Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN)

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

• CPTN produces near-range to ultra-long-range lidar sensors, perception solutions, and software for leading OEM manufacturers across the automotive and smart infrastructure markets
• Cepton aims to make lidar standard in every vehicle to enable safe assisted driving and autonomy
• CPTN’s collaboration with Japan-based Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd. led to ADAS lidar series production award from General Motors
• Cepton lidar sensors to be used in upcoming GM models featuring its Ultra Cruise advanced driver-assist system starting next year

Cepton (NASDAQ: CPTN), a Silicon Valley innovator and leader in high-performance MMT(R) lidar solutions, aims to make its proprietary technology standard in all consumer vehicles to support safe and autonomous driving capabilities. 

Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN) is a provider of state-of-the-art, intelligent, lidar-based solutions serving a range of markets, including automotive (ADAS/AV), smart cities, smart spaces and smart industrial applications. General Motors (NYSE:GM) has granted a series production award for Cepton’s lidar, the biggest such award to date in the automotive space. Cepton’s is the lidar component of GM’s Ultra Cruise autonomous driving platform. By leveraging its patented Micro Motion Technology (MMT®) lidar platform, the company develops reliable, scalable and cost-effective solutions that deliver long-range, high-resolution 3D perception for smart applications.

Cepton was established in 2016 by co-founders Dr. Jun Pei and Dr. Mark McCord. The company is headquartered in San Jose, California, and serves a fast-growing customer base through an international presence spanning North America, Germany, Japan, India and China.

Micro Motion Technology (MMT®)

Cepton was built from the ground up to meet key lidar industry challenges for mass market adoption. This company’s portfolio of proprietary technology is uniquely aimed at facilitating this industry growth through a combination of performance, reliability, affordability and design integration.

Key among its innovations is MMT®, a mirrorless, frictionless, rotation-free 3D imaging platform designed specifically for lidars. Its benefits for OEMs and system integrators include:

• Reliability – The durable design uses common, easily attainable materials.
• Versatility – The platform is capable of achieving near- to ultra-long range with a wide field of view.
• Efficiency – MMT® features a compact form factor, low power usage and inexpensive components.
• Scalability – Its simple design means that scale-up to high manufacturing volumes is easily attainable.

Because of their compact form factor, Cepton lidars are embeddable and ideally suited for advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) integration, whether behind windshield, in headlamp or in fascia.

Agreement with KOITO

KOITO Manufacturing Co. Ltd., the world’s premier Tier 1 auto lighting supplier, originally started an evaluation of Cepton’s MMT® based lidars in 2018. In 2020, KOITO made an investment in Cepton aimed at accelerating the company’s development and enabling KOITO’s industrialization of high-performance and high reliability lidar sensors for ADAS and autonomous vehicle (AV) applications.

Through this collaboration, Cepton was able to secure the largest ADAS lidar series production award[1] with General Motors as a sole source in the automotive space. The award covers GM vehicles for the initial period of 2023-2027.

On August 5, 2021, the two companies deepened their relationship when KOITO committed to invest a further $50 million in Cepton’s business through its participation in a Private Investment in Public Equity (PIPE) offering of shares of common stock of Growth Capital Acquisition Corp. in connection with Cepton’s recent merger.

Collaboration with GM

On July 13, 2021, Cepton announced that it had secured an ADAS lidar series production award from a leading, Detroit-based global automotive OEM – the biggest lidar production award by any OEM to any lidar company. It was later clarified that the OEM was General Motors, and Cepton’s lidar is part of GM’s ADAS Ultra Cruise system.

GM is “expected to deploy Cepton lidars in its next generation of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) across multiple vehicle classes and models – not just luxury cars.” As such, the agreement marks the potential for “an industry-first, mass-market adoption of lidar technology for automotive ADAS, with an anticipated deployment in consumer vehicles starting in 2023.”

On July 28, 2021, Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) distributed an article on Medium noting, “Ford has been engaged with Cepton almost since their inception in 2016, both for R&D collaboration and small-scale deployments. Cepton LiDAR are deployed in some of [Ford’s] smart city projects. Based on Ford’s guidance, Cepton delivered a custom version of their LiDAR to enable R&D on advanced ADAS features.”

Market Outlook

Driven by increasing development and adoption in automobile safety applications, environmental mapping and 3D-modeling, the global lidar market is forecast to experience considerable growth over the coming years. A research report published by MarketsAndMarkets suggests that the sector will grow to an estimated $3.4 billion by 2026, achieving a CAGR of 21.6% over the next five years.

The report further highlights increasing investments in lidar startups by automotive giants as a driver of growth opportunities in the sector, particularly in North America.

In 2020, ground-based lidar accounted for the lion’s share of the overall lidar market, and this trend is expected to continue as the automotive sector continues to rapidly advance adoption across the full spectrum of vehicle classes. One factor not to be underestimated is the high barrier of entry and the exceptionally long time required for automotive OEMs to vet and award a production win to a lidar company. It is a commonly held view that the over 50 lidar companies will inevitably coalesce into a handful serving all OEMs.

Cepton, having a head start through its established partnership with leading global OEM GM, is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this market growth in the years to come.

Management Team

Cepton’s founder-led team is made up of lidar industry pioneers with decades of collective experience across advanced lidar and imaging technologies.

Jun Pei, Ph.D., is the company’s CEO and Co-Founder. He is a technology specialist with a focus in optics and electronics. Prior to founding Cepton, Dr. Pei founded AEP Technology, a firm focused on developing advanced 3D optical instruments. He received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Stanford University.

Mark McCord, Ph.D., is Cepton’s CTO and Co-Founder. Prior to founding Cepton, he led advanced development at KLA-Tencor. Dr. McCord also formerly served as an associate professor at Stanford University, where he earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering.

Winston Fu, Ph.D., is the company’s CFO. Dr. Fu is the founder of Silicon Valley venture capital firm LDV Partners. Prior to joining Cepton, he served as CFO and Chairman of Active-Semi before its acquisition. Dr. Fu has also helped to build many technology companies as an entrepreneur and/or board member. He received his Ph.D. in applied physics from Stanford University, as well as an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

[1] Largest known ADAS lidar series production award based on number of vehicle models awarded

Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN), closed Monday's trading session at $1.43, up 1.4184%, on 259,996 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 259,996 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.01/$80.16.

Recent News

• Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN) - Cepton, Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN) Furthers Tier 1 Collaboration, Aims to Make Lidar a Standard Feature in Transportation
• TinyGemsBreaks - Cepton Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN) Working to Make Lidar a Standard Feature of Today's Cars, Key Component of Future Autonomous Vehicles
• Cepton, Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTN) Solidifies Its Detroit Presence with New Office in Troy; Poised to Be Integral Part of Latest Auto Trends

InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: INM)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: INM).

InMed Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: INM), a leader in the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of rare cannabinoids, today announced its appointment of Michael Woudenberg as chief operating officer of the company, overseeing all day-to-day operations. Woudenberg previously served as senior vice president of chemistry, manufacturing and controls. For the past several years, he has been an integral part of InMed’s executive team, supporting multiple functions within the organization. Prior to joining InMed, Woudenberg had over 20 years of successful drug development, process engineering, GMP manufacturing and general management experience at all levels of various companies. “I would like to congratulate Mike for his well-deserved promotion to chief operating officer of InMed,” said Eric A. Adams, InMed president and CEO. “Mike has been involved in all facets of operations over the last four years and is a natural fit to oversee day-to-day operations.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/SRnbh

InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: INM) is a global leader in the manufacturing and clinical development of rare cannabinoids. InMed is a clinical stage company developing cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical drug candidates, as well as manufacturing technologies for pharmaceutical-grade rare cannabinoids.

The company is dedicated to delivering new therapeutic alternatives to treat conditions with high unmet medical needs. The company is also developing a proprietary manufacturing technology to produce pharmaceutical-grade rare cannabinoids in the lab and has recently announced an LOI to acquire a leading rare cannabinoid manufacturer.

Research and Technology

There are more than 100 rare cannabinoids found in only trace amounts in the cannabis plant, together making up less than 1% of the plant’s biomass. InMed is initially focused on the therapeutic benefits of cannabinol (CBN) in diseases with high unmet medical need. Preclinical studies of CBN demonstrated an excellent safety profile and showed CBN has potential for therapeutic benefit over other cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

Evidence suggests there may be great therapeutic potential in rare cannabinoids. Each has a specific chemical structure, and different cannabinoids have been observed to have distinct physiological properties in humans, including therapeutic potential for specific diseases as well as unique safety profiles. CBN is the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in InMed’s two lead programs for dermatological and ocular diseases.

InMed’s most advanced compound, INM-755, is a CBN topical cream under clinical development for the treatment of epidermolysis bullosa, a severe genetic skin disorder. To date, INM-755 has been evaluated in two Phase 1 clinical trials in healthy volunteers. InMed has filed Clinical Trial Applications in several countries as part of a global Phase 2 clinical trial of INM-755 (cannabinol) cream in epidermolysis bullosa. Responses from the National Competent Authorities and Ethics Committees are expected throughout the summer of 2021.

InMed is also involved in developing INM-088, an ocular CBN formulation being researched for the treatment of glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness in the developed world. InMed is currently evaluating several formulations to deliver CBN into the eye to address issues of dosing frequency, side effects and treatment penetration. INM-088 is being designed for topical delivery to the eye. This localized delivery results in very little drug being absorbed or migrating into the bloodstream, thus minimizing potential adverse side effects. INM-088 shows promise to reduce intraocular pressure and provide neuroprotection of the eye.

Manufacturing

The limited availability of rare cannabinoids like CBN makes them economically impractical to extract directly from the plant for pharmaceutical use. InMed is developing IntegraSyn, a cannabinoid synthesis manufacturing system to create rare cannabinoids in the lab that are bioidentical to the compounds derived from the cannabis plant. IntegraSyn uses multiple standard pharmaceutical processes and has achieved a cannabinoid yield of 5 grams per liter, surpassing commercial viability and significantly exceeding currently reported industry yields. InMed is now focusing on manufacturing scale-up to larger batch sizes while continuing process optimization, targeting increased cannabinoid yield and further reducing overall cost of goods.

BayMedica Inc. Acquisition

On June 29, 2021, InMed announced it had entered into a non-binding letter of intent to acquire BayMedica Inc., a private company based in Nevada and California that specializes in the manufacture and commercialization of rare cannabinoids.

As noted in the news release, BayMedica is a revenue-stage biotechnology company leveraging its significant expertise in synthetic biology and pharmaceutical chemistry to develop efficient, scalable and proprietary manufacturing approaches to produce high quality, regulatory-compliant rare cannabinoids for consumer applications. BayMedica is currently commercializing the rare cannabinoid CBC (cannabichromene) as a B2B supplier to distributors and manufacturers marketing products in the health and wellness sector. BayMedica is planning additional rare cannabinoid launches for the coming year.

Pursuant to the indicative terms of the LOI, InMed and BayMedica intend to negotiate and enter into a definitive agreement under which InMed would acquire 100% of BayMedica in exchange for 1.6 million InMed common shares to be issued to BayMedica’s equity and convertible debt holders, with any such issued InMed common shares being subject to a six-month contractual hold period.

Market Outlook

There is a rapidly growing demand for rare cannabinoids. However, their low natural concentration makes traditional harvesting of these compounds cost prohibitive. Biosynthesis allows production of rare cannabinoids in the lab that are bioidentical to compounds found in nature, with significantly higher yields which reduce costs. Biosynthesis can produce pharmaceutical-grade, bioidentical, THC-free compounds at a cost that’s 70 to 90 percent less than wholesale prices of naturally harvested rare cannabinoids.

Cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals are expected to overtake the market as rare cannabinoids become less expensive and more available. According to Statista, the value of the consumer market for cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals in the United States is forecast to grow to $25 billion by 2025 and to $50 billion by 2029, with cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals used to treat health conditions including pain, respiratory conditions, autoimmune conditions and more.

Management Team

Eric A. Adams has been CEO and president of InMed since June 2016. He has more than 25 years of experience in establishing corporate entities, capital formation, global market development, mergers and acquisitions, licensing and corporate governance. He previously served as CEO at enGene Inc. Prior to enGene, he held senior positions in global market development with QLT Inc. (Vancouver), Advanced Tissue Sciences Inc. (La Jolla, CA), Abbott Laboratories (Chicago, IL) and Fresenius AG (Germany).

Bruce S. Colwill is InMed’s CFO. He has more than 25 years of financial leadership experience in public and private companies. Prior to InMed, he served as CFO of General Fusion Inc., a private clean energy company. He was also CFO at Entrée Resources Inc., a mineral exploration company, from 2011 to 2016. He has held CFO roles at Neuromed Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Response Biomedical Corp, Forbes Medi-Tech Inc. and Euronet Worldwide Inc.

Alexandra D.J. Mancini is Senior Vice President, Clinical and Regulatory Affairs at InMed. She has more than 30 years of global biopharmaceutical research and development experience. She has been an executive with numerous biotech companies, including senior vice president of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs at Sirius Genomics; senior vice president of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs at INEX Pharmaceuticals; and vice president of Regulatory Affairs at QLT Inc.

Eric C. Hsu is Senior Vice President, Pre-Clinical Research and Development at InMed. He joined InMed with more than 18 years of scientific leadership experience in the field of gene therapy. He has held various positions within enGene Inc., including vice president of Research and vice president of Scientific Affairs and Operations. He received his Doctorate from the Department of Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto.

Michael Woudenberg is Vice President, Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls at InMed. He has more than 20 years of successful drug development, process engineering, GMP manufacturing and leadership experience. He has held positions with 3M, Cardiome Pharma, Arbutus Biopharma and, most recently, was Managing Director of Phyton Biotech LLC.

InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (INM), closed Monday's trading session at $0.385, up 4.0541%, on 605,781 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 605,781 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.3422/$2.95.

Recent News

• InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: INM) - InvestorNewsBreaks - InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: INM) Appoints Michael Woudenberg as Chief Operating Officer
• InMed Pharmaceuticals Receives Nasdaq Notification Regarding Minimum Bid Price Compliance
• InvestorNewsBreaks - InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: INM) Announces Results of Peer-Reviewed Study Published in International Journal

LQwD FinTech Corp. (TSX.V: LQWD) (OTCQB: LQWDF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight LQwD FinTech Corp. (TSX.V: LQWD) (OTCQB: LQWDF).

• LQwD is leveraging the Lightning Network through its 17 international nodes, with the goal of having 24 nodes by the end of the current quarter
• Active LQwD nodes include Canada, France, Japan, England, Italy, Indonesia, Bahrain, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Singapore, Hong Kong, Brazil, Germany, India, Ireland, and US-West
• LQwD released its PaaS offering in November 2021, providing easy node and channel management on the Lightning Network and LSPs for merchants
• The blockchain market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 68.4%, resulting in a projected value of US $67.4 billion by 2026

Despite the volatility of the cryptocurrency market, namely Bitcoin prices falling approximately 38% in June to end the month at less than US $20,000 (https://ccw.fm/ZdBpN), the Lightning Network sees new all-time highs, boosting scaling capabilities of Bitcoin. The Lightning Network is a layer-2 scaling solution that makes Bitcoin transactions faster and lowers subsequent fees for sending and receiving across the network. The daily average capacity reported has crossed 4,167 BTC, up from the end of June, where reports showed a capacity of 3,962 BTC (https://ccw.fm/EVOiE). LQwD FinTech (TSX.V: LQWD) (OTCQB: LQWDF), a financial technology company focused on creating enterprise-grade infrastructure to drive bitcoin adoption, is scaling solutions through the Lightning Network. The company currently has 17 international nodes active on the Lightning Network, including Canada, France, Japan, England, Italy, Indonesia, Bahrain, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Singapore, Hong Kong, Brazil, Germany, India, Ireland, and US-West. To follow LQwD’s nodes on the Lightning Network, visit: https://lqwdfintech.com/lightning-netowrk-stats/ .

LQwD FinTech Corp. (TSX.V: LQWD) (OTCQB: LQWDF) is a financial technology company focused on creating enterprise-grade infrastructure to drive bitcoin adoption.

LQwD FinTech’s mission is to develop institutional-grade services that support the Lightning Network and drive improved functionality, transaction capability, user adoption and utility, and scaling of bitcoin. LQwD is also securing a substantial position in bitcoin as an operating asset and will use its holdings to establish nodes and payment channels on the Lightning Network.

The Lightning Network is a second-layer protocol, sitting above the bitcoin blockchain, intended to facilitate faster micro-transactions and lower fees on bitcoin transactions, thus allowing mass adoption of bitcoin.

LQwD expects the Lightning Network to eclipse the patchwork of legacy financial networks that are used to move value today. The company’s software will make migration from legacy networks onto the Lightning Network easy and seamless. By onboarding more financial service providers, LQwD intends to grow the value of the Lightning Network.

The company, formerly known as Interlapse Technologies Corp., is harnessing new payment rails built on top of the bitcoin blockchain that are capable of beyond visa-level transaction volumes and backed by bitcoin, the strongest and most well-known cryptocurrency. These new rails, enabled by the Bitcoin Lightning Network, open a vast opportunity and market segment for digital payments and financial services on a global scale. LQwD aims to leverage its position as a public company to enhance trust in its products and services, and leverage its shares as currency for acquisitions, roll-up and growth, as well as to attract and retain top industry talent.

Product

The Lightning Network is a solution to massively scale the use of bitcoin for microtransactions globally, dramatically improving upon fees, as well as providing instant settlement times. The Lightning Network has experienced explosive growth and is expected to continue with the trend as usage increases. Well-known companies, such as Twitter and Square, have expressed their enthusiasm to incorporate Lightning Network into their platforms. The Lightning Network is scalable, global, open, inclusive, permissionless and decentralized. It is made up of nodes connected via payment channels, and enables off-chain, instantaneous and cheap payments at scale.

Upon launch of LQwD’s Lightning Network platform-as-a-service, users will be able to leverage the Lightning Network infrastructure to send payments instantly, securely and inexpensively anywhere in the world. Companies and service providers will be able to conduct Lightning Network transactions in bitcoin by integrating LQwD’s infrastructure with their business or web property. Connected businesses will be able to easily deploy, monitor and manage LQwD’s Lightning Network nodes with no or low-level technical knowledge required. The company fully expects Lightning Network to be a force for global change and to become the monetary exchange network of the future.

The Lightning Network, which is already built, functioning and growing, will advance bitcoin from a store-of-value to a global monetary network through payment utility. The company expects the Lightning Network will propel the growing number of active blockchain wallets to new heights, by increasing bitcoin’s scalability and lowering its fees for users. For coming generations, everything from wealth to experiences will be acquired and transacted virtually, and LQwD sees the Lightning Network as an enabling technology that can bring bitcoin to hundreds of millions of new users across the globe.

Market Outlook

Forbes in August 2021 noted that “private investors are funding companies that are building the infrastructure that will support future growth of crypto and digital assets,” and called public companies building cryptocurrency infrastructure “the hottest part of the crypto market.” While the first wave of investor interest in crypto firms was directed at companies catering to retail investors, investors have now shifted their attention to infrastructure builders, like LQwD FinTech. Forbes did not put an estimated value on the crypto infrastructure market but pointed out that large-scale adoption of cryptocurrencies will only happen when infrastructure is in place to support it. The larger digital payments market, of which crypto payments are a small fraction, is growing at more than 14 percent annually and is forecast to hit $154 billion by 2025.

Management Team

Shone Anstey is co-founder, chairman and CEO at LQwD FinTech. He has 20 years of experience in building complex technologies and has acted as technology lead for an industrial bitcoin mine and bitcoin mining pool. He is a Certified Cryptocurrency Investigator, and an advisor to the British Columbia Securities Commission. He is also co-founder of BIGG Digital Assets (OTCQX: BBKCF) and took that company public in 2017.

Barry MacNeil is CFO at LQwD FinTech. He is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia and has more than 30 years of management and accounting experience with public companies and in private practice. His previous positions include director of both public companies and nonprofits, as well as Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Controller.

Albert Szmigielski is co-founder and CTO at LQwD FinTech. He was formerly the Head of Research and Chief Blockchain Engineer at Blockchain Intelligence Group and VP Research at CipherTrace. He holds a B.Sc. in Computing Science from Simon Fraser University, and a Master of Science in Digital Currencies and Blockchain Technologies from the University of Nicosia, Cyprus.

LQwD FinTech Corp. (LQWDF), closed Monday's trading session at $0.086, up 1.7751%, on 113,400 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 113,400 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0637/$0.672.

Recent News

• LQwD FinTech Corp. (TSX.V: LQWD) (OTCQB: LQWDF) - LQwD FinTech Corp. (TSX.V: LQWD) (OTCQB: LQWDF) Leveraging Increase in Blockchain Interest and All-Time Highs in Lightning Network Capacity
• CryptoNewsBreaks - LQwD FinTech Corp. (TSX.V: LQWD) (OTCQB: LQWDF) Moving to Become Top Liquidity Service Provider on Lightning Network
• LQwD FinTech Corp. (TSX.V: LQWD) (OTCQB: LQWDF) Expands Lightning Network Reach with 17 International Nodes Routing Over 72 BTC and 36,000 Transactions

EverGen Infrastructure Corp. (TSX.V: EVGN) (OTCQB: EVGIF)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight EverGen Infrastructure Corp. (TSX.V: EVGN) (OTCQB: EVGIF).

EverGen (TSX.V: EVGN) (OTCQB: EVGIF) is a leading Canadian renewable energy company and Canada’s renewable natural gas (“RNG”) infrastructure platform. “The Vancouver-based company started regionally in Western Canada with three owned and operated RNG and/or organic processing facilities as it pursues similar clusters throughout the country and seeks to lock down long-term RNG supply contracts. EverGen made its initial foray into Eastern Canada [in May] with an agreement to acquire a 50% interest in a portfolio of RNG development projects in Ontario known as Project Radius,” a recent article reads. “During the first quarter, EverGen booked CA$1.4 million in revenue and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (‘EBITDA’) of CA$0.6 million… The company ended the quarter with CA$20.2 million in cash and cash equivalents. ‘EverGen is in a strong position to expedite growth as Canada’s RNG infrastructure platform, and we have continued to deliver on our goals,’ said Chase Edgelow, CEO of EverGen, in a press release on Q1 performance.” To view the full article, visit https://ibn.fm/Oo4wN

EverGen Infrastructure Corp. (TSX.V: EVGN) (OTCQB: EVGIF) is developing Canada’s Renewable Natural Gas Infrastructure Platform, starting on the west coast in British Columbia. The company is combating climate change and helping communities contribute to a sustainable future by acquiring, developing, building, owning and operating a portfolio of renewable natural gas (RNG), waste-to-energy, and related infrastructure projects.

While EverGen is currently focused on British Columbia, its continued growth is expected across other regions of North America. RNG is produced differently than conventional natural gas, without drilling wells. RNG is derived from biogas, which is captured from decomposing organic waste in landfills, food waste, agricultural waste matter and wastewater from treatment facilities. This waste feedstock is supplied to an anaerobic digester which contains bacteria that breaks down organic matter in the absence of oxygen. The resulting biogas is captured and cleaned to create carbon neutral or carbon negative RNG to be used by the existing North American gas pipeline grid. By capturing these emissions and transforming them into RNG, then combusting into CO2, the overall greenhouse gases (GHG) impact is materially less potent than allowing natural decomposition to release methane into the atmosphere. Liquid and solid digestate matter is a byproduct of the RNG production process and is used as fertilizer and in other applications.

EverGen operates three projects in British Columbia. The company was incorporated in 2020 and went public in 2021, with its common shares listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under ticker symbol ‘EVGN’. In February 2022, EverGen’s common shares began trading on the OTCQB Venture Market in the U.S. under ticker symbol ‘EVGIF’. The company is headquartered in Vancouver.

Portfolio Projects

Fraser Valley Biogas is one of three projects in EverGen’s portfolio. Located in Abbotsford, British Columbia, the facility has been digesting manure and off-farm organics since 2011 and was the first agricultural digester in Canada to produce RNG. The RNG generated through this project is part of a FortisBC program to supply renewable gas to homes, businesses and other customers. Fraser Valley Biogas also provides Abbotsford farms with renewable fertilizer via the digestate produced. EverGen acquired Fraser Valley Biogas early in 2021 and is currently enhancing and expanding the facility. These optimization projects resulted in record production during the month of September 2021, supporting the growing demand for RNG in British Columbia. Optimization activities contributed an additional 18% of RNG production for September and a 9% higher year-to-date production compared to the previous year. The facility produces approximately 80,000 gigajoules of RNG, enough to heat more than 1,000 homes for a year.

Net Zero Waste Abbotsford, a wholly owned EverGen subsidiary and portfolio project, is an existing composting and organic processing facility and RNG expansion project. The British Columbia Utilities Commission recently approved a 20-year offtake agreement between the facility and FortisBC, an electricity and gas utility. Under this agreement, FortisBC will purchase up to 173,000 gigajoules of RNG annually for injection into its natural gas system upon completion of an anaerobic digester project at Net Zero Waste Abbotsford. Once construction is complete, this project is expected to produce enough energy to meet the needs of more than 1,900 homes.

Sea to Sky Soils, a wholly owned EverGen subsidiary and portfolio project, is an existing composting and organic processing facility and potential future RNG expansion project which has been operating near Pemberton, British Columbia, on Lil’wat Nation land since 2012. The Lil’wat Nation is a key partner and supporter of the facility, which has employed a majority of its staff from the First Nation since inception. The Sea to Sky Soils facility processed approximately 160 percent of its forecast tonnage in the second half of 2021. In total, Sea to Sky Soils processed approximately 36,000 tons of organic waste in 2021. The facility is working with the Ministry of Environment to expand its operational capacity in 2022. EverGen has partnered with local municipalities – including Metro Vancouver and the municipality of Pemberton – for the delivery of additional organic waste to the facility. The facility is an important part of EverGen’s RNG infrastructure platform and serves as a source of valuable feedstock to support the company’s existing and future operations.

Market Outlook

A report from Global Market Insights states that the biogas market is projected to see significant growth over the next few years, driven by a shifting preference to utilize biogas to reduce emission levels from traditional fuels. Escalating RNG usage by gas utilities as a sustainable and low carbon alternative to supply heat and electricity in industries and buildings will further stimulate growth. RNG is increasingly deployed across the transport sector, especially for heavy vehicles and vessels, to abate GHG emissions.

Many North American gas utilities have set RNG targets of 5% to 15% of production by volume in 2030, compared to less than 1% by volume in 2020. FortisBC has a goal of including 15% RNG in its gas supply by 2030. EverGen believes this presents a potential C$16 billion+ opportunity for RNG producers.

Management Team

Chase Edgelow is co-founder and CEO at EverGen. He has over 15 years of specialized private investment, finance, and technical expertise in the energy and infrastructure sectors. His background is as a Facilities Engineer with Petro-Canada, independently managing energy infrastructure capital projects located in western Canada. He holds a Professional Engineer designation from the province of Alberta.

Mischa Zajtmann is co-founder and President at Evergen. He has 15 years of experience providing consulting and management for Canadian and American companies in the natural resources and energy space. He is a corporate securities lawyer who began his career at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP. His J.D. is from the University of Saskatchewan Law School. He’s a member of the British Columbia Bar.

Sean Mezei is COO at EverGen. He has 20 years of experience in the RNG industry, having served previously as the president of Greenlane Biogas and as a senior manager at QuestAir, and founder and president of Dekany Consulting. He was a co-chairman of the American Biogas Council’s RNG working group for six years. He has been a Registered Professional Engineer in the province of British Columbia since 1994.

Natasha Monk is CFO at EverGen. She is a CPA with 12 years accounting, financial reporting, and tax experience in public practice and industry. She is currently a partner at Affirm LLP, where she advises and consults to a wide variety of companies in multiple industries across public and private sectors. Prior to joining EverGen, she worked at KPMG. She graduated from the University of Calgary.

EverGen Infrastructure Corp. (OTCQB: EVGIF), closed Monday's trading session at $2.15, even for the day. The average volume for the last 3 months is 10 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $2.12/$4.21.

Recent News

• EverGen Infrastructure Corp. (TSX.V: EVGN) (OTCQB: EVGIF) - GreenEnergyBreaks - EverGen Infrastructure Corp. (TSX.V: EVGN) (OTCQB: EVGIF) in 'Strong Position to Expedite Growth as Canada's RNG Infrastructure Platform'
• InvestorNewsBreaks - EverGen Infrastructure Corp. (TSX.V: EVGN) (OTCQB: EVGIF) Announces Completion of Partial Interest in Alberta-Based RNG Facility
• EverGen Infrastructure Corp. (TSX.V: EVGN) (OTCQB: EVGIF) CEO, Chase Edgelow Featured on the Bell2Bell Podcast

Prime Harvest Inc.

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Prime Harvest Inc.

Prime Harvest, a legal cannabis company focused on tech and parent company to Jaxx Cannabis, has been granted expansion rights of adult-use edibles sales through Jaxx. According to the announcement, Jaxx is Prime Harvest’s flagship retail brand and is driving strong growth for the company, reporting $4 million in sales last year alone. Through Jaxx, which only offers products that are licensed and regulated by California and San Diego County, consumers can order online 24/7 or purchase in a brick-and-mortar retail store and be assured that they are receiving the highest-quality products available. Jaxx offers a diverse array of products selected to create an experience focused and centered on consumers. The company everything from flower, pre-rolls, edibles and topicals to a complete line of accessories, including everything from bowls and spoons to entire starter kits and more. Prime Harvest is working to expand its footprint by investing in the growth and scale of licensed assets combined with fully utilizing the power of data-driven technology. Prime Harvest is focused on ensuring that the communities it serves see their fair share of the benefits of the industry’s growth, including employment opportunities, environmental enrichment and impactful innovation through R&D and education. “We are excited to expand and participate in the adult-use market, and even more than excited to expand our menu to include cannabis infused edibles for both our current medical patients as well as the recreational consumer,” said Prime Harvest founder and CEO Duane Alexander in the press release. “With the systems in place to drive our retail expansion, we are well on our way to execute on our strategically-designed plan for sustainable growth.” To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/LqFB4

Prime Harvest Inc., based in San Diego, California, is a technology-focused, full-service cannabis company with horizontally diversified operations spanning various segments of the cannabis value chain, from licensing acquisition and compliance management to direct-to-consumer operations. The company is leveraging a long-term strategy of investing in the growth and scale of licensed assets anchored by the power of data-driven technology to expand its footprint throughout California.

Sustainability is key to Prime Harvest’s corporate vision. The company aims to ensure that the communities it serves capture their fair share of the fruits of the industry’s growth, including financial profit, employment opportunities, environmental enrichment and impactful innovation through R&D and education.

The company’s mission is to appeal to the ethos of the cannabis consumer by setting a new operational standard emphasizing accountability, sustainability and community. With this commitment, Prime Harvest continues to work toward positively affecting millions of lives through the creation of a world-class platform that caters to strengthening the commercial cannabis pipeline.

Jaxx Cannabis

Jaxx Cannabis is the flagship brand in Prime Harvest’s portfolio. Through Jaxx Cannabis, the company aims to use technology to facilitate a true customer-centric culture while enhancing the overall craft cannabis experience. Jaxx features an expertly curated selection of premium products from some of the most respected brands in the thriving California market.

Key values serving as the foundation of Jaxx Cannabis include:

• Creating and nurturing a welcoming culture for all
• Unlocking the true potential of customer value
• Being innovative in uncovering new ways to grow both the company and the industry
• Meeting the wants and needs of consumers to promote profitability
• Remaining accountable for the results of its operations

It is these values that differentiate Prime Harvest and Jaxx Cannabis in the California cannabis sector.

Brand Partnerships

Prime Harvest works diligently to establish strong alliances with complementary brands that are in alignment with its culture and values. Through a combination of deliberate foresight and strategic action, the company seeks to grow existing cannabis brands and continuously discover new, high-potential performers that are primed for long-term success.

These partnerships enhance Prime Harvest’s efforts to transform the world’s cannabis access and bring its consumers high-quality products that are fair for both people and the planet.

Responsibility

Prime Harvest remains committed to the goal of creating a more sustainable environment, now and in the future. Concern for human beings and the environment can be observed in every facet of its operations, including its ongoing R&D activities dedicated to exploring methods of reducing and repurposing waste into composite materials and exploring the potential of the hemp plant for industrial and wellness contributions.

The company is a proud member of the Community Alliance Program, a foundation that seeks to make a difference in local communities by providing financial assistance for educational programs, housing homeless veterans, creating urban farms, and holding local arts initiatives for children and adults. The program also helps explore the natural healing attributes of medical cannabis through research, development, clinical trials, and advocating for the safe access of cannabis to those in need.

Market Overview

Ongoing changes in U.S. state government policies toward cannabis are expected to cause demand for legal marijuana to surge. In addition, the number of indications for which medical marijuana is prescribed continues to increase. These factors are expected to rapidly boost legal sales of cannabis products.

Legal sales across the U.S. hit a record of $17.5 billion in 2020, marking an increase of 46% over 2019, according to Forbes. This strong growth is expected to continue. According to a Grand View Research report, the global legal marijuana market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 26.7 percent from 2021 to 2028.

California – Prime Harvest’s home state – has consistently led the pack in terms of U.S. cannabis sales. The Motley Fool pegged cannabis spending in the Golden State at $3.8 billion in 2020, more than doubling the second state on its list.

Leadership Team

The Prime Harvest team is composed of true experts in their respective fields focused on building a world-class organization capable of driving the cannabis industry and movement forward.

E. Duane Alexander is the company’s Founder and CEO. He brings to the team more than 25 years of real-world, hands-on cannabis retail, marketing and commercial operations experience. Mr. Alexander has championed 40+ cannabis license applications throughout the western U.S. to date.

John Wilczak is the COO of Prime Harvest. He has 30+ years of executive management, strategy development & configuration experience with GE, pharmaceutical and agriculture companies. Mr. Wilczak is a Brown & Columbia MBA with vast knowledge of technology driven intellectual properties.

Andrea Jenson is the Chief Financial Officer of Prime Harvest. As CFO, she is responsible for all the company’s financial functions, including accounting, corporate finance and investor relations. Her career spans more than 20 years of varied experience in financial management, business leadership and financial strategy.

John Kazanjian is the VP of Business Development of Prime Harvest. He has worked over 40 years in business operations, brand marketing, sales and investor/lender communications. Mr. Kazanjian earned his B.S. from Rutgers University and his MBA from Harvard University.

Johann Balbuena is the Chief Marketing Officer of Prime Harvest. She has more than six years of experience in California cannabis licensing acquisition and compliance management. Ms. Balbuena has led multimedia production and content marketing efforts for the likes of the Social Club TV app, The Emerald Cup, High Times, Weedmaps and Synergy.

Recent News

• Prime Harvest Inc. - InvestorNewsBreaks – Prime Harvest Inc. Subsidiary Receives Adult-Use Edibles Sales, Expansion Rights
• InvestorNewsBreaks – Prime Harvest Inc. Featured in Latest Episode of Bell2Bell Podcast
• InvestorNewsBreaks – Prime Harvest Inc. Featured in Latest Episode of Bell2Bell Podcast

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX)

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

• Researchers have run into the issue of solubility of molecules intended for absorption, ultimately affecting drug effectiveness and inhibiting patient recovery
• This has forced the exploration of new drug delivery technologies, with Lexaria’s patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology proving to be the most innovative, useful, and effective
• DehydraTECH(TM) technology has seen application in oral nicotine for reduced risk, antiviral drugs for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, PDE5 inhibitors, and CBD for hypertension
• The recent expansion of the Cannadips Brand into Europe, Japan, and South Africa highlights the proliferation of DehydraTECH and a significant growth in its market share, particularly in the CBD space
• Lexaria is excited about the expansion and anticipates additional growth in its technology’s adoption as time progresses

For a long time, the medical industry has sought ways to improve patient health by enhancing the delivery of therapeutic drugs to target sites. An especially critical problem researchers in this sector have encountered is the limited solubility of the molecules intended for absorption. Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX), a global innovator in drug delivery platforms, recently entered into agreements with beverage developer BevNology. “The BevNology collaboration not only includes a commercial license agreement for products with active ingredients derived from hemp under BevNology’s brand but also a manufacturing operating agreement utilizing BevNology’s new, custom-built state-of-the-art processing facility outside Atlanta…. The manufacturing agreement will help Lexaria broaden its production capabilities for its own growing list of B2B clientele interested in purchasing DehydraTECH-powered active ingredients for consumer-packaged-goods brands. Lexaria has already installed all required commercial DehydraTECH manufacturing equipment at the facility,” a recent article reads. “These agreements build on a long-standing and very successful product development consulting relationship between Lexaria and the expert scientists and personnel at BevNology,” Lexaria CEO Chris Bunka stated. “BevNology’s formulation and production capabilities are class leading and we are confident that our new relationship with our trusted partner will propel new and exciting growth opportunities for both companies.” To view the full article, visit https://cnw.fm/WfeeJ.

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

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

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

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

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

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

DehydraTECH Technology

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

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

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

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

Market Outlook

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

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

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (LEXX), closed Monday's trading session at $2.78, off by 2.7972%, on 25,102 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 25,102 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.85/$12.50.

Recent News

• Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) (CSE: LXX) - Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Offers Best-In Class Solution To Major Issue Affecting A Range Of Critical Drug Applications
• CannabisNewsBreaks - Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Partners to Propel New, Exciting Growth Opportunities
• Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) DehydraTECH(TM) Licensee Expands Manufacturing Agreements to Include Europe, Japan, and South Africa

Nowigence Inc. (OTCQB: NOWG)

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

• On June 14, Nowigence emerged from being a private company to being publicly listed
• OTCQB Venture Market offers lower cost, complexity than a U.S. exchange listing
• NOWG’s AI knowledge engine mimics the way humans absorb knowledge as they search massive volumes of information

In what the company CEO is calling a historic milestone, Nowigence's (OTCQB: NOWG), the SaaS technology company behind Pluaris, has begun trading on the OTCQB Venture Market, effective June 14, 2022 (https://ibn.fm/f1nZk). The move comes on the heels of the launch of Pluaris, the company’s comprehensive and turnkey artificial intelligence (“AI”) knowledge engine. 

Nowigence Inc. (OTCQB: NOWG) is an innovative software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) company focused on developing and bringing to market Pluaris™ — a comprehensive, ready-to-use artificial intelligence (“AI”) platform. Pluaris delivers the combined power of an intelligent reader along with a smart search engine. It works 24/7 reading and analyzing relevant content as is being created in various public and private data sources on topics that one reads either because one enjoys them or because one needs to gather information to fulfill job tasks or other responsibilities.

A personal knowledge management (“PKM”) tool, Pluaris is created for those who want to advance their competitiveness with the power of intelligent reading while searching for information. It accelerates the pace of problem-solving and decision-making. Pluaris is an end-to-end, fully automated, data-science product, offering data-at-scale capabilities mimicking the human process in their abilities to learn. It performs tasks that typically require human intensive activities when reading information from public and private data sources. It provides precise answers to questions asked, analyzes different perspectives, discovers new connections, and creates organized and nested notes. As a result, Pluaris allows teams to work collaboratively from anywhere in the world to share and draw informed conclusions.

Nowigence puts the power of data science into the hands of consumers through integrating state-of-the-art data processing techniques in an intuitive interface at an affordable subscription price. The Pluaris platform generates a trove of critical information to assist individuals, teams, and organizations to quickly build expertise. It reads and analyzes hundreds of pages in a few minutes wherein the data is transformed, linked, taxonomized, and optimized for storage and further trend analysis.

Key Target Market

Pluaris is pre-built with supervised and unsupervised machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) models. It has three main features. They are:

• A precise information retrieval engine
• An intelligent reader, and
• A Smart Search Engine that intelligently reads and analyzes content written inside files instead of contemporary search tools that use keywords to bring forth URLs or files which users still need to open to read manually.

Pluaris enables distillation of knowledge from hundreds or thousands of sources in seconds rather than the time-consuming method of reading and gaining insight from one source at a time. Keyword-based search-and-retrieval applications do not have the capability to open documents, read content, extract key points, conduct cause-and-effect analysis or answer questions specifically. Pluaris includes those features while going one step further with its semantic capabilities to empower users with interpretations of retrieved information. Nowigence estimates this feature alone can save typical researchers between one and three hours per workday. The platform also extracts only important and relevant information on every monitored or researched topic, reducing “noise” and information overload, a major source of workplace stress.

Pluaris Solution

The Problem

In the modern world, there is a need to consume a tremendous amount of text and transcript-based information for both personal and professional use. This need is met with exceptional challenges due to:

• Information Overload: For virtually any significant topic, the amount of textual information available and continually generated is vastly more than can be consumed by an individual.
• Pervasive Distractions: In the era of modern technology, new inputs such as instant messages, e-mails, social media and more reduce attention spans often lead to the disregard of information considered too long and complex to read.
• Highly Imperfect Human Recall: Information that is read is easily forgotten and, while key insights may be retained, the details are almost certainly lost.
• Data Sharing/Translation: Working in teams often finds colleagues researching the same content, with much of the information acquired by one individual lost in translation with the communication process to others.

Pluaris

From its early days, Nowigence has worked with pioneers and stalwarts in the fields of machine learning (“ML”) and natural language processing (“NLP”). In doing so, the company was keen to solve the big problem of the information age — too much data exists for it to be processed manually.

Pluaris is designed as a user-friendly platform, requiring no technical expertise or extensive training while avoiding structured or rigid methodology. As a result, Pluaris is adaptable to the unique needs by which individuals absorb knowledge and may be utilized across a variety of different functions and sectors. By leveraging the capabilities of Pluaris’ state-of-the-art no code editing, organizations have the flexibility to improve and tailor results without hiring data scientists. Further, real-time information retrieval, meaning instantaneous delivery of outputs at the click of a button, ensures the client never misses any piece of intelligence.

Pluaris does not simply gather information. The platform was built over the course of three years by a Nowigence team of experts and is designed to understand the context of every sentence it reads. In cases where Pluaris does make an error in contextual interpretation, the user can correct it, instantly giving the correction precedence over the ML’s algorithmic outputs. This removes the biggest criticism against AI/ML platforms, which is that annotating data and developing training datasets to build models takes too much time and effort from internal teams.

Use Cases

There is a virtually unlimited potential for Pluaris to cut through information overload and bring critical data to individuals and enterprises. Nowigence has customized its platform to cater to the needs of a variety of users, including an enterprise customer interested in tracking news and events in the telecom industry. In less than a week, Nowigence was able to quickly create and fine-tune a list of monitored topics, resulting in the team’s access to an annotated and industry specific news feed.

In another instance, Pluaris was useful to an employee of one of the world’s largest aluminum mining companies tasked with preparing talking points for her manager for an upcoming investor meeting. Using the platform, she built a comprehensive database of documents, including notes, transcripts, speeches, question-and-answer sessions, annual reports, and internal documents, some of which were from previous investor meetings. Through the platform’s dashboard and using various filters, she was able to quickly explore that database and pull the information together in a Pluaris Notebook to share directly with her supervisor.

Pluaris has further proven valuable in individual and personal-use cases. For example, a customer who was already using the platform for business intelligence decided to use his account to make improvements in his health after he received a report from his doctor of a high fasting blood sugar level. After uploading a few research reports, reviewing the summaries and exploring the annotated labels, the user set up Pluaris to monitor topics such as “lowering fasting blood sugar” and “low glycemic food.” From those results, he built an action list of daily habits for diet and fitness and, within two months, brought his fasting blood sugar level back down.

Market Considerations

Pluaris users include:

• Educators, Learners, and Publishers of Interactive Community Knowledge Banks: In a recent report titled “Digital 2022 – Global Overview,” published by the Tribune, it is said that the world between the ages of 16 and 64 spends a daily average of seven hours on the internet. Wikipedia estimates this age group to be 74% of the world’s population of nearly 8 billion people. Pluaris is helping create interactive community knowledge banks for people to save time and improve their quality of learning for specific subjects or topics. The first one being set up is on “healthy living.”
• Knowledge Workers: Gartner estimates there are more than one billion knowledge workers worldwide as of December 2019. According to a McKinsey report, employees spend 1.8 hours every day searching and gathering information. Nearly all data generated in businesses is in the form of language, but few today have the resources to leverage it. Pluaris, with its basis in data science, synthesizes knowledge from information assisting users to accelerate the pace of problem-solving and decision-making.

Nowigence offers subscription-based pricing to educators, researchers, learners, and publishers of community knowledge banks. Subscription prices are nominal but vary depending upon the volume, variety, velocity, and frequency of accessing large data sets.

Prices vary depending on the scope for small, medium, or large organizations. Typically, the business model is a one-time set up fee to taxonomize and link extracted entities which are user specific jargon. An additional fee is charged for scoping and integrating Pluaris with currently used enterprise tools. Subsequently, a monthly subscription fee is charged.

In 2020, the amount of data in the world was estimated at 44 zettabytes. By 2025, the amount of data generated each day is expected to reach 463 exabytes globally. Reading intelligently while searching for information is going to become an even bigger problem. Nowigence is targeting opportunity across the rapidly growing cognitive computing and personal knowledge management (“PKM”) markets. According to Allied Market Research, the cognitive computing market alone was valued at $8.87 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach a value of $87.39 billion by 2026. This represents a CAGR of 31.6% from 2019 through the end of the forecast period.

Leadership Team

Anoop Bhatia
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Anoop Bhatia founded Nowigence Inc. and has served as its CEO since 2015. Previously, he worked as a global operation strategic transformation leader for Momentive Performance Material (formerly GE Silicones). Bhatia’s experience includes more than two decades serving in roles for various General Electric companies across different countries, including the U.S., India, The Netherlands and Germany. He played a key role in establishing GE Silicones as the first-ever wholly owned foreign subsidiary established in India in 1996. Bhatia holds a B.S. degree in chemical engineering from BITS in India and completed post-graduate studies in management from Heriot-Watt at Edinburgh in Scotland.

Gordon Haupt
Chief Technology Officer
Gordon Haupt brings more than 20 years of experience building and leading diverse engineering and operations teams, as well as a strong technical background in machine learning, signal processing and statistical data analysis. This includes expertise in speech and text, biotechnology and computer vision applications. He is experienced in all phases of engineering development and operations and is a named inventor on 15 issued patents. Haupt holds a B.S. degree in engineering mechanics from the University of Wisconsin and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford University.

David Evans
Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel
As an attorney and licensed CPA in the state of New York, David Evans has extensive experience in multistate and international tax policies and guidelines, federal taxation laws, mergers and acquisitions, including valuation of closely held businesses. He is a contributing author to the New York State Tax Service, a six-volume publication of NYS tax laws and regulations. His prior experience includes serving as a managing director for UHY Advisors LLC, a board member and chairperson of the Tax Division Executive Committee of New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, as well as a past president of the Estate Planning Council of Eastern New York. Evans holds degrees from Hofstra University and State University of New York at Buffalo.

Uday Bawa
Vice President Business Development – India, SEA, and MEA
Uday Bawa brings a wealth of nearly two decades of global P&L experience, growing businesses from scratch in the field of energy and sports. He has worked in B2C and B2B sales environment focusing on product sales, building the brand and generating endorsement deals for renowned sports personalities in India. Previously, he worked in the petrochemicals industry, where he led Houston-based Dorf Ketal’s Fuels business for North America. He was instrumental in generating sponsorship revenues for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, in 2010 from corporate sponsors. He has also managed Indian sports icon Sachin Tendulkar’s commercial interests and endorsement deals. He completed his bachelor’s from Symbiosis International University in India and then his executive MBA from Rice University at Houston in Texas. He is a Doon school (India) alumnus.

Nowigence Inc. (OTCQB: NOWG), closed Monday's trading session at $2.15, off by 4.4444%, on 350 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 350 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $2.00/$4.75.

Recent News

• Nowigence Inc. (OTCQB: NOWG) - Nowigence Inc. (NOWG) Starts Trading on OTC
• Nowigence Inc. (NOWG) Helps Usher in the Knowledge Era with Innovative Pluaris Platform
• Nowigence Inc. (NOWG) Partners with Leader in India CSR Space to Grow Market, Benefit Society

FingerMotion Inc. (NASDAQ: FNGR)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight FingerMotion Inc. (NASDAQ: FNGR) .

• FingerMotion, a U.S.-based communications technology services provider focused on the massive potential of China’s 1.4 billion mobile device user market, reported revenue growth of 37 percent YOY to $22.93 million in its most recent annual financial report
• Company CEO Martin Shen expressed “cautious optimism” that FingerMotion can maintain its momentum, in part because of a ready-to-launch mobile device protection plan similar to AppleCare that the company expects to be competitive in China
• Shen said he also expects the company’s nascent big data product to play a large role in revenue growth in coming years as other industries discover the value of FingerMotion’s first-mover infrastructure in the market
• Thus far, the strength of FingerMotion’s offering has been SMS texting services, user time top-up loading and payment processing, strengthened by a good working relationship with China’s telecommunications giants

Less than two weeks ahead of the newest scheduled report on company earnings, the CEO of mobile technology services provider FingerMotion (NASDAQ: FNGR) is expressing cautious optimism that revenue growth amounting to a 37 percent increase overall during the past year is sustainable, largely through the launch of a device protection solution in the Chinese market to undergird FingerMotion’s existing SMS texting and payment processing capital sources in the Asian juggernaut.

FingerMotion Inc. (NASDAQ: FNGR) is an evolving technological company with core competencies in mobile payment and recharge platform solutions in China. FingerMotion is in the process of developing additional value-added technologies to market to users.

Founded in 2016, FingerMotion’s goal is to serve over a billion users in the Chinese market and expand its model to other regional markets. The company has offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and New York City.

Current Offerings

FingerMotion is analyzing and transforming mobile data to improve the lifestyle of the public through technology and innovation. The company’s current offerings include:

• Telecommunications Products and Services – FingerMotion’s proprietary universal exchange platform, ‘PigeonHole Integration System (PIS)’, offers seamless integration between telecom operators and online stores. The service platform’s offerings include top up and recharge, data plan, mobile phone, loyalty points redemption and subscription plans. The platform offers reliable and secure transactions, real-time reconciliation, simple integration for partners and efficient settlements.
• SMS and MMS Services – The integrated platform is registered as FingerMotion’s IP in China and provides a robust back-end control panel for corporate partners to manage their own messaging settings. FingerMotion’s clients range from insurance to financial industries, ecommerce firms, airlines and more. The platform offers competitive pricing for partners and provides quick and efficient review to meet timely marketing initiatives.
• Big Data Insights – FingerMotion brings Big Data-enabled insurance solutions through its Big Data Insights arm, Sapientus. The company’s strategic partnerships with the largest Chinese telecommunications giants allow access to uncover behavior insights through geolocation and mobile data usage. Its Big Data offerings include risk scoring, precise marketing, simplified underwriting and customized products.
• Rich Communication Services (RCS) – FingerMotion’s RCS platform will be a proprietary business messaging solution that enables businesses and brands to communicate their services to customers via 5G infrastructure. The company expects its RCS platform to offer a better user experience, more efficiency and cost-effectiveness when compared to other solutions.

Telecommunications and Insurtech Markets

The global telecommunications market was valued at $1.74 trillion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5% from 2020 to 2027. The steady increase is expected to be driven by the adoption of 5G and the increased popularity of Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

The Chinese telecom market was valued at $254.1 billion in 2017 and is also constantly expanding. The current Chinese telecom market is dominated by three mobile operators – China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom, which together are responsible for around 1.6 billion active subscribers (https://ibn.fm/zfwy9).

In addition, the insurtech (insurance technology) market was valued at $2.72 billion globally in 2020 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 48.8% from 2021 to 2028. The large increase is attributed to the rising use of technology solutions for everyday activities like acquiring insurance coverage (https://ibn.fm/TGo7D).

Through its proprietary platforms and technologies, FingerMotion is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the telecom and insurtech markets’ growth and opportunities.

Management Team

Martin J. Shen is the Chief Executive Officer of FingerMotion Inc. He has over 15 years of experience in senior management roles within entrepreneurial startups and large multinational corporations. He has acquired a wide range of corporate management, financial oversight and operation administration expertise through these roles. In his most recent role, he founded Imperial Distributors (formerly known as AP Martin Pharmaceutical Supplies Ltd.), establishing the company as the preferred choice for distributional support to regional pharmacies throughout Western Canada. Before founding Imperial, Mr. Shen served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Wales and Son Industrial (formerly Weir Minerals), a firm specializing in global delivery and support for mining slurry equipment. He began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Vancouver, with work tours in the tax department in Singapore and the tax audit and advisory group in Hong Kong. Mr. Shen is a U.S. Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of British Columbia.

Lee Yew Hon is the company’s Chief Financial Officer. From 2006 until November 2020, he was the Chief Financial Officer of Cubinet Interactive Group of Companies, and he also took on the Chief Operating Officer role in 2011. During his tenure, he was instrumental in leading Cubinet and building teams across the Southeast Asia region, setting up financial processes within a short time. Mr. Lee spearheaded the growth of Cubinet to other regions, including Europe, the Middle East and Russia. He received his diploma from Tunku Abdul Rahman College in 1996. He is a Chartered Accountant, a member of the Malaysia Institute of Accountants (MIA) and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK (ACMA).

Li Li is the Senior Vice President of FingerMotion. She recently served as Advisor to Shenzhen WuYiKa Technology Co. Ltd., a comprehensive service platform dedicated to online service distribution and payment. The company has become a fast and efficient provider of new media marketing solutions for the mobile internet. She has held high-level management positions with multiple industry names, including Hangzhou JiuYue Information Technology Co. Ltd. and Hangzhou LingXuan Information Technology. Ms. Li started her career in 2004, founding Shanghai ChuangYeZZ Network Technology Co. Ltd. and serving as its Vice President. With the close cooperation of local operators, the company launched SMS, MMS, WAP, mobile JAVA games, Hunan Satellite TV e-magazine and other wireless internet services to meet the rapid development of wireless internet and application requirements. She received her degree from Nanjing Academy of Engineering.

FingerMotion Inc. (FNGR), closed Monday's trading session at $1.2362, off by 9.7664%, on 33,572 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 33,572 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.17/$9.25.

Recent News

• FingerMotion Inc. (NASDAQ: FNGR) - FingerMotion Inc. (NASDAQ: FNGR) CEO Sees Optimism in Company's Revenue Growth, Plans for New Mobile Tech Services in China Market
• InvestorNewsBreaks - FingerMotion Inc. (NASDAQ: FNGR) Unveils Mobile Device Protection Product in China
• FingerMotion Inc. (NASDAQ: FNGR) Optimizing its Product Mix and Exploring New Opportunities in Huge and Growing Chinese Market

Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC)

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

Although dozens of states have now legalized medical cannabis and studies have found that cannabis can be quite effective at treating issues such as and post-traumatic stress disorder, veterans often struggle to access cannabis. Furthermore, military veterans who work in state-legal cannabis industries often lack the benefits and protections from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs that veterans outside the industry enjoy because cannabis is still illegal at the federal level. In a move that is sure to be met with praise from veterans, cannabis reform activists and industry stakeholders, the VA has clarified that veterans who work in the cannabis industry are eligible for home loans. However, the department noted that while vets who now draw their income from state-legal cannabis businesses can apply for home loans, some prospective lenders may not be willing to issue them loans. Such lenders see the instability caused by marijuana’s federal status as a Schedule I drug and they may not want to run the risk of veterans in the industry defaulting on their loans. As these inconsistencies are addressed one by one, more people will reap the benefits of being in jurisdictions where entities such as Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) are allowed to operate and make a difference in the community. Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) is aggressively pushing its brand and advancing the conversation around cannabis. “In addition, with its able management, Flora is recognizing and capitalizing on opportunities that others are yet to identify, placing it in a unique position that not only gives it a first-mover advantage but also presents a unique opportunity for growth,” a recent article that discusses a research report from Zacks reads. According to the report, 2021 saw Flora’s acquisition of Vessel Brand Inc., a move that allowed the company to establish a foothold in the United States cannabis accessories business while also improving its e-commerce capabilities. “The year would also see the construction of an all-outdoor cultivation and on-site extraction facility in Colombia, one of the largest traditional flower exporters in the world and now able to export cannabis flowers… Through its acquisitions and growing distribution network, Flora was able to post a 450% year-over-year revenue growth for the first quarter of the 2022 financial year. As a result, its management is confident that, for the entire fiscal year, the company will post between $35 million and $45 million in revenue… The company anticipates accelerating revenue growth in 2022 as it activates its Wholesale and Life Sciences growth units while simultaneously fueling expansion in the global House of Brands.” To view the full article, visit https://cnw.fm/MSkLX.

Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) is an internationally focused cannabis brand builder that leverages natural, cost-effective cultivation practices to supply cannabis derivatives to its diverse business divisions, including cosmetics, hemp textiles, and food and beverage. Flora Growth operates one of the largest outdoor cultivation facilities in the world with an aim of marketing a higher-quality premium product at below-market prices. By prioritizing natural ingredients and value-chain sustainability across its portfolio, the company creates premium products that help consumers restore and thrive.

Flora Growth completed the first traditional cannabis IPO on Nasdaq in May 2021. Although currently headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, with plans to relocate its head office to Miami, Florida, the company’s base of operations is in Colombia, where it has built an extensive distribution network that includes Colombia’s largest distributors.

Currently, Flora Growth is organically growing market share for its existing brand portfolio (pharmaceuticals, textiles, cosmetics, and food & beverage) while seeking revenue-generating acquisitions that offer an accretive distribution network to amplify revenue growth.

Existing Brand & Product Portfolio

Flora Growth’s portfolio spans a number of verticals – each with a thoughtful brand designed to resonate with its intended end consumer. In line with the company’s mission, each brand prioritizes natural ingredients and value-chain sustainability.

Flora Lab S.A.S

Flora Lab is the company’s GMP certified manufacturing and R&D center focused on producing pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals for domestic and international markets. Its offerings include product lines that are private label, white-label, and custom formulas.

Through Flora Lab, Flora Growth has relationships with 1,500+ distribution channels, manufactures 63+ OTC products registered with INVIMA (Colombia National Food and Drug Surveillance Institute), and holds multiple GMP certifications enabling international export in an effort to leverage Flora Lab’s capacity to produce a wide range of CBD-infused products.

Flora Beauty

Flora Beauty is the company’s CBD beauty and cosmetics division founded by fashion and beauty industry icon Paulina Vega. Its current offerings include two CBD skincare brands targeting the U.S. and Latin American markets – MIND NATURALS and AWE. These lines exemplify Flora Growth’s socially conscious approach to business.

Currently, Flora Beauty products are offered globally through e-commerce, as well as through Falabella’s 111 retail locations across Latin America. The company is in negotiations with major department stores to launch the line in the U.S. and is also exploring opportunities in the U.K. and other European markets.

KASA Wholefoods

KASA Wholefoods is a Colombian manufacturer of food and beverages leveraging responsibly sourced exotic fruits from the Amazon. KASA has a $10 million+ distribution agreement with Tropi, Colombia’s largest food distributor, which has 130,000+ distribution points across the country.

Mambe, KASA’s leading brand, is already offered through over 980 distribution points across Colombia. Flora Growth expects this network to grow to over 1,200 distribution points in 2021, including one of Colombia’s largest coffee chains, Tostao Café & Pan.

Hemp Textiles & Co.

Through its Hemp Textiles division, Flora Growth intends to utilize its large land package and cultivation infrastructure to capture market share in the rapidly growing hemp industrials segment.

The company’s first brand through this division, Stardog Loungewear, offers a line of comfortable loungewear made from natural, organic materials. Stardog has been distributing globally through e-commerce and brick and mortar channels in Bogota since fall 2020, and the company intends to open U.S. brick and mortar locations in 2021.

Accretive M&A

Flora Growth is targeting transactions to complete the supply chain via key infrastructure to enhance its global distribution with the aim to compete on low-cost, high-quality inputs paired with premium brands that create business lines with robust margins.

To date, Flora has announced two major transactions.

Koch & Gsell (Acquisition)

• Amplify CPG portfolio’s revenue growth through leading brand, Heimat, currently with TTM revenues of $7.6 million.
• Leverage Koch &Gsell’s distribution network of 2,500+ stores to introduce Flora to the Swiss, European and Asian markets.
• Bring patented hemp cigarette manufacturing technology into new markets utilizing Flora’s high-quality cannabis.

Hoshi International (Investment)

• Equity Investment of €2 million into Hoshi to establish Flora as a preferred supplier to two EU processing facilities.
• Opens gateway for Flora Growth’s cannabis through international distribution agreements in the EU and U.K.
• Hoshi’s experienced team and increased access to the EU cannabis market to serve as a catalyst for revenue growth.

Cultivation

Key to Flora Growth’s expansion efforts is its cultivation strategy. The company’s Cosechemos farm, located in Bucaramanga, Colombia, is currently licensed to cultivate 247 acres of cannabis. Through three successful pilot crop plantings, the location has demonstrated a production cost of just $0.06/gram. For comparison, the average cost of North American cannabis (based on 2019 figures from Aphria, Tilray, Sundial, and Aurora) equates to roughly $1.89/gram.
Flora Growth is uniquely positioned to capitalize on Colombia’s favorable growing conditions, low-cost infrastructure, and affordable local workforce as it looks to ramp up its cultivation efforts moving forward.

Leadership Team

Bernard Wilson is the Chairman of Flora Growth. A senior financial professional, Dr. Wilson is the former Vice-Chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and is the Chairman of the Founders Board of the Institute of Corporate Directors. He has also served as Chairman of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce; Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce – Canada; and Member of the Canada/U.S. Trade Committee. Dr. Wilson draws on this experience to ensure Flora Growth adheres to effective corporate governance practices.

Luis Merchan is the company’s President and CEO. He is a proven executive with over a decade of experience in enterprise sales management, corporate strategy, merchandising and expense management, and customer experience. Mr. Merchan previously served as Macy’s Inc.’s Vice President of Workforce Strategy and Operations, where he managed the enterprise’s multi-billion-dollar P&L expense line for the entire 540 store portfolio. Throughout his tenure at Macy’s, he led various sales and marketing initiatives, including the B2B corporate sales team that was responsible for $160 million in annual revenue. Mr. Merchan obtained his Bachelor of Industrial Engineering from Pontifical Xaverian University in Bogota, Colombia, and his MBA from McNeese State University. He also holds a Graduate Certificate in Marketing Management from Harvard.

Juan Manuel Galan is a Strategic Advisor to the Flora Growth management team. Mr. Galan currently serves as a senior consultant to The World Bank. He is a politician and former senator of Colombia, serving three terms from 2006 to 2018 as a member of the Colombian Liberal Party. He is also a former professor at the University of Rosario and holds more than 20 years of journalistic, academic, governmental and parliamentary experience. During his time as a senator, Mr. Galan was a key leader, with 29 bills and 27 debates on political control, and 17 laws to his name. The most relevant of those laws was authoring the medical cannabis law that resulted in the legalization of medical cannabis in Colombia.

Stan Bharti is a Director of Flora Growth. Mr. Bharti currently serves as Executive Chairman of Forbes & Manhattan. He has more than 30 years of professional experience in business, finance, markets, operations and more, with a focus on the resource and technology sectors. To date, Mr. Bharti has amassed over $3 billion worth of investment capital for the companies with which he has worked and their shareholders. He is a Professional Mining Engineer and holds a master’s degree in engineering from Moscow, Russia, and University of London, England.

Javier Franco is the company’s VP of Agriculture. Mr. Franco is a master horticulturist with more than 25 years of experience in the design, implementation, and management of cultivation and propagation facilities of more than 30 species of cut flowers in Latin America. He completed his agricultural studies at Zamorano University in Honduras and later at an International Exchange Program at Ohio State University. Mr. Franco has directed technical, commercial, and research groups in the cut flower, fruit and vegetable markets in Latin America and has participated in the commercial development of new technologies applied in agribusiness. He has also led the agri-management of organic crops and certifications of Good Agricultural Practices.

Flora Growth Corp. (FLGC), closed Monday's trading session at $0.6499, off by 1.709%, on 695,733 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 696,492 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.61/$21.45.

Recent News

• Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) - 420 with CNW - VA Clarifies That Veterans Working in Cannabis Industry Can Apply for Home Loans
• CannabisNewsBreaks - Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) Poised for First-Mover Advantage
• 420 with CNW - Senators Express Disappointment with President Biden's Failure to Enact Marijuana Reforms

CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP)

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

A new study has found an alternative approach that would make immunotherapy treatments more effective when treating brain tumors. Immunotherapy drugs are usually used to treat a range of cancers. However, glioblastoma multiforme, which is a fatal type of cancer, remains resistant to this revolutionary treatment because the immune system finds it hard to detect and target these tumors, allowing them to grow undisturbed. Researchers have been looking for ways to treat this deadly cancer whose tumors are usually hidden behind the blood-brain barrier. This location hinders drugs from crossing into the central nervous system’s fluid. For their research, the investigators focused on the STING pathway, which derives its name from the STING protein. This particular protein plays a crucial role in helping cells detect cancer cells and pathogens. The objective of the researchers was to find a way to overcome this particular drug-delivery challenge. As more companies such as CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) allocate greater resources to engaging in brain cancer R&D, patients are likely to access new medicines that are much better options to what is currently available.

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

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

Organ Targeted Therapeutics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Global Brain Tumor Therapeutics Market

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

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

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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

CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP), closed Monday's trading session at $0.2377, off by 11.963%, on 930,991 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 930,991 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.235/$1.85.

Recent News

• CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) - Preclinical Study Uncovers Potential Key to Treating Deadly Brain Tumors
• CNS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) Expands Patient Eligibility for Brain Cancer Drug Trial, Receives Approval from U.S. FDA for Protocol Amendment
• Study Suggests That Test of Memory May Signal Brain Tumor Presence

Laredo Oil Inc. (OTC: LRDC)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Laredo Oil Inc. (LRDC).

Laredo Oil Inc. (OTC: LRDC) is a publicly traded oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) company engaging in the acquisition and development of both undervalued quality conventional oil and gas properties and select mature oil fields that are suitable for the company’s proprietary Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) methods.

Laredo Oil is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

Conventional Acreage

Laredo Oil’s primary focus is on acquiring, developing, and operating undervalued conventional oil and gas properties.

The company leased 23,739 mineral acres in the Western Williston Basin of Montana, at favorable prices during the most recent down cycle and continues to take leases in the area. Before year end, it expects to drill the first development well at one of the first of 10 potential locations it has identified. If that well yields the anticipated results, the company plans to begin drilling additional wells there as soon as practical thereafter. The company believes the leased acreage has the potential to yield at least five years of development opportunities.

The company intends to pursue aggressively the acquisition of quality assets that major, mid-major, and large independent oil and gas companies continue to divest themselves of at a discount in response to ESG (Environmental, Social and Governmental) & sustainability initiatives and other pressures imposed upon them by their activist boards of directors. The company will focus on value, growth potential and free cash flow while complying with common sense ESG policies, often having a lower environmental impact than its competitors through its EOR methods.

EOR

In addition to pursuing conventional acreage and properties, Laredo Oil plans to acquire additional select mature oil fields where it believes that it can profitably use its proprietary Underground Gravity Drainage™ (UGD) model to recover stranded oil reserves (reserves previously considered to be economically incapable of recovery). The UGD method is applicable to mature oil fields that have very specific geological and reservoir characteristics.

Laredo Oil has done extensive research and field level application over the last 10 years and has identified specific oil fields within the United States that it believes are qualified for the UGD recovery method. The company believes the costs of implementing the UGD method are significantly lower than those of other commonly used EOR methods. Laredo Oil believes that it can materially increase the field oil production rate from prior periods and, in some cases, recover amounts of oil equal to or greater than amounts previously recovered from the mature fields selected.

Market Outlook

The company expects U.S. oil prices to climb in the near term as energy demand intensifies with the economy continuing to recover from the COVID-19 slowdown. Also causing upward price pressure is global supply chain dysfunction that slows or prevents shipments, including energy components, from reaching destinations. Domestic oil production is also constrained by years of reduced investment in fossil fuel producers due to green energy mandates. Accordingly, the company believes that the short-term outlook for oil is favorable. Many industries have yet to reach their pre-COVID production levels, which the company believes points to a continuing near-term upward trend in energy demand.

Management Team

Mark See has been the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company since October 16, 2009. He has over 30 years’ experience in heavy civil, natural resources and the E&P industries. He was the founder and founding CEO of Rock Well Petroleum, a private oil & gas company until December 2008 and worked from then until October 2009 forming Laredo Oil. He was employed with Albian Sands as the Manager for the Alberta Oil Sands Projects at Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, a joint venture between Shell Canada and Chevron. Mr. See was also President of Oil Recovery Enhancement LLC in Bozeman, Montana, a private oil company. He was selected as one of the top 25 Engineers in North America by the Engineering News Record for his innovations in the petroleum industry. He is a graduate of the Mackay School of Mines at the University of Nevada at Reno, with a degree in Mining Engineering. He is a member of the Society of Mining Engineers and the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Bradley Sparks currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Laredo Oil and has been a director of the company since March 1, 2011. Before joining Laredo Oil in October 2009, he was the Chief Executive Officer, President and a Director of Visualant Inc. Prior to joining Visualant, he was the Chief Financial Officer of WatchGuard Technologies Inc. from 2005-2006. Before joining WatchGuard, he was the founder and managing director of Sunburst Growth Ventures LLC, a private investment firm specializing in emerging-growth companies. Previously, he founded Pointer Communications and served as Chief Financial Officer for several telecommunications and internet companies, including eSpire Communications Inc., Digex Inc., Omnipoint Corporation, and WAM!NET. He also served as Vice President and Treasurer of MCI Communications from 1988-1993 and as Vice President and Controller from 1993-1995. Before his tenure at MCI, Mr. Sparks held various financial management positions at Ryder System Inc. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Comrise. Mr. Sparks graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1969 and is a former Army Captain in the Signal Corps. He has a Master of Science in Management from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is a licensed CPA in Florida.

Donald Beckham has served as a director of the company since March 1, 2011. Since July 2015, he has been a partner with Copestone Energy Partners LLC. In 1993, he founded Beckham Resources Inc. (“BRI”), which, for over 30 years, has been a licensed, bonded and insured operator in good standing with the Railroad Commission of Texas. Through BRI, Mr. Beckham has drilled and operated fields for his own account. His expertise is in the acquisition, exploitation, exploration and production enhancement of mature oil and gas fields through which he has been able to enhance production by compressor optimization, pump design, work-over programs, stimulation techniques and identifying new pay zones. Prior to BRI, Mr. Beckham was the chief operations manager for Houston Oil Fields Corporation (“HOFCO”), where he began his career. There, he was responsible for drilling, production and field operations and managed approximately 100 people, including engineers, geologists, land men, pumpers, and other contract personnel, as well as state and federal environmental and regulatory functions. He managed an annual capital budget of approximately $30 million and operated approximately 100 wells. HOFCO drilled about 20 wells per annum and performed approximately 30 recompletions and work over operations each year. HOFCO owned interests in about 10 key fields principally in Texas, and company-managed production was approximately 1,000 bpd of crude oil and 10 mm cfd of natural gas. Mr. Beckham is a petroleum engineer and 1984 graduate of Mississippi State University.

Michael Price, an independent director of Laredo Oil, has over 40 years of senior financial and petroleum experience in the global oil and gas industry. He has been a principal in Octagon Energy Advisors, a Houston-based energy investment advisory firm, from 2002 to the present. The firm advises financial institutions and institutional investors participating in energy investments. From 2008 through his retirement in 2021, he was a Managing Director at ING Capital, which provides debt financing to domestic exploration and production companies. From 1998 through 2002, Mr. Price was the Chief Financial Officer of Forman Petroleum Corporation. Before that, Mr. Price was Managing Director at Chase Manhattan Bank for 15 years and was in charge of technical support for Chase’s worldwide energy merchant banking activities. In his early career, he worked as a consulting principal on domestic petroleum engineering and landowner matters and gained extensive international experience working with major oil companies in a variety of operating positions. He holds a BS and MS from Illinois Institute of Technology, an MBA from the University of Chicago, a M.Sc. from the London School of Economics, and an MS in Petroleum Engineering from Tulane University.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release and the statements made by Laredo Oil, Inc. in this press release may be forward-looking in nature and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements describe Laredo Oil’s future plans, projections, strategies and expectations, and may be identified by words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “seeks”, “estimates” or the negative versions of those words or other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and involve a number of risks, uncertainties, situations and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Laredo Oil or the oil industry to be materially different from any future results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these statements. These factors include changes in interest rates, market competition, changes in the local and national economies, and various other factors detailed from time to time in the reports filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Laredo Oil undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Laredo Oil Inc. (LRDC), closed Monday's trading session at $0.16, up 6.6667%, on 64,276 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 64,276 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0401/$0.2714.

Recent News

• Laredo Oil Inc. (OTC: LRDC) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Laredo Oil Inc. (LRDC) Capitalizing on Simplicity to De-Risk, Increase Production, Be Profitable
• Laredo Oil Inc. (LRDC) Plans Drilling of First Well in Lustre Oil Field This Month
• Laredo Oil Inc. (LRDC) CEO Talks Niche, Strategy in Bell2Bell Podcast

BlockQuarry Corp. (OTC: BLQC)

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

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

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

Mission

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

Cryptocurrency Mining

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

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

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

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

Business Innovations

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

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

Market Opportunity

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

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