Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD)

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

A new study conducted by a team of researchers from the Universities of Bristol and Auckland has discovered why most patients with hypertension also suffer from diabetes. Hypertension is also referred to as high blood pressure and is known to increase an individual’s risk of stroke and heart disease, among other indications. It can also cause severe health complications, sometimes leading to death. On the other hand, diabetes is a chronic health condition that develops when an individual’s body can’t effectively use the insulin it produces or when their pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin. The condition, which is sometimes referred to as high blood sugar, affects how an individual’s body turns food consumed into energy. Both of those chronic health conditions — diabetes and hypertension — is grave enough on its own, and having both can aggravate one’s mortality risk. It is therefore advisable to use any means available, such as the continuous glucose monitoring devices made by Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD), to help keep diabetes manageable while also taking medication for high blood pressure.

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 Tuesday’s trading session at $4.42, up 1.3761%, on 9,134 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 9,134 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $3.51/$17.40.

Recent News

• Nemaura Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: NMRD) - Researchers Explain the Link Between Diabetes, Hypertension
• BioMedNewsBreaks - Nemaura Medical Inc.'s (NASDAQ: NMRD) Technologies Stand Distinct
• Monitoring Glucose Levels May Help Manage Weight

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, today announced the appointment of Hull Xu, the company’s VP of finance and strategy, to the position of chief financial officer. Effective immediately, Xu succeeds Dr. Winston Fu, Ph.D., who will remain with the company as an advisor on strategic projects. Dr. Fu will also remain on the board of directors and become vice chairman. “Hull has demonstrated tremendous leadership and experience in finance and strategic matters since he joined Cepton,” said Dr. Jun Pei, Cepton’s co-founder, chairman and CEO. “We look forward to Hull’s continued contribution as he takes on the expanded role of CFO. We also thank Winston for his many contributions and look forward to continuing our work together on strategic projects. We will benefit from Winston’s guidance and experience as a member of Cepton’s board.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/0uAoK

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 Tuesday’s trading session at $3.88, up 2.1053%, on 1,898,230 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1.898M and the stock's 52-week low/high is $3.62/$80.16.

Recent News

• Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN) Appoints Hull Xu as Chief Financial Officer
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Cepton Inc.'s (NASDAQ: CPTN) Lidar Tech Unlocking New Possibilities for Implementing Smart City Solutions in Cape Town
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Cepton Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN) Announces Participation in Upcoming Maxim Virtual Growth Conference

BlockQuarry Corp. (OTC: BLQC)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight BlockQuarry Corp. (OTC: BLQC).

BlockQuarry (OTC: BLQC),a Texas-based company with primary commercial-stage operations in cryptocurrency mine hosting and self-mining in the southeast United States, is scaling its cryptocurrency mining operations after changing its corporate name and stock symbol; both moves have been approved by FINRA. Most recently, the company announced that it has begun implementing its 200-megawatt (“MW”) project in Gaffney, South Carolina, including deploying the first 20 MW next-gen POD 5 containers. Those containers feature secure servers that can be mobilized and relocated at any time. In addition, the company noted that the project has been scaling up mining activity daily basis and is projected to be the largest cryptocurrency mining operation in the region. Expansion plans include adding an additional 80 MW in the next phase of growth, bringing total capacity to 100 MW; the company anticipates eventually reaching 200 MW driven by 56,000 new ASIC rigs. “Our December Q report isn’t out yet, but we are looking for annual 2021 revenues topping $1.06 million, which comes in well above our projections from midyear and represents nearly 1,900% growth over our 2020 topline,” said BlockQuarry president and chair Alonzo Pierce in the press release. “While we suspected our December revenues to level out a bit as a consequence of moving our self-mining facility from Pennsylvania to our southeastern U.S. location, we effectively minimized the impact of that transition and enter April with tremendous momentum.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/65RoJ

BlockQuarry Corp. (OTC: BLQC), through its in-house initiatives and strategic partnerships, has invested in growing operations targeting the telehealth and cryptocurrency mining industries.

The company specializes in strategic brand development and early growth facilitation. Management maneuvers its proprietary companies through critical stages of market development, including conceptualization, go-to-market strategies, engineering, product integration and distribution efficiency.

Mission

The company’s core mission is to enhance these sectors by implementing innovative services and products that are ready to meet the demands of a changing world. To that end, ISW Holdings leverages its strategic expertise, resources and innovative software to establish market-leading companies and partnerships, thereby ensuring success in their chosen industries.

Cryptocurrency Mining

The start of 2021 saw a massive resurgence in interest surrounding bitcoin and cryptocurrency mining. In mid-February, bitcoin prices hit an all-time high of greater than $57,000, and heightened demand for cryptocurrency mining power has played a key role in exacerbating a global shortage of semiconductors and computer components.

With a foothold in the cryptocurrency mining space, ISW Holdings has placed significant focus on expanding its position and capitalizing on this momentum. Recent highlights include:

• February 9, 2021: The company announced that its revolutionary Pod5 Cryptocurrency Mining Pod will be powered up into full operational launch at the Bit5ive renewable energy cryptocurrency mining facility in Pennsylvania on February 12, 2021.
• February 11, 2021: The company announced that it is in negotiations to purchase a large number of miners (between 300 and 900) in preparation for its coming Phase 3 expansion in mining volume.
• February 23, 2021: The company announced its entry into a comprehensive Hosting and Maintenance Agreement prior to going online with its new ASIC s17 miners.
• March 2, 2021: The company announced that it has successfully tripled its active cryptocurrency mining fleet with the addition of two new POD5IVE datacenters.

“As we continue to bring our miners online, we want our shareholders to be able to track the expansion and profitability of the company’s mining activity given the sharp rising trend in bitcoin prices,” Alonzo Pierce, President and Chairman of ISW Holdings, stated in a news release. “It currently costs about $11K in computing power to mine a single bitcoin. Bitcoin is pricing at over five times that level, making this is an exceptional ROI opportunity, and our responsibility to our shareholders is clear: continue to invest, expand and execute.”

Business Innovations

ISW Holdings’ diverse portfolio reflects the growing demand for essential services in a dynamic modern operational landscape. Some of the company’s current holdings and partnerships include:

• Bit5ive LLC: ISW Holdings operates a joint venture with Bit5ive, a global leader in cryptocurrency mining. The joint-venture agreement enables ISW Holdings to collaborate with the experienced team at Bit5ive to innovate the infrastructure needed to run profitable and efficient crypto mining projects.
• Proceso LLC: ISW Holdings has partnered with Proceso LLC to create high-density processing and mobile data centers powered by renewable energy. These innovations will allow Proceso to offer lower-cost and diverse services to its clients, including hosting and colocation services to growing sectors such as the gaming industry and cryptocurrency mining.
• PHH Health: The company’s home health division answers the growing need for home care services in a world where health care delivery is changing and an increasingly large aging community is looking for efficient and effective ways of accessing health care.
• Volum: The company’s logistics and supply chain management division is designed with the core goal of increasing supply chain efficiency, which is recognized as one of the key aspects of successfully growing any business.

Market Opportunity

ISW Holdings’ recent activity in the cryptocurrency mining sector has positioned it to capitalize on the forecast expansion of the cryptocurrency market in the coming years. According to data from MarketsandMarkets, the cryptocurrency space was valued at $1.03 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach $1.40 billion in 2024, achieving a CAGR of 6.18% during the forecast period.

The report suggests that major drivers for this growth will be the transparency of the underlying blockchain technology, the high volume of remittances in developing countries, the high cost of international remittance, expected fluctuations in monetary regulations and sustained investment in the cryptocurrency space by venture capital firms.

Management Team

Terry Williams is the Chief Executive Officer and Director of ISW Holdings. Mr. Williams brings to the company more than 30 years of experience in accounting and information systems, logistics, insurance and transportation. With a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in accounting and management information systems, he amassed considerable corporate experience at UPS (NYSE: UPS), where he took several logistical roles, managing more than 2,000 employees and a budget of more than $10 billion. Mr. Williams also serves as president of Airware Transportation and Logistics and Chief Financial Officer of AVI Insurance Caribbean. In 2013, he received the National Airport Minority Advisory Council Award for mastering skills in the aviation industry.

Alonzo Pierce is the company’s President and Chairman. He brings a wealth of business development and wealth management experience to the ISW team, having spent the past 20 years building recognizable brands in multiple industry sectors. Mr. Pierce has launched enterprises in life-styled brands which were delivered to high-profile, high-net worth families and individuals. He has worked in the adult beverage industry, establishing a formidable background in marketing and brand creation. Pierce has a B.A. from Baylor University and has received multiple awards in the adult beverage industry, including ‘Outstanding Sales Performance in the Southern Region’ for Sapphire Brands. Pierce also served as a national liaison to a Super-Regional Bank’s private wealth division. In addition to his for-profit endeavors, Pierce has served on multiple charitable boards, sourcing funding for JRA, food insecure families and housing insecure families.

Kristina Mahoney-Brown is Secretary, Treasurer and Director of ISW Holdings. With more than 20 years of experience providing tax and financial consulting to real estate companies, as well as investors, developers and construction companies, Ms. Mahoney-Brown has gained solid business expertise and market knowledge and prides herself on staying abreast of the latest industry trends. Her professionalism, impeccable work ethic and advanced marketing strategies have earned her the nickname ‘The Tax Diva’. Mahoney-Brown has a Bachelor’s in accounting, a Master’s in taxation and a Master’s in business administration, specializing in personal financial planning.

BlockQuarry Corp. (BLQC), closed Tuesday’s trading session at $1.18, up 1.7241%, on 65,043 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 65,043 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.19/$3.78.

Recent News

• BlockQuarry Corp. (OTC: BLQC) - InvestorNewsBreaks - BlockQuarry Corp. (BLQC) Reports on Company Change, Growth
• InvestorNewsBreaks - BlockQuarry Corp. (BLQC) Announces Ticker Update, Progress on Facility
• InvestorNewsBreaks - ISW Holdings Inc. (ISWH) Announces Name, Ticker Changes to BlockQuarry Corp. (BLQC)

Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX).

Advanced Container Technologies (OTC: ACTX), the exclusive U.S. distributor of self-contained, automated, indoor “micro-farms” called Grow Pods, along with related equipment and supplies., is spotlighted in the latest episode from the Bell2Bell podcast. ACTX founder and chair Doug Heldoorn chatted with host Stuart Smith, providing insight into the company, the agricultural advantages of Grow Pods and the potential of the company. Heldoorn also discussed Advanced Container Technologies’ operational goals for the remainder of 2022 and beyond. The Bell2Bell Podcast delivers informative updates and exclusive interviews with executives operating in fast-moving industries. “As excited as everybody is about the cannabis industry, Grow Pod technology aligns with so many factors of society today,” said Advanced Container Technologies founder and chair Doug Heldoorn during the interview. “I’m twice as excited about that as I am with the cannabis industry. . . [Grow Pods] offer a growing system that uses 70% to 75% less water than regular irrigation. You have a controlled environment where right now in California you can grow outdoor vegetables in a controlled setting . . . We can plug this into any state and make it self-sufficient. With Grow Pods, you control the environment, therefore you can control the outcome.” To listen to the full interview, visit https://ibn.fm/9oyza. To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/nbcaV.

Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) is in the business of selling and distributing self-contained, automated, indoor “micro-farms” called Grow Pods, along with related equipment and supplies. Additionally, the company designs and sells patented proprietary medical-grade plastic containers, known as the Medtainer®, that store and grind pharmaceuticals, herbs, teas and other solids or liquids.

ACTX is the leading distributor of Grow Pods. With a controlled environment, food and herbs can be grown without pesticides, harmful chemicals or risk of pathogen contamination, and with low energy consumption. Restaurants, grocery stores, non-profits, MSOs and entrepreneurs can use Grow Pods to ensure a fresh supply of ultra-clean produce year-round.

The company entered the Grow Pod business in October 2020 with its acquisition of all shares of Advanced Container Technologies Inc., a California corporation. As of February 28, 2022, ACTX is exploring the acquisition of the assets and the assumption of some or all of the liabilities of GP Solutions Inc., the developer and manufacturer of Grow Pods, for which ACTX is currently the sole U.S. distributor.

Because Grow Pods can be located almost anywhere, produce can be grown closer to the point of consumption and harvested at its peak, providing nutritious fruits and vegetables where needed. Indoor micro-farms, utilizing a practice known as vertical farming, have attracted the attention of governments and universities, which are now promoting vertical farming as a way to combat food insecurity and inequities.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has stated that vertical farming “is no longer a futuristic concept.” The department is enthusiastic about vertical farming, particularly those utilizing repurposed shipping containers, such as Grow Pods. Arizona State University reports that vertical farming reduces water use by 90 percent compared to conventional farming but produces 10 times the crop yield.

Products

Grow Pods

One of the company’s main business units is focused on selling advanced, self-contained hydroponic containers called Grow Pods. These unique and innovative automated systems are essentially micro-farms that can be placed virtually anywhere and, with their controlled and specially filtered environment, allow cultivation of a wide variety of crops, 365 days a year. The Grow Pod controlled environment offers major advantages for the production of high-value crops. The ability to grow year-round and the ability to cultivate in a smaller footprint using less water and power are some of the primary advantages of the system. Grow Pods offer constant temperature, humidity and airflow control, as well as automated watering and lighting schedules for optimal growth and minimal labor requirements, regardless of crop.

Containers

ACTX meets the needs of the pharmaceutical and medical markets, including the cannabis and hemp industries, with patented packaging systems. The company designs, customizes, brands and sells proprietary medical grade plastic containers that can store pharmaceuticals, herbs, teas and other solids or liquids, with a special built-in feature that can grind solids and shred herbs. The company’s flagship container product is the patented Medtainer®, a child resistant, medical-grade herb container and grinder that is water-tight, air-tight and smell proof. Packaging in the cannabis industry is critical, with numerous stringent regulations about how cannabis products must be packaged and labeled. ACTX also offers custom-branded, compliant vacuum seal bags and other retail container solutions.

Equipment and Supplies

ACTX markets and sells two principal products: Grow Pods, which are specially modified insulated shipping containers manufactured by GP Solutions Inc., in which plants, herbs and spices may be grown hydroponically in a controlled environment, and Medtainers®, which may be used to store pharmaceuticals, herbs, teas and other solids or liquids and can grind solids and shred herbs. The company also markets and sells various products related to Grow Pods and the Medtainer®, as well as providing private labeling and branding services for purchasers of Medtainers® and certain related products.

GP Solutions manufactures and sells other products, such as humidity controllers and LED lighting systems for vertical farming. The company’s specially designed lighting panels are programmed to emit the exact wavelength of light that each crop requires. The system has a daybreak-to-nightfall feature that gives plants the proper chromatic signals to grow rapidly and fruitfully. High efficiency LED light strips supply the crops with a red and blue light spectrum required for photosynthesis in the spectrum that plants need most.

Market Overview

The global vertical farming market is expected to reach $33.02 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research. The market is forecast to expand at a CAGR of 25.5 percent from 2022 to 2030, according to Grand View. Escalating production of biopharmaceutical products, including cannabis, is anticipated to drive the market. The building-based segment of the market is expected to register a significant CAGR of 27.8 percent over the projected period. In addition, the climate control segment is expected to see high growth.

The global cannabis packaging market is expected to reach $14.34 billion by 2028, according to analysis by Reports and Data. The analysis forecasts 1,700 percent growth in cannabis users by the end of 2026, with packaging likely observing a whopping 26.42 percent growth in the forecast period. There are significant barriers to entry in the cannabis packaging market, giving an advantage to companies already established in the sector. These barriers include developing a thorough knowledge of the myriad regulations that govern cannabis packaging (which differ in each state), and child-resistance requirements.

Management Team

Douglas P. Heldoorn is the Founder and Chairman of Advanced Container Technologies Inc. He also holds the positions of President, CEO and COO at the company. Mr. Heldoorn has served on the Board of Directors since its inception in 2013. He has also previously held the position of Executive General Manager at Nissan Motor Corp.

Jeffory A. Carlson is CFO and Treasurer of ACTX. Mr. Carlson has also served as the company’s Corporate Controller since 2014.

Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX), closed Tuesday’s trading session at $1, up 2.0408%, on 1,746 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1,746 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.66/$5.00.

Recent News

• Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (ACTX) Founder Featured in Bell2Bell Podcast
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• InvestorNewsBreaks - Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (ACTX) Engages IBN for Corporate Communications Expertise

CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP).

CNS Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: CNSP), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of novel treatments for primary and metastatic cancers in the brain and central nervous system, has received key approval for a planned study. The approval came from Swissmedic, the Swiss agency for therapeutic products. CNSP can now move forward with its potentially pivotal study of its novel anthracycline, Berubicin, for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (“GBM”); the company has already received approval from swissethics, the umbrella organization of the cantonal Ethics Committees in Switzerland, for the study. According to the announcement, execution of global patient enrollment is moving forward. "With the necessary regulatory approvals in Switzerland now in place, our team is diligently working to bring clinical sites online and quickly and efficiently drive patient enrollment in this potentially pivotal study,” said CNS Pharmaceuticals CEO John Climaco in the press release. “We are sincerely grateful to the Swiss Competent Authority and Ethics Committee and their positive feedback on what we continue to believe is an incredibly important clinical program. We are laser focused on advancing Berubicin to unlock its greatest potential as a possible critical treatment option for this devastating disease. As long as the unmet medical need in GBM remains, we will continue our fight to bring hope to patients and families.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/hLn6B

CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) is a clinical stage biotechnology company specializing in the development of novel treatments for primary and metastatic cancers of the brain and central nervous system.

The company was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Organ Targeted Therapeutics

The company’s lead drug candidate, Berubicin, is proposed for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (“GBM”), an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer. Berubicin also has potential to treat other central nervous system malignancies. Based on limited clinical data, Berubicin appears to be the first anthracycline to cross the blood brain barrier in the adult brain, and it was the subject of a successful Phase 1 study which found the MDT and produced efficacy data as well.

CNS holds a worldwide exclusive license to the Berubicin chemical compound. The company has acquired all requisite data and know-how from Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc. related to a completed Phase I clinical trial of Berubicin in malignant brain tumors. In this trial, 44% of patients experienced a statistically significant improvement in clinical benefit. In 2017, CNS entered into a collaboration and asset purchase agreement with Reata.

CNS intends to explore the potential of Berubicin to treat other diseases, including pancreatic and ovarian cancers and lymphoma. The company is also examining plans to develop combination therapies that include Berubicin.

CNS estimates that more than $25 million in private capital and grants were invested in Berubicin prior to the company’s $9.8 million IPO in November 2019.

CNS intends to submit an IND for Berubicin during the fourth quarter of 2020 and expects to commence a Phase II clinical trial of Berubicin for the treatment of GBM in the U.S. in Q1 2021. A sub-licensee partner was awarded a $6 million EU/Polish National Center for Research and Development grant to undertake a Phase II trial of Berubicin in adults and a first-ever Phase I trial in pediatric GBM patients in Poland in 2021.

The company’s second drug candidate, WP1244, is a novel DNA binding agent licensed from the MD Anderson Cancer Center. In preclinical studies, WP1244 proved to be 500-times more potent than the chemotherapeutic agent, daunorubicin, in inhibiting tumor cell proliferation. The company has entered into a sponsored research agreement with the MD Anderson Cancer Center to further the development of WP1244.

CNS Pharmaceuticals recently engaged U.S.-based Pharmaceutics International Inc. and Italian BSP Pharmaceuticals SpA for the production of the Berubicin drug product. The company has implemented a dual-track manufacturing strategy to mitigate COVID-19-related risks, diversify its supply chain and provide for localized availability of Berubicin. CNS has already completed synthesis of Berubicin’s active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and has shipped the API to both manufacturers in order to prepare an injectable form of Berubicin for clinical use.

Global Brain Tumor Therapeutics Market

The high recurrence rate of malignant brain tumors is due to reappearance of focal masses, indicating that a sub-population of tumor cells in these cancers may be insensitive to current therapies and may be responsible for reinitiating tumor growth. This necessitates the development of newer drugs in the market that demonstrate greater efficacy in treating such aggressive cancers.

A global increase in neurological disorders has placed increased attention on cancers of the brain over the past decade. Neurological disorders are becoming one of the most prevalent types of disorders, due to longer life expectancy, greater exposure to infection and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Because few treatments for primary and metastatic cancers of the brain exist, costs are high and have acted as a restraint for the brain tumor therapeutics market.

Despite progress in surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapeutic strategies, effective treatments for brain cancer are limited by a lack of specific therapies for the brain and the difficulty in transporting therapeutic compounds across the blood brain barrier. Therefore, there is a significant need for novel and effective therapeutic drugs and strategies that prolong survival and improve quality of life for brain tumor patients.

Several companies are making significant investments into R&D, which is expected to bring more treatment options to the market in the near future. Industry reports consistently project continued growth in the market.

One report estimates that the global brain tumor therapeutics market will reach a valuation of $2.74 billion in 2023, with the market expected to register a CAGR of 11% during the forecast period from 2018 to 2023. Another report projects that the global brain tumor therapeutics market will reach $3.4 billion by 2025, up from $2.25 billion in 2019 (http://nnw.fm/eDUjp).

Management Team

John M. Climaco is the CEO of CNS Pharmaceuticals. For 15 years, Climaco has served in leadership roles for a variety of health care companies. Recently, Climaco served as the Executive Vice President of Perma-Fix Medical S.A, where he managed the development of a novel method to produce Technitium-99. Climaco also served as President and CEO of Axial Biotech Inc., a DNA diagnostics company. In the process of taking Axial from inception to product development to commercialization, Climaco forged strategic partnerships with Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson and Smith & Nephew.

Christopher Downs, CPA, is the company’s Chief Financial Officer. Downs previously served as Interim Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of InfuSystem Holdings Inc. (NYSE: INFU), a supplier of infusion services to oncologists in the United States. Downs holds a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy at West Point, an MBA from Columbia Business School and a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

Dr. Donald Picker is the Chief Scientific Officer of CNS. Picker has over 35 years of drug development experience. Prior to joining CNS, Picker worked at Johnson Matthey, where he was responsible for the development of Carboplatin, one of the world’s leading cancer drugs, which was acquired by Bristol-Myers Squibb with annual sales of over $500 million. In addition, he oversaw the development of Satraplatin and Picoplatin, third-generation platinum drugs currently in late-stage clinical development.

Sandra L. Silberman, M.D., Ph.D., is the Chief Medical Officer of CNS Pharmaceuticals. Silberman is a hematologist/oncologist who earned her B.A., Sc.M. and Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Arts and Sciences, School of Public Health and School of Medicine, respectively, and her M.D. from Cornell University Medical College. She then completed both a clinical fellowship in hematology/oncology and a research fellowship in tumor immunology at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. Silberman has played key roles in the development of many drugs, including Gleevec(TM), for which she led the global clinical development at Novartis. Silberman advanced several original, proprietary compounds into Phases I through III during her work with leading biopharmaceutical companies, including Bristol-Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, Imclone and Roche.

CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP), closed Tuesday’s trading session at $0.3797, up 14.6783%, on 7,405,812 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 7.309M and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.2453/$2.68.

Recent News

• CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) - InvestorNewsBreaks - CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) Receives Key Approval for Pivotal Study of Berubicin
• CNS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) CEO John Climaco Shares Company Highlights, Goals at 2022 Virtual Growth Conference Presented by Maxim Group LLC
• Study Finds That Younger Pediatric Brain Cancer Patients Have Poorer Outcomes Than Older Patients

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

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

Chemists at Tsinghua University have designed a nanoscale structure that combines silver, gold and copper to work as a catalyst in a reaction where the performance will be important if efforts to capture carbon in order to help moderate global warming are a success. The researchers explained that they placed their focus on the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction, which is a chemical reaction that uses electricity to power the conversion of gas into other useful substances through the separation of carbon dioxide’s carbon atoms from oxygen atoms. The key to the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction is using the right chemical substance or catalyst whose charge and structure allow it to speed up or kick off a chemical reaction. A number of metals can be used as catalysts depending on the end product that one desires. Catalysts that employ the use of a single type of metal include copper to produce ethanol, ethylene or methane; silver for carbon monoxide; and tin for formic acid. As precious metals find new applications in the race to net-zero, extractors such as StraightUp Resources Inc. (CSE: ST) (OTCQB: STUPF) will have more clients to serve and deliver greater value to their shareholders.

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

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

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

Projects

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

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

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

StraightUp Resources Inc. (OTCQB: STUPF), closed Tuesday’s trading session at $0.069, off by 31%, on 202 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 202 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.069/$0.26.

Recent News

• StraightUp Resources Inc. (CSE: ST) (OTCQB: STUPF) - Researchers Say Silver, Gold. Copper Crucial to Carbon Capture Efforts
• Gold Market to Use Blockchain to Increase Supply Chain Transparency
• MiningNewsBreaks - StraightUp Resources Inc. (CSE: ST) (OTCQB: STUPF) Positioned to Expand Portfolio, Capitalize on Growing Demand for Gold

SPYR Inc. (OTCQB: SPYR)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight SPYR Inc. (OTCQB: SPYR).

SPYR (OTCQB: SPYR), dba SPYR Technologies, a technology company and its subsidiary, Applied Magix Inc., are providing a rare look at Applied Magix’s “secret lab.” Applied Magix develops and resells Apple(R) ecosystem-compatible products in the growing multibillion-dollar smart home and connected car markets, and the lab is a space where the company investigates and explores technologies and possible products. According to the company, while not everything explored in the lab will be realized or released, parts of the research improve and enhance current products and services or may be woven into smart homes and connected cars. “The Secret Lab is very much like Apple’s Advanced Technology Group (“ATG”) from years ago,” said Applied Magix CEO Dr. Harald Zink in the press release. “Nevertheless, much of the knowledge being gained will find its way into our products and services, while some of what we explore is based on annoyances we encounter that we believe we can design a better solution for. For example, a frequent frustration I have encountered is interacting with Crypto ATMs and access to your funds. . . . This has led me and engineers to explore how to design a better cryptocurrency ATM, in essence designing a user experience that would make such interactions pleasant and enjoyable. This would ultimately be a software solution, which could be licensed, without any investment in hardware since there is nothing special about an ATM device.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/mFx9x

SPYR Inc. (OTCQB: SPYR), dba SPYR Technologies, is a technology company which, through its Applied MagiX Inc. subsidiary, develops and resells Apple®-ecosystem-compatible products with an emphasis on the growing, multibillion-dollar Internet of Things (IoT) Smart Home and Connected Car markets.

SPYR continues to identify and target acquisitions with an aim of growing its footprint in the industry and expanding the products it offers consumers, including companies developing artificial intelligence and smart-technology products. In 2020, SPYR acquired Applied MagiX Inc., a registered Apple developer and reseller of Apple ecosystem compatible products with an emphasis on the smart home market, as a wholly owned subsidiary. Applied MagiX operates in the IoT market and, more specifically, the segment of the market related to the development, manufacture and sale of devices and accessories specifically built on Apple’s HomeKit® framework. These products work within the Apple HomeKit ecosystem and are exclusive to the Apple market and its consumers.

Initially, while working to develop, manufacture and sell its own line of branded products, Applied MagiX will be sourcing HomeKit products and accessories from worldwide manufacturers, vetting and selecting best-of-breed products, selling them directly to consumers and supporting them. The company focuses on Apple consumers – a target market with higher disposable income and a demonstrated willingness to pay a premium for quality products. On average, Apple product users spend roughly twice as much on technology as other smartphone users. Those who purchase smart home products spend more than $3,000 on average.

By creating smart hardware and software solutions exclusively for Apple consumers, SPYR addresses a problem faced by that market – having few “smart” devices that integrate with Apple’s HomeKit, despite being the most affluent and loyal consumers of tech products.

Products

The company’s Applied MagiX subsidiary offers multiple product lines to its target markets. First, the subsidiary is a reseller of third-party manufactured Apple HomeKit and Apple CarPlay compatible products. HomeKit comes pre-installed on every new iPhone, while the CarPlay platform is licensed by all major auto manufacturers. Applied MagiX identifies white label products, applies the company’s branding, improves the software and sells these improved products to consumers. Finally, Applied MagiX is developing its own proprietary line of smart home and connected car products, including Apple-compatible home cameras, sensors and alarms, as well as additional Apple-compatible smart car products in the iOS ecosystem.

Among the subsidiary’s products sold to consumers are:

• The MagixDrive Wireless CarPlay adapter, which allows users to access CarPlay wirelessly using their iPhones
• The HomeKit Secure Video Camera with iCloud Storage
• The Multipurpose Sensor with Alarm
• The Environment and Motion Sensor
• The Window and Door Contact Sensor

Market Outlook

According to Statista, the global smart home market is expected to generate revenue of more than $104 billion in 2021. The market is forecast to hit more than $187 billion in revenue by 2025, recording a CAGR of 15.75 percent.

The number of active households in the worldwide smart home market is expected to reach nearly 500 million by 2025. Household penetration is just over 12 percent in 2021 and is projected to nearly double by 2025 to more than 22 percent.

Allied Market Research valued the global connected car market at more than $63 billion in 2019 and projected a CAGR of 17.1 percent, which would push revenue to more than $225 billion by 2027. Allied identified rising consumer demand for connectivity solutions, surging need for constant connectivity, increasing dependency on technology and an upsurge in tech-savvy population as key factors driving the projected growth of the connected car market.

Management Team

James R. Thompson is the CEO, President and General Counsel of SPYR. Over the past 28 years, Mr. Thompson has deftly managed a colorful spectrum of legal clients and situations. In the process, he has helped many companies – both large and small – thrive. Now he welcomes the challenge to take the company and his career in an entirely new direction. A native of Philadelphia, he holds a J.D. from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Denver.

Jennifer Duettra is the Executive Vice President of SPYR. She brings a great deal of knowledge in mobile gaming and pop culture to the company. She is an attorney and was thrilled by the prospect to combine her law experience with a chance to be creative. She is a native of Colorado and received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Speech Communication from Colorado State University. She holds a J.D. from Harvard University.

Trang Nguyen is the CFO of SPYR. From 2019 to 2020, she served as the Financial Reporting Manager for Del Taco, where she was responsible for the preparation and filing of periodic financial reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. From 2016 through 2019, Ms. Nguyen was Accounting Manager for Pinnacle Tax Accounting in Los Angeles, California. She was a part of Ernst & Young’s audit team in Los Angeles from 2006 to 2008, leading engagements on interim and year-end ad SOX 404 auditing procedures for major enterprise accounts. Ms. Nguyen holds a Bachelor of Art, Business Economics (Minor in Accounting) from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a certified public accountant with an inactive license.

Dr. Harald Zink is the CEO, Founder and Chief Product Architect of SPYR subsidiary Applied MagiX. Prior to founding Applied MagiX, he was Director of Technologies and later Vice President of Technologies at Sarkissian Productions in Los Angeles. He also served as Director of Technologies at SMZ Technologies and, for more than 17 years, as Macintosh Technology Consultant to The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. He speaks five languages and holds degrees from the University of California, Riverside.

Kelly Clark is the COO of Applied MagiX. Before joining the subsidiary, he worked as Vice President of Sales Operations at TruClear Global. Prior to that, Mr. Clark was Senior Director of Program Management at Pacific Group Ventures and Operations Manager at Barco. He has also held operations management positions at Deluxe Digital Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment. Mr. Clark holds a bachelor’s degree in international business from the University of Southern California.

SPYR Inc. (OTCQB: SPYR), closed Tuesday’s trading session at $0.043, up 13.1579%, on 406,795 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 406,795 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.02355/$0.195.

Recent News

• SPYR Inc. (OTCQB: SPYR) - InvestorNewsBreaks - SPYR Inc. (SPYR) Shares Insight into 'Secret Lab' Space, Purpose
• SPYR Inc. (SPYR) Enters Smart-Home Market Through Strategic Acquisition
• SPYR Inc. (SPYR) Seizing Opportunity in Smart-Device Space

Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO).

Pressure BioSciences (OTCQB: PBIO) (“PBI”), a leader in the development and sale of innovative, broadly enabling, pressure-based solutions for the worldwide life sciences and other industries, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2021. The company also provided a business update and offered guidance on its strategic changes and growth acceleration planned for FY 2022. “The PCT and BaroFold technologies have provided important early opportunities for commercial traction, as PBI forged scientific understanding and acceptance for its high-pressure platforms,” Jeffrey N. Peterson, chairman of the PBI board, said in the press release. “Building on multiple peer-reviewed opinion leader scientific articles and presentations, accelerating instrument installations, and expanding paid research projects, these platforms are expected to generate important sales growth in 2022 and beyond. In addition, we believe the UST platform is opening up a new, game-changing growth trajectory with its promise for revolutionizing massive global markets from pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, agrochem, food/beverage processing, and more.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/c0zB1

Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO) develops, markets and sells proprietary laboratory instrumentation and associated consumables to the life sciences sample preparation market. Sample preparation refers to the wide range of activities that precede most forms of scientific analysis. It is often complex and time-consuming, yet a critical part of scientific research. The market for sample preparation products is currently estimated at $6 billion worldwide.

The Company’s product line can be used to exquisitely control the sample preparation process. It is based on a patented, enabling technology platform called pressure cycling technology (“PCT”). PCT uses alternating cycles of hydrostatic pressure between ambient (14.5 psi) and ultra-high levels (up to 100,000 psi) to safely and reproducibly control critical biological processes, such as the lysis (breakage) of cells, the digestion of proteins, and the inactivation of pathogens.

Pressure BioSciences’ product line is led by its newly released, next-generation Barocycler 2320EXTREME instrument. Named a finalist in the prestigious 2017 R&D Awards (also known as the “Oscars of Innovation”), the Barocycler 2320EXT is already being touted by some key opinion leaders as an essential element of the $1.8 billion U.S. “Cancer Moonshot” program. For example, Professor Phil Robinson, Co-head of the cancer research center of the Children’s Medical Research Institute (Sydney, Australia), said in a recent interview: “We are collecting the whole proteome on 70,000 tumor samples from all classes where complete clinical outcome is known. Due to its unique capabilities, the Barocycler 2320EXT has become a critical part of our program. It is the primary enabler of the high-throughput component of the project. Without this step, our project simply could not be done. In fact, the Barocycler 2320EXT works so well we have just purchased two more.”

Momentum is building when it comes to the potential for using the Company’s unique PCT technology platform. Leading scientists are intrigued by Pressure BioSciences’ approach, which among other attributes, revolutionizes the process of rupturing cells (lysis) for further study, yielding superior biomolecules for investigation. The Company’s technology transcends current methods of breaking open cells, which use chemicals, blades, metal beads, or other damaging and altering methods that can ultimately adversely affect the result for researchers. Pressure BioSciences’ PCT technology utilizes customized, controlled hydrostatic (water) pressure to rupture cells in a chamber, enabling exquisitely customized levels of pressure to optimally break open different types of cells at prescribed pressure levels—something never before accomplished in a commercial setting. Using this pioneering method, the result is a truer, more legitimate sample, which boosts the efficacy of research and the quality of results. The potential impact of this technology on scientific advancement is enormous, enabling research scientists to begin their studies with biological samples of unprecedented integrity, with the potential to improve research outcomes at the earliest, most critical step. PCT can additionally inactivate pathogens (e.g., viruses, bacteria) using hydrostatic pressure, making the samples safer to study—another innovation with astronomical potential for application in a variety of markets.

The Company’s high-pressure instruments for research purposes are marketed throughout the United States, Europe, China and Japan. To date, Pressure BioSciences has installed nearly 300 PCT Systems in over 165 leading academic, government, biotech and pharma laboratories around the world. Its primary applications are in biomarker discovery, forensics, agriculture and pathology. Over 100 scientific papers have been published on the advantages of the PCT platform, which is also being used in the specialized fields of drug discovery and design, bio-therapeutics characterization, soil and plant biology, vaccine development and histology.

Impressive as their biotech business is, there is more to the PBI story. Pressure BioSciences recently received two patents in China for its novel Ultra Shear Technology (UST), a process that has potential in a wide range of industrial applications, including extending the shelf life of some food products and making two insoluble liquids (like oil in water) soluble. Patents have also been filed in many other countries worldwide. UST is a novel technique based on the use of intense shear forces generated from ultra-high-pressure valve discharge.

This important technology has the potential to play a significant role in a number of commercially important areas through its ability to create high-quality, stable nanoemulsions. Scientific studies indicate that improved absorption, higher bioavailability, greater stability, lower surfactant levels and other advantages can be achieved with nanoemulsions — all hugely important factors in the fields of nutraceuticals, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and in various medical products. There is an enormous opportunity in the cannabis market, since the technology can potentially reduce oil droplets containing cannabidiol (CBD) to nanoparticles, after which they can be safely suspended in a stable water solution—something many companies have endeavored to achieve without success. Researchers looking for a way to increase the bioavailability of cannabinoids in the body will find this technology a game changer.

The Company’s UST technology also has possibilities in the production of clean label foods, which are currently processed using several innovative methods, including high-pressure treatments (such as Starbucks’ Evolution line of juices). In 2015, the worldwide market for high-pressure processed (HPP) food was estimated at U.S. $10 billion. UST uses ultra-high pressures and certain valves to generate intense shear forces under controlled temperature conditions to produce nanoemulsions, and which also significantly reduces food-borne pathogens. Pressure BioSciences’ initial focus with this technology will be to evaluate UST for the production of high-quality dairy products and beverages.

Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO), closed Tuesday’s trading session at $2, off by 2.9126%, on 35,968 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 35,968 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.57/$4.98.

Recent News

• Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO) Announces Q4 and Fiscal Year 2021 Results, Provides Business Update
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO) to Host Q4 and Fiscal Year 2021 Results Teleconference, Provide Business Update
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Pressure BioSciences Inc. (PBIO) Issues Update on Key 2022 Goals and Milestones, Planned Uplist to National Exchange

Correlate Infrastructure Partners Inc. (OTCQB: TCCR)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Correlate Infrastructure Partners Inc. (OTCQB: TCCR).

• Correlate Infrastructure Partners is a provider of data analysis and scalable services to help commercial and industrial real estate owners meet carbon reduction goals while also improving their net operating income
• Carbon reduction is a significant part of the multi-national response to climate change concerns, and Correlate Infrastructure Partners is taking a site-specific approach to furthering goals established worldwide in 2015
• The company has been known as Triccar, but its stockholders approved changing the company name and ticker symbol in February, with final approval from the SEC expected within the coming days
• The company’s efforts to redefine itself reflect its recent acquisition of Correlate Inc. and Loyal Enterprises LLC (dba Solar Site Design) — subsidiaries that together help provide clients with green energy consumption solutions

Worldwide governments and many industry leaders are racing to reduce a steady increase in global temperatures, referred to as climate change, amid concerns about the change’s effect on life and the standards of living humanity expects for itself. But “despite growing pledges of climate action, global emissions are at an all-time high,” according to a statement by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on March 31 (https://ibn.fm/WFd8n). “To avert a climate catastrophe, we need bold pledges but matched by concrete, measurable action,” Guterres added. In 2015, 196 members of the international community reached agreement on climate change, setting goals to keep global temperatures from rising 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels – a level regarded as critical by many in answer to the life quality concerns. The UN’s Statistics Division has reported that in order to meet the goals, global carbon dioxide emissions need to be reduced by 45 per cent by 2030 from 2010 levels, and reach net-zero emissions by 2050 (https://ibn.fm/4XOm7). Green facilities electrification solutions provider Correlate Infrastructure Partners (OTCQB: TCCR) is dedicated to helping commercial and industrial real estate owners meet carbon reduction goals in such a way that they are simultaneously able to improve net operating income at significant levels. 

Correlate Infrastructure Partners Inc. (OTCQB: TCCR), formerly Triccar Inc., through its two subsidiaries, Correlate and Solar Site Design, offers a complete suite of proprietary clean energy assessment and fulfilment solutions for the commercial real estate industry. The company believes scaling distributed clean energy solutions is critical in mitigating the effects of climate change. TCCR is at the forefront in creating an industry-leading energy solution and financing platform for the commercial and industrial sector. The company sees tremendous market opportunity in reducing site-specific energy consumption and deploying clean energy generation and energy efficiency solutions at scale.

The opportunity exists to remove friction between today’s legacy finance process and the needed clean-energy upgrades developed within the company’s program technologies. For the U.S. to reach its 2050 carbon goals, 200,000 commercial buildings must be retrofitted every year until that date. That represents approximately a 5-10x increase over the 2022 industry process run rate.

TCCR announced completion of its acquisition of 100% of the equity of Correlate Inc. and Loyal Enterprises LLC dba Solar Site Design on December 28, 2021. The company notes these acquisitions occurred at a key inflection point of its growth. TCCR currently enjoys channel and sales partnerships with Fortune 250 companies and a strong, proven industry network.

The company’s transparent, leading-edge model changes value delivery for both facility owners and proven solution providers seeking scale. TCCR believes its rapid growth is due to industry demand for actionable, cashflow positive energy programs and the underlying carbon reduction mandates taking effect globally.

TCCR has filed with the SEC for a name change to Correlate Infrastructure Partners Inc., which will more closely reflect its new platform and growth focus. The company has been aggressively moving to rebrand, with efforts including a revised website, investor presentation materials and an investor relations awareness campaign. The company’s shares will continue to trade on the OTCQB Venture Market under the current ‘TCCR’ ticker symbol until changes are approved.

Subsidiaries

Correlate, founded in 2015, is a portfolio-scale development and finance platform offering commercial and industrial facilities access to clean electrification solutions focused on locally-sited solar, energy storage, EV infrastructure, and intelligent efficiency measures. Its unique data-driven approach is powered by proprietary analytics, concierge subscription services, and a highly scalable national fulfillment network to help building owners profit from fully funded, turnkey decarbonization and facility health programs. The platform is designed for commercial and industrial real estate owners seeking to significantly improve net operating income while meeting carbon reduction goals. The platform provides energy programs for commercial property portfolios and requires no upfront capital. Client organizations reduce their risk and generate more profits by leveraging Correlate’s unique payment programs to put more cash in the bank. Deploying Correlate’s strategic energy programs and energy management systems allows property-owning organizations to complete big energy changes across their portfolios.

Solar Site Design, founded in 2013, is a U.S. Department of Energy Sunshot Catalyst winner that provides customer acquisition and project development tools for the commercial solar industry. Its commercial marketplace platform connects highly qualified project opportunities to leading solar construction companies nationwide. The Solar Site Design platform gives commercial and industrial property owners access to the best price for a commercial solar system. Commercial solar analysts provide property owners a site assessment and working project proposal. Solar Site Design’s team of solar engineers finalize the design while approved financing providers help clients explore financing options for their projects. Then, approved contractors in Solar Site Design’s Marketplace bid on the projects, ensuring commercial and industrial property owners get the best estimates for their projects. Solar Site Design’s marketplace process promotes transparency and fair pricing. Its team of experts has nearly 20 years of experience in the solar industry. Only reputable, experienced, certified (NABCEP), licensed, bonded and insured contractors are accepted into the Solar Site Design Marketplace.

Market Outlook

TCCR is in a rapidly growing market with a unique offering to address a total market of more than 5.9 million commercial buildings in the United States, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Currently, the company’s wholly owned subsidiaries, Correlate and the Solar Site Design, have an opportunity pipeline of over $100 million in commercial projects with more than $20 million in awarded backlog. According to the Rocky Mountain Institute, portfolio energy optimization is a $290 billion market in the United States driving deep financial savings and energy efficiency across the commercial sector.

Commercial buildings consume more than 35% of the generated electricity in the U.S. and are underperforming in energy efficiency at every level. These buildings waste energy, emit too much carbon, and are too costly for owners and occupants, but retrofits are not happening at the rate or scale needed.

In today’s real estate market, portfolio property owners own most commercial buildings. Yet most building efficiency work is focused on single buildings, thereby missing the distinct needs of this owner class which has very different needs than traditional owner-occupiers. The diverse nature of commercial buildings, combined with technology and performance uncertainty, make simple energy optimization initiatives – which could greatly reduce energy use and improve building value – financially unattractive, resulting in slow adoption rates. TCCR’s financial instruments and software breakdown this issue known as the “split incentive”, unlocking the majority of the addressable market.

Management Team

TCCR has in place a nationally recognized management team that has been active in the energy market since 2005.

Todd Michaels is President and CEO of TCCR and founder of Correlate. He formerly served as Vice President for Innovation at SunEdison and Senior Director Distributed Solar at NRG Energy. He founded Correlate in 2015 and has 16 years of experience in the energy industry. He graduated from Indiana University with a B.S. in Computer Information Systems.

Channing Chen is CFO at TCCR and Correlate Inc. and brings over 16 years of experience in the solar industry as a developer, financier, and business unit leader. He has held executive management roles at Solar Power Partners (acquired by NRG Energy), where he was a founding employee, SunEdison, and NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG). Most recently, Mr. Chen was founder and Managing Partner at Breakaway Energy Partners LLC – a distributed energy financing and market-making platform. To date, Mr. Chen and his teams have raised over $1.5 billion in financing across residential, commercial, and utility scale solar and energy storage projects representing over 400 MWs. He holds a B.A. in Environmental Chemistry from the University of California at San Diego and an MBA from the University of Southern California. He is also an advisor and early-stage investor to several startup companies in the renewable energy space.

David Bailey is Chief Revenue Officer of Correlate Inc. With over 15 years of executive sales, supply chain management, and energy efficiency experience, he is responsible for ensuring the success of the National Commercial Sales Unit across multiple regional project teams. Mr. Bailey created and launched the Transformation Services team while at Wesco for its multibillion-dollar Distributed Energy Resource division, formerly Westinghouse. His focus was on IoT-enabled efficiency and plant floor automation-based services. Before that, he spent several years in Global Account Sales Management, with GE Supply as a Program Manager, and is a Commercial Leadership Program graduate. Mr. Bailey received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kentucky.

Jason Loyet is VP of Commercial Sales of Correlate Inc. He is a cleantech executive with over 20 years of experience leading high growth solar energy and software start-ups. Mr. Loyet is a U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Catalyst award winner for his work building the Solar Site Design technology platform. Before joining the solar energy industry in 2005, he founded and sold two software companies in the streaming media (GlobalStreams) and newspaper publishing (MyCapture) industries. Mr. Loyet currently serves as a Member of the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Solar Energy Industry Association (TenneSEIA).

Deke Welling is Head of Project Development and Fulfillment Services at Correlate Inc. He has over 19 years’ experience in the energy industry with an emphasis on renewables and energy efficiency over the past seven years. Prior to entering the renewables sector, Mr. Welling was the CEO of Welling Resources, an energy development company focused on the exploration of oil and natural gas reserves in the U.S. It was this experience that led him into the renewables sector and leading a charge for more sustainable resources. Additionally, Mr. Welling also served as the CEO of Circle L Solar Inc., a top 100 solar installer in the United States since 2016. Through his leadership, Circle L Solar experienced a growth rate of over 2,250% from 2016 to 2019, resulting in his company being listed on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in the U.S. (Rank #176) and being named ‘Top Energy Company’ and ‘Entrepreneur of Year for the Energy Industry’ by the American Business Awards® in 2019 and again for ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ in 2021.

Kevin Warren is Head of Construction and Development Engineering at Correlate Inc. He is a solar veteran with over 12 years of experience in the field. Prior to co-founding CLS, Mr. Warren was the owner of Beacon Consulting and has originated, consulted, designed and/or engineered over 122 MW of PV installations ranging from small commercial to utility scale projects throughout Texas, California, Colorado and North Carolina. He holds a Photovoltaic Technical Sales Professional Certification from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners and certifications from Solar Energy International in PV Installation, PV Technical Sales, PV battery-based design, PV design and engineering, and PV operations and maintenance. Along with PV expertise, Mr. Warren is a LEED Green Building Associate, a certified building analyst from the Building Performance Institute, a Certified Renewable Energy Professional from the Association of Energy Engineers and holds a designation in High-Performance Sustainable Buildings from the BOMI Institute. He studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Tom Kunhardt is Director of Customer Success at Correlate. He previously held a similar position at Clean.Tech and was Corporate Trainer, Learning & Development, at NRG Energy. He has 15 years of experience in the solar and clean energy industries helping homeowners and businesses find solutions to their energy needs. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts.

Correlate Infrastructure Partners Inc. (OTCQB: TCCR), closed Tuesday’s trading session at $1.6, even for the day, on  volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1,800 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.07/$3.25.

Recent News

• Correlate Infrastructure Partners Inc. (OTCQB: TCCR) - Correlate Infrastructure Partners Inc. (TCCR) Building Climate Change Solutions Through Utilities Analysis for Commercial Facilities
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• Correlate Infrastructure Partners Inc. (TCCR) Is 'One to Watch'

Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC)

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

Flora (NASDAQ: FLGC) is a leading all-outdoor cultivator and manufacturer of global cannabis products and brands. The company today announced that its newly acquired JustBrands LLC (“JBL”), which houses leading wellness brand JustCBD, was selected as a director to the US Hemp Roundtable. A non-profit lobbying organization, the US Hemp Roundtable is designed to exclusively work toward “enhancing, advancing and improving economic and business conditions for the hemp industry.” “We are honored and humbled to have JBL named as a director to the US Hemp Roundtable, a well-respected non-profit organization, to work on lobbying in Washington D.C., and help move forward successful legislation regarding hemp and CBD in the U.S. Congress,” said Flora CEO Luis Merchan. “JustCBD is a major U.S. brand with a large footprint, and JBL’s addition to the US Hemp Roundtable demonstrates Flora’s commitment to expanding access to CBD and hemp here in the U.S.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/3Y7Eo

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 Tuesday’s trading session at $1.79, off by 4.7872%, on 856,862 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 854,825 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.31/$21.45.

Recent News

• Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Flora Growth Corp.'s (NASDAQ: FLGC) JustBrands Appointed as a Director to the US Hemp Roundtable
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Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (OTC: CYBN)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (NYSE American: CYBN).

• Cybin-sponsored study will use Kernel Flow, Kernel’s quantitative neuroimaging.
• Company hopes to learn more about impact ketamine has on brain activity, overall mental well-being.
• Study results may lead to future studies supporting CYBN’s mission to develop psychedelics into therapeutics.

Cybin’s (NEO: CYBN) (NYSE American: CYBN) efforts to transform the mental-health treatment landscape have reached a key milestone: the company is actively recruiting participants for its upcoming feasibility study using Kernel Flow, Kernel’s quantitative neuroimaging technology (https://ibn.fm/9aSxc). New research has found that ibogaine blocks some of the abuse-related effects of alcohol in mice. Ibogaine is a natural product extracted from the Tabernanthe iboga plant. It is commonly used during religious ceremonies in the form of tea and is extracted from the plant’s root, bark and stem. Alcohol use disorder is a chronic illness that is characterized by uncontrollable drinking. Symptoms include the repeated consumption of alcohol despite related health and legal problems. This disorder is a leading cause of death and absenteeism globally and is recognized as a global public health issue. However, the current treatments used to manage the disorder aren’t very effective. As more becomes known about the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, hope is rising in the population that companies such as Cybin Inc. (NYSE American: CYBN) (NEO: CYBN) will commercialize efficacious formulations from these substances and give patients with unmet clinical needs the treatments they have been longing for.

Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (NYSE American: CYBN) is a Canada-based life sciences company focused on the pharmaceutical development of psychedelic products, as well as the functional mushroom market.

The early-stage company boasts an experienced management team featuring industry veterans from pharmaceutical and consumer product backgrounds who have run multiple clinical trials and collectively helped facilitate billions of dollars in product revenues. The team is dedicated to the development of products and protocols within the psychedelic, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.

In particular, Cybin aims to further build upon and expand its intellectual property (IP) portfolio, which is structured around unique psilocybin delivery mechanisms that target a number of different therapeutic indications. In addition, the company has dedicated itself toward furthering its research and IP within the fields of synthetic compounds, extraction methods, the isolation of chemical compounds, new drug formulations and protocol regimes.

Serenity Life Sciences & Natures Journey Inc.

The company’s business model is centered around its two core subsidiaries, Serenity Life Sciences and Natures Journey Inc., which comprise Cybin’s two-pronged approach toward delivering fungi-derived psychedelic and medicinal products.

Serenity Life Sciences is focused on furthering research and development of psilocybin-based medications. Psilocybin is found in certain species of mushrooms and is a non-habit forming, naturally occurring psychedelic compound. Research into psilocybin has shown positive results for the treatment of depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, eating disorders, ADHD and other indications.

Natures Journey Inc. operates the Journey brand, which specializes in developing proprietary medicinal mushroom products that target and promote mental wellness, immune boosting detoxification and overall general health and wellbeing.

Partnership with the Toronto Centre for Psychedelic Science (TCPS)

Staying true to its axiom of being a research-first medicinal mushroom life sciences company, Cybin recently announced its entry into a strategic partnership with the Toronto Centre for Psychedelic Science (TCPS), with the goal of furthering its ongoing psilocybin research efforts and expanding Cybin’s psilocybin IP portfolio (http://nnw.fm/9EUkI).

“While there is evidence to support psilocybin as a treatment for certain indications, the Toronto Centre for Psychedelic Science is taking a clinical approach to prove or disprove the safety and efficacy of psilocybin-based microdosing through an open science approach,” Paul Glavine, CEO of Cybin, stated in a news release.

“We are excited to join forces with Cybin and to offer our expertise. A number of firms had approached TCPS, but Cybin demonstrated a superior commitment to high-quality research and integrity in product development. Our high standards for scientific rigor and transparency will find a fitting home within the culture Cybin is cultivating in Canada and abroad,” Thomas Anderson, co-founder of the Toronto Centre for Psychedelic Science, added.

Journey’s Product Monetization & Market Potential for Nutraceutical Supplements

Although Cybin is at the forefront of companies seeking to conduct clinical trials aimed at gaining regulatory approval for psilocybin and other psychedelic products, the company has also placed a great deal of emphasis on generating meaningful revenue from its very outset.

Cybin’s Journey brand has is launching a range of supplements comprised of popular fungi-derived ingredients such as Reishi, Lion’s Mane and Cordyceps. Purported to aid focus and concentration while promoting neurogenesis, Journey’s range of nutraceutical products provides Cybin with a crucial foothold within the non-psychedelic legal supplement market, which is valued at over $25 billion globally and growing at a 9% year-over-year rate.

Pharmaceutical Psychedelics

In addition to the company’s range of non-psychedelic supplements, Cybin has plans to carry out a clinical trial with a new delivery system for its psilocybin-based medications later this year. Ultimately, the company aims to enter into technology transfer agreements with global pharmaceutical companies after phase 1 & phase 2 clinical trials are complete in order to accelerate regulatory approvals in major indications in global markets with entire lifecycle product management.

With products such as psilocybin truffles already legal in nations such as the Netherlands, Jamaica and Bulgaria, Cybin has positioned itself to capitalize on an eventual legalization of psychedelic mushroom-derived products in the future. Working within a regulatory environment with strong similarities to that which dealt with cannabis prior to the industry’s eventual legalization by the Canadian government in 2018, Cybin is laying the groundwork for the moment pharmaceutical psychedelics gain acceptance in North America and abroad.

Amalgamation Agreement and Financing

Cybin recently announced its entry into an amalgamation agreement dated June 26, 2020, with Clarmin Explorations Inc. (TSX.V: CX) and 2762898 Ontario Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Clarmin (http://nnw.fm/w04LH). Completion of the transactions contemplated in the amalgamation agreement will result in the reverse takeover of Clarmin by Cybin.

In connection with the proposed transaction, Cybin plans to complete a “best-efforts” brokered private placement of subscription receipts of Cybin, with a syndicate of agents co-led by Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc. (Stifel GMP) and Eight Capital, to raise a minimum of C$14 million ($10 million) and a maximum of C$21 million ($15 million), with a 15% agents’ option.

To date, Cybin has raised approximately C$10,400,000 through an initial financing round and its series A financing round.

Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (NYSE American: CYBN), closed Tuesday’s trading session at $0.8119, off by 7.7386%, on 1,001,046 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 993,328 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.70/$3.38.

Recent News

• Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (NYSE American: CYBN) - Ibogaine Blocks Reward Pathways in Alcohol-Dependent Mice
• Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (NYSE American: CYBN) Begins Recruitment for Study Measuring Ketamine's Psychedelic Effect
• Timing of Food Intake Impacts Mental Health, Study Says

Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP).

Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP), a developer of advanced physical security technologies focused on enhancing U.S. security operations, yesterday announced that it entered into a $100 million common stock purchase agreement with B. Riley Principal Capital. Knightscope, which is celebrating its 9th anniversary, announced that the committed equity facility provides the company with the right to sell and issue up to $100 million of its Class A common stock over a period of 24 months to B. Riley. The company can do so at its discretion and without obligation, although any transactions will be subject to some limitations and conditions. “One of the reasons to publicly list Knightscope was to gain access to the wider capital markets and fuel the growth of our mission to make the United States of America the safest country in the world,” said Knightscope chair and CEO William Santana Li in the press release. “This facility provides us just that — an ability to continue our growth on our timetable and at our discretion, providing for one of the least dilutive financing mechanisms available to the company.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/TtdmT

Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP), founded in 2013 and based in Mountain View, California, is a leader in the development of autonomous security capabilities targeting to disrupt the $500 billion security industry. Knightscope’s technology uniquely combines self-driving technology, robotics, artificial intelligence and electric vehicles.

Knightscope designs and builds Autonomous Security Robots (ASRs) that provide 24/7/365 security to the places you live, work, visit and study. The company’s client list covers public institutions and commercial business operations, including multiple Fortune 1000 companies to date. These ASRs have been proven to enhance safety at hospitals, logistics facilities, manufacturing plants, schools and corporations. ASRs act as highly cost-effective complementary systems to traditional security and law enforcement officials, providing an additional advantage by continuing to offer uninterrupted patrolling capabilities across the country.

The company’s ASRs have assisted in the arrest of suspects involved in crimes ranging from armed robbery to hit-and-runs. Their machine-embedded thermal scanning capability even aided in preventing the breakout of a major fire. You can learn more about the crime fighting wins at www.knightscope.com/crime

The company has achieved several milestones since its creation in 2013, including:

• Establishing itself in a 15,000-square-foot facility located in Mountain View, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley, where Knightscope designs, engineers and builds its technology (Made in the USA)
• Operating for more than 1 million hours in the field and securing contracts across five time zones, from Hawaii to Rhode Island
• Raising over $100 million since inception to build its technology from scratch and generating over $13 million in lifetime revenue, validating both the market opportunity and the technology

Growth Capital & Proposed Nasdaq Listing

With backing from more than 28,000 investors and four major corporations and over $100 million raised since inception, Knightscope is poised to be an industry leader in the future of public safety and security.

On December 1, 2021, Knightscope announced the commencement of an offering of up to $40 million of its Class A common stock, with shares to be listed immediately following closing on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol ‘KSCP’. The offering is for up to 4 million shares priced at $10 per share. Learn more at www.knightscope.com/investors

Company Mission – Reimagining Public Safety

Knightscope’s long-term vision has an eye on the greater good. The company’s mission is to make the United States of America the safest nation in the world while supporting the 2+ million law enforcement and security professionals across the country.

Crime has an estimated negative economic impact in excess of $2 trillion annually. As crime is reduced, positive impacts will likely be realized across several aspects of society, including housing, financial markets, insurance, municipal budgets, local business and safety in general.

Knightscope CEO William Santana Li was interviewed by Kevin O’Leary, more commonly known as Shark Tank’s Mr. Wonderful. When asked to explain how the benefits provided by the ASRs outrank a human doing the same job, Li said, “First, just the simple presence of a physical deterrent causes criminal behavior to change. Second, the machines are self-driving cars that patrol all around and recharge themselves. They also generate 90 terabytes of data per year. No human would ever be able to process that. The robots are intended to be eyes and ears for the humans, not a one-to-one replacement.”

The Knightscope solution to reduce crime combines the physical presence of ASRs, sometimes referred to as proprietary Autonomous Data Machines, with real-time onsite data collection and analysis. The ASRs are fitted with eye-level 360° cameras, thermal scanning, public address announcements and various other features that work in tandem with humans to provide law enforcement officers and security guards unprecedented situational awareness.

Those 90 terabytes of data are then formatted in a useable way, so law enforcement can leverage that information and execute their responsibilities more effectively.

Public Safety Innovation

The company’s recurring revenue business model is set up to mimic the recurring societal problem of crime, and it takes into consideration the fact that innovation in the security and public safety industry has been stagnant for decades. Because the traditional practices of the sector have remained unchanged for years, automation has potential to drive substantial cost savings – and significant improvement in capabilities.

Human security guards are one of both the largest expenses and the largest liabilities for companies. Knightscope’s robots are offered at an effective price of $3 to $9 per hour, compared with approximately $85 for an armed off-duty law enforcement officer and $15 to $35 for an unarmed security guard.

This innovation has the potential to drive considerable cost savings. Based on these estimates, manufacturing costs can be recovered as soon as the first year of operation.

Product Offerings

The company has nine patents and a framework of unique intellectual property. Knightscope currently offers a K1 stationary machine, a K3 indoor machine and a K5 outdoor machine. A K7 multi-terrain four-wheel version is in development.

The ASRs autonomously patrol client sites without the need for remote control, providing a visible, force multiplying, physical security presence to help protect assets, monitor changes in the area and deter crime. The data is accessible through the Knightscope Security Operations Center (KSOC), an intuitive, browser-based interface that enables security professionals to review events generated by the ASRs providing effectively ‘mobile smart eyes and ears’. Learn more at www.knightscope.com/ksoc

The ASRs and the related technologies were developed ground up by the company and are Made in the USA.

The Robot Roadshow

Knightscope has created the ultimate hybrid physical and virtual event, bringing its Autonomous Security Robot technologies to cities across the country for interactive and in-person demonstrations.

Each roadshow landing is hosted virtually by a Knightscope expert, and visitors can interact directly with each of the company’s ASRs and see the Knightscope Security Operations Center (KSOC) user interface in action. Learn more at www.knightscope.com/roadshow

Management Team

Chief Executive Officer William Santana Li is a veteran entrepreneur, a former executive at Ford Motor Company and the founder of GreenLeaf, a company that grew to be the world’s second-largest automotive recycler and is now part of LKQ Corporation (NASDAQ: LKQ).

Chief Client Officer Stacy Dean Stephens brings his experience as a former Dallas law enforcement officer, as well as his skills as a seasoned entrepreneur, to assist on the client acquisition side.

Chief Intelligence Officer Mercedes Soria is an award-winning technologist and former Deloitte software engineer.

Chief Design Officer Aaron Lehnhardt brings over two decades of two- and three-dimensional product and industrial design in modeling and VR to the table, on top of his experience as a senior designer at Ford Motor Company.

Chief Financial Officer Mallorie Burke is a seasoned financial executive and strategic advisor for both private and publicly traded technology companies with a successful track record of mergers & acquisitions, corporate growth and exit strategies, including public listings.

General Counsel Peter Weinberg leverages 30 years of diverse corporate counsel experience, spanning from startups to well-established companies, private and public. He has significant experience training personnel at all levels in critical areas to improve corporate compliance and productivity.

Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP), closed Tuesday’s trading session at $4.83, off by 4.1667%, on 1,252,627 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1.245M and the stock's 52-week low/high is $4.50/$27.50.

Recent News

• Knightscope (NASDAQ: KSCP) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Knightscope Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP) Enters $100 Million Common Stock Purchase Agreement with B. Riley
• Knightscope Announces $100 Million B. Riley Committed Equity Facility
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Knightscope Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP) Releases Spring 2022 Robot Roadshow Schedule