Freight Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGT)

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

Freight Technologies (NASDAQ: FRGT) (“Fr8Tech”) is a technology company whose custom-developed Fr8App, anindustry-leading freight-matching platform powered by AI andmachine-learning, offers a real-time portal for B2B cross-bordershipping and domestic shipping within the USMCA region. The companytoday announced that its Fr8App was named BeatBox Beverages’ numberone carrier for cross-border shipments. “At Fr8Tech, we arecommitted to providing our clients with the best possible serviceand solutions for their shipping needs. Our business relationshipwith BeatBox Beverages is a testament to the power of ourtechnology and the expertise of our team,” said Javier Selgas, CEOof Fr8Tech. “We look forward to continuing to exceed theirexpectations with our innovative solutions and exceptional customerservice.”

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

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

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

The Fr8Tech Solutions Suite

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

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

Commitment to the Environment

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

Fr8University

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

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

Market Outlook

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

Freight Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGT), closed Tuesday's trading session at $1.69, up 2.4242%, on 133,314 volume with 00 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 104,642 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.3424 /$31.512 .

Recent News

• Freight Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGT) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Freight Technologies Inc.'s (NASDAQ: FRGT) Fr8App Named BeatBox's No. 1 Carrier for Cross Border Shipments
• Freight Technologies' Fr8App Named BeatBox Beverages' Number One Carrier for Cross Border Shipments
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Freight Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGT) Differentiated with Focus on Tech-Driven Solutions, Outstanding Customer Service

Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW).

Jupiter Wellness (NASDAQ: JUPW), a wellness company focused on hair metabolism and skin therapies,has appointed three new seasoned veterans to its leadership team.The company announced that Jason Roth will serve as chief operatingofficer, Neil Luckianow will serve as chief commercial officer andAnthony Pedicelli will serve as director of marketing. The companynoted the new leaders are part of its accelerated global expansionefforts; Jupiter is planning to launch Photocil and other productsworldwide following the brand's acquisition in 2022. Roth hasworked for more than 25 years in the consumer packaged goodsindustry. His experience as founder and executive of global brandssuch as Zim's, VeraTemp, ISI, and Mile High Labs will be “thecornerstone of Jupiter's new proven business model,” said thecompany. Luckianow has extensive experience in sales/accountmanagement, product distribution, trade relations, businessdevelopment, product promotion and trade marketing. He has workedas a leader several companies, including LifeScan Inc., a Johnson& Johnson company; Amira Medical, Bayer HealthCare's DiabetesCare Division; and Facet Technologies. His expertise willsignificantly enhance Jupiter Wellness's sales and marketingcapabilities. Pedicelli has garnered impressive experience inoverseeing marketing teams and executing successful marketingprograms for multinational medical devices, luxury smart homebuilders and cannabis companies. Most recently, he served asdirector of marketing for ISI Group of Companies, where he was keyin the company’s achievement of 10x revenue growth. “JupiterWellness is excited to welcome these talented and experiencedprofessionals to our leadership team,” said Jupiter Wellness CEOBrian John in the press release. “This addition to the team isexactly what Jupiter was missing. We have great science and a vastproduct pipeline; we just needed their expertise to effectively getthese products into the consumers' hands. Once this sales andmarketing platform is created, it will be invaluable to JupiterWellness's ability to launch new products in the future.”

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

Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW) is a diversified company that supports health and wellness by researching and developing over-the-counter (OTC) products and intellectual property. The company has a robust and growing portfolio of granted and pending patents to protect its proprietary products.

Jupiter Wellness’s product pipeline, backed by clinical research to ensure efficacy, addresses a range of underserved conditions. The company’s revenue is generated through a combination of OTC and consumer product sales, contract research agreements, and licensing royalties.

Jupiter Wellness was formed in 2018 and is headquartered in Jupiter, Florida.

Products with Purpose

Jupiter Wellness’s product pipeline currently targets a variety of indications with underserved needs. These include:

• Hair Loss – Jupiter Wellness’s Minoxidil Booster is a topical treatment that’s been clinically shown to increase the enzymes needed for minoxidil to work by up to 7x over a two-week period. The product has been licensed to Taisho, a $2.6 billion revenue company and Japan’s leading seller of minoxidil products, which expects to launch it commercially in 2023. The product is licensed to India-based Cosmofix Technovation Pvt. Ltd. and Sanpellegrino Cosmetics, and additional licensing opportunities are being pursued.
• Psoriasis & Vitiligo – Photocil safely and effectively permits phototherapy treatments at home by blocking harmful radiation and permitting the passage of therapeutic UV radiation. The product has been licensed abroad and is currently being launched commercially in India by Eris Oaknet Healthcare and Cosmofix Technovation under the brand name PhotoFirst. The product is also available in the U.S., and the company is working to find new partners in dermatology for expanded distribution.
• Jellyfish Protection Sunscreen – NoStingz is a topical protection from jellyfish, sea lice, and UVA/UVB rays. It provides an effective barrier against the stinging mechanism of jellyfish cnidocytes, preventing the delivery of venom to the victim. NoStingz is currently available online through Amazon and Walmart, as well as in select stores.
• Eczema – JW-100 is a pre-revenue topical treatment for atopic dermatitis (eczema). In prior studies, JW-100 cleared or reduced eczema symptoms following 2 weeks of use. Results suggest that JW-100 may potentially prove superior to existing prescription drugs. It is currently being evaluated in a Phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial.
• Burns – JW-300 is a pre-revenue topical treatment for first-degree burns and sun exposure. In prior studies, JW-300 was shown to significantly lower the incidence of burns in patients exposed to UV radiation. It is currently being evaluated for sale as an “after sun” consumer product.
• Cold Sores – JW-400 is a pre-revenue topical treatment of herpes labialis (cold sores). A phase 1, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigational study is currently being planned for JW-400.
• Sexual Wellness – JW-500 is a pre-revenue topical treatment for female libido loss. In clinical studies, the topical formulation improved nipple sensitivity and alleviated associated sexual problems. Jupiter Wellness plans to file for a pre-IND meeting with the U.S. FDA within the next 12 months and intends to seek Orphan Drug Designation.
• COVID-19-Induced Tinnitus – JW-600 is currently being evaluated in a triple-blind clinical study. Up to 15% of patients recovering from COVID-19 have experienced post-acute COVID-19-induced tinnitus

Management Team

Brian John is the CEO of Jupiter Wellness. For the past 20 years, he has been an investor and advisor to companies around the globe. He is the founder of a successful financial consulting firm specializing in helping emerging growth companies and has worked with hundreds of companies in dozens of countries over the last 25 years. Mr. John also serves on the board of directors of The Learning Center at the Els Center of Excellence – a school for children with autism in Jupiter, Florida.

Doug McKinnon is the CFO of Jupiter Wellness. His 35+ year professional career includes financial, advisory, and operational experience across a broad spectrum of industry sectors, including oil and gas, technology, cannabis, and communications. He has served in C-Level positions in both private and public sectors, including as chairman and CEO of an American-stock-exchange-traded company; as VP – Chief Administrative Officer of a $12-billion-market-cap Nasdaq-traded company; as CFO of several publicly-held U.S., Canadian and Australian companies; and as CEO/CFO of various other private enterprises.

Dr. Glynn Wilson is the Chief Scientific Officer of Jupiter Wellness. He brings to the company an extensive background of success in corporate management and product development with tenures in both multinational and start-up biotech organizations. He was formerly Head of Drug Delivery at SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals; Research Area Head in Advanced Drug Delivery at Ciba-Geigy Pharmaceuticals; and Founder, CEO, and Chairman of TapImmune Inc., which became Marker Therapeutics through a merger. At TapImmune, he licensed cancer vaccine technology platforms and established the clinical pipeline.

Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW), closed Monday's trading session at $2.05, up 3.0151%, on 73,251 volume with 375 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 57,207 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.04999995/$5.63000011.

Recent News

• Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Jupiter Wellness Inc. (NASDAQ: JUPW) Announces Three New Executive Team Leaders
• NIH Research Links Eczema Onset to Air Pollution
• Study Finds That Tinnitus, Hearing Loss Are Common in Cancer Survivors

Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX)

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

The House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chair recently penned a letter to the FDA, notifying the agency that aninvestigation into its decision to not regulate CBD was beingconducted. CBD (cannabidiol) is one of the two main compounds found in cannabis,the other being THC. Unlike THC, however, CBD doesn’t induce a high when consumed. This compound, which is derived from hemp, is alsonot addictive. Representative James Comer criticized the agency’sinaction on the matter, stating in his letter that CBD was apopular product whose use had risen in the last few years. InJanuary 2023, the FDA determined that there wasn’t a regulatory pathway in place to pass rules to allow CBD to be marketed as a dietary supplementor food item. The agency added that congressional action was neededto develop said regulations. As the regulatory issues are workedthrough, a possible market could also emerge for the cultivationequipment commercialized by entities such as Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX).

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 $0.3, up 0%, on 7 volume with 00 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.073 /$1.05 .

Recent News

• Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) - 420 with CNW - Congressional Committee Begins Investigation into Inaction by the FDA on CBD Regulation
• 420 with CNW - Colorado House Passes Bill Authorizing Online Cannabis Sales
• 420 with CNW - Small Cannabis Cultivators in California Struggle as Climate Conditions Worsen

SideChannel Inc. (OTCQB: SDCH)

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

• Cybersecurity services and technology provider SideChannel Inc.outsources the expertise of its “virtual chief information securityofficers” (“vCISOs”) to companies that can’t afford to maintain afull-time, permanent CISO on staff

• SideChannel also offers a product called Enclave that helpscompanies to manage the microsegmentation of their networks toenhance their cybersecurity, either as a SaaS tool clients canmanage or ask SideChannel to manage

• SideChannel has also strengthened its cybersecurity services bypartnering with London-based automated supply chain risk managementplatform developer Darkbeam

• The importance of cybersecurity management was recently underscoredby the massive attack on data storage company Western Digital,which disrupted key services and is still being dealt with morethan two weeks after the malicious incident was first reported

The massive cyberattack on data storage giant Western Digital thatwas reported earlier this month demonstrates the persistence ofconcerns about effectively securing corporate networks againstunwanted intrusions.

Massachusetts-based cybersecurity services and technology provider SideChannel (OTCQB: SDCH) has centered its mission on informing small-to-mid-sized SMBcompanies about the importance of securing their networks againstmalicious attacks. SideChannel’s flagship service is the provisionof virtual chief information security officers (“vCISOs”) on acontract basis to companies that need help with cybersecurity butare unable to hire a full-time CISO.

SideChannel Inc. (OTCQB: SDCH) simplifies cybersecurity for mid-market companies by matching them with highly experienced information security officers at a cost lower than building an in-house information security team or hiring a full-time CISO.

SideChannel’s team of virtual Chief Information Security Officers (vCISOs) possesses a combined 400-plus years of experience in cybersecurity. They’ve honed their skills and abilities in places like Anthem, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Best Buy, TD Bank and the Pentagon. SideChannel lends this talent to clients, creating value in the form of a bespoke cybersecurity program perfectly sized for the growing enterprise.

SideChannel is committed to creating top-tier cybersecurity programs for SMBs to help them protect their data and assets. To date, SideChannel has created more than 50 multi-layered cybersecurity programs for its clients.

 

Reports show that cyberattacks on SMBs have increased in recent years, as organizations’ network attack surfaces have grown exponentially with remote and in-office workers increasingly relying on cloud environments, mobile devices, software applications and third-party suppliers to conduct business.

SideChannel continues expanding its service offerings, workforce and customer base, attracting over 20 virtual CISOs to serve across industries including fintech, biotech, healthcare, manufacturing, legal, defense and technology services. The company is based in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Market Opportunity

An analysis from ReportLinker states that the global cybersecurity market is expected to grow from an estimated value of $173.5 billion in 2022 to $266.2 billion by 2027, recording a CAGR of 8.9% for the period.

The increased number of data breaches worldwide, the ability of malicious actors to operate from anywhere in the world, the links between cyberspace and physical systems, and the difficulty of reducing vulnerabilities and consequences in complex cyber networks are some factors driving cyber security market growth, according to the report.

A lack of cybersecurity professionals and the budget constraints among SMBs and start-ups in developing economies are expected to hinder market growth. Cybercriminals are using automated techniques to attack SMBs’ networks to take advantage of their weak security infrastructures. To save money, time and resources, SMBs are seeking cybersecurity solutions.

Enclave

Enclave expands upon SideChannel’s cybersecurity service offerings by solving a pervasive network security problem with a simple tool.

A comprehensive cloud and network security solution, Enclave enables IT teams to contain breaches faster, reduce network outages, minimize latency and strengthen overall security defense.

Enclave creates the foundation for a Zero Trust network security model IT can build upon.

With Enclave, IT can easily segment their company’s network, organize personnel and computing devices at the employee workload level, and implement security controls across all network segments.

Enclave was designed and purpose built to serve the growing security needs of SMBs, a traditionally underserved market that is more prone to cyberattacks but has limited protection due to smaller budgets, inadequate IT security staffing and a lack of cybersecurity awareness among top executives.

Enclave is an affordable and effective network security solution that shrinks the attack surface area exposed to a cyber intruder and significantly reduces the amount of effort required to operate securely.

Management Team

Brian Haugli is CEO of SideChannel. He has led programs for the U.S. Department of Defense, the Pentagon, and Fortune 500 companies. He is an expert on National Institute of Standards and Technology guidance, threat intelligence implementations and strategic organizational initiatives. He is a professor at Boston College, Woods College of Advancing Studies Master’s Program in Cybersecurity. He is also a contributing author for the Wiley book ‘Cybersecurity Risk Management’.

Ryan Polk is CFO at SideChannel. He has been the principal of Perissos Partners, an executive consulting firm, since June 2017. He also served in executive roles in the portfolio companies owned by Lacy Diversified, with combined revenue approaching $2 billion. He served as the Vice President for Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis for Brightpoint, a publicly traded, Fortune 500 mobile device logistics company. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and industrial management from Purdue University.

Nicholas Hnatiw is Chief Technology Officer at SideChannel. Prior to joining the company, he served as the technical director for network operations supporting U.S. Cyber Command, U.S. Intelligence Agencies and other Department of Defense research organizations. He was also the CEO of Loki Labs, a cyber security firm. He earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering and computer science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Bill Roberts is SideChannel’s CISO. He most recently served as the vice president, IS & CISO for Hologic Inc., a global medical device company, where he established cyber security and IT compliance programs. Prior to Hologic, he was vice president of information security for Cytyc Corporation, which was acquired by Hologic in 2007. At Cytyc, he managed global IT as the company grew from 140 employees to 1,500 and from $40 million in revenue to over $750 million.

SideChannel Inc. (OTCQB: SDCH), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.078, up 0%, on volume with 00 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0402 /$0.18 .

Recent News

• SideChannel Inc. (OTCQB: SDCH) - Cyberattack on Data Storage Giant Underscores SideChannel Inc. (SDCH) Mission to Provide Cybersecurity Expertise to Unexpectedly Vulnerable Companies
• Data Breaches on Massive Annual Scale Underscore Importance of Cybersecurity Service SideChannel Inc. (SDCH) Delivers to SMBs
• TechMediaBreaks - SideChannel Inc.'s (SDCH) Experienced Team Helping Companies Build Effective Cybersecurity Programs

BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (NASDAQ: BVXV)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (NASDAQ: BVXV).

•BiondVax intends to expand its contract development andmanufacturing organization (“CDMO”) offering as it continues theprimary focus on its NanoAb pipeline development

•The CDMO services include aseptic fill and finish, upstream anddownstream process development, as well as analytical modeldevelopment and analytical testing

•This is made possible by BiondVax’s state-of-the-art assets inJerusalem, Israel, including GMP-ready production clean rooms,fermentors, WFI, analytic tools, media, and buffer preparations

•With a combined 17 years of experience in recombinant proteinprocess development from bench to Phase 3, BiondVax’s boutique CDMOservice is well positioned to meet client needs

BiondVax Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: BVXV), a biotechnology company focused on developing, manufacturing, andcommercializing innovative immunotherapeutic products, primarilyfor treatment of infectious and autoimmune diseases, aims tocomplement its core focus, nanosized sized antibody (NanoAb)pipeline development, with a comprehensive CDMO (contractdevelopment and manufacturing organization) offering. Withsignificant experience including developing its previous fluvaccine candidate, BiondVax intends to share its expertise, humanresources, and facilities, with pharma companies, to develop andmanufacture their drug candidates for preclinical use as well asclinical testing (https://ibn.fm/3CTb8).

Data management is a critical component of the healthcare industry.It helps clinicians to improve patient care; improves communicationbetween patients, healthcare providers, and stakeholders; andallows physicians to make data-driven decisions. Health data management also plays a role in integrating emerging technologies into theexisting healthcare framework and can aid in research efforts tomake treatments safer and more effective. The need for effective data management in health has become more prevalent as healthcare has gone digitaland been incorporated into the management of illnesses and thepromotion of wellness practices. However, the medical industrystill struggles to manage the massive amount of data generatedbetween healthcare providers, digital healthcare startups, payersand government agencies. With two in five American adults reporting that they use health apps, digital healthcare startupsare generating tons of medical data on millions of Americans perday. Healthcare data enablement firm Intelligent Medical Objectsrecently published a report stating that the medical industryshould learn strategies from other sectors to plug the gaps in itsown data management strategies. Effective data collection,management and accessibility could even help various drugdevelopment companies such as BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (NASDAQ: BVXV) as they seek to commercialize better therapeutics for thedifferent health conditions patients are grappling with.

BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (NASDAQ: BVXV) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing innovative products for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases and other illnesses.

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

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

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

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

Lead Candidate: Inhaled COVID-19 NanoAb

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

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

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

NanoAb Pipeline: Psoriasis, Asthma and More

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

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

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

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

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

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

Market Opportunity

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (NASDAQ: BVXV), closed Tuesday's trading session at $1.85, up -3.1414%, on 7,505 volume with 00 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.70 /$17.60 .

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Aditxt Inc. (NASDAQ: ADTX)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Aditxt Inc. (NASDAQ: ADTX).

Aditxt (NASDAQ: ADTX), a global innovation company focused on therapeutics andtechnologies that monitor and modulate the immune system, announcedthat it has closed on its previously announced registered directoffering. The company transacted the closing with a singlehealthcare-focused institutional investor; the closing consisted ofthe purchase and sale of 1,585,350 shares of common stock (orcommon stock equivalents in lieu thereof), which were madeavailable at a purchase price of $1.22 per share. In addition, thecompany also transacted a concurrent private placement, whichincluded the issuance of unregistered warrants to purchase up to3,170,700 shares of common stock; those shares had an exerciseprice of $0.86 per share and are immediately exercisable for aperiod of three years following issuance. The company noted thatH.C. Wainwright & Co. acted as the exclusive placement agentfor the offering, which resulted in gross proceeds of an estimated$1.9 million. According to the announcement, the companyanticipates using the funds for working capital and other generalcorporate purposes.

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

Aditxt Inc. (NASDAQ: ADTX) is a biotech innovation company developing technologies focused on mapping and reprogramming the immune system. Aditxt’s immune mapping technologies are designed to provide a personalized immune profile. Aditxt’s immune reprogramming technologies, currently preclinical, are being developed to retrain the immune system to induce tolerance to address rejection of transplanted organs, autoimmune diseases, and allergies.

As further discussed below, the company’s first commercial product is an immune mapping technology, AditxtScore™, which is designed to provide a personalized profile of the immune system.

The company’s preclinical immune reprogramming technology, Apoptotic DNA Immunotherapy™ (“ADi™”), aims to retrain the immune system to induce tolerance, with the goal of addressing vast unmet needs in transplanted organ rejection, autoimmune diseases, and allergies. The company is developing specific ADi™ products for psoriasis, type 1 diabetes, and skin grafting.

Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Aditxt also operates locations in Silicon Valley and New York.

AditxtScore™

AditxtScore™ is a proprietary platform designed to provide a personalized, comprehensive profile of an individual’s immune system. The underlying technology, licensed from Stanford University through an exclusive worldwide agreement, offers a highly sensitive and accurate method of detecting and quantifying cellular responses, allowing greater specificity, quantification, and amplification of both clinical and commercial opportunities.

The company’s first commercial application of the platform, AditxtScore™ for COVID-19, delivers timely reports on vulnerability and immune status relating to SARS-CoV-2 and its known variants, giving consumers and physicians the data needed to make informed health decisions. Potential future applications will offer early detection of an array of conditions, including diabetes, cardio-metabolic maladies and hormonal imbalances.

Aditxt’s AditxtScore™ immune monitoring center in Richmond, Virginia, is operational and designed to support the anticipated increased demand for AditxtScore™ as well as related products and services. The company is currently scaling its capabilities at this location, with a goal of processing up to 10 million immune system tests/reports annually.

ADi™

ADi™ is Aditxt’s immune reprogramming platform addressing disease-causing immune responses while maintaining the immune system’s ability to combat pathogenic infection. The company is commercializing a nucleic acid-based technology called Apoptotic DNA Immunotherapy™ (ADi™) which utilizes a novel approach that mimics the way our bodies naturally induce tolerance to our own tissues (therapeutically induced immune tolerance). Aditxt believes its ADi™ technology platform can be engineered to address a wide variety of indications.

Aditxt is currently developing ADi™ products for psoriasis, type 1 diabetes and skin grafting.

Currently, immuno-tolerance is achievable through chimerism and cell-based therapy, but there is a clinical need for a more practical and cost-effective approach which:

• Can be made into a product
• Does not require additional hospitalization
• Is simple to produce and ship

Preclinical studies have demonstrated that ADi™ treatment significantly and substantially prolongs graft survival, in addition to successfully “reversing” other established immune-mediated inflammatory processes. ADi™ treatment is not expected to require hospitalization, instead being delivered as an injection in minute amounts into the skin.

IP Portfolio

Both AditxtScore™ and ADi™ are supported by a strong IP portfolio.

AditxtScore™, built upon initial technology invented, licensed from and used at Stanford University, is protected by U.S. patents encompassing methods, systems, and kits for detection and measurement of specific immune responses.

ADi™ technology is protected by seven patent families, including:

• 8 U.S. patents
• 4 pending U.S. patent applications
• 86 foreign patents and 14 pending foreign patent applications spanning the EU, Australia, Canada, Japan, China, India and Hong Kong

These patents are broadly categorized into three groups:

• Autoimmune diseases and Type 1 Diabetes
• Organ transplantation and a method of producing plasmid DNA to prevent immune activation
• Composition of matter for a tolerance delivery system for antigens of interest

Aditxt also possesses and/or in-licenses substantial know-how and trade secrets relating to the development and commercialization of its product candidates, including related manufacturing processes and technologies.

Market Overview

The potential market opportunities presented by immune monitoring and reprogramming are extensive, particularly as Aditxt continues to evaluate additional applications for the platforms.

The company’s initial focus on organ transplantation and related autoimmune response provides some insight into the potential of its approach. According to BCC Research, the global organ and tissue transplantation and alternatives market is on course to reach $120.3 billion by 2024, recording a CAGR of 7.4% from 2019. Industry data suggest that approximately 50% of all transplanted organs are rejected within 10-12 years, further highlighting the critical need for a practical, cost-effective solution to harmful autoimmune responses.

Through its focus on the COVID-19 testing market with AditxtScore™, Aditxt demonstrated the wide-ranging potential of its portfolio. Fortune Business Insights estimated the global COVID-19 diagnostics market at $48.64 billion for 2022. While demand for COVID-19 diagnostics is expected to lessen in the coming years, Aditxt will be uniquely positioned to leverage its existing infrastructure stemming from these operations as the company works to advance broader applications for the AditxtScore™ platform.

Leadership Team

Amro Albanna is the Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Aditxt. He has founded multiple startups to commercialize innovations in various industries, including healthcare, enterprise software, telecommunications, nano technology, consumer health, and biotech. Mr. Albanna has led numerous M&A and going-public transactions as a founder, co-founder, and senior executive.

Shahrokh Shabahang, D.D.S., MS, Ph.D., is the company’s Co-Founder, Chief Innovation Officer, and a member of its board. He brings to the team more than 20 years of experience in developing and commercializing life science technologies focused on product and clinical development in the fields of microbiology and immunology.

Corinne Pankovcin, CPA, MBA, is the President of Aditxt. Prior to joining Aditxt, Ms. Pankovcin served as CFO for several world class organizations, including Business Development Corporation of America, Blackrock Kelso Capital and AIG Capital Partners. In these roles, Ms. Pankovcin was responsible for executing portfolio investments and managing significant M&A transactions.

Thomas Farley is the Chief Financial Officer of Aditxt. From December 2015 to June 2020, Mr. Farley was the Controller and Treasurer of Business Development Corporation of America (“BDCA”), a publicly listed business development company. Prior thereto, from January 2011 to August 2015, Mr. Farley was the Senior Controller of Blackrock Capital Investment Corporation (NASDAQ: BKCC). Prior to joining BlackRock Capital Investment Corporation, Mr. Farley was a Senior Controller for PineBridge Investments Emerging Markets practice. Mr. Farley was also an Accounting Manager for Bessemer Venture Partners prior to his tenue at PineBridge. Mr. Farley began his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, from 1996 to 2001. Mr. Farley earned his B.S. in Accounting from Long Island University and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Rowena Albanna is the company’s Chief Operating Officer. Ms. Albanna has over two decades of experience in senior leadership roles for both technology startups and public companies. Ms. Albanna’s experience spans a wide variety of industries, including biotechnology, insect control, nanotechnology, consumer electronics, financials, telecommunications, e-commerce, online marketing, medical, and defense.

Matthew Shatzkes is the Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of Aditxt. As a former partner at an AM Law 50 law firm, Mr. Shatzkes advised a wide variety of healthcare related entities, including biotech companies, on corporate, regulatory, and strategic business matters. Mr. Shatzkes will oversee all aspects of the legal functions at Aditxt, including, providing advice and counsel on governance, regulatory matters, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, and commercial transactions.

Aditxt Inc. (NASDAQ: ADTX), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.6947, up -3.8875%, on 561,291 volume with 00 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.61 /$28.49 .

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Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN)

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

•The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimatedpedestrian crashes accounting for $112.5 billion in total societalimpact in 2019

•According to Cepton, “Systems with lidar, camera & radar havebeen found to have the potential to prevent 98% of pedestrianfatalities”

•Cepton recently unveiled its new Vista(R)-X90 Plus lidar, theworld’s smallest high-performance automotive lidar with softwaredefinable perception capabilities

Interest in autonomous driving is high, but most drivers stillaren’t comfortable with the idea of operating without humaninvolvement. The reason, as with many new technologies, boils downto understanding. The J.D. Power 2022 Mobility Confidence Index report made this clear, showing consumer’s lapse of understandingthe difference between the terms assisted driving, driversassistance, and semi-autonomous. The education process needs to beaccelerated, as technology like Cepton (NASDAQ: CPTN) lidar (light detection and ranging) that is instrumental inassisted driving could play a role in reducing the number ofaccidents on roadways.

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 $0.3927, up -2.8692%, on 143,884 volume with 00 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.375 /$3.10 .

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IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC).

In February, the state of Missouri launched its recreational cannabis market.This was after voters in the state approved amendment 3 in November 2022, making Missouri the 21^st state in the country to legalize adult-use marijuana. Almost twomonths later and the market is set to hit $1 billion in sales in its first year. However, increasing demand from local andout-of-state customers as well as medical cannabis patients hasgreatly surpassed operators’ expectations, resulting in higherwholesale prices and product shortages. In some areas, such as nearthe Kansas border, retailers have observed significant increases in foot traffic since recreational sales were launched. In the southwestern regionof the state, consumers from Illinois have been crossing theMississippi River for St. Louis marijuana, which is said to be moreaffordable. Of the eight states bordered by Missouri, only Illinois has legalized adult-use marijuana.Meanwhile, a number of entities such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are investing in coming up with pharmaceutical-grade medicinesfrom THC and other marijuana constituents. These formulations willgo a long way in addressing the symptom-relief needs of patientsonce the FDA gives those medicines the nod.

IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC), through subsidiary IGC Pharma, develops, patents, and markets advanced THC-based drug formulations for the treatment of symptoms related to various diseases including but not limited to Alzheimer’s disease, Tourette syndrome, chronic pain, and pet seizures.

IGC’s leading drug candidate, IGC-AD1, has completed Phase 1 of a safety and tolerability trial and entered Phase 2 trials for treating agitation in patients with Alzheimer’s dementia, the first study in humans of a natural tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) compound plus another molecule (www.clinicaltrials.gov). As of September 2022, the IGC trial is the only ongoing Phase 2 trial of a natural THC-based formulation on Alzheimer’s patients.

The company’s other drug candidate, TGR-63, is an enzyme inhibitor that has shown in preclinical trials the potential to reduce neurotoxicity in Alzheimer’s cell lines. Both drug candidates have shown their ability to ameliorate beta amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s cell lines and improve memory in Alzheimer’s mouse models. Beta amyloid plaques are a key hallmark of Alzheimer’s and an important target of Alzheimer’s pharmaceutical drug development.

Neuro Psychiatric Symptoms (NPS) are not only debilitating for Alzheimer’s patients; they also place an immense emotional burden on their caregivers. Beyond reducing symptoms, IGC-AD1’s active molecules and TGR-63 have also shown promise in preclinical trials to reduce important hallmarks of Alzheimer’s including plaques and tangles, as well as improving the treatment of memory loss.

Over the past eight years, the IGC team has amassed a deep knowledge of cannabinoid science, including extraction, isolation, purification, and development. The company’s strategy is to leverage its unique end-to-end capabilities, platform, and expertise to develop a class-leading program and bring it to market quickly and cost efficiently to treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

The company also has a family of cannabidiol (CBD)-based consumer products (www.Holief.com) such as pain relief creams, pain relief gels, purpose gummies, tinctures, and capsules targeting women’s wellness, with a particular focus on premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and dysmenorrhea (period cramps). In addition, the company targets individuals that need sleep-aids with its specially formulated low melatonin cannabinoid gummies.

IGC has also introduced a low-calorie CBD- and caffeine-infused energy beverage brand (www.SundaySeltzer.com) that is currently available for purchase. The company’s brands are founded on the belief that effective natural solutions should be affordable and accessible to everyone. As the demand for natural products targeting women’s wellness and energy drinks continue to grow, these products are seeing strong traction in the market.

The company operates three facilities – a large GMP (Good Manufacturing Production Standards) certified facility that includes extraction, distillation, and manufacturing, in Washington State; a GMP-211 (pharmaceutical) grade facility in Maryland; and a facility licensed for controlled substances including cannabis in Bogota, Colombia, with complete access to legal licensed cannabis where the company conducts its testing.

In addition, the company’s development under Magistral Formulations is approved by INVIMA (Colombia National Food and Drug Surveillance Institute) to treat neurological disorders, non-oncological chronic pain, and mental disorders.

IGC’s intellectual property (IP) portfolio comprises of eight patents that it controls and seven patent applications. The portfolio includes #11,446,276, a patent for extreme low dose THC treatment of Alzheimer’s that was granted in September 2022.

The company is headquartered in Potomac, Maryland.

IGC-AD1

IGC-AD1 is the company’s leading drug candidate for the treatment and relief of Alzheimer’s symptoms. A significant amount of research on Alzheimer’s cell lines has shown that the active agents in IGC-AD1 reduce plaques and neurofibrillary tangles that are the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s. Further, micro-dosing of THC, as shown in cell lines, could increase the functioning of mitochondria and potentially promote the growth of new neural pathways (neurogenesis). The research shows that micro-dosing of THC affects the brain radically differently from the normal higher dosing of THC.

While there is a significant body of research showing that THC is neuro-toxic at normal levels of dosing, micro-dosing of THC has been shown to be non-toxic to neurons. With the results of these preclinical studies, the company developed an oral formulation, IGC-AD1. The company recently completed a safety and tolerability Phase 1 trial on Alzheimer’s patients and has initiated a Phase 2, multi-site, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of the safety and efficacy of IGC-AD1 on agitation in participants with dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease at sites in the U.S. and Canada. IGC expects the Phase 2 trial to take between 9 and 12 months to complete, barring unknown factors such as, for example, a resurgence of COVID and the enforcement of lockdowns and travel restrictions.

With further successful trials and FDA approvals, IGC hopes to bring a drug based on natural THC as an effective treatment for agitation in Alzheimer’s to market.

TGR-63

The company’s other molecule, TGR-63, has been shown to reduce the neurotoxicity that impacts memory loss in preclinical trials with mice. On a dose dependent manner, transgenic Alzheimer’s mice treated with TGR-63 showed improvement in memory relative to control.

Both drug candidates, IGC-AD1 and TGR-63, have shown their ability to reduce the brain plaques associated with memory loss in Alzheimer’s in mice.

With further successful trials and FDA approvals, IGC hopes to bring TGR-63 as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease to market.

Market Opportunity

Alzheimer’s disease impacts over 55 million people worldwide and about 5.5 million individuals in the U.S. Over 70% of these patients face debilitating symptoms, including anxiety, depression, and agitation (Mendez, 2021). Agitation in dementia patients can include excessive physical movement and verbal activity, restlessness, pacing, belligerence, aggression, screaming, crying, and wandering.

In 2020, the estimated healthcare costs for Alzheimer’s disease in the U.S. were $305 billion. Medicare and Medicaid covered about 70% of those costs, leaving considerable burden on patients and families. At the current rate of growth of Alzheimer’s and other dementia diagnoses, those costs are estimated to reach over $1 trillion by 2050.

Currently, there are no FDA-approved medications to alleviate the symptoms of dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease, providing a tremendous opportunity for formulations that can have an impact on quality of life and disease progression.

Management Team

Richard Prins has been chairman at IGC since 2012 and served as an independent director since 2007. From March 1996 to 2008, he was the Director of Investment Banking at Ferris, Baker Watts, Incorporated. Prins served in a consulting role to RBC until January 2009. He currently volunteers full time with a non-profit organization, Advancing Native Missions, and is a private investor. Since February 2003, he has been on the board of Amphastar Pharmaceuticals Inc. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University and an MBA from Oral Roberts University.

Ram Mukunda is CEO and President of IGC. He has been the chief inventor and architect of most of the company’s patent filings and is responsible for the company’s strategic positioning. Prior to IGC, he was founder and CEO of Startec Global Communications, which he took public in 1997. He served as Strategic Planning Advisor at Intelsat, a communications satellite services provider. From 2001 to 2003, he was a Council Member at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, Belfer Center of Science and International Affairs. He was named the 1998 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. He holds bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and mathematics, and a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Maryland.

Dr. Jagadeesh Rao is the company’s Principal Scientist. His career spans two decades in the public sector and product R&D for Johnson & Johnson. He leads IGC’s scientists in the development of pharmaceutical and OTC products. He worked for the federal National Institutes of Health, and for the National Institute on Drug Abuse. His Ph.D. in Neurochemistry is from the National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences in India. He did postdoctoral training at the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Claudia Grimaldi is a Director, Vice President, Principal Financial Officer, and Chief Compliance Officer for IGC. She also serves as a Director/Manager Director for some of the company’s subsidiaries. She graduated with highest honors from Javeriana University in Colombia with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She holds an MBA, graduating with highest honors, from Meredith College in North Carolina. In addition, she has attended the Darden School of Business Financial Management Executives program and the Corporate Governance Program at Columbia Business School. She is currently pursuing her Directorship Certification with the National Association of Corporate Directors. She is fluent in both English and Spanish.

IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.331798, up -0.985377%, on 43,971 volume with 00 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.2785 /$0.8432 .

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Fintech Ecosystem Development Corp. (NASDAQ: FEXD)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Progressive Care Inc. (OTCQB: FEXD).

Fintech Ecosystem Development Corp. (NASDAQ: FEXD) is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) formed for the purpose of effecting one or more business combinations with an intent to focus on the financial technology sector.

The company’s mission is to create and grow a global financial services ecosystem to address unmet mobile money needs in developing and industrialized countries and markets. FEXD plans to achieve this by acquiring and merging with financial technology pioneers that have the potential to help establish its global fintech ecosystem, and by continuing the development of proprietary technologies and applications to keep the company at the forefront of the cashless society market.

Digital money is replacing physical cash. Consumers can buy products and services from anywhere in the world and make payments across borders. Parents can send money to students studying in other countries. Migrant workers are sending money to families in developing nations. Rural villagers without banks can send and receive money using their smartphones. FEXD is developing mobile transaction platforms, applications and services that are helping to implement these changes.

The company plans to offer a diverse portfolio of products and services to consumers and businesses in the United States, South Asia, East Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. Its growth strategy includes acquisition, innovation and market development.

FEXD is a Delaware corporation based in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. The company was launched in May 2021 by a management team led by Dr. Saiful Khandaker that has extensive experience in developing and managing financial service platforms and applications, primarily in the mobile money sector. FEXD is sponsored by Revofast LLC.

Acquisition Targets

In September 2022, FEXD announced definitive agreements for business combinations with Rana Financial Inc., a Georgia corporation, and Mobitech International LLC (dba Afinoz), a limited liability company organized in the United Arab Emirates. The agreements call for Rana and Afinoz to become wholly owned subsidiaries of FEXD, with the combined company expected to continue trading on the Nasdaq under existing ticker symbol ‘FEXD’. The mergers are expected to close in Q2 2023.

Rana Financial

Rana Financial is a licensed money transfer company founded in 2009. Rana provides fast and affordable online and mobile transfer of funds between the U.S. and Latin America. Rana has been providing money transfer services in the U.S. market for 13 years and has 30,000 active users. Rana’s money transfer business grew to 200,000 transactions in 2021. The merger agreement values Rana at an implied $78 million enterprise value.

Mobitech International LLC

Mobitech International LLC (dba Afinoz) is an artificial intelligence-enabled digital lending platform used by India’s leading banks, non-banking financial companies and fintech loan providers. Afinoz’s fintech platform supports enterprises making loans primarily to middle- and working-class borrowers via its website or through its mobile phone application. Afinoz’s platform makes loans available and affordable to millions of Indian workers and unbanked users by providing access at a low cost. Afinoz’s platform has more than 50 lending partners, and its database of registered users in India includes more than two million individuals. The merger agreement values Afinoz at an implied $120 million enterprise value.

Market Opportunity

According to analysis by global market research firm Mordor Intelligence, the worldwide financial technology market is valued at approximately $194 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to nearly $500 billion by 2028, representing a CAGR of 18.97% for the forecast period. According to the report, various financial crises and the COVID-19 pandemic have fueled consumer adoption of, and investor interest in, fintech over the past several years.

Management Team

Dr. Saiful Khandaker is Founder, CEO and President of FEXD. He is Group CEO and founder of FAMA Holdings Inc., a global developer of fintech platforms, applications and services based in the U.S. with offices in the U.K., India, Bangladesh and Zambia. He is currently leading the development of the FAMACASH™ network, a global fintech ecosystem to provide fast, affordable mobile money services in underserved countries such as Bangladesh. Before founding FAMA, Dr. Khandaker spent more than two decades leading the development of software solutions for Fortune 100 companies and startups. He also helped numerous clients modernize their fintech services as Chief Technology Officer at Mi3. He holds a Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership, a Master of Science in Technology Management, and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems.

Jenny Junkeer is CFO at FEXD. She is a Chartered Accountant with over 17 years of experience. As CEO of Junkeer New Era Consulting, she leads a team specializing in helping companies launch and optimize business operations in fast-changing industries. She has extensive experience helping organizations scale operations to maximize value. She is an Adjunct Association Professor at Deakin University in Australia, a board member of the Global Health Initiative Foundation, and Director of Implementation at ConnectCV. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (Honors) from Monash University.

FingerMotion Inc. (FEXD), closed Tuesday's trading session at $10.5, up -0.095147%, on 2,327 volume with 00 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $9.96 /$11.00 .

Recent News

• Fintech Ecosystem Development Corp. (NASDAQ: FEXD) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Why Fintech Ecosystem Development Corp. (NASDAQ: FEXD) Is 'One to Watch'
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Fintech Ecosystem Development Corp. (NASDAQ: FEXD) Reschedules Special Meeting of Stockholders, Extends Deadline for Share Redemption
• Fintech Ecosystem Development Corp. Announces Adjournment of Special Meeting of Stockholders

Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF).

Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF) is a strategic minerals company focused on locating and developing economic properties in the strategic metals and advanced materials space. The company aims to improve domestic specialty mineral infrastructure efficiencies to meet surging national demand from North American manufacturers, effectively positioning itself as one of the only North American suppliers of high purity natural graphite for hi-tech applications.

Reflex Advanced Materials is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Its project portfolio includes the Ruby Graphite Deposit in Montana and the ZigZag Lithium Property in Ontario.

Projects

Ruby Graphite Project

Located in a mining-friendly jurisdiction in southwest Montana, the Ruby Graphite Deposit is a low cost, rapid re-entry opportunity that produced roughly 2,400 tons of graphite from 1902 to 1948. Reflex Advanced Materials holds mining rights for 755 hectares at the Ruby Graphite Project, with 96 federal lode mining claims. Recent samples assay at 95.8% to 98.4% total carbon.

The site is notable as the only combined U.S. graphite flake and vein graphite source. Vein graphite is ideal for energy storage applications, because it requires fewer steps to achieve purity than synthetic alternatives and is therefore far less environmentally damaging. This is expected to play a key role in the project’s development as demand for electric vehicles continues to surge.

In March 2023, the company announced its submittal of permit applications to the Bureau of Land Management in respect of its exploration of the Ruby Graphite Project. Its initial drill program, expected to take place in the summer of 2023, includes plans for 3,500 total meters of drilling, cored to an average depth of 130 meters. The targets for this drill program have been identified using historical data from original mine operations and data gathered for the initial 43-101 technical report on the project, dated January 31, 2023.

ZigZag Lithium Property

Located in the Thunder Bay Mining Division of Ontario, the ZigZag Lithium Property consists of eight mining claims spanning roughly 2,710 hectares. Mineralization at the property, most notably lithium, is based in pegmatite dikes and concentrated in spodumene crystals, which are consistent throughout the entire unit.

Spodumene is readily observable in outcrops and in drill cores, with crystal sizes ranging from 3-15cm, on average.

Reflex Advanced Materials and American Energy Technologies Company Metallurgical Partnership

Reflex Advanced Materials has entered into a material processing agreement with American Energy Technologies Co., which is based in Arlington Heights, Illinois, to conduct metallurgical testwork with the goal of creating a technical support data package for Reflex’s target customer base, U.S. Federal agencies and qualification programs with hi-tech customers in the battery and battery storage business.

The resulting coated, spherionized, purified graphite (CSPG) material that is expected to be created from the aforementioned tests will be used to provide potential customers of CSPG with samples so that they can begin the material qualification process.

Market Opportunity

Graphite is an ideal battery anode and has dominated the market since the proliferation of lithium-ion batteries. Despite this demand, there is currently no significant production of lithium-ion battery anode material in North America.

Instead, most graphite sold in North America today is sourced from Chinese producers. U.S. President Joe Biden highlighted this sourcing disparity in a 2022 address:

“The United Stated depends on unreliable foreign sources for many of the strategic and critical materials necessary for the clean energy transition – such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and manganese for large-capacity batteries,” he said. “Demand for such materials is projected to increase exponentially as the world transitions to a clean energy economy.”

The U.S. Department of Energy is in the process of awarding $2.8 billion to expand domestic manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles and combat this foreign dependency. Reflex Advanced Materials has identified its Ruby Graphite Project as a prime candidate for U.S.-sponsored initiatives due to the rarity and scarcity of natural graphite deposits in the country.

Processing graphite domestically in the U.S. is expected to provide Reflex Advanced Materials a competitive advantage as manufacturers begin to seek out American supply in the face of increased diplomatic tension. This is critical, as a rise in anode demand is expected to fuel a shortage of 8 million tonnes of graphite by 2040. World Bank Group projects 494% growth in total graphite demand by 2050.

Leadership Team

Paul Gorman is the CEO and a Director of Reflex Advanced Materials. He brings to the company over 25 years of experience in junior mining finance, public listings, viability assessment and operational rationalization. For 18 years, Mr. Gorman served as president and managing partner of Riverbank Capital, where he played an instrumental role in raising more than $85 million for small-cap companies. In 2008, he funded Industrial Minerals Inc. (later Northern Graphite) and served in an advisory role for four other graphite companies, contributing significantly to the revitalization of the junior graphite space in North America. Mr. Gorman founded Mega Graphite Inc. in 2009 and has served as chief executive for three other companies.

Tasheel Jeerh, CPA, is the company’s CFO. He is a finance and accounting professional with over a decade of experience spanning both public and private sectors. Prior to joining Reflex Advanced Materials, Mr. Jeerh played a pivotal role in the growth of a private upstream oil and gas firm, dealing with over $2 billion in M&A activity and $1 billion in financing activities. He gained his designation at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he worked as a manager in the assurance practice.

Greg Bell is Project Manager for Reflex Advanced Materials. He is a multi-disciplined engineering management professional with more than 40 years of experience in the natural resources sector. Mr. Bell has successfully built and managed several start-up operations in various capacities. He has been active in graphite and lithium exploration for the past seven years.

Christopher W. Hill leads the company’s Corporate Development initiatives. He is an investor and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in the capital markets. Mr. Hill began his career as an investment advisor and then began to consult and advise private companies on their paths to becoming publicly traded. He specializes in corporate development and strategic financing utilizing his large network in the capital markets.

Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (RFLXF), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.48, up 0%, on volume with 00 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 920 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.25 /$0.765 .

Recent News

• Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF) - MiningNewsBreaks - Why Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF) (FWB: HF2) Is 'One to Watch'
• Reflex Advanced Materials Corp. (CSE: RFLX) (OTCQB: RFLXF) Is 'One to Watch'
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Starco Brands Inc. (OTCQB: STCB)

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

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

This consumer product company has grown from a couple million dollars in revenue to approximately $80M in revenue in one year.

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

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

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

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

The company is based in Santa Monica, California.

Brands

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

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

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

Market Outlook

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

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

Likewise, Starco Brands gained improved access to the global fragrance market through its January 2023 acquisition of Skylar. According to a report by Grand View Research, the global perfume market was valued at $50.85 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to a value of nearly $80 billion by 2030, achieving a CAGR of 5.9% over the forecast period.

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

Management Team

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

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

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

Starco Brands Inc. (STCB), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.122, up 0%, on volume with 00 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 10 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0725 /$0.265 .

Recent News

• Starco Brands Inc. (OTCQB: STCB) - Starco Brands Inc. (STCB) Is 'One to Watch'
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Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC: SGMD)

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

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

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

Brand Portfolio

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

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

Acquisition of Lemon Glow Company

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

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

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

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

Market Opportunity

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

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

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

Management

Jimmy Chan is the CEO of Sugarmade. He is an experienced business executive instrumental in growing multiple business operations with a strong expertise in international trade and banking, international manufacturing and importation. He is also the founder of CarryOutSupplies.com, a company that revolutionized the custom-printed paper supplies subsector of the quick service restaurant industry, which merged with Sugarmade in 2014.

Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC: SGMD), closed Tuesday's trading session at $0.00015, up 0%, on 7,493,925 volume with 00 trades. The average volume for the last 3 months is 7.494M and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.000001 /$0.0005 .

Recent News

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