

• Leveraging the versatility and benefits of its DehydraTECH(TM) technology, Lexaria is targeting multiple large market opportunities as it attempts to ensure it has multiple paths to success
• The technology aims to help companies offering oral drugs, supplements, and nicotine formulations to improve the effectiveness of their existing or planned products
• Lexaria has undertaken various studies whose findings show the benefits of DehydraTECH-processed products relative to controls
• The company intends to use the positive results from its studies to incrementally remove risks associated with commercialization and regulation

Lexaria Bioscience (NASDAQ: LEXX), a global drug delivery technology company transforming existing consumer products and medication by increasing their bioavailability, speed of onset, and brain absorption, is currently targeting multiple large market opportunities, ranging from cardiovascular drugs, antivirals, human hormones, and phosphodiesterase inhibitor (“PDE5 inhibitor”) formulations to nicotine replacement, and cannabidiol (“CBD”).

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) is a global innovator in drug delivery platforms. The company’s patented technology, DehydraTECH™, improves the way active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) enter the bloodstream by promoting healthier oral ingestion methods and increasing the effectiveness of fat-soluble active molecules.  DehydraTECH promotes fast-acting, less expensive and more effective oral drug delivery and has been thoroughly evaluated through in vivo, in vitro and human clinical testing.

DehydraTECH is covered by 21 issued and more than 50 pending patents in over 40 countries around the world. Lexaria’s first patent was issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in October 2016 (US 9,474,725 B1), providing 20 years of patent protection expiring June 2034. Multiple patents have been awarded since then and are expected in the future.

Lexaria has a collaborative research agreement with the National Research Council (NRC), the Canadian government’s premier research and technology organization. The company has filed for patent protection for specific delivery of nicotine, vitamins, NSAIDs, testosterone, estrogen, cannabinoids, terpenes, PDE5 inhibitors (with brand names like Viagra), tobacco and more.

Lexaria began developing DehydraTECH in 2014 and has since continued to strengthen and broaden the technology. The company has no plans to create or sell Lexaria-branded products containing controlled substances. Instead, Lexaria licenses its technology to other companies around the world to offer consumers the best possible performance across an array of ingestible product formats.

The company’s technology is best thought of as an additional layer that providers of consumer supplements, prescription and non-prescription drugs, nicotine and CBD products can utilize to improve the effectiveness of their own existing or planned new offerings. Lexaria has licensed DehydraTECH to multiple companies, including a world-leading tobacco producer for the research and development of smokeless, oral-based nicotine products, and for use in industries that produce cannabinoid beverages, edibles and oral products.

DehydraTECH is suitable for use with a wide range of product formats including pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, consumer packaged goods and over-the-counter capsules, pills, tablets and oral suspensions.

DehydraTECH Technology

Lexaria’s DehydraTECH is designed specifically for formulating and delivering lipophilic (fat-soluble) drugs and active ingredients. DehydraTECH increases their effectiveness and improves the way active pharmaceutical ingredients enter the bloodstream. The major benefits to a subject ingesting a DehydraTECH-enabled drug or consumer product can be summarized by the following:

• Speeds up delivery – the effects of the product are felt by the subject in just minutes.
• Increases bioavailability – the technology is much more effective at delivering a drug or product into the bloodstream.
• Increases brain absorption – animal testing suggests significant improvement in the quantity of drug delivered across the blood-brain barrier.
• Improves drug potency – more of the ingested product is made available to the body, so lower doses are required to achieve the desired effect.
• Reduces drug administration cost – lower doses mean lower overall drug costs.
• Masks unwanted taste – the technology eliminates or reduces the need for sweeteners.

Lexaria has demonstrated in animal studies a propensity for DehydraTECH technology to elevate the quantity of drug delivered across the blood-brain barrier by as much as 1,900 percent, initiating additional new patent applications and opening possibilities for improved drug delivery.

Since 2016, DehydraTECH has repeatedly demonstrated, with cannabinoids and nicotine, the ability to increase bio-absorption by up to five to 10 times, reduce time of onset from one to two hours to just minutes, and mask unwanted tastes. The technology is to be further evaluated for additional orally administered bioactive molecules, including antivirals, cannabinoids, vitamins, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and nicotine.

Market Outlook

Lexaria’s ongoing research and development efforts are mainly focused on development of product candidates across several key segments:

• Oral Cannabinoids – a market estimated to be worth $18.4 billion in 2021 and expected to reach $46.2 billion by 2025.
• Antivirals – an estimated $52.1 billion market in 2021 that’s expected to grow to $66.7 billion by 2025.
• Oral Mucosal Nicotine – smokeless tobacco products, a $13.6 billion market in 2018, is forecast to grow at 7.2 percent annually through 2025.
• Human Hormones – estrogen and testosterone replacement therapies represented a $21.9 billion market in 2019, with a forecast CAGR of 7.7 percent through 2027.
• Ibuprofen and Naproxen – NSAID sales totaled $15.6 billion globally in 2019 and are projected to reach $24.4 billion by 2027.
• Vitamin D3 – the global market size was $1.1 billion in 2021, growing at 7 percent per year and expected to reach $1.7 billion in 2026.

Management Team

Chris Bunka is Chairman and CEO of Lexaria Bioscience Corp. He is a serial entrepreneur who has been involved in several private and public companies since the late 1980s. He has extensive experience in the capital markets, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, as well as corporate finance. He is named as an inventor on multiple patent innovations.

John Docherty, M.Sc., is the President of Lexaria. He is a pharmacologist and toxicologist, and a specialist in the development of drug delivery technologies. He is the former president and COO of Helix BioPharma Corp. (TSX: HBP). He is named as an inventor on multiple issued and pending patents.

Greg Downey is Lexaria’s CFO. He has more than 35 years of diverse financial experience in the mining, oil and gas, manufacturing, and construction industries, and in the public sector. He served for eight years as CFO for several public companies and has provided business advisory and financial accounting services to many large organizations.

Gregg Smith is a strategic advisor to Lexaria. He is a founder and private investor with Evolution VC Partners. He is a member of the Sand Hill Angels and held previous investment banking roles with Cowen and Company and Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Dr. Philip Ainslie serves as a scientific and medical advisor to Lexaria. He is co-director for the Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, Canada. He is also Research Chair in Cerebrovascular Physiology and Professor at the School of Health and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Development at the University of British Columbia.

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (LEXX), closed Monday’s trading session at $3.55, up 2.0115%, on 20,800 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 20,800 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $3.22/$12.50.

Recent News

• Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) (CSE: LXX) - As It Targets Multiple Large Market Opportunities, Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Is Leveraging Elaborate Studies to Progressively Remove Risks Associated with Commercialization, Regulation
• Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Optimistic About its Expanded DehydraTECH Investigations; Plans for More Studies in 2022
• CannabisNewsBreaks - Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Is World Leader Through DehydraTECH(TM) - Its Pioneering Drug Delivery Technology

GreenBox POS (NASDAQ: GBOX)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight GreenBox POS (NASDAQ: GBOX).

• GreenBox will build the first banking-as-a-service initiative, catapulting the company into the same playing field as other major FinTech-driven brands
• CEO Fredi Nisan said the initiative will be a game changer for the company, expanding its capabilities and potential customer base, while also serving as a significant driver of revenue growth 
• The partnership will provide additional services to existing clients on a single, seamless platform with a full suite of services that position the two companies to be a vertically-integrated full solution service

GreenBox POS (NASDAQ: GBOX), an emerging financial technology (FinTech) company that leverages proprietary security and token technology to build customized payment solutions for businesses, has announced entering a licensed partnership with Cross River. Cross River is a technology-driven infrastructure provider offering embedded financial solutions. The licensed partnership brings GreenBox closer to building compliant, cutting-edge blockchain ledger tokenized solutions for the diverse, evolving, and dynamic market worldwide (https://ccw.fm/63lfq).

GreenBox POS (NASDAQ: GBOX) is an emerging financial technology company leveraging proprietary security and token technology to build customized payment solutions for business. The company’s mission is to build compliant, cutting-edge blockchain ledger tokenized solutions for the diverse, evolving and dynamic global market.

GreenBox applications enable an end-to-end suite of turnkey financial products which offer improved fraud detection and better handling efficiency of large-scale commercial payment processing volumes for its merchant clients globally. The company’s proprietary blockchain and smart contract token technologies create seamless payment processing using digital encryption keys.

GreenBox is a unified platform providing scalability for businesses to accept payments, transact, send, settle and convert in a single versatile ecosystem. GreenBox operates a private and proprietary blockchain-based payment platform that offers distinct advantages when compared to traditional payment technologies, including greater security and data privacy, as well as enhanced identity theft protection and quick settlement.

As the settlement engine for financial transactions, GreenBox’s blockchain technology is a distributed ledger that uses digitally encrypted keys to verify, secure and record details of each transaction conducted within GreenBox’s private ecosystem. The speed and security of the platform allows GreenBox to log immense volumes of immutable transactional records in real time for Tier-1 partners around the world.

In November 2021, GreenBox announced the closing of a previously announced $100 million convertible note financing. The company plans to use proceeds for acquisitions, a planned stablecoin spin-off, and additional working capital toward the company’s future growth. The initial conversion price equals a more than 80 percent premium to the market price of the company’s common stock on October 29, 2021, and values the enterprise at more than $700 million upon conversion.

Brands & Solutions

The company offers multiple solutions and brands under the GreenBox label. The other brands that are nested under the GreenBox POS label include coyni, ChargeSavvy, QuickCard, Transact Europe [didn’t yet close] and Northeast Merchant Systems. Each of these brands play a large role in allowing GreenBox to accel in customizing payment solutions across different verticals and industries.

Payment Solutions

The GreenBox platform offers blockchain secure, robust payment processing solutions for both individual consumers and businesses. The company combines the power and security of blockchain with bank-level tools necessary to both settle transactions and monitor cash flows. Customers can transfer cryptocurrencies like USDC, Ethereum or Bitcoin from external decentralized crypto wallets to their GreenBox wallets. They can also exchange those tokens from their GreenBox wallets to any supported coin. Customers can easily offload in USDC to a debit card or a multitude of gift cards.

White Label Solutions

The company’s white label platform allows it to partner with firms seeking blockchain-based tools to manage merchant relationships. White label partners can monitor cash flows, as well as run reports on merchant transactions, chargebacks, agent and affiliate commissions and more. Partners can access the platform through their partner portal to manage business relationships with full visibility. The platform’s cutting-edge technology saves partners time and simplifies their payment processing. It ensures compliance with automated Know Your Customer and Know Your Bank services and allows customers to set up automated payouts.

coyni Stablecoin

The company is planning soon to launch its own stablecoin, coyni (CYN). coyni is equivalent to the value of the U.S. dollar on a one-to-one ratio. Stablecoin allows for instantaneous transactions with blockchain security just like other cryptocurrency tokens, but without the price volatility of traditional cryptocurrencies. The CYN token is expected to make possible features like digital dollar accounts, cross border payments, international payment processing and other payment solutions. As a smart contract technology, coyni will offer instant settlement using the GreenBox blockchain ledger in any location and currency – crypto or fiat – all at lower fees and in a tokenized secure ecosystem.

Market Overview

A Mordor Intelligence report put the transaction value of the global digital payments market at $5.44 trillion in 2020 and projects the market to be worth $11.29 trillion by 2026. That represents a CAGR of 11.21 percent during the period of 2021-2026.

The report notes that the global COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on e-commerce is likely to encourage strengthened international cooperation and further development of policies for online purchasing and supply. The report states, “The pandemic has made it clear that e-commerce can be an important tool/solution, especially considering the fact that e-commerce sales can support small and medium businesses that form the backbone for certain economies. This is expected to substantially spur the growth of digital payment methods across various economies.”

According to Mordor, other drivers of the growth trend in digital payments include:

• Greater convenience, favorable government policies and evolving consumer behavior worldwide
• Rapid rise in smartphone penetration throughout emerging economies
• Introduction of mobile wallets across the world
• Widespread adoption of retail digital payment services across the vast population of China, serving as a kind of test case for other countries

Management Team

Ben Errez, Chairman of the Board of Directors

Ben Errez’s past positions have included positions at large companies like Microsoft and Intel. He has brought this expertise to lead GreenBox into the forefront of the blockchain-based financial software, services, and hardware market.

Mr. Errez was one of the early managers of Microsoft in 1991. From 1991 to 2004, he served as Software Development Lead for the Microsoft International Office Group. He led the International Microsoft Office Components team (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) in design, engineering, development, and successful deployment. He also served as Executive Representative of Microsoft Office and was a founding member of the Microsoft Trustworthy Computing Team both within the company and internationally. Mr. Errez co-authored the first Microsoft Trustworthy Computing Paper on Reliability. At Microsoft, he was responsible for the development of the first Microsoft software translation Software Development Kit (“SDK”) in Hebrew, Arabic, Thai, and Simplified Chinese, as well as the development of the first bidirectional extensions to Rich Text Format (“RTF”) file format and all bidirectional extensions in text converters for Microsoft Office. He also contributed to the development of the international extensions to the Unicode standard to include bidirectional requirements under the World Wide Web Consortium (“W3C”).

In 2004, Mr. Errez transitioned into the world of consulting, where he held the position of Principal Consultant from founding to the present date, through which he advises clients in the South Pacific region with market capitalizations ranging from $50 million to $150 million on commerce, security, reliability, and privacy.

In 2017, immediately before partnering with Fredi Nisan to launch GreenBox, Mr. Errez was asked to take over the Microsoft Alumni Network for the Southern California region as a regional director. Mr. Errez has been a principal of GreenBox since its inception in 2017.

Fredi Nisan, Chief Executive Officer

Fredi Nisan’s career in technology began during his years of service in the Israeli Defense Forces, where he served as IT Manager for all of Israel’s Northern Bases. After serving in the military, Mr. Nisan opened and operated a computer hardware store before becoming the Inventory Operations Manager for Zicon Israel in 2005, a hardware and software producer. At Zicon, he supervised inventory operations, worked on quality controls for motherboards and chips, and educated customers on software and hardware product functionality. Subsequently, Mr. Nisan moved to the United States, where he worked for One Coach in San Diego, California, as a business coach. One Coach specializes in customized growth solutions for small business owners, including the latest strategies for sales, internet marketing, branding, and ROI. Mr. Nisan was consistently ranked as the top salesperson for small business coaching while working with One Coach.

In 2010, Mr. Nisan launched Brava POS, where he served as President until 2015. Brava POS provided point of sale (“POS”) systems for specialty retail companies. Mr. Nisan developed software to provide clients with solutions for issues ranging from inventory management to payroll to processing high volume transactions in the form of a cloud-based POS system. This system had the capability to manage multiple stores with centralized inventory and process sales without an internet connection, and offered a secure login for each employee, as well as including advanced inventory management and reporting, plus powerful functionality for its end users.

In 2016, Mr. Nisan founded Firmness, LLC. Through Firmness, he created “QuickCitizen,” a software program that simplifies the onboarding process for new clients of law firms specializing in immigration issues. The QuickCitizen software significantly reduced law firms onboarding processing time from more than three hours to approximately 15 minutes. Mr. Nisan has been a principal of GreenBox since its August 2017 inception. In January 2018, Firmness sold QuickCitizen to GreenBox.

Jacquline B. Reynolds, Chief Marketing Officer

Jacqueline B. Reynolds is the company’s Chief Marketing Officer. She served most recently as vice president of marketing for Sprouts Farmers Market. She has built her reputation as a world-class global marketer, working with Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Verizon, Walmart, L’Oréal, Xbox, 7-Eleven and many other Fortune 500 brands. She has managed award-winning marketing programs with partners such as the NFL, Super Bowl LIV, the Olympics, the FIFA World Cup, Sony Pictures, Universal Music and others.

GreenBox POS (NASDAQ: GBOX), closed Monday’s trading session at $3.4, up 5.2632%, on 202,974 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 202,974 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $2.6101/$20.78.

Recent News

• GreenBox POS (NASDAQ: GBOX) - GreenBox POS (NASDAQ: GBOX) and Cross River Join Forces to Create First Banking-as-a-Service Initiative
• GreenBox POS (NASDAQ: GBOX) Looking to Drive Adoption of Its Blockchain-based Payment Solutions through Targeted Communications
• GreenBox POS (NASDAQ: GBOX) Surpasses Projections with Record 2021 Processing Volume of $1.95 Billion; Appoints Seasoned Cross-Functional Management Expert as Chief Operating Officer

Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC)

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

Flora (NASDAQ: FLGC), a leading all-outdoor cultivator and manufacturer of global cannabis products and brands, today announced that it has acquired 100% of the equity interests in each of Just Brands LLC and High Roller Private Label LLC for cash consideration of US$16.0 million and 9.5 million privately issued Flora common shares, subject to certain potential future adjustments. According to the update, Just Brands and High Roller are the owners of the JustCBD brand and associated operations (collectively “JustCBD”). “We are thrilled to announce this news today and welcome the JustCBD team to Flora. To build such a recognizable brand in this noisy, rapid-growth market is a testament to everyone at JustCBD,” said Luis Merchan, CEO of Flora. “This acquisition continues to strengthen Flora’s foothold in the U.S. wellness market as well as providing meaningful growth acceleration and delivering human capital to the Flora organization. Additionally, there is incredible opportunity to leverage our economically advantaged cultivation to support the expansion of the JustCBD brand in the global market.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/PCxl5. This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) revealed that the value of the hemp market in 2021 reached $824 million. The survey is the first federal study into the hemp sector, and the analysis is meant to be used as a benchmark for the sector’s economic impact. According to Hubert Hamer, an administrator for USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (“NASS”), the report would provide producers, state governments, regulators, processors and other key players with benchmarks on hemp production. There are plans for such reports to be produced every year, but according to a NASS representative, that is only possible if there is funding. The periodic surveys are necessary because they help regulators and policymakers track how different stakeholders, including entities making hemp-derived pharmaceutical-grade products such as Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC), are faring in this rapidly evolving landscape.

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 $2.05, up 12.6374%, on 1,468,557 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1.469M and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.31/$21.45.

Recent News

• Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) - 420 with CNW - USDA Survey Reveals Hemp Market Reached $824M Valuation in 2021
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) Strengthens Foothold in US Wellness Market with Acquisition of JustCBD
• Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) Reaches Agreement with Israeli Product Distributor Artos Ltd. for Cannabis Sales

Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN)

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

Mullen Automotive (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle (“EV”) manufacturer, provided an update on its next-generation solid-state polymer battery technology, which is a significant advancement over today’s current lithium-ion batteries. According to the update, Mullen’s testing of solid-state polymer cells reveals the potential for a 150-kilowatt-hour battery pack that delivers over 600-plus miles of range and highlights an 18-minute DC fast charge, which can yield over 300 miles of range. The company is working towards utilizing solid-state polymer battery packs in its second generation Mullen FIVE EV Crossovers, with in-vehicle prototype testing set for 2025. “We’ve conducted successful testing and will begin pack level development next,” said David Michery, CEO and chairman of Mullen Automotive. “The test data collected shows an impressive outcome and future for solid-state batteries. To sum up, we tested our 300 Ah (ampere hour) cell, which yielded 343 Ah at 4.3 volts, and the results surpassed all expectations. We can say with almost certainty that this technology, once implemented on the Mullen FIVE, will deliver over 600 miles of range on a full charge. The future is bright for Mullen Automotive.” To view the full news release, visit https://ibn.fm/Cx1tq.

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 Monday’s trading session at $1.69, up 145.6395%, on 631,509,771 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 631.51M and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.52/$15.90.

Recent News

• Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) Announces Impressive Testing Results for Next-Gen Battery Technology
• EV Ads Reign During Super Bowl
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) Highlighted in WardsAuto(TM) Feature

Playgon Games Inc. (TSX.V: DEAL) (OTCQB: PLGNF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Playgon Games Inc. (TSX.V: DEAL) (OTCQB: PLGNF).

NetworkNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Almost everything in the online gaming market produces eye-popping numbers. Even pre-COVID, online gambling was accelerating at a brisk pace as ever more people discovered mobile apps and demand surged with the younger tech-savvy demographic. Enter the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and millions more people suddenly became familiar with remote gaming. Operators were caught off guard by the tsunami of demand and continue to scramble to capture market share in the booming digital sector. As the technology continues to gain ground and more effectively recreate the casino experience, companies with innovative technologies and insight, such as Playgon Games Inc. (TSX.V: DEAL) (OTCQB: PLGNF) (Profile), are providing operators with a variety of new turnkey packages to capitalize on strong consumer demand.

Playgon Games Inc. (TSX.V: DEAL) (OTCQB: PLGNF) is a SaaS technology company focused on developing and licensing digital content for the growing global iGaming market. The company provides a multi-tenant gateway that allows online operators the ability to offer their customers innovative iGaming software solutions. Its current software platform includes Live Dealer Casino, E-Table Games and Daily Fantasy Sports. Seamless integration at the operator level allows customer access without requiring the sharing of any sensitive customer data. Playgon games run on any browser and any device as fast and secure as a native app, without requiring any app store download. All that’s needed is a stable internet connection. The gaming experience is identical across all mobile devices. As a true business-to-business digital content provider, the company’s products are scalable turnkey solutions for online casinos, sportsbook operators, location-based operators, media groups, and big database companies.

Playgon’s proprietary technology provides digital games for online gambling sites and mobile device apps, with the company licensing its mobile live-dealer technology to online gaming operators worldwide. Playgon combines high definition live streaming dealers with state-of-the-art augmented reality betting to provide the most authentic casino experience, live from Las Vegas. Playgon’s mobile platform features popular table games, all optimized for one-handed play on mobile devices.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated an already existing shift away from location-based casinos to online gambling. At the same time, the proliferation of mobile devices has provided players with new access to betting. A younger, tech-savvy consumer demographic is driving adoption of digital gaming globally. To meet this demand, Playgon has launched a studio with 10 gaming tables from which its live dealer streaming video originates. The company’s platform is live with multiple online casino operators through four aggregator clients in South Africa and Europe, and commitments are coming in from more.

Playgon plans to expand the studio to 25 tables in the near term and is working to establish a U.S. strategy. The company will continue to expand licensing of its live dealer games to iGaming operators worldwide under a SaaS license agreement. As a B2B software supplier, Playgon avoids player acquisition costs.

Games

Live Dealer Casino

Playgon offers the first and only Live Dealer Casino streaming live from Las Vegas. The company brings cutting-edge handheld features and functionality to the mobile generation of gaming enthusiasts who demand a world-class gaming experience on all devices. Playgon’s Blackjack delivers the look and feel of location-based casino tables with features providing players with the most unique user experience. The company’s true-to-life Roulette offers players a clear and uninterrupted view of the dealer, wheel, ball, bets, results, trends and statistics. Players can strategize, place multiple bets, track results and review trends without ever losing focus of the game.

Playgon’s traditional Baccarat and proprietary Tiger Bonus Baccarat™ prove their worth by not only recognizing the need for a prominent product, but by adding elements which separate them from the pack without removing their authenticity. The games mix advances in technology with the traditional game attributes that have resonated and captivated players for hundreds of years.

eTable Games

To lead the rise of mobile-first gaming, Playgon developed a user experience perfected for one-handed play. Providing this next evolution in gaming technology ensures the company’s client operators loyalty from existing customers and is a powerful strategy to attract and retain new players. Playgon’s VEGAS LOUNGE™ brings together an innovative mix of games, technology and gameplay that offers players an authentic experience and real Las Vegas casino fun every time, everywhere.

Daily Fantasy Sports

Playgon’s Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) are a subset of fantasy sport games which typically target a younger demographic. DFS provides iGaming operators a turnkey fantasy sports platform that can quickly go to market, integrate with the operator’s existing operations and services, and be customized to match and enhance the operator’s brand. The platform is mobile and desktop friendly, built for regulated market environments, and allows operators to monetize users through a network of shared liquidity.

Market Outlook

Online casinos and sports betting sites/apps are increasingly adding market share to traditional location-based casinos. This trend is only expected to accelerate as millennials reach their peak earning years and Gen Z youth begin to complete their education and move into careers. These generations are completely comfortable with online recreation, as well as tech like digital wallets and digital gameplay that underpins Playgon Games. The company has been described as “Netflix + Vegas, all in one.”

The online gambling market is slated to reach a value of $127.3 billion by 2027, according to Grand View Research, with much of the growth expected from the U.S. and Asia. Even Europe, the most mature gaming market, is expected to grow at a rate of 20-25 percent year over year. The current global online Live Casino TAM is estimated at about $6 billion annually, and revenue is forecast to reach more than $8 billion by 2023 and more than $13 billion by 2027.

Management Team

Darcy Krogh is CEO of Playgon Games. He is a veteran of the iGaming industry with over 20 years of experience. In 1999, he co-founded Chartwell Technology Inc., which pioneered the development of browser-based digital content for the iGaming industry. After that company was sold to Amaya Gaming Group, he served as VP Business Development with Amaya. In 2016, he started Playgon Games (formally Global Daily Fantasy Sports Inc.) as President and CEO. His experience in the online gaming industry includes sales and marketing, relationship management, corporate finance, M&A, and strategic corporate development.

Guido Ganschow is President of Playgon Interactive. He has more than 12 years of experience in creating real-time Live Dealer technology and platforms and was the co-founder and Creative Director for a Macau-based casino consortium. Between 2008 and 2014, he successfully created and established Live Dealer platform businesses in Asia and Europe, and executed commercial partnerships, sales, and integration of the Live Dealer solution with major global gaming brands, including Ho Gaming Group, Chartwell Technology and Amaya Gaming Group.

Steve Baker is COO of Playgon. He is a former VP Operations for Shaw Communications, where he was directly involved in video streaming, home entertainment, new products, sales and M&A. He oversaw revenue growth from $300 million to $2.8 billion and employee growth from 350 to 13,000. He has broad experience and a proven record in development and implementation of cost effective and efficient growth strategies transitioning businesses from development to operations.

Harry Nijjar is CFO of Playgon Games. He is currently a Managing Director with Malaspina Consultants Inc. and provides CFO and strategic financial advisory services to his clients across many industries. This experience has allowed him to help his clients successfully navigate the regulatory and financial environments within which they operate. Mr. Nijjar holds a CPA-CMA designation from the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia.

Playgon Games Inc. (PLGNF), closed Monday’s trading session at $0.18148, up 7.4164%, on 176,093 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 176,093 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.1449/$0.6282.

Recent News

• Playgon Games Inc. (TSX.V: DEAL) (OTCQB: PLGNF) - Vegas Goes All In as Online Gambling Soars
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Playgon Games Inc. (TSX.V: DEAL) (OTCQB: PLGNF) (FSE: 7CR) Names Industry Veteran to Board
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Playgon Games Inc. (TSX.V: DEAL) (OTCQB: PLGNF) (FRA: 7CR) Celebrates Year of the Tiger with Proprietary Table Game

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

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

• Mydecine announced the inclusion of a patent-pending novel molecule in its family of psilocin analogs, MYCO-005
• This molecule features potentially heart-safe microdose-enabling properties, addressing the delivery and stability concerns associated with the first-generation compounds
• Mydecine’s patent-pending dermal route to administration also offers more control over the drug while possibly eliminating undesirable properties such as nausea
• The company is excited about this finding, terming it one of the many exciting drug discoveries it looks to share in the near term

Microdosing, the act of consuming a minimal dose of a psychedelic to benefit from what it offers without going through a psychoactive experience, has been gaining popularity recently. It has been lauded as a viable method of treating specific mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (“ADHD”). However, more research is needed to confirm its safety and efficacy. One of the main issues that have been highlighted is the substantial medical risk involved with microdosing. Psilocybin, for instance, has shown a binding affinity to the 5-HT2B receptor, which is, in turn, linked to heart valve tissue fibrosis. As such, its consumption, over a long period, could present a patient with cardiovascular health concerns, a legitimate risk that ought to be considered (https://ibn.fm/O0mS4). In a significant move that remedies the situation, Mydecine Innovations Group (NEO: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF) (FSE: 0NFA) announced its latest drug discovery and its first of many for the new year, MYCO-005. Essentially a novel molecule in its family of psilocin analogs, MYCO-005 has proven to have potentially heart-safe microdose enabling properties while addressing the shortcomings and limitations associated with the first-generation compounds.

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 $0.117, up 6.3636%, on 395,701 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 395,701 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.01/$2.20.

Recent News

• Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. (NEO: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF) - Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. (NEO: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF) (FSE: 0NFA) Makes Exciting Drug Discovery for the Treatment of Mental health and Addiction Disorders - MYCO-005
• VIU Set to Launch First Psychedelics Therapy Course in Canada
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Mydecine Innovations Group (NEO: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF) (FSE: 0NFA) Addresses Its 'A to Z' Approach to Drug Development in New Video

Sharing Services Global Corporation (SHRG)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Sharing Services Global Corporation (SHRG).

Sharing Services Global Corporation (OTCQB: SHRG), formerly Sharing Services Inc., was featured as a promising opportunity in the direct selling space in a letter to shareholders issued today by DSS Inc. (NYSE American: DSS). “One of our more exciting developments of the past year was in our direct selling segment, a $170 billion industry with high margins and net profits exploding with the shift to in-home shopping (catalyzed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic) and the evolution of the gig economy,” the letter issued by DSS CEO Frank D. Heuszel reads. In it, he further expands on the company’s December 2021 investment in Sharing Services Global, stating, “we gained controlling interest with nearly 60% ownership. The SHRG platform leverages the capabilities and expertise of various companies that market and sell products direct to the consumer and generated nearly $45 million in revenue in the twelve months ended September 30, 2021… With SHRG now officially part of the DSS family, we believe we are in a great position to accelerate its customer acquisition, new product development, and portfolio of offerings as we capitalize on a wealth of growth opportunities and potential synergies in this exciting, multibillion-dollar industry.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/LYg8h

Sharing Services Global Corporation (SHRG), formerly Sharing Services Inc., is a diversified company dedicated to maximizing shareholder value, operating through two primary subsidiaries: Elepreneurs Holdings, a direct-selling company, and Elevacity Holdings, a products company. Headquartered in Plano, Texas, SHRG markets and distributes Elevate-branded health and wellness products through an independent sales force of distributors called Elepreneurs.

Proprietary Products

SHRG’s current exclusive Elevate product offerings are marketed under the Elevacity brand, so named to signify the company’s commitment to elevating lives.

The Elevate health and wellness product line consists of nutraceutical products that SHRG refers to as D.O.S.E., which stands for dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins – all of which are key hormones proven to promote happiness and well-being.

Elevacity brand products are carefully formulated, chosen and designed to support a single objective: elevate the happiness and well-being of the consumer.

Global Network of Elepreneurs

Elevacity products are shared and sold by a growing international network of home-based entrepreneurs, called Elepreneurs, operated by Elepreneurs Holdings. This SHRG subsidiary provides basic and advanced programs for both new and experienced entrepreneurs who are focusing on their direct-sales careers.

SHRG’s high-performing independent sales force follows the company’s Blue Ocean selling strategy, an approach that encourages individuals to seek new markets, lead, and to “stop competing and start creating.” The Blue Ocean strategy is based on the book, “Blue Ocean Strategy,” written by Professor Renée Mauborgne, who notes that “the lesson here is that the best defense is offense, and the best offense… is to make a blue ocean shift and create your own blue ocean.”

Following this selling strategy, SHRG’s Elepreneurs are taught that, rather than competing directly in a competitive, direct-selling market, they should focus on making competitors irrelevant and succeeding in an uncontested marketplace.

In addition, SHRG’s Elepreneurs use the interactive, video-based VERB sales-marketing platform developed by Verb Technology Company Inc. The app utilizes proprietary interactive video data collection and analysis technology and provides next-generation customer relationship management, lead generation, and video marketing software applications.

Continued Momentum as Industry Leader

These selling strategies have resulted in sharp and consistent revenue gains. In the company’s 10-Q filed with the SEC for the three months ended Oct. 31, 2019, SHRG reported sales of $38.8 million for fiscal Q2 2019, an increase of 116% over sales of $17.9 million reported for the comparable quarter of 2018. Consolidated gross profit jumped by $16.2 million to $27.4 million for the same period compared to Q2 2018.

SHRG’s consolidated operating earnings were $3.9 million in the fiscal quarter ended Oct. 31, 2019, compared to $866,802 for the comparable period the prior year. Consolidated gross margin also grew 70.9% for the three months ended Oct. 31, 2019, compared to 62.2% the prior year.

These numbers are continuing a trend established over the past two years. In fiscal Q1 2019, SHRG achieved revenues of $35.4 million, more than double that of the comparable period in 2018. Even earlier, the company reported sales of $85.9 million for fiscal year ended April 30, 2019. This represents a nine-fold increase, or $77.5 million jump, over the company’s revenues of $8.4 million the prior year.

These numbers bring SHRG’s sales revenues since December 2017 — when the company’s Elevate product line was released — to an impressive cumulative total of $169 million.

Preparing for Success

SHRG is well prepared to continue and accommodate for this growth. The company recently expanded its corporate footprint by moving to a 10,000-square-foot facility in Plano, Texas, that offers ample room to expand as the company grows and flourish. The larger corporate locale provides space for a growing customer service department, product fulfillment, opportunity and training rooms, as well as a video production suite.

In addition, the company has a seasoned, expert leadership team in place, led by John “JT” Thatch. Thatch was appointed president and CEO of SHRG in March 2018, bringing to the company his expertise obtained from successfully starting, owning and operating several businesses in various industries. His experience with corporate growth, acquisitions, financing and negotiation in fast-paced and flexible environments will significantly assist SHRG as the company aims to expand and increase revenues.

Contact
469.304.9400 x 201
Info@SHRGinc.com
http://www.SHRGinc.com

Sharing Services Global Corporation (SHRG), closed Monday’s trading session at $0.05525, up 8.3333%, on 189,410 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 189,410 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.04/$0.469.

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StorEn Technologies Inc.

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight StorEn Technologies Inc.

StorEn Technologies could benefit as more people choose battery storage for residential energy storage. “Recent progress made in the battery-storage space makes residential energy storage more feasible than ever, and with available tax credits, the federal government is doing what it can to make the prospect even more appealing… That’s not the end of the incentives, however. Many states offer credits that could further reduce the cost of an energy-storage system,” notes a recent article. “These federal and state incentive programs are good indicators of the potential battery-storage systems have to make a difference in today’s world. StorEn is leading the way in developing evolutionary vanadium-flow batteries… In part, StorEn’s technology has enhanced the electrical efficiency of the stack and energy density of the electrolyte and module, ultimately reducing costs and improving performance. The company produces products with a battery life of 25 years and more than 15K cycles. [StorEn] takes pride in offering batteries that meet consumers’ demand for efficient, durable and cost-effective energy storage, enabling self-consumption of self-produced electricity and the transition toward a carbon-free economy.” To view the full article, visit https://ibn.fm/KW7sb

StorEn Technologies Inc. delivers proprietary vanadium flow batteries aimed at revolutionizing the world of residential and industrial energy storage. With an expected life of 25 years and more than 15,000 cycles, the company’s batteries satisfy market demand for efficient, durable and cost-effective energy storage, enabling self-consumption of self-produced electricity and the transition toward a carbon-free economy.

The company is currently accepting investments through a Reg A+ offering on StartEngine. For more information, view the company’s Offering Circular. To date, StorEn has raised more than $6.7 million from over 5,000 investors on the crowdfunding platform, along with venture capital from the ANYSEED Fund.

StorEn’s growing intellectual property portfolio currently features four international PCT patents and five trademarks, securing its innovative IP in all major regions and countries in the world.

A Disruptive Approach to Energy Storage

StorEn’s patent-pending all-vanadium flow battery technology offers a variety of benefits over existing lithium and lead acid batteries, including:

• Eco-Friendly: StorEn vanadium flow batteries are 100% recyclable, featuring a 100% reusable electrolyte and low GHGs emissions.
• Safe: The company’s batteries are both non-flammable and non-explosive.
• Cost Effective: StorEn’s cost/kWh is comparable to that of lithium batteries, but its cost/cycle is up to four times lower than lithium batteries, thanks to the exceptional duration of over 25 years or 15,000 cycles.
• Efficient: The company’s vanadium flow battery technology offers the highest power density thanks to MULTIGRIDS™, +35% in energy storage capacity with the same volume and +5% round-trip efficiency in harsh climate thanks to its proprietary THERMASTABLE™ geothermal design. StorEn’s solution is also virtually maintenance-free, leveraging its proprietary RESAFE™ and EQUILEVELS™ technologies.

StorEn batteries are modular and configurable in either 20kWh or 30kWh versions sharing the same Power Module, ensuring that customers only pay for the energy capacity they really need. The ability to connect additional modules allows for maximum flexibility.

Traction in the Market

To date, the total investment in the company’s technology has exceeded $2 million, and it is already putting these efforts to work. StorEn secured a $500,000 order in Australia to provide 30 kWh StorEn vanadium flow batteries to a renewable hydrogen plant at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), where researchers will develop safety standards for the future use of vanadium flow batteries. The first battery – the first of its kind in Australia – was installed in Brisbane in November 2020 at the National Battery Testing Centre (NBTC), a flagship project of the Future Battery Industries CRC. Additional units are being manufactured.

StorEn has also entered into a supply chain deal with Multicom Resources, an Australian mining company which is the owner of two vanadium mines. Through this agreement, StorEn has secured the exclusive availability of vanadium for up to 20 years with either a price cap or at market price, whichever is lower.

Capitalizing on the Australian government’s support to fulfil the country’s energy storage opportunity, Multicom’s subsidiary, Freedom Energy, has agreed to assemble StorEn batteries within Australia and distribute them widely across the wider Asia Pacific region. In addition to an initial pilot plant, Multicom has completed a concept design for a full-scale manufacturing facility for StorEn batteries.

Market Opportunity

The shift to renewable energy sources is on, with governments around the globe discussing and implementing initiatives to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. McKinsey & Company research suggests that, by 2035, more than 50% of global power generation will come from renewable sources.

Spurred on by this transition, demand for reliable energy storage systems is expected to attain exponential growth in the coming years, positively influencing the energy storage industry landscape, according to Grand View Research.

Data from Fortune Business Insights projects that the global battery energy storage market will reach $19.74 billion by 2027, recording a CAGR of 20.4% from 2020 to 2027. The research firm suggests that improving access to electricity across the globe will be a prominent trend shaping the growth trajectory of this market, which is particularly noteworthy for StorEn and its TITANstack™ grid-scale energy storage solution.

Over a billion people still do not have access to electricity. The electrification of these unserved communities can become a reality with mini grids, using solar plus energy storage. StorEn’s vanadium flow batteries could be a key technology toward providing universal access to affordable, longer lasting and dependable energy. In support this critical mission, StorEn Technologies is a member of the Alliance for Rural Electrification and the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association.

Management Team

StorEn is led by an executive team with decades of experience in the vanadium flow battery industry.

Founder Carlo Brovero has served as the company’s chief executive officer, treasurer and director since its inception in January 2017. From 2013 to 2019, Mr. Brovero served as a consultant for eCaral Ltd., a management consulting firm. From 2013 to 2015, he served as an advisory board member for Proxhima S.r.l., a vanadium flow battery company, which was sold to the Gala Group, a utility listed on the Milan Stock Exchange. From 2010 to 2016, Mr. Brovero served as International Sales and Marketing Director for iVis Technologies, the manufacturer of an excimer laser therapeutic and refractive platform for corneal surgery. He holds an MBA from Aston University in Birmingham, UK.

Founder Angelo D’Anzi has served as StorEn’s chief technology officer and director since the company’s inception. He is primarily responsible for the technical development of StorEn’s products. Since May 2018, Mr. D’Anzi has also served as a director of Arco Fuel Cells S.r.l., where he is responsible for the company’s fuel cell technical development activities. Mr. D’Anzi co-founded vanadium flow battery company Proxhima in 2013. In 2000, he founded ROEN-EST, a fuel cell company that was eventually acquired by the Morphic Group, a cleantech holding company listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. Mr. D’Anzi holds 14 international patents and received the 2003 Sapio Award in the Energy and Transportation category. He holds an MBA from the LUISS Business School in Rome.

Founder Gabriele Colombo has served as secretary of StorEn since its inception. Since 2012, he has also served in various roles ranging from regional manager to CEO with Leonardo Hispania S.A., a subsidiary of the Leonardo Group of Italy, an aerospace, defense and security conglomerate. Mr. Colombo co-founded vanadium flow battery company Proxhima in 2013. He holds an honors degree in computer engineering from the University of Pisa and a master’s degree in business leadership from the University of Genova.

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American Cannabis Partners

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight American Cannabis Partners.

American Cannabis Partners (“ACP”), a Jamaican experience canna-business innovator, is committed to doing its part as the sustainability trend permeates all sectors, including cannabis. Sustainability is a growing priority for businesses in today’s environment-conscious and energy-aware world. A recent article notes that the advantages of sustainability are twofold: making a positive impact on the environment and connecting with consumers who are becoming increasingly aware and supportive of companies working to make a difference. “ACP follows an organic cultivation model that includes implementing sustainable operating practices designed to reduce the company’s environmental footprint and increase its social responsibility,” the article reads. “ACP’s commitment to doing what is environmentally right is only one aspect of what sets it apart. A fully licensed, large-scale and 100% organic cannabis cultivation company, ACP is strategically positioning itself in four sectors of the cannabis space: real estate, cultivation, medical research, and nonprofit groups. American Cannabis Partners supplies multiple forms of raw product at wholesale prices for manufacturing, distribution and retail licensees in both the medical and recreational markets.” To view the full article, visit https://ibn.fm/1T3W8

American Cannabis Partners (ACP) is a multi-state cannabis company with 560,000 square feet of licensed canopy space for cultivation and one retail license. The company is nationally headquartered in Trinity County of Northern California’s Emerald Triangle.

ACP is focused on three complementary business segments: real estate, acquisition & development of proprietary assets, and ongoing cultivation operations. Led by a seasoned management team with 30+ years of canna-business experience, ACP’s strategy is to capture opportunities in real estate and licensing in states that have recently passed cannabis legalization legislation, thereby equipping the company to capitalize on Federal interstate commerce opportunities.

Through its current cultivation operations, ACP supplies approximately 80% of its whole flower products for manufacturing, distribution and retail licenses. With the remaining 20%, the company supplies its proprietary strains to select California distributors and its own Michigan retail location under its exclusive in-house brand, ZÜK.

History of American Cannabis Partners

In 2014, Stephen Jordan, President of ACP, took on the Director of Operations position for a U.S.-based company operating in the Jamaican cannabis space. Over the course of his three-year tenure in this role, Jordan developed a number of relationships that would help serve as the basis of American Cannabis Partners.

One such relationship was with Junior Gordon, a cultivation lead grower from Jamaica’s Westmoreland Parish. Jordan immediately saw the value of Gordon’s unique skillset and credentials, and Gordon recognized Jordan’s heartfelt vision of bringing Jamaican culture to the rapidly developing U.S. cannabis space.

Guided by that mission, ACP’s unchanging goal is to improve the lives of individuals through cannabis and business.

Current Operations

Since its founding in 2018, privately-owned American Cannabis Partners has established a foothold in two key U.S. cannabis markets – California and Michigan. In total, the company has acquired 12 cannabis licenses, including 20,000 sq. ft. of cultivation licenses in California and 540,000 sq. ft. of cultivation licenses & one retail license in Michigan.

ACP’s IP portfolio features three proprietary strains sold exclusively through the company’s wholly owned ZÜK brand, as well as proprietary data collection and mining systems supporting its cultivation and retail operations.

Plans for Expansion

American Cannabis Partners is pursuing additional growth in the cannabis sector through multiple planned initiatives. These include:

• Submitting applications for additional cultivation licenses at the company’s Trinity County, California, location;
• Planning land acquisition and project development strategies for expanding operations to its third U.S. state beginning in the second quarter of 2022; and
• Planning land acquisition and project development strategies for expanding operations to its fourth U.S. state beginning in the second quarter of 2024.

ACP is currently exploring expansion opportunities through partnerships and joint ventures in New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Nevada, Arizona, Missouri and Massachusetts.

Management Team

Stephen Jordan is the CEO of American Cannabis Partners. He is focused on the first and last steps of legal cannabis – cultivation and retail. To date, Mr. Jordan has provided the company with ownership of 12 licenses, three proprietary cannabis strains and multiple real estate assets. His background in cannabis operations and financial strategies has guided American Cannabis Partners’ efforts to produce consistently high-quality product for both the medical and recreational segments. Mr. Jordan has operated under cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, medical research (Univ. of West Indies), retail and exportation licenses in multiple countries, further strengthening his network within the cannabis industry.

Gary Coltek is the company’s Chief Operating Officer. He has credentials based in the culinary, hospitality and sustainability industries spanning over 40 years, including taking three companies public. Mr. Coltek has held management positions internationally with Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Trump Hospitality, Phymatrix and International Oncology Network. For 17 years, he was the founding member and partner of a private boutique consulting firm. He is currently a guest speaker and visiting professor at universities in Israel, China, Italy, the Netherlands and Peru, covering topics that include culinary sustainability, sustainable cannabis farming, organic sustainable farming and cannabis clinical studies.

Scot C. Crow is the Lead Corporate Counsel for American Cannabis Partners. He has extensive experience in corporate mergers & acquisitions and tax law. His clients rely on him to advise them with respect to their complex financial transactions and provide outside general counsel. Mr. Crow provides his clients proactive advice with respect to sensitive management matters, litigation management, day to day transactional needs and objective assessments for the development of successful business strategies. His experience includes serving as lead counsel for numerous mergers & acquisitions, private equity investments, private offerings, venture capital financings, mezzanine debt offerings, divestures and other related transactions, with an emphasis in the legalized marijuana segment.

Jacob Frenkel is the company’s Lead Compliance Counsel. He is the current Chair of Dickinson Wright’s Government Investigations and Securities Enforcement Practice. Mr. Frenkel’s solutions-minded approach to issues has earned him a reputation as an aggressive, tenacious, creative and proactive defense lawyer and litigator. After 14 years as a Senior Counsel in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement, U.S. federal criminal prosecutor and New Orleans Assistant District Attorney, Mr. Frenkel has practiced in the private sector for 20 years. His unique mix of corporate transactional, litigation and investigations defense clients extend well beyond the cannabis industry and cover a wide range of industries worldwide.

Junior Gordon is the Director of Cultivation for American Cannabis Partners. With 30 years of international cannabis cultivation experience in both the Caribbean and United States, Mr. Gordon is recognized as one of the top growers in the world. His skills span both controlled indoor and large volume outdoor harvest programs, giving him proficiency in nursery, propagation and indoor & outdoor grow strategies. As a winner of High Times and other notable Cannabis Cups, his focus is on connecting the dots between propagation, soil, irrigation, planting, harvesting, curing, processing and inventory control, bringing Jamaican cannabis cultivation best practices to American Cannabis Partners’ operations.

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Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN).

Cepton (NASDAQ: CPTN), a Silicon Valley innovator and leader in high performance MMT(R) lidar solutions, has secured a $25 million facility from Trinity Capital Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIN), a leading specialty lending company that provides debt, including loans and equipment financing, to growth-stage companies backed by technology banks, venture capital and private equity firms. The transaction was completed prior to the closing of the merger between Cepton Technologies and Growth Capital Acquisition Corp, now renamed to Cepton Inc. According to the update, $10 million was drawn under the facility, and, subject to conditions under the agreement, Cepton has the option to draw an additional $15 million at any time prior to July 1, 2022. “Cepton is at the forefront of a massive digital transformation toward automation, providing its cost-effective lidar technology to companies who are making automation happen across a wide range of commercial applications,” said Trinity’s Managing Director Bob D'Acquisto. “Their market position coupled with their proprietary technologies make them a great fit for our portfolio. We are excited to support Cepton achieve its goal of deploying high performance, mass-market lidar to deliver safety and autonomy.”

Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN) 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 recent 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

Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN), closed Monday’s trading session at $12.1, off by 13.6947%, on 329,962 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 329,549 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $6.85/$80.16.

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Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD)

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

Nemaura Medical (NASDAQ: NMRD), a medical technology company focused on developing and commercializing noninvasive wearable diagnostic devices and supporting personalized lifestyle coaching programs, today announced its receipt of the top award as Innovator of the Year at the LeicestershireLive Innovation Awards 2022 held on Feb. 24, 2022. In addition, the company was awarded top honors for Innovation in MedTech and Life Sciences. “We are gratified and honored to be chosen for these top awards by our community peers. The Leicestershire regions has truly inspirational people and teams at the technology forefront across numerous industries,” said Dr. Faz Chowdhury, CEO of Nemaura. “Thus, it is quite special to be recognized by our peers for our efforts to bring non-invasive diagnostics to market in an effort to bring significant increases in health, well-being and the quality of life to people’s everyday lives.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/zgMmR. Type 1 diabetes is also referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes or juvenile diabetes. It’s a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces no insulin or little insulin. Insulin is a hormone required in the body that allows glucose (sugar) to enter cells in order to produce energy. Since the coronavirus pandemic began, doctors have observed a significant increase in diagnoses for type 1 diabetes, particularly in children. Various factors may contribute to the development of type 1 diabetes, the most common being genetics and exposure to some viruses, as well as other environmental factors. While this chronic condition usually appears during childhood or adolescence, it can also develop in adults. Izquierdo stated that the number-one thing to do was to get children into treatment as soon as possible in order to avoid a life-threatening diabetes complication known as ketoacidosis. He also explained that different types of insulin exist that allow doctors to adjust an individual’s blood sugar, noting that continued glucose monitoring through the use of technologies such as the devices manufactured by Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD) was also a way to keep children from having to check their blood sugar regularly. In addition to this, the presence of insulin pumps also helped as they delivered insulin constantly, which helped improve the quality of life for kids.

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 $3.78, off by 2.3256%, on 7,273 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 7,267 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $3.57/$17.40.

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