Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSX.V: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSX.V: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF).

Rare earth metal mining and processing is incredibly complex. Rare earths rarely occur in large concentrations, instead arising in scattered deposits across the crust. Furthermore, they are often deposited alongside radioactive elements, including thorium and uranium, making it extremely expensive to pull them from the earth and safely separate them from their radioactive companions. This process is so difficult that only one country, China, has the expertise and technology to process rare earth metals such as neodymium, cerium and yttrium in bulk. Mining and processing rare earth metals also has a variety of negative environmental effects that most countries aren't willing to experience. In the meantime, enterprises such as Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSX.V: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF) are also working to address the skyrocketing need for rare earths around the world.

Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSX.V: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF) is a critical metals (“CM”) separation technology company executing an ESG-centered plan toward establishing a comprehensive North American critical metals supply chain. The company has developed a transformative commercial-ready technology, RapidSX™, for separating and purifying critical metals. Ucore intends to deploy this technology in pursuit of a CM supply chain independent of China for Western original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”), most notably in the automotive and renewable energy industries.

Ucore’s vision is to become a leading advanced technology company providing best-in-class metal separation products and services to the mining and mineral extraction industry. Its initial focus is on processing heavy and light rare earth elements (“REEs”), disrupting a supply chain that is dominated by China.

China currently controls about 80% of the world’s access to REE mining projects and over 90% of the world’s REE processing capabilities, and it produces about 95% of the goods containing REE components.

Ucore is working to scale Western supply needs by establishing REE separation and rare earth oxide (“REO”) production capabilities in cooperation with strategic upstream supply and downstream offtake partnerships. The company, along with its industry partners, aims to unlock access to Western REEs for current consumer, energy, manufacturing and military sectors.

By 2025, Ucore expects to commercially separate U.S.-friendly sources of REEs and supply OEMs with REOs required to produce rare earth permanent magnets (“REPMs”) – the essential component of electric motors and generators required to support the world’s transition to electrification and sustainable energy sources.

The company intends to contribute to this initiative through the near-term development of a heavy and light rare-earth processing facility in Louisiana and subsequent development of Strategic Metals Complexes (SMCs) in Alaska and Canada, as well as through the longer-term development of its 100%-owned Heavy Rare Earth Element (HREE) mineral resource property at Bokan Mountain on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska.

Ucore is headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Projects & Technology

RapidSX™ Demonstration Plant

The Kingston, Ontario, RapidSX™ Demonstration Plant commissioning process is underway. Once commissioned, the plant is designed to demonstrate the commercial capabilities of the RapidSX technology platform.

The RapidSX demo plant will show:

• The techno-economic advantages of the RapidSX technology platform
• The processing of tens of tons of heavy and light mixed rare earth element concentrates in a simulated production environment
• The platform’s ability to operate for thousands of semi-continuous run-time hours
• Production of high-purity NdPr, praseodymium, neodymium, terbium and dysprosium rare earth elements for early OEM product qualification trials

The demo plant is located within Ucore’s 5,000-square-foot RapidSX Commercialization and Demonstration Facility and is run by its laboratory partner, Kingston Process Metallurgy Inc. (“KPM”).

RapidSX™ Technology

Innovation Metals Corp., acquired by the company in 2020, developed the RapidSX separation technology platform with early-stage assistance from the United States Department of Defense, later resulting in the production of commercial-grade, separated rare earth elements at pilot scale.

RapidSX combines the time-proven chemistry of conventional solvent extraction (SX) with a new column-based platform that significantly reduces time to completion and plant footprint, as well as potentially lowering capital and operating costs. SX is the international REE industry’s standard commercial separation technology and is currently used by all REE producers worldwide for bulk commercial separation of both heavy and light REEs.

Utilizing similar chemistry to conventional SX, RapidSX is not a “new” technology, but it represents a significant improvement on the well-established, well-understood, proven conventional SX separation technology preferred by REE producers.

Strategic Metals Complex

Ucore, engineering partner Mech-Chem Associates Inc. and KPM are developing the full-scale engineering for the company’s first Strategic Metals Complex (SMC). The SMC is a planned REE separation and rare earth oxide production plant slated to commence construction in Louisiana in 2023. It is scheduled to initially process 2,000 tons of total rare earth oxides by the end of 2024, increasing to 5,000 tons in 2026.

The company has three initial U.S.-friendly feedstock agreements in place for the Louisiana complex, along with multiple developing offtake agreements. It received a C$16 million+ incentive package offer from Louisiana Economic Development to support construction of the SMC.

Bokan-Dotson Ridge REE Deposit

Ucore has invested over C$35 million to establish and validate the Bokan-Dotson Ridge resource in preparation for mine design and permitting. Initial drilling is complete, and a Preliminary Economic Assessment has been issued. Next steps for the project include a feasibility study, detailed mine design and permit acquisition. The project can be “near shovel ready” for construction in less than 30 months after receipt of the next stage of development funding.

Market Opportunity

According to a report by Grand View Research, the global rare earth elements market was valued at $2.8 billion in 2018 and is forecast to reach a value of $5.6 billion by 2025, achieving a CAGR of 10.4% during the period. Market growth is driven by increasing demand for these elements in the manufacturing of magnets and catalysts for the automotive industry. Rising demand for electric vehicles to reduce CO2 emissions is expected to propel the use of permanent magnets in the production of EV batteries.

China is the major producer and consumer of REEs. To maintain self-sufficiency and to meet future demand, China has been raising the export tariffs on rare earth elements shipped to various countries, including the U.S., Japan, India, Brazil and the European Union. This led to the current supply-demand gap in these countries, as they rely on imports from China.

China reduced the exports of REEs by 72% in the second half of 2010 to preserve its reserves of these elements and continues to export REEs at reduced levels, thereby affecting industries such as automotive, oil and gas, and electronics, which require an ample amount of rare earth elements.

Management Team

Pat Ryan, P.Eng., is Chairman and CEO of Ucore Rare Metals. He began as a director with the company when he developed a heightened interest in critical metals. Before joining Ucore, he founded and led a multimillion-dollar automotive OEM design and lean manufacturing company. His understanding of complex supply chains across international markets has led to a prime positioning as the global auto industry transitions to vehicle electrification. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Dalhousie University.

Peter Manuel is Vice President and CFO of Ucore. Prior to joining the company, he practiced as a Chartered Accountant for more than 17 years, providing consulting services to companies in a range of industries, with a focus on the financial services and resource sectors. He spent 10 years in England and Ireland providing assurance, strategic planning, corporate finance and other consulting services to a portfolio of both public and private entities. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Dalhousie University.

Michael Schrider, MEng, P.E., is Vice President and COO of Ucore. He is a multidisciplinary engineer who has been involved in manufacturing, engineering and managing complex structural and mechanical systems projects since 1989. He was the Founder, President and Chief Engineer of Schrider & Associates and Alton Bay Design, both engineering services firms. He holds a bachelor’s degree in naval architecture and marine engineering from the University of New Orleans and a master’s degree in mining, geological and geophysical engineering from the University of Arizona.

Mark MacDonald is Vice President of Investor Relations at Ucore. He has over 25 years of experience implementing award winning business development and marketing programs at regional and national levels. As Vice President of Sales, he was responsible for Mediapro Communication’s growth as AT&T Canada’s leading B2B sales partner. He subsequently became Atlantic Regional Vice President of AT&T Canada Corp. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Dalhousie University.

Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (UURAF), closed Friday's trading session at $0.74, up 0.013515%, on 52,329 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 114,532 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.40/$1.15.

Recent News

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IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC)

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

The legalization of cannabis in Canada has had a notable effect on the interaction between young citizens and law enforcement, as per recent data released earlier this spring. The findings, published in the "Drug and Alcohol Dependence" journal in April, revealed that the country's marijuana legislation, which has been in place for five years, resulted in a significant decrease in reported cannabis-related offenses among individuals aged 12 to 17, regardless of gender. By examining police records from Jan. 1, 2015, to Dec. 31, 2021, researchers affiliated with the Center for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto discovered a substantial decline in daily incidents for both young males and females. Among young females, there was a notable 62.1% reduction, equating to 4.04 daily incidents. In the case of young males, the daily offenses decreased by 53% to 12.42. Canada's Cannabis Act, which officially took effect in October 2018, legalized the recreational use of marijuana for adults aged 18 and above. The researchers concluded that the impact of the Cannabis Act on diminishing marijuana-related offenses among young individuals persists over time, aligning with the act's primary goal of reducing criminalization associated with cannabis use among youth and its subsequent effects on the Canadian justice system. The concerns about the possibility of cannabis legalization leading to increased crime rates or higher rates of incidents between the youth and police seem largely unfounded as the studies above show. Attitudes about marijuana are likely to improve even more once the THC-formulations by companies such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) hit the market after obtaining the approval of the FDA.

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 Friday's trading session at $0.308, up 2.6667%, on 114,532 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.15/$.

Recent News

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Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX)

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

Last week, the governor of Louisiana enacted into law a measure that made it easier for individuals with first-time convictions on cannabis possession to apply for record expungement. This comes after the governor signed a resolution in 2021 that decriminalized the possession of no more than 14 grams of marijuana. The initiative in question, which was introduced by Rep. Delisha Boyd, was advanced through the legislature about two weeks ago. This measure makes it so that individuals convicted of possessing no more than 14 grams of marijuana as a first offense can get their record expunged 90 days after they were convicted. This approval by Gov. John Bel Edwards will reduce the relief timeline, especially since the current legislation allows people to clear their records after a five-year period. As more reforms are enacted in Louisiana and elsewhere around the country, business could improve for various enterprises, such as Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX), since the improved operating environment would support more growers that would in turn need more cultivation equipment.

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 Friday's trading session at $0.285, even for the day, on 500 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0141/$0.90.

Recent News

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GolfLync Inc.

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight GolfLync Inc.

Golf is about doing something you like, with people you like – what a concept.

It's hard to blame players and golf lovers from feeling blindsided by the announcement of a full-blown merger between two of golf's major tours. The unexpected agreement between PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Saudi businessman Yasir bin Othman Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Saudi Public Investment Fund ("PIF"), that the PGA and LIV Golf would suddenly merge, was out-of-the-blue. After months of increasingly rancorous suits and court battles, "merger" wasn't a term seen on a lot of radar screens. The PGA Tour, hosting tournaments in North America, and the DP World Tour, representing tournaments in Europe, had over time cooperated to build the world's senior golf tours.  But when Golf Saudi (part of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, PIF) decided to fund a new "Super Golf League", later launched as LIV Golf in 2021, PGA's Monahan didn't take to the competition, and flat-out barred any LIV players from participating in the PGA Tour. That soon led to player lawsuits against the PGA, and months of expensive back-and-forth legal battles. In fairness, a number of players have gradually come around to the deal, at least suggesting that the move could be good for golfing in the long run. But ask anyone who has used GolfLync why maybe none of this had to happen in the first place. And sure, GolfLync is designed to work with actual golf players and not multi-national organizations, but it rests on a solid, if sometimes forgotten idea. In case you're not a golfer, GolfLync is the new thing golfers use to ensure that they always play with people they actually enjoy (go to www.GolfLync.com, or see the Apple App Store for 5-star reviews). Anyway, without going into details, maybe leaders of the biggest golf organizations in the world should take a tip from GolfLync and remember the earliest rule of the game: Golf is about doing something you like, with people you like – what a concept.

GolfLync Inc. matches golfers looking for a game through the company’s smartphone app, GolfLync. The company bills GolfLync as “the social network for golfers,” matching golf games and players similar to the way a dating app matches those looking for romance.

The app allows like-minded golfers to connect for a game simply by logging in. GolfLync helps golfers who are looking to grow their golf network find other players with similar interests and on course preferences. Whether you have recently moved to a new area and are looking for new golfing buddies, travel frequently and would like to play a round of golf while on the road, or just want to meet new golfers in your area, GolfLync is your answer. Spouses who enjoy golfing together can find other golfing couples to tee it up with. For a regular group that finds itself unexpectedly down a player, GolfLync can help find that last-minute addition to complete the foursome.

The company is based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

GolfLync App

GolfLync was created for golfers of all skill levels and preferences to connect with compatible players of similar skill. Golfers can find a tee time through GolfLync, join existing tee times and create new leagues. The app allows golfers to meet fellow players before committing to spend four hours on the course with them. GolfLync allows users to find new golf friends based on their preferences, such as walking or riding a cart, listening to music, friendly wagering, imbibing a favorite beverage at the 19th Hole and more. GolfLync is available for both Android and iOS as a free download.

Market Opportunity

According to a report by Statista, a leading provider of market and consumer data, in 2022, the number of people participating in golf in the United States reached 25.6 million, with 15.5 million additional players participating in off-course activities like driving ranges. In 2020, over 502 million rounds of golf were played in the U.S. alone. The game, traditionally dominated by male players, is changing, with increased interest from women golfers driven by social media influencers around the game.

Lumen Sports puts the total number of golf courses in the U.S. at more than 16,700. According to Lumen, about 75% of those are public courses open to all golfers, with the rest considered private golf clubs that require a membership.

Management Team

Noah DiPasquale is a co-founder and CEO of GolfLync Inc., leading the marketing and operations of the platform. He is also the founder and CEO of Epic Golf Club, a premier national membership and private golf society which partners with hundreds of top tier private golf clubs allowing Epic members access to their courses and recently founded the Epic Foundation, a Scottsdale-based 501c3. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration, Management and Operations from the W.A. Franke College of Business at Northern Arizona University and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Phoenix.

Michael Quiel is a co-founder of GolfLync Inc. and the President of the organization. He leads the application development and research teams. Michael understands how to build successful companies. His deep knowledge of investment banking, finance and building successful business partnerships is unparalleled. He’s an expert at capital formation and growth hacking companies. He has raised over $250 million in capital and taken multiple companies public.

Recent News

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Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN)

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

Cepton integrated Vista-X120 Plus lidar into NVIDIA Omniverse platform to enable real-time simulation and 3D visualization to streamline lidar deployment processes and reduce cost for automakers

Vista-X120 Plus features a software-definable ROI, allows users to dynamically adjust and optimize lidar performance and power consumption based on specific scenarios or areas that require additional attention

Cepton released a financial update revealing it was on track to receive final production validation for salable vehicles and continue shipment of pre-production lidar units for multiple vehicle models

Additional update highlights included completed implementation of embedded lidar software, and execution of RFQ and RFI responses for top OEMs in the consumer vehicles and trucking spaces

The NVIDIA Omniverse platform enables real-time simulation and 3D visualization for metaverse applications by providing a shared virtual environment where users can collaborate to engineer real-world scenarios. Cepton (NASDAQ: CPTN), a Silicon Valley innovator and leader in high-performance lidar solutions, recently gave the Omniverse an upgrade by integrating its Vista-X120 Plus lidar into DRIVE Sim, an end-to-end simulation application built on the platform (https://ibn.fm/AXC4l).

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 Friday's trading session at $0.5024, off by 8.6545%, on 5,083,955 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.3197/$2.76.

Recent News

• Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN) - Cepton, Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN) Expands Collaboration with NVIDIA, Releases New Financial Update Revealing Progress on Volume Production
• Cepton, Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN) Reveals Use of Lidar Technology in Texas & Utah Traffic Initiative; Announces Hire of Luis Gonçalves as Director of Customer Programs
• TinyGemsBreaks - Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN) Overcoming Primary Barriers to Commercialization of Lidar for ADAS

Freight Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGT)

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

Texas-headquartered Freight Technologies (aka Fr8Tech) is a technology innovation company dedicated to sustaining over-the-road ("OTR") commercial shipments within the USMCA (formerly NAFTA) North American trading area

The company's core Fr8App product is a cloud-based freight matching platform that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to help shippers and carriers match up their loads, capacity, and destinations

Fr8Tech is growing its artificial intelligence development, appointing Dr. Umberto León-Domínguez to oversee the creation of a dedicated AI department

Fr8App was recently cited by Google Maps Platform's blog as an innovative use of advanced markers from the platform to interactively help end users track the progress of their shipments

Commercial freight transportation technology developer Freight Technologies (NASDAQ: FRGT), aka Fr8Tech, is quickly moving toward the next stage in its evolution by incorporating artificial intelligence controls into its infrastructure, beginning with the appointment of Dr. Umberto León-Domínguez to oversee the creation of a dedicated AI development department within Fr8Tech.

Freight Technologies (NASDAQ: FRGT) ("Fr8Tech") is a technology company developing solutions to optimize and automate the supply chain process as well as providing its Fr8App platform for B2B cross-border shipping in the USMCA region. The company announced that it has been recognized for outstanding service by K-FLEX de México and has secured a renewal of its contract with K-FLEX. The contract is for continued utilization of the Fr8App platform to facilitate transportation of shipments from K-FLEX's recently expanded Mexican plants and distribution centers across the United States. "Fr8App delivered cross-border capacity during a difficult time for us as we worked first through the COVID-19 pandemic and then through our plant expansion challenges in Mexico and many times under conditions that others in the logistics industry were not willing to accept," said Maged Anis, president of K-FLEX de México SA de CV. "With our newly completed plant expansion, we will have over 100 trucks per week crossing from Mexico to the United States, and Fr8App's solutions will play a huge role in managing our logistics seamlessly across the U.S.-Mexico border. Their support throughout our 12-month plant expansion, coupled with the reliability and convenience of their AI-powered platform, has reinforced the fact that Fr8App eliminates the need for paper tracking, aligning perfectly with our ongoing commitment to sustainable practices. We are very pleased with Fr8App's outstanding support and service and look forward to continue growing with them."

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

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 Friday's trading session at $0.71, off by 7.5521%, on 166,506 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.67/$31.512.

Recent News

• Freight Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGT) - Freight Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGT) Enters New Stage With Dedicated AI Development Division
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Freight Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGT) Secures Contract Renewal with K-FLEX de México
• Freight Technologies, Inc. Recognized as Outstanding Service Provider by K-FLEX de México, Securing Contract Renewal

BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (NASDAQ: BVXV)

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

Most people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are women (74%), while men comprise only 24% of MS patients. Women are three times more likely to develop multiple sclerosis, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society states that more women are developing the condition as time passes.  Although we still haven't figured out what exactly causes MS, researchers posit that factors such as stress, smoking, hormones such as estrogen, and inflammation may increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. Many women with the condition have noticed that their symptoms decrease when they are pregnant, with some reporting a significant reduction in symptoms during their pregnancy. This state of reduced symptoms can last throughout the pregnancy, but most women will experience a resurgence in their MS symptoms after they give birth. Researchers may have finally discovered the underlying mechanisms that cause a decline in MS symptoms in women during pregnancy. Recent research shows that the reduction in symptoms may be due to pregnancy's effect on the immune system. Since this system is designed to fight foreign substances, the body makes the immune system more tolerant during pregnancy so it doesn't attack the genetic material from the father. However, the changes that affect the network of genes steadily reverse toward the end of the pregnancy, and symptom frequency and severity return to prepregnancy levels soon after birth. Companies such as BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (NASDAQ: BVXV) are focusing on developing drugs to help these women gain relief from their symptoms or even reverse the course of the autoimmune condition.

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 Friday's trading session at $1.34, off by 8.8435%, on 73,663 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.29/$13.50.

Recent News

• BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (NASDAQ: BVXV) - Why Women with MS See Decreased Symptoms When Pregnant
• BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (NASDAQ: BVXV) Gains Exclusive Development and Commercialization License from Max Planck for biobetter Anti-IL-17 Antibody
• BioNxt Receives Approval for European Clinical Study of Transdermal Rotigotine Patch for Parkinson's Disease

Genprex Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Genprex Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX).

Genprex Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mark Berger, was featured in a recent Bell2Bell Podcast episode, where he discussed the company's recent announcements

In May, the company received Safety Review Committee ("SRC") approval to advance to the Phase 2 expansion portion of its Acclaim-1 clinical trial of its lead candidate, REQORSA(R) Immunogene Therapy

The Phase 1 dose escalation portion of the study showed that REQORSA(R) was generally well tolerated, and there were no dose-limiting toxicities; Genprex also reported encouraging evidence of efficacy in this portion

In April, Genprex announced that its research collaborators presented in vivo mouse data showing that Genprex's non-viral ONCOPREX(R) Nanoparticle Delivery System could be successfully used to deliver a second tumor suppressor gene with strong pre-clinical evidence of efficacy

Based on these findings, Dr. Berger states that the ONCOPREX Nanoparticle Delivery System has been validated as a platform for reexpressing tumor suppressor gene proteins in cancer cells

Mark Berger, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Genprex (NASDAQ: GNPX), a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on developing life-changing gene therapies for patients with cancer and diabetes was featured in a recent Bell2Bell Podcast episode (https://ibn.fm/ZnVPJ).

Genprex Inc. (GNPX) is a clinical-stage gene therapy company developing potentially life-changing technologies for cancer patients based upon a unique proprietary technology platform, including Genprex’s initial product candidate, Oncoprex™ immunogene therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Genprex’s platform technologies are designed to administer cancer-fighting genes by encapsulating them into nanoscale hollow spheres called nanovesicles, which are then administered intravenously and taken up by tumor cells where they express proteins that are missing or found in low quantities.

Research and Development

Genprex holds a portfolio of 30 issued and two pending patents covering its technologies and targeted molecular therapies. The company’s research and development program is focused on identifying and developing leading-edge gene therapies that can be used alone or in combination with other therapies for treatment of cancer.

Genprex’s initial product candidate is Oncoprex™, an immunogene therapy for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Oncoprex works by interrupting cell signaling pathways that cause replication and proliferation of cancer cells, re-establishes pathways for apoptosis (or programmed cell death) in cancer cells, and modulates the immune response against cancer cells. Oncoprex has also been shown to block mechanisms that create drug resistance.

Preclinical research is being conducted with the goal of developing Oncoprex to be administered with targeted therapies in other solid tumors, and with immunotherapies in NSCLC and other solid tumors. In addition, Genprex has conducted and plans to continue research into other tumor suppressor genes associated with chromosome 3p21.3, as well as other potential applications of the company’s immunogene therapy platform.

Clinical Trials

Genprex is currently conducting the second phase of a phase I/II clinical trial at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. The company plans to expand its clinical program by adding a new clinical study evaluating Oncoprex™ in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor for treatment of Stage IV or recurrent NSCLC. In research presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research in Washington, D.C., Genprex’s collaborators showed that TUSC2 in combination with PD-1 checkpoint inhibition has a significantly greater anti-tumor effect in lung cancer than either agent alone. The research also shows that TUSC2 in combination with PD-1 blockade has synergistic activity in upregulating natural killer (NK) cells, correlating with prolonged survival in mice.

TUSC2 (Tumor Suppressor Candidate 2) is a tumor suppressor gene that is absent or deficient in cancer cells of many different cancer types.

The Market

Genprex technologies seek to bridge a critical gap by combining with targeted therapies and immunotherapies to provide treatments to large patient populations who would otherwise not be candidates for those therapies or who have become resistant to them. Genprex technologies are being developed to overcome genomic limitations which are inherent in targeted therapies and immunotherapies in order to provide new treatment solutions to large cancer populations, such as those with lung cancer.

Each year, more people die of lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for about 85 percent of all lung cancers, according to the American Cancer Society (“ACS”). Despite radical advances in drug development and novel therapeutic standards, survival for late stage lung cancer has not improved significantly in the past 25 years.

Senior Management

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer J. Rodney Varner, JD, is a co-founder of Genprex and has served in these roles since August 2012. He has more than 35 years of legal experience with large and small law firms and as outside general counsel of a Nasdaq-listed company. Varner has served as counsel in company formation, mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, other business transactions, protection of trade secrets and other intellectual property, real estate, and business litigation. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and has been admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Court and the U.S. Tax Court.

Julien L. Pham, M.D., MPH, is president and chief operating officer of Genprex. In March 2013, Dr. Pham co-founded RubiconMD, a healthcare IT company that connects primary care providers to specialists for additional guidance and opinions on medical cases and served as its chief medical officer. He has served on the faculty at Harvard Medical School’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and is a board-certified internal medicine doctor and nephrologist.

Ryan M. Confer, MS, has served as Genprex chief financial officer since September 2016. Confer has more than 10 years of executive experience in planning, launching, developing, and growing emerging technology companies and has served in the chief operating and chief financial roles for non-profit and for-profit entities since 2008. Confer has also served as an international business development consultant for the University of Texas at Austin’s IC2 Institute, where he focused on evaluating the commercialization potential of nascent technologies in domestic and international markets applicable to technology incubator programs associated with the University. Confer holds a BS in finance and legal studies from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and an MS in technology commercialization from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.

Jan Stevens, RN, is vice president of Clinical Operations. Stevens has nearly 20 years of comprehensive clinical operations experience in the biopharma industry and a specialization in early-to-late stage oncology companies. Stevens joined the company to help support the various clinical development programs for Oncoprex™.

Genprex Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX), closed Friday's trading session at $0.7387, off by 4.1894%, on 203,420 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.7225/$2.67.

Recent News

• Genprex Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) - Genprex Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) CMO Discusses Recent Company Announcements in Bell2Bell Podcast Episode
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• BioMedNewsBreaks - Genprex Inc.'s (NASDAQ: GNPX) Flagship Candidate Could Potentially Reshape NSCLC Landscape

Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP)

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

Knightscope (NASDAQ: KSCP), a leading developer of autonomous security robots and blue light emergency communication systems, has announced that it published a series of blogs targeting both public and private sectors. The content highlights numerous recommendations that will assist law enforcement and security professionals in adopting autonomous security technologies.

The announcement reads, Knightscope's advice was cultivated through the decades of team member experience in law enforcement and private security, more than 7,000 deployed emergency communication systems, and over 2 million hours of autonomous robot operations across the country in multiple time zones through numerous winters and summers. Knightscope has amassed a wealth of knowledge of what works and has delivered numerous positive crime fighting wins to its end users."

To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/8BX3Z

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

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

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

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

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

Growth Capital & Proposed Nasdaq Listing

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

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

Company Mission – Reimagining Public Safety

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

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

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

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

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

Public Safety Innovation

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

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

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

Product Offerings

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

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

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

The Robot Roadshow

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

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

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

Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP), closed Friday's trading session at $0.39, off by 2.5%, on 1,550,364 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.36/$3.90.

Recent News

• Knightscope (NASDAQ: KSCP) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP) Shines Spotlight on Autonomous Security Technologies in New Blog Series
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP) to be Showcased at Upcoming Tesla Event
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ: KSCP) Secures New Orders for K1 Retrofit, Call Boxes

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 Friday's trading session at $0.0001, even for the day, on 1,425,000 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 1.425M and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.000001/$0.0004.

Recent News

• Sugarmade Inc. (OTC: SGMD) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Sugarmade Inc. (SGMD) Names New Board, Audit Committee Member
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Sugarmade Inc. (SGMD) Moves to Create Dynamic New PubCo Targeting Hospitality, Entertainment and Multimedia Production Sectors
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Sugarmade Inc. (SGMD) Releases Letter to Shareholders, Corporate Update

Utopia VR

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Utopia VR

Utopia VR is one of the world’s first ‘Metaverse-As-A-Service’ solutions for business. The company’s hosted and managed subscription software provides businesses a low barrier to entry, browser-based, device agnostic platform where they can manage their own private 3D metaverse meeting spaces. Users can host and attend Zoom-like virtual meetings in lifelike virtual reality – with no software downloads – engaging their audiences in a more collaborative and fun way.

Utopia VR has many technology and privacy advantages over solutions built on other metaverse marketplaces such as Horizon Worlds (META) or Decentraland. Utopia VR works on all devices – PC, mobile and virtual reality headsets – whereas many competitors only work in VR or on PC.

Utopia VR is headquartered in Kelowna, B.C.

Products

Utopia VR’s The Metaverse for Everyone™ is a one-click, web-based, avatar-driven, mobile-friendly audio- and video-conferencing platform that utilizes innovative 3D web technology. Utopia VR’s virtual platform works on digital devices including PCs, mobile phones and VR headsets such as Oculus Quest or HTC Vive. No software or proprietary hardware is needed.

Users navigate through the various VRoom environments by using avatars. Users can walk, talk and sit – just like they do in the real world. A user’s avatar can be controlled with a computer keyboard, smartphone or virtual reality headsets. Text chat, voice and video is ever-present and used to communicate with others in the VRoom. For important meetings and presentations, users can also import audio, video, 2D art and images, animated 3D objects, PDF files and their favorite NFTs by simply dragging and dropping files into a VRoom or pasting a video link from supported media platforms.

Organizations that have an existing website can transition their digital assets, including text, images, video, PDFs, slideshows and more, to VRoom environments with a simple copy and paste. This will allow their customers and audiences to experience their brand in a whole new, immersive environment.
Utopia VR’s mobile app enables users to personalize their own 3D environments and then schedule business meetings or social meetups in seconds through a proprietary link management system. The app is available for iPhone and iPad users. The company’s website mirrors the app, which means users can access Utopia VR directly from a PC, laptop, tablet, or VR headset without downloading the app.

Market Outlook

Regarded as the next iteration of the internet, the metaverse is a virtual space where the physical and digital worlds coexist and interact, encompassing virtual reality, augmented reality, extended reality and mixed reality, as well as making use of artificial intelligence and other technologies.

Data consolidator Statista estimated that the global metaverse market size stood at $38.85 billion in 2021 and projected the market would grow to be worth $47.48 billion in 2022. From there, Statista forecasts the value of the metaverse market will explode to reach $678.8 billion by 2030, achieving a CAGR of more than 39% over the period.

The metaverse could create $5 trillion in opportunity by 2030, according to McKinsey & Company.

Management Team

Stuart Gray, President, Co-Founder and director of Utopia VR, has been an officer and director for both private and publicly traded companies and has led public offerings for junior listed companies that have gone on to realize multibillion-dollar market valuations. He previously was a consultant and quarterbacked taking eXp World Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPI) public. eXp is a disruptive, no bricks and mortar, real estate brokerage firm with 85,000 agents worldwide using its virtual, software-based, metaverse platform for closing transactions, training and events.

Cory Braden, CTO and director of Utopia VR, is a forward-thinking strategic leader with over 20 years of experience in delivering software as a service. Recognized for a positive leadership style and excellent communication skills, he is well-versed in user experience, complex application architectures, cloud infrastructure and management of high-performance teams.

Terry Woloszyn, VP of Sales and Advisory at Utopia VR, brings vast technical and sales experience to the company. Before joining Utopia VR, he conceived and launched a data security startup and graduated from two startup accelerator programs. He has personally raised $20 million in equity venture funding.

Recent News

• Utopia VR - InvestorNewsBreaks – Genius Group Limited. (NYSE American: GNS) Announces Dual Listing, Commences Trading on Upstream in April
• InvestorNewsBreaks – Utopia VR Disrupting Future of Enterprise, Education and Corporate Remote Offerings with Distinct Metaverse Solution
• InvestorNewsBreaks – Utopia VR Launches MaaS Platform Amid Growing Demand for Virtual Offices, Hybrid Work Solutions

Coyuchi Inc.

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Coyuchi Inc.

Coyuchi is the gold standard in sustainable luxury home goods. The company offers sustainably produced luxury organic bedding, sheets, towels, apparel, and other home goods for the environmentally conscious home. With a timeless, coastal-inspired aesthetic, Coyuchi uses only 100% organic cotton materials to manufacture all of its textiles.

The Company was built upon four foundational pillars: protect the planet, innovate circular design, live sustainably, and enrich the community. These guiding principles have proven an effective market strategy. In 2021, Coyuchi earned $33.3 million in net sales, amounting to 26% YoY growth (the industry average is only 5%). It also experienced 2x customer growth to 200,000 active customers, averaging a 35% customer repeat purchase rate.

With a seasoned leadership team, a robust e-commerce shopping experience, and a healthy customer base that drives the fast-growing organic luxury market, Coyuchi is prepared to propel a new phase of growth as the rest of the world finally awakens to sustainability at scale.

A Lucrative Market Ripe for the Taking

The global market for organic bedding, which was estimated at $814.3 million in 2020, is projected to reach $1.1 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 4.9% over that period, according to Research and Markets. More specifically, the domestic organic bedding market is estimated at $240.1 million in 2020, according to Statista. Overall, the U.S. market for home textiles is currently valued at $25 billion annually, and, with a forecast annual growth rate of 5%, it is expected to reach $30 billion by the end of 2025.

Grand View Research reported in 2020 that shifting consumer preference toward high-end lifestyle products is a key factor driving the growth of the organic bedding market. Seventy-four percent of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products – a consumer preference that has steadily increased over the last few decades. Millennials especially favor ethical consumption over price when purchasing goods and services, with 83% of millennials reporting that they want the brands they purchase from to align with their beliefs and values (https://ibn.fm/PANNV). With a majority millennial customer base, Coyuchi is poised to capitalize on this trend.

Industry Defining Sustainability Practices

For 30 years, Coyuchi has explored organic farming and sustainable textiles and guarantees the highest environmental and ethical standards through a number of certifications such as The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Fair Trade Certified, and MADE SAFE®.

Coyuchi continues to push the organic textile market forward through its circularity initiatives and by supporting cross-industry sustainability advocates. Coyuchi’s mission to bring beauty and comfort to every home without sacrificing the health of our planet has resulted in a number of important sustainability checks and balances.

• A Circular Business Model: Coyuchi has cultivated a holistic 360-degree approach that contributes to the fight against climate change with its take back and recycling program, 2nd Home™. In 2017, it became the first luxury home brand to implement such an initiative, and, since then, the company has eliminated 68,758 lbs. of toxic chemicals from homes and renewed 6,000 lbs. of textiles.
• The Coyuchi Climate Council: In early 2022, Coyuchi introduced a cross-disciplinary council with a goal of Net Zero Emissions by 2025 and Net Positive Emissions by 2030. The Coyuchi Climate Council brings together influential minds across fashion, regenerative farming, and sustainability who have the knowledge and experience necessary to achieve climate change.
• C4: The California Cotton & Climate Coalition: Most recently, Coyuchi announced it is a founding member of C4, which includes innovative, sustainable fashion, apparel, and personal care brands like MATE the Label, Outerknown, Reformation, and Trace. Working together pre-competitively, C4 creates a structure for investing in regionally grown, Climate Beneficial™ cotton and directly supports the livelihoods of the farmers that grew it. Coyuchi is the only home industry brand currently involved in the project.

Omnichannel Business Model

Coyuchi differentiates itself through an omnichannel and circular business model, both of which have proven a clear draw for customers. It was an early adopter of an e-commerce sales and marketing approach (over 80% of its sales are directly through coyuchi.com), creating a distinct advantage over incumbents and start-up newcomers in the luxury space. This has resulted in a high lifetime value customer, luxury retail partners such as Nordstrom, and a flagship store in Marin County.

Coyuchi’s Organic Textile Products

Coyuchi’s product assortment consists of consciously designed bedding, bath, apparel, and lifestyle products spread across about 1,400 SKUs. The company believes that its product assortment, produced from 100% organic cotton with Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification, provides it with a significant competitive advantage. GOTS is the world’s leading textile processing standard for organic fibers, ensuring the organic status of textiles after harvesting raw materials through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing all the way to labeling, a major environmental and social benefit over conventional cotton product production.

Coyuchi’s focused product assortment consists of four core categories:

• Bedding – A full suite of sustainable, organic, and high-quality sheets, duvet covers, blankets, and throws.
• Bath – A luxurious line of towels, bath rugs, and mats.
• Apparel – Premium apparel for men and women, including robes, sweaters, pants, and pajamas.
• Lifestyle – The lifestyle category offers 135 SKUs, from organic napkins to crossbody totes.

Management Team

Eileen Mockus is President and CEO at Coyuchi. She has more than 25 years of experience in retail, having held positions in textile development at Patagonia, Pottery Barn Teen, and The North Face. She earned a bachelor’s degree in textiles and clothing from UC Davis and an MSBA from San Francisco State University.
Sejal Solanki is Chief Marketing Officer at Coyuchi. She previously served as the company’s Vice President of E-Commerce. Before joining Coyuchi, she worked at teen clothing giant Charlotte Russe. She oversees the company’s digital marketing, site experience, brand marketing, and e-commerce strategy.

Marcus Chung is Coyuchi’s COO, overseeing supply chain, sourcing strategy, sustainability, and IT. He previously held positions at notable direct-to-consumer brands Third Love and Stitch Fix, as well as national retailer The Children’s Place. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University and an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

Margot Lyons is Director of Sustainability and Sourcing at Coyuchi, where she works with strategic partners to ensure all the company’s product sustainability standards are met. She received a master’s degree in textiles and clothing from UC Davis.

Use of Proceeds

This round of funding will be used to increase Coyuchi’s enterprise value through expanded marketing, product category expansion, continued physical presence, and B2B strategic partnerships with wholesalers, and online marketplaces.

Recent News

• Coyuchi Inc. - InvestorNewsBreaks – Coyuchi Inc. Pushing Organic Textile Market Forward Through Its Circular Initiatives
• InvestorNewsBreaks – Coyuchi Inc. Committed to Being ‘Responsible Beyond the Thread’
• Coyuchi Inc. Recently-Opened Palo Alto Store Helps Bring To Life The Coyuchi Luxury Experience