Software Effective Solutions Corp. (OTC: SFWJ)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Software Effective Solutions Corp. (OTC: SFWJ).

Recent report projects global cannabis market to reach $444.34 billion by 2030

MedCana and its subsidiaries are focused on establishing stronghold in this expanding space

MedCana is committed to advancing cannabis production and agricultural technology around the world, while also driving innovation and promoting sustainability

The cannabis industry continues to grow, as it has consistently for the past several years. Recent projections value the global cannabis market at almost $445 billion by 2030 (https://cnw.fm/k4VDg). This is good news for Software Effective Solutions (d/b/a MedCana) (OTC: SFWJ), a leading entity in the cannabis and agricultural technology sectors. Recently, MedCana noted remarkable advancements across its diverse portfolio, which includes five companies focused on pharmaceutical cannabis production, as well as a software company focused on managing processes for plant-to-patient operations (https://cnw.fm/a2HeY).

Software Effective Solutions Corp. (d/b/a MedCana) (OTC: SFWJ) is a global infrastructure and holding company in the cannabis industry. MedCana currently has five companies focused on pharmaceutical cannabis production, as well a software company focused on managing processes for plant-to-patient operations. The recent acquisition of an irrigation and greenhouse technology company has rounded out MedCana’s portfolio of holdings.

MedCana’s focus is on developing clients and companies in Latin America, initially in Colombia, and partnerships with laboratories, research facilities and hospitals throughout the world. MedCana is building the technology, laboratories, growing facilities and scientific teams to provide premium pharmaceutical-grade cannabis extracts to the world.

MedCana’s goal is to be the world’s premier resource for pharmaceutical cannabis products. The company believes its advantage is its global view and reach. From initial cultivation to final product, MedCana aims to help partners produce pharmaceutical CBD and other extracts that will have no equal.

The company’s mission is to utilize its technology to partner with and develop companies that provide premium pharmaceutical-grade cannabis extracts with absolute integrity, sustainability and social responsibility. MedCana’s team of pharmaceutical scientists includes some of the most respected chemists in the world. They aim to ensure that the company’s customers and partners create premium cannabis extracts that meet the growing worldwide demand. MedCana’s software is designed to ensure traceability and quality from seed to finished product.

MedCana is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with offices in Colombia.

Production

MedCana announced in May 2023 the beginning of full-scale production of non-THC cannabis for export to Europe in response to high demand in that market. This expansion comes after the successful completion of full crop cycle testing and infrastructure development at production sites in Columbia.

The recent acquisition of the assets of Tokan Corp., a software company focused on creating an enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform for the cannabis industry, and Eko2O S.A.S., a greenhouse and irrigation engineering company, has positioned MedCana for explosive growth in the region.

As a MedCana subsidiary, Eko2O SA will increase the company’s revenue potential in Central and South America. The subsidiary specializes in the construction and distribution of greenhouses and sophisticated irrigation platforms. A positive outlook has resulted from the company’s expansion as it investigates new opportunities for greenhouse and irrigation system installations in Panama and Uruguay. These opportunities are expected to accelerate Eko2O’s development and strengthen its position as a top supplier of innovative agricultural solutions in cannabis and other sectors that are quickly moving to high technology agricultural production.

In addition, MedCana has started talks with the government in Argentina about possible incentives for beginning operations in that country as part of its ongoing worldwide development strategy. Support from the Argentinean government and the start of new operations there would greatly increase MedCana’s market share in Latin America and solidify the company’s position as the market leader in the cannabis industry.

Market Opportunity

According to a report by Grand View Research, a San Francisco-based market research and consulting company, the global cannabis extract market was valued at $3.5 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 20% from 2023 to 2030 to be worth more than $15 billion.

Growing demand for cannabis extracts, including oils and tinctures, and the increased legalization of marijuana for the treatment of different chronic ailments like arthritis, Alzheimer’s, anxiety and cancer are driving the expansion of the industry. The marijuana derivative industry is flourishing due to a greater understanding of its various medical benefits.

Management Team

Jose Gabriel Diaz is CEO of MedCana. He has successfully built, grown and sold multiple telecom companies. He was senior vice president of sales at IP Communications, a national high-speed data provider. He also founded Reallinx, a national data carrier later sold to GTT Communications. Additionally, he is currently president of the A.E.M. Business and Entrepreneurship Association in Austin, Texas.

Claudio Jiménez Cartagena, QF, Ph.D. is Chief Scientific Officer at MedCana. He joined MedCana after working with Sosteli Pharma as Technical Director and serving as a director consultant for the Corporation for Agricultural Industrial Development at the University of Antioquia in Colombia. Before that, he worked as the scientific director at the Institute of Food Science & Technology. He holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical chemistry, a master’s degree in basic biomedical sciences and a doctoral degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Antioquia.

Julián Alberto Londoño Londoño, Ph.D., is Senior Vice President of Operations at MedCana. He previously served as general manager for the Corporation for Agricultural Industrial Development, and as Chief Scientific Officer at Sosteli Pharma in the Resource Management Department. He has developed multiple U.S. patents, and recently served as senior advisor to the Secretariat of Agriculture Development for the Government of Antioquia. He holds a doctorate in Chemical Sciences from the University of Antioquia.

Software Effective Solutions Corp. (OTC: SFWJ), closed Monday's trading session at $0.0275, even for the day, on 4 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.000001/$0.09.

Recent News

• Software Effective Solutions Corp. (OTC: SFWJ) - Software Effective Solutions Corp. (SFWJ) Notes Subsidiaries Making 'Remarkable' Advancements in Array of Sectors Around the World
• 420 with CNW - White House Objects to Proposal Seeking to End Cannabis Testing for Army Recruits
• 420 with CNW - Senators Revive Push for Cannabis Industry to Access SBA Resources, Loans

GEMXX Corp. (OTC: GEMZ)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight GEMXX Corp. (OTC: GEMZ) .

Recently released economic data from the United States indicates that consumer spending may be constrained at the moment. This comes after the U.S. Department of Commerce released a report showing that last month's retail sales improved in comparison to data from April. The report has facilitated an increase in the price of gold and led many to speculate that the Fed may soon reduce interest rates, after it stated in the last meeting that the present monetary policy was appropriate. During this period, the U.S. dollar index dropped by .05% to 105.27. Additional data also showed improved industrial production last month. With regard to gold, it is expected that if the precious metal's price surpasses $2,350, the price may move higher to June 7's $2,387 and maybe even hit $2,400. On the other hand, if XAU/USD goes below $2,300, it is expected to continue dropping and may even reach March's $2,222 value. If the price of gold keeps rising, jewelry makers such as GEMXX Corp. (OTC: GEMZ) will have a bigger advantage over their competitors because of their involvement in the entire value chain from gold mining to jewelry making.

GEMXX Corp. (OTC: GEMZ) is a mine-to-market enterprise specializing in gold, gemstone, and jewelry production. With ownership of mining resources, production facilities, and operational assets, the company maintains control over every aspect of its production process, from gold mining and gemstone extraction to jewelry manufacturing and global distribution.

As a prominent player in the industry, GEMXX stands out as a leading producer of high-quality finished Ammolite jewelry. Notably, it holds the distinction of being the sole public company engaged in Ammolite mining worldwide. In addition to its Ammolite operations, the company is actively involved in gold mining and prides itself on its ability to design and manufacture exquisite jewelry pieces and exceptionally rare, natural fossil decor items for clientele around the globe.

One of GEMXX’s key advantages lies in mining its own gold reserves to be utilized in its jewelry production. This strategic approach provides the company with a cost-saving edge over other producers in the market.

Ammolite is similar to black opal and is a biogenic gem like amber and pearl. It is derived from the fossilized shells of ammonites, a group of extinct marine nautiluses.

GEMXX’s world class gemstone cutters and jewelry designers are continuously leading the Ammolite industry. Its team believes in the company’s philosophy, vision and goals, and works every day to continue to drive the Ammolite industry to the forefront of the gem world.

The company has offices in Las Vegas and Hong Kong.

Projects and Operations

GEMXX has formulated an ambitious growth plan that, while challenging, is deemed attainable. The company’s strategy revolves around bolstering its market share through several key initiatives. Firstly, GEMXX aims to strengthen its position in current markets by nurturing and expanding existing relationships with customers and partners.

Secondly, the company plans to venture into untapped markets strategically. By identifying and targeting new areas, GEMXX seeks to establish a presence in regions that present promising opportunities for growth.

Additionally, GEMXX envisions growth through acquisitions. By considering and integrating key services, distribution networks and retail outlets into its fold, the company aims to consolidate its market position and capitalize on synergies for enhanced success.

To cater to the rising demand for its products, GEMXX has placed a primary focus on increasing gemstone production. The company’s southern properties, situated in Alberta, Canada, hold valuable deposits of rough Ammolite gemstone. By tapping into these resources, GEMXX is poised to meet the demand for its exquisite gemstone products and further fuel its expansion plans.

 

GEMXX possesses significant mineral assets in the form of a Mineral Work Permit covering an 800-acre area and two Ammonite Shell Mineral agreements encompassing 217 acres within the same region. The company’s management effectively operated mines in close proximity to these properties. Moreover, core sampling, along with fossil outcroppings on the riverbanks, confirms a substantial Ammolite resource present in these designated areas.

Both the Mineral Work Permit and the Ammonite Shell Mineral agreements grant GEMXX unrestricted access to all Ammolite resources within their respective demarcations. Notably, the company is not obligated to pay any royalties to third parties, thereby enabling GEMXX to fully capitalize on the potential of these valuable resources.

Furthermore, there are no stringent regulatory conditions that GEMXX must fulfill to gain or retain access to the Ammolite deposits. This freedom of access allows the company to proceed with its mining and production operations unimpeded, providing an advantageous position for future growth and success.

In March 2023, GEMXX made a significant announcement, revealing its acquisition of a 50% ownership stake in Crazy Horse Mining Inc., a Canadian gold mining company with assets situated in the province of British Columbia. As part of this deal, Crazy Horse’s assets, which encompass a 100% interest in two gold projects, called Snow Creek and Rosella Creek, spread across a substantial area exceeding 700 acres, now become part of GEMXX’s portfolio.

Under the terms of this strategic partnership, GEMXX and Crazy Horse will jointly share the expenses related to mining operations on these projects. Additionally, the two companies will share the gold produced from these ventures, leading to a collaborative and mutually beneficial arrangement.

Initial tests conducted on the property, combined with gold already recovered this season, confirm all expectations for the claims and substantiate the company’s estimated extraction target of over 100,000 ounces of easily recoverable gold. To validate and provide a more comprehensive assessment of this estimate, an S-K 1300-compliant Resource Report is scheduled to be conducted during the summer of 2023.

By acquiring this stake in Crazy Horse Mining Inc., GEMXX has positioned itself for further growth in the gold mining sector and is poised to capitalize on cost of goods savings in its jewelry business.

Market Opportunity

Leading independent market research companies such as Data Monitor and GIA estimate the worldwide market for luxury or premium lifestyle products, which include gems and jewelry, at over $90 billion annually and growing. Ammolite sales around the world have seen unprecedented growth over the past 20 years. Worldwide retail sales are now estimated to be over $100 million.

Ammolite jewelry and fossils are featured aboard cruise ships and can be found in specialty shops in almost every cruise port in North America. Asian markets have grown since feng shui master Edward Li called Ammolite the most influential stone of the new millennium, referring to it as the “Seven Color Prosperity Stone.” Home shopping channels in Japan, Australia, France, Germany, the UK, Canada and the U.S. have all featured Ammolite jewelry.

Ammolite and ammonites can also be found on many ecommerce sales platforms, including Amazon, eBay and Etsy. Ammolite is sold around the world in tourist and traditional jewelry markets. The company has established customers in home shopping channels, cruise tourism, jewelry retailers, Asian feng shui markets, Asian retail markets and ecommerce platforms.

Management Team

With over 160 years in Ammolite management, operations, and sales, GEMXX possesses an unparalleled wealth of knowledge and expertise. Its team members have extensive backgrounds in every facet of the Ammolite business, allowing the company to excel in product development, maintain rigorous quality control measures, and maximize profitability. The breadth and depth of the GEMXX team’s experience enable the company to navigate the industry with precision, ensuring that GEMXX remains at the forefront of the Ammolite market. GEMXX leverages its collective wisdom to drive innovation, deliver exceptional products, and optimize business strategies to achieve long-term success.

Jay Maull is Founder, CEO and Chairman of GEMXX. With a career spanning more than three decades, he has been deeply involved in the Ammolite industry, from mining and production to marketing. He has owned and operated the world’s largest Ammolite mine and has delivered exceptional Ammolite products to customers across all continents. He has also established the world’s largest Ammolite ecommerce platform.

Richard Clowater is President of GEMXX. He is a skilled sales and marketing professional with a focus on research, data analysis and strategic planning. He has successfully implemented initiatives to expand markets, boost profits and foster customer loyalty. He has an impressive track record of negotiating sales and contracts worth over $250 million with influential stakeholders, including key purchasing personnel, C-suite executives and government entities at all levels.

Tom Dryden is a Vice President of GEMXX and brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the production and marketing of Ammolite, spanning over 30 years. His extensive involvement in the industry has granted him unparalleled knowledge of the Bearpaw Ammonite bearing formations. As a recognized authority in the field, Mr. Dryden’s research and papers on Canadian Ammonites have garnered global recognition, being published worldwide. In his role at GEMXX, Mr. Dryden assumes the responsibility of overseeing the company’s Canadian-based production facilities. 

P. K. Chung is Business Manager Asia at GEMXX. With a track record of over 25 years in Ammolite business management, production and marketing in Asia, she is a recognized authority in the industry. Based in the Hong Kong gem district, she possesses an intricate understanding of the Asian gem and jewelry markets, including market dynamics, consumer preferences and industry trends specific to the region. Her strategic insights and deep connections enable GEMXX to thrive in this influential market.

GEMXX Corp. (OTC: GEMZ), closed Monday's trading session at $0.026, even for the day, on 11,000 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.0172/$0.19.

Recent News

• GEMXX Corp. (OTC: GEMZ) - Gold Price Registers Uptick as Softer American Data Raises Rate Cut Possibility
• GEMXX Corp. (GEMZ) Announces Definitive Agreement with Latin Energy Partners in Strategic Latin America Venture
• InvestorNewsBreaks - GEMXX Corp. (GEMZ) Collaborates to Capitalize on High-Potential Opportunities in the Energy Sector

Horizon Fintex | Upstream

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Horizon Fintex | Upstream

Upstream, a MERJ Exchange stock market and global trading app, provided an overview of exchange-traded funds ("ETF") in its latest blog. The author, Anastasia Samaras, also explained what the innovative app aims to do for the ETF market while noting that this year "has seen a surge" in launches and regulatory approvals of ETFs for cryptocurrencies.

Since the first-ever U.S.-listed crypto ETF approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") in January, 11 applications have been approved by the SEC. Plus, in April, Hong Kong became the first in Asia to offer retail investors the ability to trade the cryptocurrencies at spot prices when it launched 6 spot Bitcoin and Ether exchange-traded funds. Additionally, earlier this month, the Australian Stock Exchange announced its inaugural spot Bitcoin ETF.

The blog also observed that the approval of Ether ETFs "was met with positive reactions, unsurprising given the industry's view of Bitcoin ETFs as a major turning point for cryptocurrency and blockchain as a whole." While Upstream is not a cryptocurrency market and does not allow account funding via Bitcoin, Ether or crypto trading, the app is actively accepting applications for both Ether and Bitcoin ETFs to list.

"Just as Upstream works to make it easier for international investors to access U.S. and international equities, we are now working to bring ETFs to the masses as well," Upstream's latest blog stated. "This growth in crypto ETFs is highlighting the demand for investors to gain exposure to cryptocurrency, and our goal is to make them more accessible globally. . . . These industry milestones are significant to us as an Ethereum-powered market, and we look forward to meeting the demand from global investors who want to invest in spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs from a streamlined account without directly holding the cryptocurrency. Upstream seeks to give international investors simplified access to securities from exchanges throughout the globe, much as ether ETFs want to give investors simplified access to cryptocurrency."

To view the full blog, visit https://ibn.fm/IG2ro

Horizon Fintex is a software business specializing in compliant securities solutions. The company aims to facilitate the future of capital markets by leveraging the regulatory experience of Wall Street bankers and the proven track record of technology veterans to bring focus to compliance, efficiency, security and transparency.

Horizon’s flagship product is the revolutionary trading app ‘Upstream’, a MERJ Exchange Market, and the first regulated market powered by a blockchain to offer both digital securities and NFT trading. Upstream traders experience T+0 settlement, best bids and offers displayed on a transparent public orderbook that prevents predatory market practices – all from a user-friendly trading app.

Products

Horizon Fintex offers a full suite of end-to-end blockchain-enhanced software solutions to create a seamless experience for both issuers and investors. Its product suite includes:

• Securitization & Issuance – ETSware is an end-to-end Electronic Trading System streamlining capital raising from primary issuance through compliant secondary trading.
• KYC Compliance Onboarding – KYCware is a white label Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance software solution offering best-in-class cryptographic security to compliantly onboard and verify user identity through a smartphone application.
• AML Screening Software – AMLCop offers advanced Anti-Money Laundering (AML) software to streamline the verification of user details against a proprietary database of global sanctions, politically exposed persons (PEPs) and watchlists.
• Cap. Table Management Tools – CustodyWare equips registered U.S. transfer agents with next-generation cap. table management software to manage securities on behalf of their clients pursuant to an SEC-registered or exempt securities offering.
• Exchange & Trading App Technology – Open Order Book offers Ethereum blockchain securities exchange software to power the next generation of trading venues for digital assets.

Upstream – The Horizon-Powered Trading App

Upstream is a joint venture with MERJ Exchange (merj.exchange), an affiliate of the World Federation of Exchanges.

Upstream aims to be the premiere global trading hub offering issuers around the world exposure to a digital-first investor base that can trade using USDC digital currency along with credit, debit, PayPal, and USD (fiat) to increase liquidity and enhance price discovery; while also offering investors access to dual-listed companies, IPOs, crowdfunded companies, U.S. & Int’l. equities, digital coupons and NFTs directly from a user-friendly trading app.

Upstream aims to unlock liquidity for investors of all levels while offering industry-leading levels of transparency, accessibility and investor protections enforced using Ethereum blockchain technology.

Management Team

Brian Collins is the CEO of Horizon Fintex. He founded the company in 2010. From 1999-2010, Mr. Collins was CEO of Abbey Technology in Switzerland, specializing in the design of trading software for Swiss banks. Prior to this, he worked for Credit Suisse in Zürich, designing and building proprietary equity trading solutions. Mr. Collins graduated in 1990 with a BS in Computer Systems from the University of Limerick, Ireland.

Mark Elenowitz is the company’s President. He is a Wall Street veteran with over 29 years of experience. Mr. Elenowitz was the co-founder of a U.S. broker dealer and is Managing Director of two U.S. broker dealers, responsible for advising clients on compliance, capital structure and capital market navigation. He was responsible for leading the first successful Reg A+ IPO of a company to list on the NYSE and others which listed directly onto Nasdaq. He is a noted speaker at Small Cap and Reg A events, including the SEC Small Business Forum, and has been profiled in BusinessWeek and CNBC, as well as several other publications. Mr. Elenowitz is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Business and Management with a BS in Finance and holds Series 24, 62, 63, 79, 82 and 99 licenses.

Dr. Andrew Le Gear is the CTO of Horizon Fintex. Prior to joining the company in 2013, he worked as a software engineer with Dell Inc. (2012-2013) and Lehman Brothers and Nomura Plc. (2007-2012). Dr. Le Gear was a co-founder of Juneberi Ltd., a research-driven software tech start-up (2004-2007). He graduated in 2006 with a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Limerick, Ireland.

Peter Hall is the company’s CIO. Prior to joining Horizon Fintex in 2011, he worked at Microsoft (2008-2011), Atos Origin (2004-2008) and AIT Group Plc. (1998-2002). Mr. Hall has held CISSP certification since 2010. He graduated from the University of Sheffield, UK in 1995 and earned an MS from the University College London in 2006.

Mike Boswell is the CFO of Horizon Fintex. A Wall Street veteran, he co-founded a U.S. broker dealer and served as Chief Compliance Officer. Mr. Boswell was also Managing Director of TriPoint Capital Advisors, a merchant banking and financial consulting company, and CFO of Mission Solutions Group, a privately held defense sector firm. He earned an MBA from John Hopkins University and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland. Mr. Boswell holds Series 24, 62, 63, 79, 82 and 99 licenses.

Recent News

• Horizon Fintex | Upstream - InvestorNewsBreaks – Upstream Outlines Overview of Bitcoin, Ether ETF Market and Notes Commitment to ‘Bring ETFs to the Masses’
• InvestorNewsBreaks – Upstream Article Talks T+2 to T+1 Settlement Cycle, Notes Introduction of T+0 Settlement
• Web3 Could Benefit from Availing More Functional Tools to Users

Coyuchi Inc.

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Coyuchi Inc.

Companies are facing more pressure to produce accurate and comprehensive environmental, social and governance (ESG) reports as new directives are introduced and regulatory oversight increases. This has led to some issues, with some companies having to deal with data unavailability and ensuring the consistency and accuracy of their reports. To help with this, some companies have embraced the use of artificial intelligence, as it improves the efficiency, precision and comprehensiveness of their reporting practices. How else can artificial intelligence be used to transform ESG reporting? By using advanced algorithms and historical data, artificial intelligence-powered predictive analytics can predict future outcomes on sustainability. This, in turn, empowers businesses to address social and environmental challenges before they become bigger. Predictive analytics can also aid companies in anticipating possible risks related to ESG factors, which may allow businesses to come up with strategies to capitalize on opportunities and alleviate risks, helping ensure resilience and long-term sustainability. In addition, it can inform decision-making at both the operational and strategic levels, which will be good for strategic planning. Entities such as Coyuchi Inc. would do themselves a big favor by constantly looking out for better AI tech to help in their ESG efforts.

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

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

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

A Lucrative Market Ripe for the Taking

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

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

Industry Defining Sustainability Practices

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

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

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

Omnichannel Business Model

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

Coyuchi’s Organic Textile Products

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

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

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

Management Team

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

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

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

Use of Proceeds

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

Recent News

• Coyuchi Inc. - How AI Can Take ESG Reporting to Next Level
• ESG Spending Vital in Supporting Business Resilience
• ESG Can Boost Portfolio Performance Over Time

Astiva Health

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Astiva Health

Many older adults are at risk of developing mental-health conditions, including depression and anxiety disorders

NCOA reports that "fewer than 50% of older adults with mental and/or substance-use disorders receive treatment"

Astiva Health is committed to providing strategic, enhanced mental-health services for seniors to help them identify and effectively treat mental-health challenges

As baby boomers continue to reach their "golden" years, the number of older adults grappling with mental illness also continues to increase. Astiva Health is committed to providing enhanced mental-health services for its members, as more seniors face mental disorders.

Astiva Health is a dynamic and innovative Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) health plan committed to reshaping the landscape of personalized and comprehensive healthcare. The company offers full medical, drugs, and supplemental benefits for Medicare enrollees, currently serving counties in California, including Orange, San Diego, Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino. This broad coverage reflects Astiva Health’s dedication to reaching a diverse demographic and addressing the healthcare needs of individuals across Southern California.

Astiva Health primarily serves a heretofore underserved Asian American and Pacific Islander population, which positions it in a critical and expanding market segment and offers substantial growth potential. The company recognizes the diverse needs within its served communities and strives to bridge healthcare gaps through proactive and culturally responsive solutions.

Astiva Health cares about its members and works to establish lifelong relationships with them by providing a tailored approach to healthcare, offering multilingual solutions for customer service, marketing materials and educational resources. Health is an essential key to living a good life, and Astiva Health makes it a priority to help members love the life they live.

The company’s mission is to deliver an unparalleled level of quality care to its members. Astiva Health’s Medicare Advantage plans provide lower costs and additional benefits beyond original Medicare coverage.

Founded in southern California, Astiva Health has strategically positioned itself in a region with a dynamic and diverse population. The organization’s extensive network and culturally responsive approach to healthcare make it well-suited to cater to the needs of the local community, creating a competitive advantage in the market.

The company is based in Orange, California.

Healthcare Model

Astiva Health is not just another health plan. The company considers the uniqueness of its members and, therefore, the means for delivering quality care to each one. To best serve its members, Astiva Health has developed one of the most diverse networks in southern California, offering a selection of medical, drugs, and supplemental benefits including dental, acupuncture, vision and hearing plans tailored to the specialized needs of individual members.

The company’s health plans provide increasing levels of benefits to members in the counties it serves. Astiva Health’s Customer Care Support and representatives are available to assist members with any issues.

The organization’s proactive approach to overcoming language barriers for the Vietnamese communities demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity and enhances accessibility – a key factor for future growth. The successful implementation of strategies for the Vietnamese community sets a precedent for Astiva Health’s ability to adapt and apply similar approaches to serve other ethnic groups in future expansions, broadening the potential impact of its services.

The company provides members access to experienced and dedicated providers and local pharmacies that work together with each member to pave a pathway toward better health. The company’s online directory provides members with a comprehensive list of providers to fit their specialized needs.

Astiva Health collaborates with a variety of partners who offer supplemental benefits to members beyond Medicare. Those benefits include transportation, vision, dental, hearing, fitness, tele-health, acupuncture and chiropractic. Astiva’s forward-thinking strategy not only fulfills a critical societal need but also ensures sustainable growth and transformative impact across diverse communities.

Market Opportunity

Medicare Advantage plans, since their establishment in 2008 as a lower-cost alternative for Medicare enrollees looking to save on monthly premiums, have been one of the fastest growing segments of the health insurance market.

According to a report by healthcare consultant Charts, nearly 31 million beneficiaries are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan in 2023, accounting for more than 48% of the total Medicare market. That represents 9.6% enrollment growth over 2022 totals, and the pace of growth is likely to continue, according to the Charts report.
Startup Medicare Advantage plans, a sector that includes Astiva Health, grew even faster for 2023, at a rate of 22% over 2022 totals.

Management Team

Dr. Tri T. Nguyen is co-founder and CEO of Astiva Health. He is a graduate of Stanford Medical School and is a board-certified expert in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology. As founder, CEO and owner/operator of Avanta IPA, he is a committed leader in healthcare. His visionary leadership, hands-on experience and deep industry knowledge uniquely position him to guide Astiva to success.

Chi Luong is CFO at Astiva Health. She founded and operates HADD Group LLC, a company managing medical clinic services, including business contracting, finance, staffing and ancillary support for several medical clinics in San Diego. She is responsible for the expansion and daily operation of the business functions of the medical clinics managed by HADD Group, and she has extensive knowledge and experience in healthcare business development.

Viet Tran has over 30 years of experience in engineering research, development and management. He has made numerous contributions to national network security and technology. He led the initial Naval Interoperability Profiles that set a solid foundation for future naval airborne network development. He also led a team of 50 engineers, doctorates and scientists delivering an airborne network system for the Navy’s first carrier-based unmanned aircraft. As Astiva Health’s Chief Operating and Technology Officer, member satisfaction has been his top priority. He is committed to protecting valuable data for Astiva members and providers. He constantly strives for leaner and more effective operations.

Tyler Diep is Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Provider Relations at Astiva Health. His responsibilities include handling special projects for the board of directors, as well as overseeing the sales, marketing and provider relations department. During his tenure, he tripled the membership of Astiva Health. He previously served as councilman and vice mayor of the City of Westminster, California. He immigrated to the U.S. with his parents and graduated from San Diego State with a bachelor’s degree in public administration.

Recent News

• Astiva Health - Astiva Health Inc. Dedicated to Serving Growing Number of Older Adults Facing Mental-Health Challenges
• Astiva Health Inc. Solutions Include Growing Number of Activity Centers Focused on Serving Unique Needs of Seniors
• New Study Stings Medicare Advantage, Calls for Abolition

Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN)

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

Mullen Automotive (NASDAQ: MULN), an electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, an electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, today announced that its subsidiary, Bollinger Motors, has received its Certificate of Conformity from the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") for its Class 4 B4 Chassis Cab. The certificate is another important milestone for Bollinger Motors as it moves closer to delivering initial vehicles to customers. "This is a huge step for us in becoming the leader in all-electric, commercial trucks," said Robert Bollinger, founder and CEO of Bollinger Motors. "We are proud that the Bollinger B4 is engineered and assembled right here in Michigan with 70% American-made content."

To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/1aXRh

Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) is a Southern California-based automotive company that owns and partners with several synergistic businesses working toward the unified goal of creating clean and scalable energy solutions. Mullen has evolved over the past decade in sync with consumers and technology trends. Today, the company is working diligently to provide exciting EV options built entirely in the United States and made to fit perfectly into the American consumer’s life. Mullen strives to make EVs more accessible than ever by building an end-to-end ecosystem that takes care of all aspects of EV ownership.

Commencement of Trading on Nasdaq

On November 5, 2021, Mullen announced its commencement of trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

“Today is a monumental day for Mullen Automotive. I am especially proud of our team, investors and all who have believed in Mullen and taken us to this point as a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq Capital Market,” David Michery, CEO and Chairman of Mullen Automotive, stated in the news release. “Trading on Nasdaq now opens us up to new investors, both institutional and retail shareholders, and broadens our awareness and company profile, while increasing awareness of Mullen and our technology platform and opening new opportunities in EV and beyond. The road ahead has never been brighter for Mullen, and I am proud to lead us into the future.”

The milestone came in the wake of the company’s stock-for-stock merger with Net Element Inc.

The Mullen FIVE

The Mullen FIVE EV Crossover, debuting at the Los Angeles International Auto Show (LAIAS) on November 17, 2021, embodies Mullen’s Southern California roots with an inspired design focused on two complementary Golden State themes – California landscape and California urban.

The FIVE is built on an EV Crossover skateboard platform that offers multiple powertrain configurations and trim levels in a svelte design that is Strikingly Different™ and exciting to experience in person.

Prior to the start of LAIAS, the Mullen FIVE was selected as a finalist by the LA Auto Show for Top EV SUV in the ZEVA “People’s Choice” Awards.

LAIAS provides Mullen an opportunity to display multiple variants of the FIVE model while also showcasing its powertrain, battery and charging technology. The company intends to bring the FIVE to market in 2024, and reservations are currently open here.

Mullen’s development portfolio also includes EV Fleet Vans, which it intends to bring to market in Q2 2022, and the pure electric, high performance Mullen DragonFLY.

Expansion of Manufacturing Capacity

On November 2, 2021, Mullen announced plans to expand its facility in Robinsonville, Mississippi.

Mullen’s Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Facility (AMEC) currently occupies 124,000 square feet of manufacturing space. The total available land on the property is over 100 acres, and Mullen is moving ahead with plans to build out another 1.2 million square feet of manufacturing space to support class 1 and class 2 EV cargo vans and the Mullen FIVE EV Crossover.

On the expanded site, Mullen plans to build a body shop, a fully automated paint shop and a general assembly shop.

EV Market Outlook

The global EV market was reported to consist of 3,269,671 units in 2019, a figure that is expected to grow at a CAGR of 21.1% through 2030 to a total of 26,951,318 units worldwide. This market’s monetary value was estimated at $162.34 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 22.6%, resulting in an approximate value of $802.81 billion by 2027. The primary driver for this exponential growth is a worldwide increase in vehicle emissions regulations.

Management Team

David Michery is the CEO and Founder of Mullen and has been leading the company and its divisions since inception in 2014. With over 25 years of executive management, marketing, distressed assets, and business restructuring experience, Mr. Michery brings a wealth of relevant knowledge and expertise to the Mullen brand. He has notably created 12 trademarks so far to develop the company brand and vision.

Mr. Michery is working toward a sustainable future accessible to all by creating a suite of clean-energy electric vehicles at varied price points. With entirely U.S.-based manufacturing and operations, he is also determined to have Mullen Technologies play a role in shaping a self-sustaining local economy by creating more jobs in America.

Mr. Michery manages risks and company expectations as a pathway to success and has personally overseen several businesses that totaled over $1 billion in transactions. His key strength is the ability to be fiscally responsible and lead teams to complete projects on time and within budget. As a seasoned professional in this space, Mr. Michery has demonstrated skill in building businesses from the ground up and into successful entities that subsequently sold for hundreds of millions of dollars.

Mullen Automotive Inc. (MULN), closed Monday's trading session at $2.66, off by 0.7462686%, on 987,776 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $2.3565/$289.08.

Recent News

• Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Mullen Automotive Inc.'s (NASDAQ: MULN) Subsidiary Secures EPA Certification for Class 4 EV Commercial Trucks
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Mullen Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) Shares Progress Across Its Commercial Vehicle Programs, Plans to Increase Portfolio
• IEA Says Countries Behind in Meeting Renewable-Energy Goals

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX)

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

Lexaria, a global innovator in drug delivery platforms, has announced the successful completion of its second round of dosing for its human pilot study #2

The final study arm is set for completion in early July, and if successful, it will help remedy the downsides of swallowed administration

The study's main objective is to evaluate Lexaria's patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology for the oral delivery of the glucagon-like peptide-1 ("GLP-1") drug, semaglutide, currently commercially available as Rybelsus(R)

The commencement of the pilot study shows Lexaria's commitment to its promise to focus on GLP-1 studies for 2024, along with its confidence in its DehydraTECH technology

Lexaria Bioscience (NASDAQ: LEXX), a global innovator in drug delivery platforms, has announced the successful completion of its second round of dosing for its human pilot study #2, GLP-1-H24-2. The study aims to evaluate the company's patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology for the oral delivery of the glucagon-like peptide-1 ("GLP-1) drug semaglutide, which is currently commercially available in the branded product Rybelsus(R) (https://ibn.fm/5GcOz).

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 also collaborated with the National Research Council (NRC), the Canadian government’s premier research and technology organization. The company has been granted patent protection for specific delivery of nicotine, vitamins, NSAIDs, antiviral drugs, cannabinoids 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 $2.65, off by 1.487%, on 121,062 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.7051/$6.85.

Recent News

• Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) - Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Completes Second Round of Dosing for Human Pilot Study #2; Set to Complete Third Study Arm in Early July
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Engages CRO for DehydraTECH GLP-1 Human Study
• Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Hires CRO; Set for First Tirzepatide Molecule Study

NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) (NASDAQ: NXPLW)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) (NASDAQ: NXPLW).

Earlier this week, commercetools rolled out its new HDS-certified, HIPAA-compliant solution, commercetools for Healthcare, which will allow healthcare companies around the world develop and deliver secure, exceptional commerce experiences for their clients at scale. In America, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) governs the protection of sensitive patient data. Companies that interact with protected health information are required to have various security measures in place to ensure compliance with HIPAA. In a statement, commercetool's chief product officer, Mike Sharp, stated that the company's newly launched solution was a game changer for healthcare companies and would allow them to gain while keeping sensitive patient data secure and safe. Companies that have used the commercetool's composable commerce platform include Vision Healthcare, which unified its tech stack across its offerings and scaled its business across markets. It remains to be seen how well commercetools' solution can seamlessly be integrated into healthcare ecommerce platforms such as NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) (NASDAQ: NXPLW) and other industry actors.

NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) (NASDAQ: NXPLW), a next generation e-commerce platform, was created with vision and purpose to capitalize on high growth sectors and global markets. The company collaborates with businesses – large and small – to simplify and accelerate online commerce and uniquely enables customers and partners to optimize their e-commerce reach, presence and revenue. NextPlat recently launched a new e-commerce development program to provide American businesses with easy access to the massive Chinese consumer market.

Current Initiatives

NextPlat provides cutting edge technology in an advanced e-commerce ecosystem. The company is actively expanding its global network of online storefronts serving thousands of consumers, enterprises and governments. The company also has developed a next generation platform built for Web3 that enables the creation and sale of digital assets, as well as optimizing e-commerce transactions and business building activities. The company’s current initiatives include:

• E-Commerce Development Program – In April 2023, NextPlat announced it had entered into a merchant sourcing agreement with Alibaba.com Singapore E-Commerce Private Limited (“Alibaba”) and its Tmall Global e-commerce platform whereby the two companies will collaborate to increase the sale of products produced and sold by American companies to the multi-trillion-dollar Chinese consumer market. Alibaba’s Tmall Global e-commerce platform will provide NextPlat customers a turn-key solution through which products can be sold to the Chinese consumer market. The launch of the Florida E-Commerce Development Program is the first in a series of new NextPlat programs designed to assist U.S. businesses in expanding their online sales capabilities to reach new international customers in the Chinese market. NextPlat intends to rapidly expand this unique e-commerce development opportunity to businesses throughout the United States and all of North America, as well as Central and South America. The new development program features NextPlat’s turnkey global e-commerce solution for customers and leverages NextPlat’s relationships with key partners, including Tmall Global, China’s largest cross-border B2C online marketplace.
• Progressive Care Inc. – In August 2022, NextPlat completed a strategic $7 million investment in Progressive Care Inc. (OTCQB: RXMD), a personalized health care services and technology company. In a news release announcing the investment, NextPlat CEO Charles M. Fernandez noted that the company is “committed to harnessing the power of digital technologies to capitalize on the ongoing digital transformation of Progressive Care and the entire health care industry.” NextPlat intends to accelerate Progressive Care’s digital health care transformation with the launch of a new e-commerce platform for health care products later this year.
• NextPlat NFT Platform – Building on its existing e-commerce initiatives, NextPlat is working to bridge the gap between tangible and digital e-commerce marketplaces by incorporating burgeoning Web3 technologies. The company intends to launch a fully integrated NFT platform in the coming months that will enable brands to create, manage and authenticate digital assets while serving as a new source of revenue for NextPlat. Through this model, the company will receive a portion of the revenue generated from branded NFT drops, as well as subsequent secondary market transactions.
• Global Telesat Communications and Orbital SatCom Corp. – Targeting both domestic and international markets, NextPlat’s subsidiaries leverage partnerships with major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Alibaba, eBay and Walmart to serve a growing base that includes more than 50,000 corporate, governmental and individual customers. In total, the brands market more than 10,000 individual products, with a focus on satellite-based connectivity solutions. In addition to exploring accretive M&A opportunities, NextPlat aims to diversify its range of products and broaden its geographic footprint moving forward in an effort to better capitalize on the tremendous growth potential in the United States, Europe and Asia.

“Our goal for 2023 and beyond is to leverage our improved operational capabilities and enhanced leadership team as we expand our offerings in communications and connectivity into the high-growth health care market where we intend to launch an array of innovative new offerings,” Fernandez said in a March 2023 news release detailing the company’s record top-line performance. “Although there remain supply chain headwinds and the challenge of global inflation, we are confident that we have the right combination of market-tested expertise, technology and partnerships that will enable us to bring the power of e-commerce to more customers, brands and industries in the United States and abroad.”

Market Opportunity

The rapid growth of e-commerce over the last decade is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. According to data published by Forbes, roughly 20.8% of all retail purchases are expected to take place online in 2023, accounting for total sales of $6.31 trillion worldwide. It total, e-commerce sales are expected to grow by 10.4% YoY in 2023, accounting for a whopping 24% of all retail purchases by 2026.

For NextPlat, existing partnerships in the industry could be key to capitalizing on this growth. The Forbes report indicates that Amazon accounts for roughly 38.7% of e-commerce sales, while sites like Walmart, eBay and Alibaba round out the list of most visited e-commerce websites. Alibaba is especially interesting due to NextPlat’s recent strategic merchant sourcing agreement with Tmall Global. The Chinese market is “mammoth,” as a recent Alizila report noted. The country’s annual online retail sales of physical goods have nearly doubled in the last five years, reaching approximately 13.8 trillion yuan in 2022, which is nearly $2 trillion USD.

The health care portion of the e-commerce market is generating particularly bullish forecasts, bolstered by the continued adoption of the 340B Drug Pricing Program in the U.S., which requires most drug manufacturers to provide outpatient drugs to covered entities at significantly reduced prices. Industry reports suggest that the global health care e-commerce market will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 16.8% from 2022 to 2030, climbing to a value of more than $1.37 trillion by the end of the forecast period.

Management Team

Charles M. Fernandez, CEO, Executive Chairman and Director of NextPlat, has over three decades of experience in identifying profitable start-up and dislocation opportunities, building significant value and executing exit strategies as an entrepreneur and global investor. Successful across multiple sectors, Fortune Magazine actually labeled Fernandez ‘a restructuring whiz’. As President of Fairholme Capital Management, which he joined in 2008, Mr. Fernandez co-managed all three Fairholme funds and brought in a $2 billion gain for shareholders. Throughout his impressive career, he has participated in more than 100 significant mergers, acquisitions and product development projects across multiple industries. Mr. Fernandez was the founder, Chairman and CEO of eApeiron Solutions LLC, a brand protection and e-commerce company in partnership with Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) and Eastman Kodak (NYSE: KODK), which was successfully sold to Smartrac, a unit of Avery Dennison Corp. (NYSE: AVY).

Rodney Barreto is Chairman and CEO of the Barreto Group and Director of Nextplat. Mr. Barreto’s business career spans over 35 years, including his role at the Barreto Group and, earlier, as the founding partner of Floridian Partners LLC, a corporate and public affairs consulting firm recognized by policy makers as one of the top in its industry in Florida. He chaired the Super Bowl Host Committee in 2007, 2010 and 2020, helping to raise more than $100 million for the success of Miami Super Bowls. As a philanthropist and conservationist, Mr. Barreto is also a three-time appointee to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, where he has served for over 10 years including holding the title of Chairman eight times. He has twice chaired the Annual U.S. Conference of Mayors, was Chairman of the 1999 Breeder’s Cup Championship held in South Florida and was the Chairman of the 1999 Sister Cities International Convention in Miami. Currently, Mr. Barreto is the Membership Chairman of the Florida Council of 100, and a member of the Boards of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, the Baptist Health South Florida Giving Society, the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, and a member of Miami Dade County Schools Superintendent Carvalho’s Business Advisory Council. Prior to his career in public affairs and real estate, Mr. Barreto was a City of Miami police officer and is a member of the Florida Highway Patrol Advisory Council.

NextPlat Corp. (NXPL), closed Monday's trading session at $1.165, off by 0.4273504%, on 134,015 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 849,803 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $1.03/$3.08.

Recent News

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D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS).

D-Wave (NYSE: QBTS) is a leader in quantum computing systems, software and services focused on delivering customer value via practical quantum applications for problems within logistics, artificial intelligence, materials sciences, drug discovery, scheduling, fault detection and financial modeling. The company was featured in the latest episode of The Stock2Me Podcast. Murray Thom, vice president of quantum technology evangelism at D-Wave, joined the podcast to discuss highlights of the company's Qubits Conference, which took place in Boston and virtually on June 17 and 18, 2024. "Qubits is the premier quantum computing event of the year. We have thousands of people who are watching online and hundreds of people who come out to join us," Thom said. "The main goals of the conference are focusing on success powered by quantum, which is on full display here. We're trying to share with the community how much commercial adoption there is with quantum computing and how businesses have been successful building business value using quantum computing technology. We're also sharing our latest product innovations, because attendees are really curious to see the rapid pace of change with quantum computing and what's possible there."

To view the full press release with a summary of the episode, visit https://ibn.fm/bzh1N

D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) is a leader in quantum computing systems, software and services focused on delivering customer value via practical quantum applications for problems such as logistics, artificial intelligence, materials sciences, drug discovery, scheduling, fault detection and financial modeling. As the only provider building both annealing and gate-model quantum computers, the company is unlocking commercial use cases in optimization today, while building the technologies that will enable new solutions tomorrow.

D-Wave is a pioneer in quantum computing, with a history of delivering the world’s first commercial quantum computer; the first real-time quantum cloud service; countless hardware and software product and research milestones; and the planned first cross-platform quantum solution which will deliver both annealing and gate-model quantum computers to customers via an integrated platform. Its current commercial product offerings include: Advantage™ (fifth generation quantum computer), Leap™ (quantum cloud service), Launch™ (quantum computing onboarding service) and Ocean™ (full suite of open-source programming tools).

D-Wave’s relentless pursuit of practical quantum computing has resulted in the technology being used today by some of the world’s most advanced enterprises – more than 25 of the Forbes Global 2000 use D-Wave.

D-Wave’s commercial customers include blue-chip industry leaders like Volkswagen, Accenture, BBVA, NEC Corporation, Save-On-Foods, DENSO and Lockheed Martin. The company boasts an extensive IP portfolio featuring more than 200 issued U.S. patents and over 100 peer-reviewed papers published in leading scientific journals.

Founded in 1999, D-Wave is the world’s first commercial supplier of quantum computers. With headquarters and the Quantum Engineering Center of Excellence based near Vancouver, Canada, D-Wave’s U.S. operations are based in Palo Alto, California.

Advantage™ Quantum Computer

 

With the Advantage™ Quantum Computer, D-Wave has incorporated two decades of experience and over 10 years of customer feedback to create the first and only quantum computer designed for business. The platform features a new processor architecture with over 5,000 qubits and 15-way qubit connectivity. This is 2.5x more connections and more than double the number of qubits than the company’s previous generation quantum computer.

D-Wave’s quantum computers, first located in its facilities in British Columbia, have been available to North American users through its Leap™ quantum cloud service since 2018. It has since introduced new Advantage systems in Julich, Germany, and most recently, Marina Del Rey, California, which marked the availability of the first Advantage quantum computer physically located in the United States.

That new deployment is part of the USC-Lockheed Martin Quantum Computing Center (QCC) hosted at USC’s Information Sciences Institute (ISI), a unit of the University of Southern California’s prestigious Viterbi School of Engineering. Additionally, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and D-Wave announced that the U.S.-based system is available for use in Amazon 2racket, expanding the number to three different D-Wave quantum systems available to AWS users.

Leap Quantum Cloud Service

 

D-Wave’s customers interface with its systems through the Leap™ quantum cloud service. Leap delivers immediate, real-time access to the company’s Advantage quantum computer and quantum hybrid solver service, all with enterprise-class performance and scalability.

Leap allows developers proficient in Python to get started building and running quantum applications. Through a seamless and secure cloud-based connection, users can easily start solving complex problems of up to 1 million variables and 100,000 constraints.

Using Leap, D-Wave customers have developed quantum hybrid applications for use cases in manufacturing, logistics, financial services, life sciences, materials science, retail and transportation. By eliminating the need to wait hours, days or weeks to get good answers to a broad array of problems, D-Wave is helping businesses move forward.

D-Wave Launch

D-Wave Launch™ is the company’s onboarding platform aimed at helping businesses easily start their quantum journey. Through this program, D-Wave’s team of experts and partners aid enterprises in identifying best use cases for quantum and work with them to develop a proof of concept and production pilot.

From there, the team coordinates with customers to get their hybrid quantum applications up and running, providing ongoing Leap quantum cloud access to ensure the application is operating smoothly and delivering real business value.

Target Verticals

While the potential applications for quantum computing are effectively limitless, D-Wave has identified a number of industry verticals as key areas of focus for its quantum architecture, providing case studies for each. These include:

• Manufacturing – D-Wave worked with Volkswagen to identify a commercial optimization application, the binary paint shop problem, which was run on D-Wave’s hybrid solver service. The solver outperformed four purely classical methods on problem sizes at commercial scale (N=3,000). In a separate project, similar inputs were tested using a leading ion trap system, which failed to find any commercial solution.
• Life Sciences – Menten AI makes use of D-Wave quantum computing to assist in the design of novel therapeutic peptides—short strings of amino acids that can act as potent drugs. With the rise of COVID-19, D-Wave’s Advantage system made it possible to identify molecules that might be especially well-suited for binding and inhibiting the related spike protein, producing several promising peptide designs.
• Finance – Multiverse Computing, a leader in developing quantum solutions for the financial sector, leveraged D-Wave’s hybrid solver service in a collaboration with BBVA, one of the world’s largest financial institutions. Multiverse demonstrated management strategies that far exceeded the granularity of traditional returns in a fraction of the time, helping BBVA identify a low-risk portfolio for investment.

Market Opportunity

The quantum computing total addressable market is projected to grow between $450 billion and $850 billion over the next 15 to 30 years, with between $5 billion and $10 billion of anticipated TAM growth coming in the next three to five years, according to Boston Consulting Group. Driving factors behind this growth include rising investments in quantum computing tech by governments and an increasing number of commercial use-cases.

Forward-thinking organizations see quantum as an opportunity to move ahead of the competition. From finding efficiencies and reducing waste to decreasing time to solution and solving problems abandoned due to complexity, the business value is real. According to data from 451 Research, 40% of large enterprises are already experimenting with quantum computing.

D-Wave is strategically positioned – in an industry with significant barriers to entry – as evident by a decades-long track record serving a roster of blue-chip customers. The company is singularly focused on helping its customers achieve clear value by leveraging quantum computing in practical business applications. With a full stack of systems, software, developer tools and services, D-Wave is working to enable enterprises, governments, developers and researchers to access the power of quantum computing, thereby providing an intriguing opportunity for prospective investors.

D-Wave’s current investor base includes PSP Investments, Goldman Sachs, BDC Capital, NEC Corporation, Aegis Group Partners and In-Q-Tel.

Leadership Team

Dr. Alan Baratz has served as the CEO of D-Wave since 2020. Previously, as Executive Vice President of R&D and Chief Product Officer, he drove the development, delivery, and support of all of D-Wave’s products, technologies, and applications. Dr. Baratz has over 25 years of experience in product development and bringing new products to market at leading technology companies and software startups. As the first president of JavaSoft at Sun Microsystems, he oversaw the growth and adoption of the Java platform from its infancy to a robust platform supporting mission-critical applications in nearly 80 percent of Fortune 1000 companies. He has also held executive positions at Symphony, Avaya, Cisco, and IBM. Dr. Baratz holds a doctorate in computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

John Markovich is the company’s CFO. He brings to D-Wave over three decades of experience working with rapidly growing private and public technology companies across all stages of development. Mr. Markovich has directed the finance, accounting, tax, treasury, M&A, legal, operations, customer service, IR, HR, and IT functions for companies ranging from privately held pre-revenue startups to an NYSE-listed Fortune 500 multi-national company with over $1.2 billion in annual revenue. During his career, he has negotiated and closed over 150 debt, equity, M&A, and joint venture transactions exceeding $2.5 billion in value; over a dozen private placements; nearly a dozen M&A transactions; and several international joint ventures. Mr. Markovich holds a BS in Business from Miami University and an MBA from the Michigan State Graduate School of Business.

D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS), closed Monday's trading session at $1.13, off by 2.5862%, on 2,239,443 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 3.369M and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.57/$3.20.

Recent News

• D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) - InvestorNewsBreaks - D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) Featured in The Stock2Me Podcast
• InvestorNewsBreaks - D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) Partners with Davidson Technologies to Place Second Advantage(TM) Quantum Computer in the United States, and Reports Results of New Study
• D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NYSE: QBTS) Featured in Wall Street Journal Article About Tackling Real-World Optimization Problems with Quantum

Clene Inc. (NASDAQ: CLNN)

The QualityStocks Daily Newsletter would like to spotlight Clene Inc. (NASDAQ: CLNN).

Clene (NASDAQ: CLNN) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Clene Nanomedicine Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on improving mitochondrial health and protecting neuronal function to treat neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ("ALS") and multiple sclerosis ("MS"), will be featured at this week's H.C. Wainwright's Fifth Annual Neuro Perspectives Virtual Conference. According to the announcement, Clene management will be presenting a fireside chat and will host one-on-one investor meetings during the June 27, 2024, online event. The presentation will be available upon demand the day of the conference, with a webcast of the presentation also found on the Clene website.

To view the presentation, visit https://ibn.fm/0RugB

To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/B7eps

Clene Inc. (NASDAQ: CLNN) is a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on improving mitochondrial health and protecting neuronal function to treat neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis (MS).

Its lead drug candidate is CNM-Au8®, an oral suspension developed to restore neuronal health and function by increasing energy production and utilization by driving critical cellular energy producing reactions that enable neuroprotection and remyelination to increase neuronal and glial resilience to disease-relevant stressors. CNM-Au8 is being studied in various clinical trials, including the Harvard/MGH Healey ALS Platform clinical trial for patients with ALS; RESCUE-ALS, a completed proof-of-concept clinical trial in patients with early symptomatic ALS; the REPAIR trials, completed target engagement clinical trials showing brain energy metabolite change with CNM-Au8; and a completed MS clinical trial for the treatment of visual pathway deficits in chronic optic neuropathy for remyelination in stable relapsing MS. The company also has a nanotherapeutic platform of drug discovery.

CNM-Au8

CNM-Au8, Clene’s lead asset, is a highly concentrated aqueous suspension of catalytically active, clean-surfaced, faceted gold nanocrystals. Multiple pathogenic insults contribute to neuronal death. Mitochondrial dysfunction and NAD+ decline is a common final pathway in neurodegeneration, with NAD+ as a critical determinant of cell survival and function. CNM-Au8’s catalytic mechanisms target the energetic deficits, oxidative stress and accumulation of misfolded proteins that are common to many neurodegenerative diseases.

The unique catalytic mechanism of action of CNM-Au8 is hypothesized to act as a neuroprotective and remyelinating therapy in neurodegenerative disease states in order to: (1) drive, support and maintain beneficial metabolic and energetic cellular reactions within diseased, stressed and/or damaged cells, (2) directly catalyze the reduction of harmful, reactive oxygen species (“ROS”) and (3) promote protein homeostasis via activation of the heat shock factor-1 pathway, recognized to dampen the cytotoxicity caused by misfolded and denatured proteins, which are known to occur ubiquitously in neurodegenerative diseases.

CNM-Au8 is used in combination with other agents, has no known drug-drug interactions, and is designed to improve function and survival. The clinical effects of both function and survival were seen in its clinical ALS trials, as earlier announced.

More than 500 estimated years of collective exposure across ALS, MS, and Parkinson’s disease participants in CNM-Au8 clinical trials and Expanded Access Protocol (compassionate use) programs have been recorded without any observed safety signals.

CNM-Au8 is a federally registered trademark of Clene Inc. Clene, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, with R&D and manufacturing operations in Maryland, began in 2013.

Market Opportunity

ALS is the most prevalent adult-onset progressive motor neuron disease, affecting approximately 30,000 people in the U.S. and an estimated 500,000 people worldwide, with a life expectancy of typically three to five years. Clene estimates that global ALS treatment sales will be greater than $1 billion annually within the coming few years. Additional treatments affecting daily function and survival remain the market need.

Additionally, there are more than 2 million MS patients globally, and Clene estimates the market size to be worth more than $23 billion annually. While the MS community has been successful at limiting relapses, non-relapsing MS patients continue to clinically deteriorate even while receiving effective immunomodulatory disease-modifying therapies (“DMTs”). A critical unmet medical need remains for therapeutic interventions that protect neuronal function and myelin health independent of immunomodulation to address progression independent of relapse activity.

Management Team

Robert Etherington is President, Director and CEO of Clene. He has more than 30 years of sales, marketing and leadership experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Prior to joining Clene, he worked at Actelion Pharmaceuticals, the largest biopharma company in the European Union prior to its acquisition by Johnson & Johnson in 2017, where he led that company’s U.S. commercial operations. He began his pharmaceutical sales and marketing career at Parke-Davis, a division of Pfizer, where he rose to the position of Team Leader overseeing the drug Lipitor.

Mark Mortenson is Chief Science Officer at Clene. He is co-inventor of the technology platform developed to produce the company’s therapeutics. He is the inventor or co-inventor on 32 other U.S. patents and hundreds of corresponding international patents. He is a former chief patent counsel responsible for 5,500 U.S. and international patents and patent applications. He holds bachelor’s degrees in physics and ceramic engineering from Alfred University, a master’s degree in materials science from Penn State University and a J.D. from George Washington University.

Benjamin Greenberg, M.D., MHS, FAAN, is Head of Medical at Clene. He is an internationally recognized expert in disorders of the central nervous system. He is currently professor of neurology and Vice Chair of Clinical and Translational Research in the department of Neurology at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins, a master’s degree in molecular microbiology and immunology from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and graduated from Baylor College of Medicine. He served residency in neurology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Morgan R. Brown is CFO at Clene. He has more than 30 years of finance and accounting experience, with 23 years at biotech, pharmaceutical and medical device companies. He has served in similar roles at Lipocine Inc., Innovus Pharmaceuticals, World Heart Corp., Lifetree Clinical Research and NPS Pharmaceuticals Inc. He previously worked at accounting firm KPMG. He is a CPA with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Utah State University and an M.S. in business administration from the University of Utah.

Clene Inc. (NASDAQ: CLNN), closed Monday's trading session at $0.3826, off by 3.457%, on 351,849 volume. The average volume for the last 3 months is 890,367 and the stock's 52-week low/high is $0.25/$0.95.

Recent News

• Clene Inc. (NASDAQ: CLNN) - InvestorNewsBreaks - Clene Inc. (NASDAQ: CLNN) Announces Participation at Upcoming H.C. Wainwright Neuro Perspectives Virtual Conference
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Clene Inc. (NASDAQ: CLNN) Presents New Preliminary Data Demonstrating Potential of CNM-Au8(R) as Treatment for Rett Syndrome
• InvestorNewsBreaks - Clene Inc. (NASDAQ: CLNN) Presents Extended Survival Data to Support CNM-Au8® as Potential Treatment for ALS at 2024 ENCALS Meeting