SeriousTraders Monthly Newsletter August 2018

SeriousTradersSpotlight Company

Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS)

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Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS), headquartered in Los Angeles, California, is focused on supporting entrepreneurial growth within the fast-growing legal cannabis sector. Through a selective portfolio of subsidiaries, Cannabis Strategic Ventures offers outsourced personnel solutions tailor-made to match the growth dynamics of cannabis cultivators, manufacturers, dispensaries and other cannabis marketplace participants. The company also pursues investment opportunities in the areas of real estate, cultivation, extraction, distribution, packaging, dispensary operations, and branded products within the cannabis space.

The legalization of adult-use sales in California is expected to create nearly 99,000 cannabis industry jobs in the state by 2021, representing about a third of all cannabis jobs nationwide, and 146,000 jobs overall when indirect and induced efforts are considered, according to Arcview Market Research. By 2021, direct cannabis industry employment will top 291,500 FTE jobs, with a total employment effect of nearly 414,000 FTEs across all legal cannabis states, according to the report.

Full Profile & Latest News

Accelerated Technologies Holding Corp. (OTC: ATHC)

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Accelerated Technologies Holding Corp. (OTC: ATHC) is a full-service end-to-end business solution and technology company that specializes in cloud-based disruptive technologies. The Company provides consulting and enterprise-level technology services and is developing its own disruptive technology products in the sectors of artificial social realities, short-term alternative funding platforms, electronic payment solutions, and blockchain technologies focused on social engagement, sports, entertainment and content creation.

ATHC is more than a publicly traded company determined to make a buck. Its mission is to create a pioneering business model by taking a leadership position in institutionalizing investment in the regional venture capital market. ATHC's core values, beliefs and fundamentals revolve around today's great visionaries – the great leaders of tomorrow. For young entrepreneurs, ATHC offers funding assistance, guidance and investment capital in return for reasonable equity, commitment and an unparalleled work ethic. ATHC and its economies of scale enable the Company to develop technology at reasonable costs while leveraging expertise and contacts for effective execution. The Company intends to create shareholder value by monetizing equity retained by ATHC.

ATHC's investment domain and expertise lies in consumer Internet, cloud computing and software-as-a-service (Saas), mobile software and services, software-powered consumer electronics, infrastructure and applications software, networking, storage, databases and other backend systems. ATHC's portfolio to date includes:

  • Intelagy – a wholly owned subsidiary of Accelerated Technologies Holding Group, is all about bringing business to businesses. Intelagy provides services that every business' needs in today's dynamic and digital marketplace. These services include discounted Merchant Services, Merchant Cash Advances (working capital and loans for businesses), Mobile Processing, Web Design and Hosting solutions, Printing, Local Marketing, Online Marketing, Reputation Management, Prepaid Debit Card Solutions, Payroll Services, and Telecom needs for small, mid-sized and enterprise-level businesses.
  • Finbridge Holdings provides capital to alternative lenders with receivables between $2 million and $5 million and to those operating in merchant cash advance and other short-term micro loan environments. Finbridge Holdings' lending model provides ISOs with an alternative to private placement capital to obtain cash to grow their business. Finbridge intends to be a leader in the loans-to-lender space, primarily focused on those specializing in the small to medium business lending channel.
  • XStreamCorp – a Reality Gaming Social Network. XStreamCorp presents an opportunity to penetrate popular social gaming networks by incorporating proprietary technologies that provide users with streaming video, audio and messaging capabilities. These enhancements will dramatically change the player experience in online gaming. Revenue is expected via sales of in-game virtual goods in Social Poker Play formats and events; in-game advertising; and banner advertising around the Company's gaming portal.
  • IconXchange will endeavor to provide a decentralized, open, resilient infrastructure for a new generation of human funding that includes blockchain-based IconXchange Coins and value-based IXC tokens. IconXchange aims to be a platform through which valuable brands are identified, grown, and incentivized. A value-based token enables enhanced liquidity and accelerated funding. IconXchange intends to capitalize on the blockchain's evolution and improvement without being locked into any one protocol or platform.

ATHC is the destination to discover professionals, guidance, cross marketing opportunities, industry trends, and investments. The Company was built with a unique and scalable approach to collect, leverage and contribute to a strong community of venture capital partners, dynamic sales and marketing verticals, and in-house data teams armed with powerful machine learning, data science, development, management and execution skills. ATHC provides corporate consulting for private and publicly traded companies; technology planning and engineering services; installation and maintenance of cybersecurity resources; and venture capital and financing.

The management team at ATHC is driven, committed, and experienced in building infrastructure for startups. President Kevin H. Kading is the founder, chairman and CEO of Kading Companies S.A. Between 1979 and 1995, he held various positions at Wall Street investment banking firms. Since 1995, he has been a member of Securities Traders Association both nationally and in New York. Kading was a founder, officer, and chairman of the Board of Advanced Reconnaissance Corp. from 1997 to February 2006.

Managing director Alex M. Lemberg has worked as a business analyst on Wall Street since 1992 with the following companies: Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Barclays Capital, CIBC, Bank of America Securities, and Credit Suisse. He brings a vast understanding of the business process and the use of technologies in order to maintain a streamlined, user-friendly environment.

American Helium (TSX.V: AHE) (OTC: AHELF)

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American Helium (TSX.V: AHE) (OTCQB: AHELF) is a resource exploration company focused on the global growth of technology-driven demand for helium and the development of helium resources in North America.

The Canadian helium exploration and development company is led by a experienced management and technical team. The company has a diverse range of projects in known areas for Helium exploration.

The company has executed a project agreement with Yankee Resources LLC of Golden, CO and has appointed LoneTree Energy & Associates LLC to acquire certain acreage in SE Colorado. The project consists of two parts. The first objective is to re-drill two wells that have proven helium resources. Both were plugged and abandoned in the mid-nineties, offering the potential for near term production. The second part of the project will offer an exploration focus through the acquisition of up to 14,000 acres of land a shoot a 3D seismic survey of some 28 square miles to mature prospects in the Upper Morrow formation where helium content of 4 to 5% is expected. The seismic survey is planned for late 2018 and can be carried out after the harvest season and in parallel with the re-entry or re-drill of the two wells.

The company has also executed an agreement with Holbrook Basin Energy LLC of Golden, CO to undertake an exploration program in Arizona. The Arizona project location is in the "Four Corners" area where the States of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona meet, and in the helium productive Holbrook Basin, a well-established helium production district where concentrations of the gas are as high as 10%. The area has good potential for additional discovery and production. The abundant nature of the region has led to anecdotal statements over the years that "Arizona is the Saudi Arabia of helium." Holbrook Basin Energy has developed a compelling exploration play and target land identification is underway.

The company holds a 100 percent working interest and 87.5 percent net revenue interest in 12 federal leases at its Bruin Point property spanning across 17,000 acres in the Greater Uintah Basin, Carbon County, Utah.

Evaluation is currently ongoing to determine potential additional acquisitions in regions that are known for their helium production.

The company has a satellite office in Denver aimed at facilitating expansion in SE Colorado. Company President and CEO Frank Jacobs, a petroleum engineer with 35+ years of operational experience, oversees all U.S.-based operations.

Global helium demand is driven by a number of different industries. Primarily, the military, healthcare, nuclear, aviation and electronics. A colorless, odorless and non-toxic gas, helium is lighter than air and it has the lowest boiling point of all elements. This property makes it essential for a wide variety of high-tech based applications.

The U.S. ranks as the largest producer and consumer of helium. North America accounts for approximately a third of the world's helium consumption (2.6 billion cubic feet of helium per year). The world's annual consumption of helium is around eight billion cubic feet per year. As far as production goes, the U.S. is responsible for 55 percent of the global helium supply. Qatar, Algeria and Russia come next.

The fact that production efforts have been centralized and focused in just a few countries has long been a source of concern. "The concentration of production among a handful of countries will continue to be the leading driver of uncertainty of helium supply and price volatility. We are working to identify, explore and place into production helium assets. With the right assets and the necessary funding we are confident we can achieve this objective," Frank Jacobs said.

The price of helium has doubled since 2010 because this unique gas cannot be substituted in its applications. In addition, a Qatar production blockage has had a massive negative impact on the helium supply. In the summer of 2017, Qatar's RasGas closed down both of its plants, responsible for approximately 32 percent of the global helium demand. This shift has contributed to highly favorable supply and demand fundamentals for the remaining market players.

Experts predict that the demand for the gas will continue to grow in the years to come. The global helium market set to exceed $1.5 billion by 2020, advancing at a compound annual growth rate of 9 percent, according to Technavio analysts. Over 20 percent of the global helium demand is for healthcare applications. MRI machines are being installed in hospitals more frequently than ever before, potentially increasing the demand for helium in the medical industry. Innovative aerospace projects and technical applications are also expected to elevate the helium market forecasts in the years to come. Large corporations such as Google and Netflix have both been buying up significant amounts of helium, as the gas can increase the storage capacity of hard drives while also bringing down power consumption.

Additional information about the American Helium research and exploration activities will become available in the months to come. With its diverse selection of projects, the company is positioning itself to capture the numerous opportunities stemming from increasing helium prices and the growing global demand. Successful implementation of the above strategies is contingent on a number of items including the ability to acquire additional acreage.  The Company is actively seeking the capital necessary to implement the drill program.

BLOCKStrain Technology Corp. (TSX-V: DNAX)

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BLOCKStrain Technology Corp. (TSX-V: DNAX), a full-service software company headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada, has developed the first integrated blockchain platform that registers and tracks cannabis intellectual property ("IP") from genome to sale. It is proprietary, immutable and cryptographically secure, thereby establishing a single source of truth for cannabis strains and their ownership.

With Canada set to legalize marijuana use for recreational purposes, and other jurisdictions following suit around the world, new challenges will emerge regarding the ability to provide a safe and legal inventory of a product that up until now was largely only available on the black market. Cannabis will be heavily tested and regulated by numerous regulatory bodies in Canada. The cannabis industry faces unique challenges that BLOCKStrain specifically helps it address, including:

  • Mandatory Testing: Through BLOCKStrain's platform and lab-testing partners, the process is more efficient and streamlined, cutting the administrative burden in half and getting products to market faster;
  • DNA Based Product Validation: The underlying blockchain technology creates a genetic fingerprint that identifies and validates the product electronically so any participant on the platform, including consumers, can view and track what's happening with that product from genome to sale;
  • Intellectual Property: Third, and perhaps most importantly, the BLOCKStrain platform protects the intellectual property of growers and breeders. This is important for the industry's growth as products evolve and develop. If a craft grower, for example, creates a popular strain with unique characteristics, it will be able to protect its intellectual property by simply registering the strain's genome with BLOCKStrain and locking that data into the blockchain. It will reside there forever and will be readily accessible in the event of future disputes, bringing a level of trust to the industry and ensuring licensing fees are paid to all players in the market.

VERIFICATION = CERTIFICATION

BLOCKStrain's genetics verification process is authentic and incredibly effective. User groups register by creating an account with BLOCKStrain, which starts the process. Organizations and independent growers submit seeds, flower and post-extraction product for testing to a registered and approved testing facility, which then submits test results to BLOCKStrain. Pre-existing data of genetic cannabis strains can also be submitted via BLOCKStrain verification administrators, with those results being added to the user group's blockchain account. Submissions are entered into BLOCKStrain, and the transaction is completed and recorded.

Each time an item is tested and verified by the network, a Registration Affidavit is auto-generated and given a unique "BLOCKStrain Address" along with a traceable QR Code. Producers, patients and consumers are able to not only verify the test but can also rate the product, write reviews and share opinions. This detail is stored within BLOCKStrain and, just like the test results, cannot be tampered with or modified. Verification and certification are earned by all parties for their participation.

SAFE CONSUMER SUPPLY

BLOCKStrain demystifies the seed-to-sale process for all relevant stakeholders including producers, distributors, shippers, government agencies and consumers by creating a repository of cannabis genomes on an immutable, shared ledger. Thousands of cannabis strains exist and cultivators are breeding new strains all the time. The proliferation of cannabis strains can prove problematic for consumers since there are more than 500 known chemical compounds in a single plant. Furthermore, since several dozens of these compounds have been identified as pharmacologically active, it becomes more and more difficult for consumers to know what they are purchasing.

It is for this reason that being able to quantify the genetics, potency and equivalencies among cannabis products is crucial to the future of legalized cannabis. The difference is not so much in the name or brand attached to the cannabis, but the DNA of the plant itself. BLOCKStrain ensures product integrity, safety, regulatory compliance, product licensing and authenticity – all vital elements for the emerging cannabis industry.  This technology also bolsters the process of meeting government regulatory standards by providing real-time visibility of industry operations to agencies assigned to enforce and regulate cannabis activity.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

BLOCKStrain allows for the defense of intellectual property rights for the grower with an authentic, verifiable chain of evidence embedded in the blockchain itself. Proof of ownership for a specific strain of cannabis is paramount in a multibillion dollar industry. Real life ownership disputes have already begun in the industry with legal battles underway. Unfortunately, the framework for resolving these disputes has yet to be defined and they are not likely to be resolved anytime soon.

Consumers and regulators alike want to know whether a cannabis product grown and sold at a local dispensary is safe and meets quality control standards. BLOCKStrain enhances trust of origin from genome-to-sale as cannabis flows through the supply chain, verifying critical steps in the process such as who is growing the plant, which seed is planted and where did it come from, whether pesticides were used, how much was grown, which tests are used to establish quality and potency, where the product is transported and how, and whether possession limits are meeting regulatory standards.

In summary, BLOCKStrain has developed the most comprehensive, secure and community-driven cannabis genetics archival platform for cannabis breeders and growers, large and small, to protect and release their varieties into the public domain, all while compensating and rewarding them for their contributions.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS)

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Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS), headquartered in Los Angeles, California, is focused on supporting entrepreneurial growth within the fast-growing legal cannabis sector. Through a selective portfolio of subsidiaries, Cannabis Strategic Ventures offers outsourced personnel solutions tailor-made to match the growth dynamics of cannabis cultivators, manufacturers, dispensaries and other cannabis marketplace participants. The company also pursues investment opportunities in the areas of real estate, cultivation, extraction, distribution, packaging, dispensary operations, and branded products within the cannabis space.

The legalization of adult-use sales in California is expected to create nearly 99,000 cannabis industry jobs in the state by 2021, representing about a third of all cannabis jobs nationwide, and 146,000 jobs overall when indirect and induced efforts are considered, according to Arcview Market Research. By 2021, direct cannabis industry employment will top 291,500 FTE jobs, with a total employment effect of nearly 414,000 FTEs across all legal cannabis states, according to the report.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures believes its staffing capabilities will be in a similar state of demand. The company in April 2018 completed a definitive agreement to acquire Worldwide Staffing Group, Inc., which booked approximately $1.5 million in revenues in 2017.

Worldwide will operate within Cannabis Strategic Ventures as an independent and separate wholly owned subsidiary providing strictly non-cannabis related employment and staffing services. As Worldwide continues to expand its operations in general clerical and administrative, marketing, accounting, and other verticals, Cannabis Strategic Ventures will leverage the subsidiary's expertise to expand its business operations further into the cannabis staffing arena, with an emphasis on the California markets.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures' BudHire™ subsidiary is an outsourced employment service specifically designed to meet the needs of growing cannabis-related business operations, utilizes a proven recruiting formula to match the most qualified candidates to a broad spectrum of cannabis-related jobs. Under the BudHire™ brand, Cannabis Strategic Ventures offers temporary, seasonal, permanent staffing solutions, as well as professional employment organization services and human resources consulting to the cannabis industry.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures portfolio also includes Pure Applied Sciences Inc. and its brand "PureOrganix™," a line of high quality concentrate, organic and pure cannabis oils that conform with Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and meet FDA guidelines for Active Pharmaceuticals Products (API). The acquisition includes all intellectual properties, including formulations and technologies, and related accessories of Pure Applied Sciences.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures Pure Applied Sciences subsidiary, has a cannabis concentrate extraction services agreement with CP Logistics LLC ("CPL"), a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Sunniva Inc. (CSE:SNN) (OTCQX:SNNVF). Under this agreement, CPL will perform white label services producing high quality, ultra-purified cannabis extracts out of its Sun-Oil Facility in Cathedral City, California, for Pure Applied Sciences under the Pure Organix brand name.

The management team at Cannabis Strategic Ventures believes there is incredible opportunity to carve-out and control specific industry niches, to create unique cannabis consumer branded products, and to expand into other sub-sectors of the cannabis marketplace.

ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX)

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Founded in 1999, ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX) has become a leading financial information website for Chinese-speaking investors in the United States and China. Recognizing unprecedented opportunities in the U.S. cannabis industry, CIIX is also laying the groundwork to capitalize on growing demand for cannabidiol (CBD)-based nutrition and health products.

Through its primary website, www.ChineseInvestors.com, CIIX offers a variety of investor education products and services, including real-time market commentary, analysis and educational related services in Chinese language character sets; consultative services to smaller private companies considering becoming a public company; and advertising and public relations related support services.

At the center of this initiative is the ChineseInvestors Method, a unique integration of a disciplined investing process, web-based tools, personalized instructions and support. Using this strategy, CIIX provides reliable market information to help investors make informed investment decisions and meet their individualized financial goals.

CIIX is also leveraging its financial expertise to enter into the burgeoning CBD industry, which within a few years has grown from a relatively invisible sector to a billowing market expected to reach $2.1 billion in consumer sales by 2020.

The increasing demand for CBD-based products is a catalyst for innovative business endeavors. To this accord, CIIX has established a three-year development plan to capitalize on the convergence of CBD and the nutrition and health products market in mainland China, where the benefits of CBD oil have not been widely recognized.

Under a wholesale agreement with a reputable CBD health brand, CIIX is launching the world's first online CBD health products store published in the Chinese language. The site, www.ChineseCBDoil.com, caters to a growing number of Chinese people awakening to the numerous health benefits of CBD oil for treatment of a variety of conditions such as anxiety, stress, poor sleep, Alzheimer's disease, and more. CIIX expects to launch this website at the end of January 2017, and plans to sell CBD-infused products via online and in-store.

In conjunction, CIIX's cannabis-focused "Yelp"-style mobile app is in development as a platform for Chinese people to review and discuss various cannabis products. The app will be the first marijuana social media mobile app designed for Chinese-speaking customers worldwide.

CytoDyn Inc. (OTCQB: CYDY)

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CytoDyn Inc. (OTCQB: CYDY) is a biotechnology company focused on the clinical development and potential commercialization of a new class of HIV/AIDS therapeutics or viral-entry inhibitors intended to protect healthy cells from viral infection. The company's pipeline includes its lead product, PRO 140 for multiple indications among which are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), colon cancer, and multiple sclerosis (MS), each in various stages of development. CytoDyn first approval is focused on HIV indications for two different HIV populations.

PRO 140 is a humanized monoclonal antibody directed at CCR5, a molecular portal that HIV uses to enter T-cells. PRO 140 works by blocking the predominant HIV (R5) subtype entry into T-cells by masking this required co-receptor, CCR5.

CytoDyn has completed one pivotal phase 3 clinical trials of PRO 140 use in combination with current drugs for population that has limited treatment options. PRO 140 is also currently in another phase 3 (investigative trial) for a second approval for another HIV population. HIV continues to be a major global public health issue. There is no cure for the disease that has claimed more than 35 million lives to date, according to the World Health Organization ("WHO"). In 2017, 940,000 people around the world died from HIV-related causes. There were approximately 36.9 million people living with HIV at the end of 2017 with 1.8 million people becoming newly infected during that same year. The WHO estimates there were 21.7 million people globally receiving antiretroviral therapy ("ART") in 2017.

HIV targets the immune system and weakens the body's defense systems against infections and some types of cancer. As the virus destroys and impairs the function of immune cells, infected individuals gradually become immunodeficient which results in increased susceptibility to a wide range of infections, cancers and other diseases that people with healthy immune systems can fight off. The most advanced stage of HIV infection is Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which can take from 2 to 15 years to develop depending on the individual.

PRO 140 functions by blocking the HIV co-receptor CCR5, a molecular portal HIV uses to enter T-cells, thus preventing the HIV virus from entering the cell. CCR5 is a protein located on the surface of white blood cells that normally serves as a receptor for chemicals that attract immune cells to the site of inflammation. Clinical trials to date indicate PRO 140 does not interfere with these normal CCR5 functions. Results from phase 1 and phase 2 human clinical trials have shown PRO 140 significantly reduces viral burden in people infected with HIV. Importantly, in a recent phase 2b clinical trial, PRO 140 demonstrated it can allow a subset of R5 strain of HIV population to replace their current HIV regimen (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy or "HAART.") by a simple sub-cutaneous self-injectable dose of PRO 140 which is administered once a week. Some of those patients have received PRO 140 as their only therapy for almost four years.

The PRO 140 antibody appears to be a powerful antiviral agent with hardly any side effects, toxicity. More than 500 patients have used PRO 140 in clinical trial and no resistance has ever been developed in any patients including patients in monotherapy of PRO 140 for almost four years.

PRO 140, which is taken as an easy-to-use, weekly, subcutaneous self-administered dose, has almost no side effects or toxicity with no report of any serious adverse event related to PRO 140 in more than 500 patients in eight different clinical trial.

As we indicated earlier patients given PRO 140 showed no drug resistance on monotherapy for some almost four years while 76% of HAART patients developed a resistance to some portion of the lifetime drug regimen. Patient compliance with HAART is also the main reason why only 35% of HIV patients in US reporting complete viral load (VL) suppression which is VL<50 cp/mL.

In addition to its research into the powerful potential of PRO 140 for use in HIV patients, CytoDyn is pursuing PRO 140 as a therapeutic anti-viral agent in other non-HIV indications that could benefit from PRO 140's ability to block CCR5. These immunologic indications include new reactions to cancer, transplantation rejection, autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation such as Multiple Sclerosis. The company sees the significant potential for multiple pipeline opportunities for PRO 140.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has designated PRO 140 as a "fast track" product for HIV and granted Orphan Drug Designation to it for the prevention of GvHD in transplant patients. CytoDyn has initiated its first clinical trial with PRO 140 in an immunological indication for GvHD in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) who are undergoing bone marrow stem cell transplantation. The company is also investigating PRO 140 in animal models of cancer progression and autoimmunity with positive results and has published its animal study results in GvHD in peer-reviewed journal.

CytoDyn president and CEO Nader Z. Pourhassan, Ph.D. joined the company in 2008 and is credited for purchasing PRO 140 from Progenics in 2012 and has taken a new path to approval for the product. He is the co-inventor of monotherapy path for PRO 140. He has taken PRO 140 development from phase 2 to Completed successful phase 3 in about four years. He now has more than 10 years of drug development experience and has overseen the rapid clinical development of PRO 140 as a therapy for HIV into two phase 3 for two different indications. He also initiated PRO 140 first immunological indication in GvHD (currently in phase 2). He is also involved in preclinical and clinical development of PRO 140 in additional immunological indications. Dr. Pourhassan, who has more than 20 years of business development experience, has led CytoDyn's capital market activities since joining the company in 2008. He received his Bachelor of Science from Utah State University, Master of Science from Brigham Young University, and his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Utah and is the author of three books.

FinCanna Capital Corp. (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF)

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FinCanna Capital Corp. (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF) is a royalty company aiming to be the capital partner of choice for high-growth, best-in-class businesses operating in the licensed U.S. medical cannabis industry. Primarily focused on the burgeoning California cannabis market, FinCanna leverages extensive investment expertise and industry experience to benefit its shareholders and portfolio companies.

Medical Cannabis Market

According to Ameri Research, the global market for licensed medical cannabis is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 21%, on track to exceed $63.5 billion by 2024. Within this market, FinCanna has identified considerable opportunity in California, the fifth largest economy in the world and the largest medical cannabis market in North America. Arcview Group forecasts California's legal cannabis industry will grow at 21.1% CAGR to $6.5 billion in 2020, generating more than $1 billion in tax revenue.

Royalty Model & Portfolio

FinCanna's "whole capital" solution for businesses in the licensed medical cannabis sector includes the provision of capital investment for a percentage of their future revenues. The FinCanna Capital Solution utilizes a royalty arrangement to deliver capital, in order to facilitate the growth or other specific objectives of its investees, and ensure the business opportunity is optimized. This model provides an alternative or complement to debt and equity financing, allowing investees to maintain financial flexibility and control of their business rather than entering into arrangements that may include restrictive debt structures or giving up an ownership stake.

FinCanna's portfolio includes Cultivation Technologies, Inc. ("CTI"), a team of experts from Fortune 150 agriculture, medical cannabis, law, engineering and technology companies. FinCanna is providing funding to CTI for its planned, fully entitled, large-scale indoor medical cannabis facility to be developed in Coachella, California.

CTI has established an interim medical cannabis extraction facility (the "Interim Facility") that will produce licensed medical cannabis products until the Coachella Project is complete. CTI is currently expanding its product line, Coachella Premium, to include vaporizer cartridges. Initial market feedback gathered during the product development phase indicates that Coachella Premium's vaporizer cartridges offer a unique proposition within the vaporizer market, one of the fastest growing verticals in the cannabis market.

The Interim Facility can process up to 6,000 pounds of biomass per month, the equivalent of approximately 3.7 million grams of raw oil per year, with room for expansion. It is expected that the completed Coachella Project will be able to process 30,000 to 50,000 pounds of biomass per month, or the equivalent of 18 million grams to 30 million grams of raw oil per year.

Additionally FinCanna has entered into a royalty agreement with Green Compliance, a provider of point-of-sale software solution ("ezGreen") for licensed medical cannabis dispensaries and cultivators. Green Compliance helps its customers comply with both the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ("HIPAA") and State Laws by ensuring patients' confidential data is being handled properly, helping to protect from possible security breaches and financial and criminal liability resulting from potential violations.

FinCanna has also signed binding term sheet with Oakland, California-based Gram Co Holdings, subject to due diligence by FinCanna. Gram Co is a cannabinoid research and refinement facility focused providing B2B and B2C products and services to licensed medical dispensaries, infused product manufacturers, and numerous others in the cannabis supply chain. The company is also retrofitting a large, state-of-the-art medical cannabis extraction laboratory, which is expected to be operating in 2018.

The foregoing contains forward-looking statements regarding Cultivation Technologies Inc. ("CTI") which are subject to risks, uncertainties and contingencies which include, but are not limited to the statements relating the future construction and completion of the CTI medical cannabis facility in Coachella, California, and the projected biomass processing and raw oil production at the facility. Such forward looking statements are based on assumptions regarding the construction, completion and operations of CTI's proposed facility, including that CTI will obtain the financing required to build and equip its proposed facility, that CTI will obtain the additional financing required operate the facility, that construction facility is completed on time and budget, that CTI obtains state licenses to operate on a permanent basis, and that the equipment used in the cultivation of medical cannabis performs at scale in a similar way it performs at CTI's pilot tests.

First Cobalt Corp. (TSX.V: FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF)

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First Cobalt Corp. (TSX.V: FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF), with headquarters in Canada, is a vertically integrated pure-play cobalt company with three significant North American assets. Its most prospective, flagship asset, the Iron Creek Project, is located in Idaho. Exploration of the Iron Creek Project is supported by a $9 million work program engineered to increase drilling along a mineralized strike with the hope of fast-tracking the prized asset for future production. Cobalt is a critical low-heat element of the lithium-ion batteries that fuel smartphones, laptops and a burgeoning market in electrical vehicles sought as an environmentally friendly alternative to petroleum-driven cars.

First Cobalt, which recently acquired the Iron Creek Project, is conducting a mineral resource estimate to confirm a historic estimate (non-compliant with NI 43-101) of 1.3 million tons grading 0.59 percent cobalt at the site. The company intends to publish a resource estimate by October 2018 and complete an additional 30,000 meters of drilling designed to double the mineralized zone along strike beyond the area drilled in 2017.

"First Cobalt acquired US Cobalt because we believe that Iron Creek is one of the most prospective and advanced projects in North America. With a historic resource estimate, patented land and 600 meters of underground development, Iron Creek is a prized high grade primary cobalt asset in a great mining jurisdiction," Trent Mell, president and CEO of First Cobalt, states. "Today's budget and work program is a testament to our conviction about this cobalt-copper projects' ability to be expanded and ultimately fast-tracked for future production in North America."

First Cobalt's exploration project in Idaho and an additional one in Canada's famed Cobalt Camp mining region position it well to also take advantage of conflict metal concerns surrounding the reported human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of Congo's cobalt-rich mines, which currently supply about two-thirds of the entire cobalt supply worldwide.

The company's assets in Canada also include the only permitted cobalt extraction refinery in North America capable of producing battery material, providing an integrated solution for cobalt projects. A study is underway to determine the appropriate scale and capital requirements for restarting the facility, which has been on care and maintenance since 2015.  Results of this study are expected mid-2018.

First Cobalt is the largest land owner in the Cobalt Camp in Ontario with control of over 10,000 hectares (nearly 25,000 acres) of prospective land and 50 historic cobalt/silver mines. First Cobalt's 2018 $C7 million drilling program, which includes testing different styles of mineralized areas throughout the Cobalt Camp in more than 10 past-producing mines known to contain cobalt, is a significant expansion over its 2017 exploration activities. Also ongoing is a prospecting sampling program of existing muckpiles around the camp's historic mines, trenches, pits and surrounding bedrock with a view to providing a possible early production scenario.

First Cobalt Corp. is moving quickly to leverage its potential against an economic background that estimates global consumption for refined cobalt is set to grow at an average rate of approximately 5 percent per annum for the next 10 years. The electric vehicle market, in particular, is driving this sector since more than 50 percent of the world's current production of cobalt is used in the manufacture of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. The global lithium-ion battery market, as estimated by Zion Market Research, indicates the value at around USD $31 billion in 2016 and is expected to generate revenue of nearly USD $68 billion by end of 2022, growing at a compound annual growth rate of slightly above 17 percent.

First Cobalt is embracing innovation in the mining sector, utilizing a digital compilation of 100-plus years of mining and geological data spanning the historically prolific Cobalt Mining Camp's lifespan. First Cobalt's management team is also assessing the ability of artificial intelligence to accelerate the discovery cycle. As a member of the Mineral Exploration Research Centre (MERC) and Metal Earth Project, First Cobalt is participating in regional geophysical surveys for geological interpretation of structures controlling cobalt-silver mineralization.

The company's clear pathway to production and cash flow generation includes its mineral rich Iron Creek Project in Idaho and being one of only four fully permitted cobalt extraction refineries in Canada with significant material and processing infrastructure on site. With the price of cobalt increasing significantly and its importance in the growing battery market underpinning a strong long-term demand forecast, First Cobalt Corp. and its mining interests are primed for success.

First Cobalt Corp. President and CEO Trent Mell, a mining executive and capital markets professional with 20 years of operating and transactional experience, is joined by a team of reputable and seasoned mine builders, mine operators and deal-makers with decades of global experience in exploration, business development, geoscience, engineering and finance.

Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX)

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Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: FRSX) (TASE: FRSX), founded in 2015 and headquartered in Israel, is a technological innovator in automotive vision systems and driver assistance technology. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Foresight Automotive Ltd., Foresight is engaged in the design, development and commercialization of stereo/quad-camera vision systems and V2X cellular-based solutions for the automotive industry based on 3D video analysis, advanced algorithms for image processing and sensor fusion. The company's powerful and patented stereoscopic technology is derived from field-proven technology that has been deployed throughout the world for almost two decades.

Foresight's innovative autonomous driving solutions are based on mature, proprietary stereoscopic image technology that uses two synchronized cameras to mimic human depth perception and produce a three-dimensional image. This 3D image can anticipate possible collisions with other vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians and other obstacles. The technology provides highly accurate real-time alerts about the vehicle's surroundings while in motion. The systems are designed to improve driving safety by enabling highly accurate and reliable threat detection while ensuring the lowest rates of false alerts.

The company's patents provide IP protection for its robust and proven proprietary stereoscopic technology, which was developed using the security technology of Foresight's major shareholder, Magna B.S.P.

Foresight has developed three main products:

  • QuadSight™. This breakthrough detection system sets the bar for autonomous vehicle vision. It features nearly 100 percent obstacle detection with almost zero false alerts and operates optimally under all weather and lighting conditions, including darkness, rain, fog, haze and glare. QuadSight™ is the first quad-camera multi-spectral vision solution of its kind, driven by advanced and proven image processing algorithms. The system consists of two sets of stereoscopic infra-red and visible-light cameras that enable highly accurate and reliable obstacle detection for seamless 24/7 vision.
  • Eyes-On™. This solution uses advanced algorithms for accurate depth analysis and obstacle detection to provide a unique stereo vision Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). It can detect all potential obstacles regardless of shape, form or material, including other vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians and animals. It has an accuracy and reliability of almost 100 percent and near zero false alerts.
  • Eye-Net™. This is a cellular-based accident prevention solution that is designed to provide real-time pre-collision alerts to vehicles and pedestrians. This proprietary system is deployed on smartphones and cloud-based servers operating on existing cellular networks, and it eliminates the need for additional designated hardware. Eye-Net™ is designed to provide a complementary layer of protection to advanced driver assistance systems and extends this protection to road users who are not in direct line of sight. It is optimally designed for both urban environments and high-speed scenarios to provide protection for the most vulnerable road users. On March 28, 2018, Foresight announced that it had completed a successful feasibility study of its Eye-Net™ accident prevention solution involving 120 users of Android and iOS cell phones located across Israel.

In 2017, Foresight sought more opportunities within the international market. The Company signed pilot agreements with three leading car manufacturers in China and completed pilot projects meeting all pre-defined requirements and criteria. In addition, FRSX completed a pilot project with Uniti Sweden.

Studies by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety continue to emphasize the dramatic reduction in accidents and injury-related crashes reported when vehicles are equipped with collision avoidance systems. A recent study by the Institute states that the rate of single-vehicle, sideswipe and head-on crashes was 11 percent lower in vehicles with the warning systems. More importantly, the study shows collision avoidance technology cut the rates of injury crashes of the same type by 21 percent.

Foresight Autonomous Holdings, Inc. also holds a 32 percent interest in RailVision, a company that develops advanced systems for railway safety and maintenance. RailVision has successfully completed 13 tests in Israel, Germany, Italy and Switzerland in addition to a real-time system test with a European railway operator. Over the course of 2017, RailVision successfully completed rounds of financing totaling $5.8 million and started the process of licensing the system according to European standards.

Haim Siboni is the founder of Foresight and has served as the company's chief executive officer and director since 2015. Siboni, a passionate entrepreneur, has an extensive background in the marketing and business management sectors in the fields of electronics, video, TV, multimedia, computerized systems, line and wireless telecommunication, design and development of systems and devices, including electro-optic radar systems. He is the founder and CEO of Magna B.S.P., Foresight's major shareholder and a leading innovator in the field of homeland security surveillance solutions.

GreenBox POS, LLC (OTC: GRBX)

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GreenBox POS, LLC (OTC: GRBX) is a hardware and software technology company that builds customized payment solutions in different industries. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California, with offices in Seattle, Wash.; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. GreenBox, which has been awarded five provisional patents for its blockchain-based technology, delivers a fully integrated, intuitive, easy-to-use, point of sale (POS) system for a variety of businesses across a multitude of different market sectors.

GreenBox develops all software in-house and with international subsidiaries, which allows the company to provide individualized electronics modifications in partnership with different vendors. Custom POS machines are available as an upgrade from existing solutions currently in use. First-time merchants can also take advantage of custom-built kiosk machines powered by blockchain technology, complete with e-wallet integration downloadable via Android or iOS apps, or via installed cash-loading kiosks.

GreenBox develops POS (point of sale) software and hardware solutions; DEL (delivery app, APIs to POS and PAY); PAY (payment app, providing financial APIs to all other components); and KIOSK (deposit, cash and E-wallet management). The following flagship products, services and custom hardware are currently available:

  • The QuickCard Kiosk – The QuickCard Kiosk handles all cash management issues, physical and virtual. The Kiosk, integral to the QuickCard payment platform, performs direct and immediate deposits from cash to blockchain and confirms bank account availability instantly. There is no faster deposit solution available today. We simply take the concept of cash machines at bank branches and generalize it. You can deposit your cash at the Kiosk and immediately use it at a retailer nearest you. The QuickCard payment infrastructure, capable of instantly settling transactions, having unparalleled security with fully integrated Blockchain secured ledger technology, also includes offline functionality and cold storage capabilities.
  • POS Solutions – GreenBox software, developed in-house and with international subsidiaries, features operational compliance, financial audit prep, expense tracking, tax payments, register-specific features, and data fidelity controls (backup/restore, cloud security, privacy, etc.). GreenBox POS software is fully integrated with Del and Pay Systems and features front register mode and back-end admin mode, in addition to in-admin mode to manage employees, vendors, expenses, taxes and compliance. All records are stored on blockchain with data reliably secured and protected.
  • LOOPZ – This delivery software solution offers service dispatcher back-end technology with manual and automatic modes. The software is uniquely designed to be effectively utilized for mobile delivery service operations with full autonomous dispatch capabilities. LOOPZ provides the following features: two mobile apps (driver and consumer) running on Android and IOS; direct reporting to point of sale inventory and use of pay for instant settlements; separate escrow setup for tips and merchant sale; all data and information is securely hosted on a blockchain platform.

The management team at GreenBox includes CEO Fredi Nisan, who comes from the POS and merchant services business sector. He recently completed a successful exit in the POS and ERP business, which he founded and managed through the exit. Joining Nisan is Ben Errez, executive vice president, who comes from the investment, consulting and big software and hardware industries. His previous executive roles include positions at Microsoft (including engineering management of Microsoft Office for complex scripts); IBM (with which he had an exit); and Intel. Errez has also consulted the world's biggest private economy, World Trade Center, on payment systems, security, reliability and privacy of software and hardware development.

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP)

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Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) has developed and out-licenses its proprietary technology for improved taste, rapidity, and delivery of bioactive compounds, including cannabinoids. Though boasting a wide range of health benefits, cannabinoids are traditionally poorly absorbed by the body's gastrointestinal tract. To achieve higher effectiveness, consumers usually default to smoking. Lexaria provides a superior administration method by delivering hemp oil ingredients – or through locally licensed partners, cannabis oil ingredients – through a patented process within food products.

The key differentiator between Lexaria's products and others on the market is the company's disruptive technology proven to enhance the absorption of orally ingested cannabinoids while improving the "unusual" taste of cannabinoids and allowing for lower overall dosing with higher efficacy. Lexaria is primarily a B2B enterprise, and is in licensing discussions or has existing agreements with companies in Canada, the largest-market states in the USA, and internationally. Lexaria has also developed its own brands partly for demonstration purposes, utilizing its patented technology to infuse hemp oil ingredients within lipids in popular foods. These brands include ViPova™, Lexaria Energy Foods, and TurboCBD™.

In 2015, Lexaria commissioned an independent, third-party lab to test its technology under carefully monitored in vitro conditions. Results showed that the company's technological process and lipid formulation both improve intestinal absorption as much as 500%. Additional follow-up studies in human volunteers suggested that Lexaria's processed, lipid-infused tea may be more effective in an actual gastrointestinal system than in an in vitro simulation with results indicating as much as a 1,000% increase in overall absorption.

Lexaria also has an R&D partnership with the Canadian government's National Research Council. That R&D is expected to characterize molecular bond formation theorized to occur with Lexaria's unique technology between the lipid delivery agents and the bioactive substances it processes and combines. Results from this R&D are expected to support accelerating B2B relationships – not just in the cannabis industry, but also to support new B2B business relationships in the fields of vitamins, NSAIDs, and nicotine delivery. All of these sectors expected to offer additional future growth potential.

Aside from testing, a critical component of Lexaria Bioscience's business model is a strong intellectual property portfolio that utilizes the most commonly used food processing techniques. As of 2017, the company's patent portfolio includes 19 patent applications filed and pending in more than 40 countries around the world. The most recent patent applications expand Lexaria's lipophilic food and beverage composition claims to include the processing of cannabinoids, vitamins, NSAIDs and nicotine in many of the world's most commonly used food processing ingredients. Lexaria is expecting additional new patent awards both in the USA and internationally in 2017 and 2018.

Royalties play a vital role in Lexaria's revenue-generating business model. The company out-licenses its technology (royalty) to third party partners, and has several deals signed and/or pending. The company's growth initiatives are guided by a management team headed by CEO Chris Bunka, a serial entrepreneur who has raised more than $50 million in working capital for the companies he has led over the course of his career. He is supported by a team of professionals with extensive experience in pharmaceutical and bioscience sectors, invention, toxicology, consumer goods, and other relevant skillsets.

Marijuana Company of America Inc. (OTC: (MCOA)

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The founders of Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTC: MCOA) (the "Company") are pioneers in the cannabis industry going back to 2009 when Don Steinberg, MCOA's CEO, founded the first marijuana company ever to trade on a U.S. stock market, Medical Marijuana Inc. Since then, Don and his partner, Charlie Larsen, have formed Global Hemp Group and Marijuana Company of America. They have experienced the shift of legislation first hand, not only for the legalization of marijuana but also the emerging hemp-based CBD products.

The CBD market is growing exponentially and consequently the founders of MCOA have constructed their business model around the development of industrial hemp-based CBD products. The industrial hemp plant can be used to produce products that are carbon neutral or even carbon negative. It is one of the longest, strongest natural fibers on earth, used as a building material that is free of mold, pesticide-resistant, and fire proof. Hemp has also been described as a "super food," which provides additional business opportunities. No part of the plant is left unused and the Company's overall strategy is to take advantage of every profit center from farm to the multiple valuable finished products.

The cannabis and hemp industries are experiencing unprecedented growth that is expected to continue for many years as these industries are now accepted globally and continue to mature and expand. North American consumers spent $6.7 billion on legal cannabis products in 2016, up 34% from 2015's $5 billion. This trend is widely expected to explode at a 27% compounded annual growth rate to reach $22.6 billion by 2021, according to ArcView Market Research.

The company offers investors the opportunity to be on the forefront of cannabis and hemp innovation through cultivation, processing in the legal cannabis and industrial hemp sectors. The Company's business model includes producing a diverse portfolio of synergistic business segments that provide value to its shareholders. Its vertically integrated business model and distribution platforms are positioned to capture market share by developing recognizable and valuable brands.

Under the MCOA umbrella, wholly owned subsidiary hempSMART™, Inc. is committed to bringing high quality CBD-based products to the market through its affiliate marketing program. Through hempSMART, MCOA's strategic approach to the distribution of products is through a networking architecture geared to maintain customer loyalty and capture market share. The patent-pending product "hempSMART Brain," is designed to revolutionize the safe and effective support of healthy brain function. The brand new product, HempSMART DROPS, is a full-spectrum CBD tincture formulated with hemp and fractionated coconut oils. The hempSMART marketing team has decades of experience, and is well positioned to take the hempSMART brand to a global audience.

Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG)

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Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG), headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyoming, is a first-tier merchant processing cannabis industry pioneer, offering one of the first and only comprehensive card processing operations of its kind to serve the state-sanctioned medical marijuana industry. The company's state of the art system, which also tracks sales and tax collection, and eliminates the need to deal in cash-only transactions.

Through its robust, closed-loop merchant processing system, the company's unique "StateSourced" proprietary system enables authorized operation under FinCEN parameters and complies with all regulatory frameworks. StateSourced is tailored to deliver full-spectrum merchant processing services, providing the convenience of modern commercial card processing resources and making it the first operation of its kind geared to the legal cannabis industry.

StateSourced is not a prepaid or gift card, which is an important variable for merchants since standard banking institutions have not offered this form of payment processing to the legal cannabis industry. Federal law still considers marijuana illegal under the Controlled Substances Act, although 29 states and the District of Columbia have legalized the plant either for medicinal or recreational uses or both. This restriction has kept financial institutions at bay since most banks are federally insured and haven't been inclined to venture into the nascent industry.

Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions is able to offer its StateSourced card on a state-by-state basis where the card can be used in purchasing product from a legal, authorized vendor, providing a much-needed option for consumers and businesses alike. In another first, the company is collaborating with First Bitcoin Capital Corporation to integrate First Bitcoin's cryptocurrency ($Weed) with Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions' StateSourced payment gateway. This collaboration will allow state-licensed marijuana establishments across the nation to accept both StateSourced debit cards and cryptocurrencies such as WeedCoin and Bitcoin.

Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions president and CEO Jeremy Roberts and his executive team are working with state lawmakers to introduce legislation in an effort to address the growing problems in banking for the medical cannabis industry. For companies in the emerging legal cannabis industry, where retail and non-retail transactions such as vendor payments and payroll are almost exclusively paid for with cash, the solutions offered by StateSourced can help businesses avoid the inherent risks associated with a cash-intensive sector. Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions has also signed its first StateSourced contract with a Las Vegas-based vertically integrated marijuana establishment.

"We've completed our transition from development stage to revenue stage," says Roberts. "We have just started our business development efforts and the market is responding very well. We anticipate having many more, similar releases."

Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions provides end-to-end management across multiple systems for medicinal marijuana operations. The company solves the fragmentation problem experienced by many of these rapidly growing companies by identifying tools that are important to dispensaries and customizing those tools to meet the specific needs of this unique industry.

Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE)

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Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) is a global financial technology and value-added solutions group that supports electronic payments acceptance in an omni-channel environment spanning across point-of-sale, e-commerce, and mobile devices. Net Element operates a payments-as-a-service transactional model and value-added services platform for small to medium enterprises in the U.S. and selected emerging markets. Internationally, Net Element's strategy is to leverage its omni-channel platform to deliver flexible offerings to emerging markets with diverse banking, regulatory and demographic conditions. Net Element was ranked as one of the fastest growing companies in North America on Deloitte's 2017 Technology Fast 500 ™ and South Florida Business Journal's 2016 fastest growing technology companies.

Net Element believes the future of global commerce is being revolutionized as consumers quickly migrate toward omni-channel shopping utilizing mobile devices, desktop, and online services. Net Element's all-in-one payment solutions support and unify a whole range of applications through a single, robust platform, allowing global onboarding and support for multiple payment methods.

Net Element has also launched a new blockchain-focused business unit that will develop and deploy blockchain technology-based solutions. Net Element expects the new division to create a decentralized crypto-based ecosystem that will act as a framework for an unlimited number of value-added services, connecting merchants and consumers in a seamless, economically efficient transaction. This new business unit intends to also identify and invest in unique projects that decentralize and disrupt the payment processing industry by combining blockchain technology and real-world applications with talented development teams, strong fundamentals and addressable markets large in size.

"We believe that we're at the dawn of a new evolution where additional digital payment methods are being introduced," Net Element CEO Oleg Firer, says. "Introduction of our division focused on blockchain as part of the NASDAQ-listed entity will add transparency and compliance assurance to our investors as well as provide access to deploy value-added services to over 20 million electronic commerce clients that are currently part of Net Element's growing network."

Net Element clients are treated to customized solutions that provide the flexibility needed to keep up with customers. Among the services offered are mobile payment apps that accept payments anywhere, anytime; cloud-based solutions built to increase productivity and enhance revenue for clients and partners; marketing solutions that turn lookers into buyers; and business analytics that make it easy for clients to monitor business metrics, engage with customers and compare the competition. Its multi-channel platform combines e-commerce, offline, point-of-sale, comprehensive back office tools, mobile point-of-sale, credit scoring and customer interaction in one powerful platform-as-a-service technology.

Net Element owns and operates a global mobile payments and transactional processing provider, TOT Group, Inc., with the following subsidiaries:

  • Unified Payments – An award-winning, customized mobile billing and payments solution, recognized by Inc. Magazine as the No. 1 Fastest Growing Company in America in 2012.
  • Digital Provider – A leading provider of SMS messaging and mobile billing solutions.
  • Aptito – A next-generation, all-in-one, cloud-based restaurant management and point-of-sale payments platform using wireless technology.
  • Payonline – A fully integrated, processor agnostic electronic commerce platform.

Net Element is ranked No. 418 on Deloitte's 2017 Technology Fast 500™ list of North America's 500 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and energy tech companies. Net Element grew 190 percent. The company's chief executive officer, Oleg Firer, credits the company's progression to organic growth in its North America Transactions Segment, specifically the success of its Unified Payments brand, which focuses on value-added payment acceptance solutions for small to medium enterprises in the United States.

"The Deloitte 2017 North America Technology Fast 500 winners underscore the impact of technological innovation and world class customer service in driving growth, in a fiercely competitive environment," said Sandra Shirai, vice chairman, Deloitte Consulting LLP and U.S. technology, media and telecommunications leader. "These companies are on the cutting edge, and are transforming the way we do business."

Net Element's suite of application performing interfaces (APIs) and connectors power commerce for businesses of all sizes through multi-channel platforms, all-in-one digital solutions, and end-to-end encryption of cardholder data utilizing tamper resistant hardware that ensures integrity and simplifies security.

Net Element's corporate team is led by director and CEO Oleg Firer, who is responsible for the overall vision, strategy and execution of the company's mission of powering global commerce. He is joined by CFO Jeffrey Ginsburg, CPA, and Steven Wolberg, who is the company's chief legal officer and secretary. Each corporate officer brings a unique blend of leadership, vision, experience and creative energy to the company.

From mobile payments and value-added transactional innovations such as Digital Provider and Aptito to e-commerce and retail payment transaction processing brands like Payonline and United Payments, Net Element is transforming the online and mobile experience.

NUGL Inc. (OTC: NUGL)

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NUGL Inc. (OTC: NUGL) is focused on leading the evolution in business relations, development and organic data in the cannabis industry with a distinct platform. In this effort, it has developed a leading-edge, first of its kind search app and online directory for the marijuana industry that provides a one-stop source and listings for dispensaries, strains, doctors, lawyers, service professionals, vape shops, hydro stores and brands.

Headquartered in Chino Hills, California, which is home to a projected $5 billion legal marijuana marketplace, NUGL is on track to become a major asset for the global cannabis industry and related services sectors. The company recently established a strategic partnership with Thinklogic and appointed CEO Chris Adams to NUGL's growing board of directors. Thinklogic is a top-level software development company specializing in projects for start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.

"This strategic partnership puts NUGL in a distinguished class, adding a first-rate technical software expert like Chris gives NUGL a unique technological advantage," said Brandon Vargas CEO of NUGL. "With the addition of Chris's knowledge and expertise combined with Thinklogics' experienced and skilled staff, NUGL will have the ability to evolve and build a strong infrastructure unmatched in the 420 industry."

NUGL is nearing completion of its initial launch timeline, with plans to launch the app on both Android and iOS platforms within the next few weeks. NUGL's live testing of its software includes enhanced reviews that detail up to 10 category ratings. Each of the category rankings allow users to leave comments and choose among a 5-star rating among all categories or as few as they wish. The software's rating platform allows for customization and transparency for users while providing invaluable feedback to shops and professional services.

"This is a major feature that is critical to our community," said Jeff Odle, NUGL's CTO. "Enhanced ratings will be a definitive difference validating our organic listings and raising the standard for the industry. We want the users to know what they are getting before they step into a store or sign up for a service."

Leadership Team

NUGL is growing its team of developers and launching new features on an ongoing basis. The company is ahead of an impressive timeline, which includes building blocks for scalability and massive growth.

"Everything we do is focused on user experience. Our philosophy is simple – make it fun and easy to use, with the purest and most unbiased results," said Ryan Bartlette, NUGL CMO. "As the industry evolves and becomes more sophisticated, NUGL will adapt and build the best marketing technology for the cannabis-related companies. We have gotten in on the ground level and know the pulse of the industry."

NUGL CEO Brandon Vargas is a founding member of G6 Management, a full-service consulting firm advising cannabis professionals in all aspects of business. With over 10 years' experience in the cannabis space, he has worked on dispensary, cultivation and infusion entity formation, licensing, real estate acquisitions, construction and build out, marketing, policy and procedures, compliance, staffing, and capital raises. Vargas has an extensive background working with various medical marijuana companies on investment and in developing greenhouse and commercial cultivation, distillate for vapes cartridges, CBD oils and infusions.

CMO Ryan Bartlette is co-founder and CMO of 23Forty LLC and Boxy. He has expertly positioned and branded many companies while bringing them to market and is a sought out graphic artist, front-end developer, photographer, and visual artist with experience in the entertainment and technology industry.

Jeff Odle, NUGL CTO, is a successful senior software architect has a long and distinguished career developing some of the most innovative, cutting-edge platforms available. His unique and distinctive approach to creating the blueprint for advanced programming is industry leading and unprecedented. He is a top-level architect responsible for developing some of the most forward-looking software for various industries.

NUGL's board of directors includes John R. Armstrong, a founding partner of Horwitz + Armstrong, a full service general business firm handling all aspects of litigation and business strategy and advice. Armstrong and his partner, Lawrence Hortwitz, have more than 10 years of experience in the cannabis space, representing cannabis professionals in all aspects of business including business formation, licensing, compliance with local and state regulations, real estate acquisitions, corporate mergers and acquisitions, financing, inclusive of capital raises and alternative financing, contracts, and all forms of dispute resolution.

Board member Hendrik Klein, founder of Da Vinci Asset Management, a privately-owned investment firm, serves as CEO and executive board member of Fritz Nols AG, a capital marketing consulting firm specializing in trading and asset management. Klein has received several industry awards including the Austrian Hedge Fund Award, the German Hedge Fund Award, and most recently was named the Global Best Performing Systematic Quantitative CTA. Klein and the Da Vinci team employ the latest quantitative data research and analysis in their innovative investment strategy.

Pacific Software, Inc. (OTC: PFSF)

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Pacific Software Inc. (OTC: PFSF) is focused on the design, development, and distribution of Hyperledger blockchain technology solutions for application to the specific needs of agriculture, cannabis, and the opioid epidemic.

The basic requirements of the systems to be developed include high-throughput transaction processing, traceability or tracking, visibility or monitoring, and transparency throughout the supply and value chains for the stakeholders. The development of this architecture will serve as an online commercial portal to service Pacific Software's B2B accounts in the sectors below.

Agriculture
For application of its Agri-blockchain based system, Pacific Software will target farm-to-consumer exports to increase transparency, combat theft and counterfeit products, and reduce the health risks associated with shipping "tainted" agricultural products to other countries.

Cannabis
Perceiving blockchain as an ideal mechanism for the complexities of the cannabis industry, Pacific Software will strive to improve the transparency, compliance, and efficiency of the "seed-to-sale" supply chain in states where the plant is legal.

Controlled Substances
With the misuse of opioids on the rise worldwide, Pacific Software aims to apply its blockchain-based system to track opioids from pharmaceutical production to consumers and attempt to identify "Bad Actors" in the supply chain and fight against the global epidemic.

Business Model
The portal will be structured in a B2B format where clients will pay the company transaction fees, royalties, cash, cash equivalents and other forms of compensation to utilize its Hyperledger blockchain applications for their business models.

As the company executes these strategies, each Hyperledger blockchain-based system designed may be organized separately in wholly owned subsidiaries. To enhance its portfolio of holdings, Pacific Software may consider investments in companies where selected markets have imminent profitable results, providing appreciable value for investors and shareholders.

Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE: VIDA) (OTCQX: PHVAF)

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Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with operations offices in southern California, Phivida Holdings Inc. (CSE: VIDA) (OTCQX: PHVAF) is a premium food and beverage company that develops CBD-infused functional foods, beverages and supplements poised for global distribution. All products in the Phivida label are infused with organic, hemp-derived cannabinoids into a variety of premium foods, beverages and clinical products for everyday health. Phivida is guided by a team of Fortune 500-caliber executives focused on a new strategic portfolio of products and brands, comprehensive consumer research, new product and brand development, improved visual identity and packaging design, and a strong distribution strategy.

The company's motto – "Celebrating Health and Wellness, in Harmony™" – underscores Phivida's mission to lead the alternative health care sector as the benchmark standard in premium CBD-infused functional beverages and tinctures. To execute this goal, Phivida is taking advantage of positive legislative developments in the United States and has defined an elevated national route-to-market strategy across the U.S. where small regional distributors will be now be replaced with large national distributors.

Management

Phivida's management team includes president and CEO Jim Bailey, former president of Red Bull Canada and global chief marketing officer for Merrell Outdoors; Chief Marketing Officer Michael Cornwell, former chief marketing officer for Samsung New Zealand and the former director of marketing for Red Bull Canada; and Doug Campbell, former director of sales for Red Bull North America, who as Phivida's chief commercial officer is tasked with driving new sales revenue growth.

Publicly traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE.VIDA) and recently graduated to the OTCQX Best Market in the USA (OTCQX.PHVAF), the company's strong balance sheet carries CAD$15.7 million with no debt or loans with less than 60 million shares outstanding and the company is now well-capitalized to fun major mainstream distribution with a solid structure poised for long-term growth.

The Science

Using encapsulation technology, Phivida uses full spectrum CBD-hemp oil (rich in naturally occurring phytocannabinoids) converted into a water-soluble delivery format, which enhances delivery and absorption of the cannabinoids into the human body – up to an estimated tenfold.

Encapsulated CBD is infused into functional beverages, food and supplements containing a proprietary blend of phytonutraceuticals studied to target a range of health and wellness conditions. Phivida tests every product for microbials, heavy metals, pesticides, residual solvents, terpenes, and potency to guarantee less than 0.3 percent THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical compound in cannabis responsible for a euphoric high) is present.

Regulations

Federally legal under the 2014 Farm Bill, CBD from Hemp Oil is a rapid growth market across the USA. When derived from marijuana, CBD remains a schedule one controlled substances, giving hemp derived CBD oil infused products a competitive advantage on regulations. On June 28, 2018, the U.S. Senate passed the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (i.e. the "Farm Bill), lifting the USA Industrial Hemp laws to an agricultural commodity status and effectively removed hemp from the controlled substance list.

Earlier this year, another milestone court ruling also provided significant regulatory support for the US CBD-Hemp sector. In February 2018, the Supreme Court preceded over the HIA (Hemp Industry Association) vs. DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) in a class-action suit concerning the issue of CBD extracted from hemp, and the legality of industrial hemp. In the final ruling the Supreme Court unequivocally determined that – when produced domestically under the Farm Bill – hemp (and its derivatives) are not a controlled substance.

The Supreme Court ruling also found the Farm Bill (as it relates to hemp) "pre-empts" the Controlled Substances Act. Congress has since exempted Farm Bill hemp from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) giving the Farm Bill primary jurisdiction over the governance of the CBD-Hemp Oil industry in the USA.

The DEA further conceded it does not "seek to control cannabinoids," and that only marijuana derived cannabinoids are governed under the Controlled Substances Act. In May of 2018, the DEA issued a formal directive to all federal agencies (e.g. US Customs and Border Patrol) stating that cannabinoids are not controlled substances unless derived from marijuana, and that the "mere presence of cannabinoids" in any product or derivative does not render it a controlled substance. The Supreme Court ruling also resulted in the mediation of a settlement in what is now the third successful HIA vs. DEA suit in over a decade.

In Canada, the Senate approval of Bill C-45 legalized the production, distribution and use of recreation cannabis – with edibles to be added in 2019. The bill will officially become law as of October 17, 2018, creating a legal framework for the production, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis across Canada including cannabinoid-infused beverages.

3 Wholly Owned Subsidiaries

  • Phivida Organics Inc. offers professional-grade, wholesale, whole plant hemp oil extracts made from 100-percent certified organic hemp stalk. Phivida's hemp oil extracts are CO2-extracted under quality assurance/clinical standards and are third-party lab tested to assure only pharmaceutical grade, cGMP certified, full-spectrum products are produced and available for sale. Phivida Organics produces hemp oil extracts that deliver nano-encapsulated cannabinoids in water soluble formulations designed to be absorbed up to 10 times faster than other oils, providing up to 400 percent bioavailability. Phivida Hemp Oil Vida+ extract products are available now online at www.Phivida.com.
  • Phivida Nutrition blends the best of nature into CBD-infused lifestyle branded beverages including a variety of CBD infused iced teas and CBD infused flavored waters.
  • Phivida Enhanced – Under the VIDA brand, CBD-infused tinctures, capsules and other supplement products are distributed to alternative health care clinics across the USA.

WeedMD-Phivida

Phivida has signed a binding letter of intent to joint venture WeedMD Inc. (TSX-V: WMD) (OTC:WDDMF) (FSE:4WE), a Health Canada federally licensed producer and distributor of medical cannabis, to form a joint venture focused on cannabis-infused beverages. The new joint-venture company, Cannabis Beverages Inc. ("CanBev"), plans to develop a production facility at WeedMD's state-of-the-art greenhouse facility in Strathroy, Ontario, Canada. CanBev is on track to build and operate the first cannabis-infused beverage production facilities in Canada. The joint venture will focus on manufacturing, marketing and distribution of cannabinoid-infused beverages for the legalized medical and adult-use cannabis markets.

Management from both WeedMD and Phivida are collaborating on design and engineering strategies and site evaluations on a 610,000-square-foot, state-of-the art facility in Strathroy for the development of CanBev. As an emerging certified food grade production plant, the Strathroy facility is an ideal location and comes is equipped with extensive production infrastructure, including 50,000 sq. ft. of food production and packaging area, cold storage, loading docks, and adequate space to expand for future growth.

Strategic Agreements

Phivida Organics has also entered into an agreement to carry out a pharmacokinetic (PK) study on its hemp-derived, nanoencapsulated CBD with Artelo Biosciences Inc. at the University of Nottingham, School of Medicine at the Royal Derby Hospital, England. The study will test encapsulated-CBD on healthy volunteers and measure how fast and how much CBD enters the blood stream after oral consumption with each of the different formulations developed by Phivida Organics.

Phivida has also activated distribution agreements with Asayake Inc. to become one of the first federally approved CBD-infused food and supplement brands in Japan. With first mover status achieved, Phivida now markets to an underserved, yet highly informed population of 127 million patients and practitioners. The supplement market in Japan is estimated at US$10 billion with the overall functional foods market at US$21 billion. The Asia-Pacific region is the fastest growing market for natural plant-based supplements. Phivida now plans to prepare a formal application to Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency to register the company's CBD-infused functional food and beverage products for approval under the country's Food with Functional Claims regime. The functional beverage market in Japan is estimated at US$10.35 billion with a CAGR of 2.5 percent (2015-2025).

PreveCeutical Medical Inc. (CSE: PREV) (OTCQB: PRVCF) (FSE: 18H)

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PreveCeutical Medical Inc. (CSE: PREV) (OTCQB: PRVCF) (FSE:18H), headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, is a health sciences company dedicated to researching and developing innovative options for preventive and curative therapies utilizing organic and Nature Identical™ products. The company is strategically staking out select positions in the medically acute areas of diabetes and obesity, pain management, neurological disorders and cancer.

PreveCeutical Medical Inc. had its beginnings in 2009 when Stephen Van Deventer, a seasoned businessman and venture capitalist, and Kimberly Van Deventer, a successful entrepreneur, met and formed a business partnership. The duo created Cornerstone Global Partners, a venture capital and business development company, and became involved in numerous ventures including building companies such as Aurora Cannabis Inc. Taking their interest in the health and wellness market further, the pair began researching how nature and science can work together to benefit health-conscious consumers. Coining and trademarking the word "PreveCeutical" – a combination of the words "preventive" and "pharmaceutical" – was a precursor to the company's formation and incorporation in October 2015.

The company's first product was developed in the Dominican Republic and is now marketed and distributed worldwide by PreveCeutical. It is a Caribbean Blue Scorpion venom product sold under the trade name CELLB9®. This product is an oral dilute solution infused with select peptides sourced exclusively from the blue scorpion (Rhopalurus princeps) found only in Caribbean nations. The active potentiated ingredients in CELLB9, which have been used in over 40 countries for over a decade, appear to support health at a deep, cellular level. PreveCeutical's research team is using proprietary chemistry to generate Nature Identical™ peptides derived from natural compounds found in Caribbean Blue Scorpion venom with the goal of eventually treating, regulating and preventing cancer progression. Peptides are also being used to target an array of disease indications including metabolic disorders, pain management, cancers, cardiovascular and infectious diseases.

PreveCeutical is developing the first nose-to-brain delivery system of cannabinoids (CBDs) with a novel process that prepares insoluble drug-containing nano-micelles and successfully incorporating them into a proprietary sol-gels application, essentially creating a targeted drug delivery vehicle. Intended for use via a nasal spray, this unique formulation rapidly gels upon contact with mucosal tissue, which paves the way for direct nose-to-brain delivery. This novel application eliminates first pass metabolism (stomach, intestines, liver), potentially improving bioavailability and delivering extended time release formulations that may alleviate side effects of higher dosage therapeutics. This CBD-based patented formula is projected to be deployed in selected markets with licensed medical marijuana companies within 18 months.

PreveCeutical is working with four leading Australian research centers to develop a curative therapy for diabetes and obesity. This four-year program involves engineering a novel approach that selectively targets the gene that encodes for the protein PTP-1B, which is implicated and over-expressed in both type-2 diabetes and obesity. PreveCeutical's gene-silencing technology would effectively "turn off" the genetic signal which leads to the over-production of this key protein molecule, bringing it back down to safe, normalized levels, and prevent the body from storing excessive fat. Diabetes kills one person every six seconds, with more than $800 billion spent globally on the disease.

Another exciting joint venture, established with Sports 1 Marketing, will focus on the therapeutic potential in the peptides and proteins connected to the Caribbean Blue Scorpion venom to potentially treat mild brain injury concussions. Developing a therapeutic product geared towards athletes who suffer from concussions could help alleviate suffering experienced by those who are affected by head trauma.

PreveCeutical Medical's science and research team is led by Dr. Harendra (Harry) Parekh, Ph.D., who is based at the University of Queensland's (UQ) Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence (PACE), and Dr. Makarand Jawadekar, Ph.D., whose 28 years of R&D experience with Pfizer Inc., is applicable in his role as chief science officer. Research collaborators include Dr. Rakesh Veedu, an emerging expert internationally in the field of molecular medicine, and Professor Grant Ramm, who is currently head of a leading medical research institute located in Brisbane, Australia.

PreveCeutical Medical is partnering with leading industry experts and companies in its quest to be a leader in the preventive health sciences sector. Its Research and Development partnership with UniQuest, the main commercialization company for the University of Queensland, provides PreveCeutical with the rights to all intellectual property arising from projects created under the agreement. PreveCeutical Medical Inc.'s management team brings an extensive portfolio of research experience, product development, deep corporate strategy and capital markets leadership to the company's core.

Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC: SGMD)

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Sugarmade, Inc. (OTC: SGMD), one of the largest publicly traded hydroponics supply companies moving into the industrial hemp space, is a product and brand marketing company investing in products and brands with disruptive potential. Sugarmade's brands include: ZenHydro.com; CarryOutSupplies.com; and BudLife. Headquartered in Monrovia, California, a city within Los Angeles county, Sugarmade has various business operations in diverse marketplaces including packaging and paper goods for various industries, agricultural supplies.

Sugarmade has expanded into the European hydroponics supply market with a growing base of orders taken through Amazon UK. Over the past few financial quarters, Sugarmade has seen revenue growth patterns expand geographically. As recently as mid-2017, the majority of hydroponic-related revenue growth was seen from California and other West Coast marketplaces, however growth is becoming more geographically dispersed among U.S. states where legalization has eased restriction. This movement into the United Kingdom further expands the base of geographic growth areas for Sugarmade.

Sugarmade recently launched a new corporate initiative in the booming industrial hemp and CBD, committing up to $1 million in capital over the next 12 months to invest in Hempistry, Inc., a privately held Nevada corporation. Hempistry has begun planting an ultra-high cannabidiol (CBD) industrial hemp strain on a land option it holds on 23,000 acres of prime Kentucky farmland. The strain of industrial hemp being grown by Hempistry is ultra-rich in CBD but contains less than 0.3 percent of THC, the psychoactive ingredient found in cannabis. The U.S. hemp industry is expected to produce well over $1 billion in revenues in 2018, with a compound annual growth rate of 14 percent through 2022, according to the Hemp Business Journal.

Demand for industrial hemp and products derived from hemp is soaring, with no let-up in sight, which the company sees as a "tremendous opportunity to become a supplier to this fast-growing sector," said Chairman and CEO Jimmy Chan, who is also an advisor and minority shareholder of Hempistry.

Sugarmade's investment into the market for high-CBD hemp is expected to be highly accretive for common shareholders in two ways. First, Sugarmade's investment will be in the form of common shares in Hempistry allowing Sugarmade common shareholders to possibly benefit from any future initial public offering of Hempistry. Second, Sugarmade is expected to sign a supply agreement with Hempistry for cultivation supplies, which would be additive to corporate revenues.

Sugarmade has also completed a master market agreement with industry leader BizRight Hydroponics, Inc., a leading marketer and manufacturer of cannabis and hydroponic growth supplies, which offers a range of hydroponics-related products including: HPS grow lights, electronic ballasts, HPS bulbs, nutrient mixes, environmental control products, pH measurement and calibration solutions and storage products. BizRight operates the ZenHydro.com website and other e-commerce properties and sells various products to distributors and retailers. BizRight is expected to produce in excess of $30 million in revenues during 2017, with substantial growth expected for 2018.

Sugarmade division CarryOutSupplies.com, the leader in paper and plastic take-out supplies, serves nationwide customers by offering a wide array of high quality products that are cost-efficient, custom-made and delivered on time. This business unit currently serves 2,000 quick service restaurants, garnering from 30-40 percent of the market share. Sugarmade plans to expand operations via the addition of market share and the introduction of new product offerings.

Management

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

Arman Tabatabaei serves as operations consultant, providing high-level, day-to-day strategic guidance and tactical operational supervision for all aspects of the corporation's business. He is an expert at data collection and analysis relative to resource management, risk forecasting and profit and loss management.

Sugarmade specializes in growing and acquiring innovative brands to maximize value for company employees, shareholders and other stakeholders. Sugarmade believes its future is very bright as the company expands operations within the cultivation sector and rapidly increases its revenue base.

Sunniva Inc. (CSE: SNN) (OTCQX: SNNVF)

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Sunniva Inc. (CSE: SNN) (OTCQX: SNNVF) is a vertically integrated medical cannabis company operating in the world's two largest cannabis markets – Canada and California – committed to delivering safe, consistent, high-quality products and services. Sunniva operates through its wholly owned subsidiaries: Sunniva Medical Inc., CP Logistics, LLC, Natural Health Service Ltd., and Full-Scale Distributors, LLC. Sunniva's vision is to become the lowest cost, highest quality cannabis producer in the markets it serves by building large scale purpose-built cGMP-compliant greenhouses, offering best quality assurance with cannabis products free from pesticides, providing better patient and doctor access to cannabis education, and sourcing better therapeutic delivery devices.

The company is establishing sophisticated distribution channels, including Sunniva's ownership of Natural Health Services cannabis clinics in Canada with over 95,000 active patients, to purchase the significant quantities of high quality Sunniva-branded and Sunniva private-labeled cannabis products.

Sunniva is an ancient English name which means, "Gift of the Sun." Sunniva's team of horticulturists, scientists and engineers is helping to set best practices for the industry, believing that sun-grown, solar-powered cultivation is the most sustainable and cost-effective way to grow high-quality, premium cannabis.

The Sunniva Family includes:

CP Logistics, LLC

Through its subsidiary, CP Logistics LLC, Sunniva is developing Sunniva Campus, a state-of-the-art, purpose-built greenhouse facility in Cathedral City, California. This modern purpose-built, agri-technology greenhouse will adhere to the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations that assure proper design, monitoring and control of manufacturing processes and facilities.

Phase 1 of the project includes a fully funded 325,000 square foot greenhouse capable of producing 60,000 kg per year of dry cannabis at capacity with operations commencing Q3 2018. Approximately 30 percent of initial total production will be converted into oils and extracts. Phase 2 is expected to increase the greenhouse by 165,000 square feet and grow production by about 40,000 kg per year.

These uniquely sealed greenhouses are designed to deploy custom, automation assembly line cultivation processes at a large scale. Energy consumption will be reduced while utilizing the energy of the sun and microclimatic controls to provide precise growing conditions. The greenhouse will recirculate air for more efficient climate control, and the company's Integrated Pest Management System is designed to ensure every plant grown is certified clean and free of all contaminants and pesticides.

Sunniva Medical Inc.

Sunniva Medical Inc. is designing and preparing to break ground on the Sunniva Canada Campus encompassing 700,000 square feet of purpose-built cGMP greenhouse facilities in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. The total campus is expected to produce 100,000 kg of premium medical cannabis a year plus additional trim used for extraction. This facility will produce pesticide-free products and will convert trim to extracted products such as cannabis oil that can be used for drug delivery formats such as capsules, dissolvable strips, vaporization cartridges, tinctures and creams.

Sunniva and Canopy Growth Corporation ("Canopy Growth") recently announced a large take or pay supply agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, Canopy Growth will purchase up to 45,000 kilograms of dried cannabis annually commencing Q1 2019, which includes the distribution of Sunniva branded products. Sunniva Medical is a late-stage applicant under Canada's ACMPR and is in the final review stage of the process.

Natural Health Services Ltd.

Natural Health Services ("NHS") owns and operates a network of eight medical clinics in Canada specializing in medical cannabis under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations ("ACMPR"). NHS connects licensed producers to their 21 physicians and patients with its proprietary SPARK software which utilizes a software-as-a-service revenue model. To date, there are 27 integrated licensed producers utilizing the SPARK software.

In-house physicians specializing in the endocannabinoid system provide expert consultation, education and recommendations for targeted phytoceutical remedies and wellness plans to improve the quality of life for all patients. NHS enjoys a long-term relationship with patients due to the quality of its physician-patient experience. A rapidly expanding NHS cannabis clinic network serves 94,000 active patients in Canada. NHS has also initiated a pilot program with a national pharmacy chain to aggregate more patients.

Full-Scale Distributors, LLC

Full-Scale Distributors, LLC is an industry leading provider of custom, private-label vaporizers through its brand, Vapor Connoisseur. The company currently serves the needs of over 80 top brands in the North American marketplace. Vapor Connoisseur is recognized for its high quality and innovative therapeutic delivery devices. Products are tailored to client needs, ensuring both safety and reliability.

Sunniva's highly experienced management team is building partnerships with leading scientists, universities and clinical trial groups to deliver proprietary cannabis formulations to a broad spectrum of health ailments and conditions. These global partners require cGMP-certified facilities for the processing and manufacturing of cannabis products. Sunniva is committed to providing safe, pesticide-free, high quality, reproducible cannabis medicines.

Leading Sunniva is co-founder, chairman and CEO Dr. Anthony (Tony) Holler. He is the former CEO and founder of ID Biomedical, which was acquired in 2005 for $1.7 billion by GlaxoSmithKline. He is also the former chairman of Corriente Resources Inc., which was sold for approximately $700 million to CRCC-Tongguan Investment Co. Holler is currently chairman of CRH Medical Corporation, a public company trading on the TSX and NYSE. His expertise includes strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions and financing with a singular focus on increasing shareholder value.

Holler is joined by co-founder Leith Pedersen, who serves as president of Sunniva. Pedersen is the former owner and CEO of Vida Wealth Management Bahamas and was a former investment advisor at Canaccord Wealth Management. He is a former partner and director at JF Mackie and Company, an independent brokerage firm in Calgary, Alberta, that managed capital in excess of $2 billion for high net worth clients. Pedersen's expertise is in corporate strategy, financing and mergers and acquisitions.

The Flowr Corporation

The Flowr Corporation, a Health Canada Licensed Producer (LP) of cannabis under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR), is an emerging Canadian cannabis leader founded by Medreleaf co-founder Tom Flow and a team of industry pioneers, successful start-up executives and top industry scientists. Flowr's purpose-built cultivation facilities may be the most advanced in the industry, consistently generating high crop yields, delivering premium and ultra-premium cannabis products, and maximizing return on investment. The company also may be an R&D leader as it was selected by the Hawthorne Gardening Division of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company as its exclusive Canadian cannabis R&D partner.

Flowr's flagship facility, an 84,000-square-foot campus on seven acres in Kelowna, British Columbia, is engineered to grow premium cannabis in rooms that meet pharmaceutical industry production standards for cleanliness. This, along with exacting protocols designed by the Flowr team, enables Flowr to grow cannabis that meets Health Canada's stringent standards without treating it with the taste- and smell-killing gamma irradiation that most other producers have to use to clean their product. Irradiating the plant – a process similar to pasteurizing food – impairs many of the important terpenes that provide the positive effects, flavors and scents of cannabis while strengthening unpleasant terpenes. Flowr's products may deliver a better user experience, thus commanding premium prices.

Flowr's cultivation facilities, built with proprietary, patent-pending systems, are designed to deliver yields targeted at 450 grams per square foot by the end of 2022, which is three times more efficient than the industry average of approximately 150 grams per square foot. By optimizing yield, the Company may produce significantly more cannabis flower on a smaller footprint than other producers, thus generating far high revenue per square foot and keeping costs much lower, leading to higher margins. The Kelowna facility is presently 20 percent operational with the remaining 80 percent slated to come online by early 2019. It is expected to produce up to 14,000 kg of premium, non-irradiated cannabis flower in 2019. With further enhanced yields and planned expansion of production facilities on the campus, Flowr will reach a total capacity of 60,000 kg annually in 2022.

Leading Flowr's cultivation program is industry pioneer, company co-founder and Flowr president Tom Flow. Flow is widely recognized for his cannabis thought leadership and expertise building and operating cannabis cultivation facilities. Flow also co-founded MedReleaf and designed, built and set up SOPs for their flagship Marcum cultivation facility. Marcum has continued to be perhaps the most productive facility in the country prior to the Flowr flagship facility. Long one of Canada's most efficient and profitable LPs, MedReleaf was acquired by Aurora for approximately C$3 billion. Flow and his team have designed and built a total of 17 cultivation facilities and secured three producer's licenses under various Canadian regulatory regimes.

In March 2018, Flowr and the Hawthorne Gardening Division of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company – a world leader in lawn and garden products – announced an exclusive strategic R&D alliance. After evaluating numerous Canadian LPs, Hawthorne chose to partner with Flowr based on the experience and expertise of the company's cultivation and R&D teams and the company's advanced growing capabilities.

Hawthorne will fund the construction of a 50,000-square-foot R&D facility that is integrated into Flowr's Kelowna campus. This facility is North America's first dedicated cannabis R&D facility focused on advancing cultivation techniques and systems. The facility will support researchers from both organizations and combine laboratories, indoor and greenhouse grow suites, training areas and genetics breeding areas in a single building. It is expected to open in early 2019. In addition to helping Flowr maintain its competitive advantage in cultivation, the company's R&D program will keep it on the cutting edge of cannabis innovation.

Flowr is entering the market with three different brands to meet the growing demand for premium, non-irradiated cannabis in the medicinal and adult use markets:

  • FlowrRx, featuring premium quality medicinal cannabis that enables patients to live better, fuller lives. A dedicated Client Services team will provide patients with personalized support while an R&D team develops innovative flower strains and premium products targeted to specific conditions. Patient well-being is considered at every stage of the process – from genetic selection to harvest, trimming and curing techniques. FlowrRx and its team of passionate scientists and leading cultivation specialists are dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of cannabis.
  • Flowr is the company's premium recreational adult-use brand featuring an active, West Coast-inspired lifestyle for the cannabis connoisseur and enthusiast market. Through the continuous innovation of procedures and practices, Flowr's talented team of experts is crafting premium products that deliver unparalleled experiences.
  • Ace Valley, an exclusive partnership with top-selling Ontario craft beer company Ace Hill, will bring Flowr's premium product to the millennial and casual adult-use markets under the Ace Valley brand.

Flowr recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch, the province's sole legal wholesaler of non-medical cannabis, to supply premium and ultra-premium flower to the province's retail outlets. The company has agreements with several major medical distributors and is in discussions about retail distribution with additional provinces where it believes it can obtain prices commensurate with the quality of the Flowr products. The company is also evaluating other market opportunities including export.

Flowr is poised to become the pre-eminent indoor premium cannabis grower in Canada and one of the country's top five LPs. The company's focus on yield, quality and price point and its team's ability to grow at scale should drive high margins, significant growth and strong return on investment.

The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTC: TGODF)

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The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (TGODF: TGODF), whose principal location is in Hamilton, Ontario, produces farm grown, organic, pesticide-free medical cannabis in small batches using all natural, organic craft growing principles. TGOD is licensed under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) to cultivate medical cannabis. The company carries out its principal activities producing cannabis pursuant to the provisions of the ACMPR and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada).

Committed to becoming the global leader in delivering organic cannabis solutions that enhance people's lives, TGOD consistently adheres to the highest levels of excellence. Its world-class management team includes a proven group of leaders with outstanding executive and operational experience specific to consumer packaged goods, consumer products, cannabis and finance industries.

TGOD is positioned as one of the highest quality and most cost efficient cannabis producers in Canada by leveraging innovative technology and low-cost power solutions. It holds one of the largest land packages under a single ACMPR license in Canada, providing future cannabis Agri-park style development and opportunities for joint ventures, licensing and distribution partners. Its industry leading alliance partners include Eaton, Ledcor Group and Hamilton Utilities Corp.

Eaton is the second largest power management company in the world and promises to supply innovative and cost effective power solutions to meet TGOD's growing demands. Construction management is supplied by Ledcor, Canada's second largest multidisciplinary construction company and a pioneer in the Green Building Industry. An alliance with Hamilton Utilities Corp allows TGOD to reduce its power costs from $0.13 per kWh to less than $0.05 per kWh. Greenhouse design is provided by Larssen Greenhouse, whose 25-plus years of experience in building some of the most modern and sophisticated greenhouses in the industry will provide TGOD with state of the art, climate-controlled hybrid greenhouse solutions.

Canada is quickly becoming a hub for cannabis investors with over $1.3 billion raised by Canadian companies to date. There are 58 licensed producers to service a population of 36 million and only two organic producers. TGOD, which holds licenses in Ontario and Quebec, is strategically located in both provinces that together claim 22 million Canadians as residents. Another estimated 57 million people live next door in six U.S. bordering states.

The Canadian cannabis market currently has a massive supply demand gap, which makes TGOD's expansion plans even more important to investors. These plans include a combined build-out capacity of 970,000 square feet, allowing TGOD to produce 116,000 kg annually of organic cannabis. Upon completion, Phase One in Hamilton, Ontario, which is fully funded, will provide 150,000 square feet of growing capacity capable of producing up to 14,000 kg of cannabis or $112 million in revenue at $8 a gram.

The company's Quebec expansion will be constructed on a recently secured 75-acre property near Montreal. This new property has a planned expansion of 820,000 square feet capable of producing 102,000 kg of organic cannabis. The first phase of this expansion is underway and construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2018. Quebec's first phase will consist of 220,000 square feet capable of producing 22,000 kg of cannabis. Two additional expansion phases will add 250,000 square feet (26,000 kg of cannabis) and 350,000 square feet (54,000 kg of cannabis). Power costs remain exceptionally low for both facilities with access to all other needed utilities available and close by.

TGOD also plans to gain a share of the burgeoning cannabis oils market which by Q1 2017 accounted for 49 percent of all cannabis sold in Canada under the ACMPR, up from only 27% in Q2 2016. TGOD has ordered a purpose-built extraction laboratory with an estimated commission in Q4 of 2017. This is a commercial-scale CO2 extraction unit capable of processing up to 12,000 kg of raw material per year and producing approximately $170 million worth of organic cannabis oils. Raw cannabis oil provides a significant downstream manufacturing opportunity into several potential recreational market verticals including edibles, beverages, topicals and concentrates.

Data from the Canadian ACMPR Market Trends report indicates a rising number of consumers will continue to seek out healthier, less conspicuous ways to consume cannabis, ensuring sales of organic cannabis oil products remain brisk. Organic cannabis products demand a significant premium compared to non-organic products and the demand keeps growing.

Plans to take the company public are underway with an initial public offering (IPO) slated for January 2018. In November, the company raised $13 million in equity financing and in March closed a $27 million non-brokered private placement. Another $20 million is currently being raised before the IPO in January, which will be utilized for expansion plans.

TGOD is uniquely positioned between the medical and recreational cannabis industry since Canada is scheduled to legalize cannabis for all adults in mid-2018. As of August 2017, TGOD has 2,400 shareholders. Established in 2012, TGOD's motto, "Making Life Better," can be seen in its strategic partnerships, top quality management team, and dedication to organic farming and principles.

To learn more about the company and how to invest, contact TGOD directly at financing@tgod.ca

TMSR Holding Company Ltd. (NASDAQ: TMSR)

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TMSR Holding Company Ltd. (NASDAQ: TMSR), together with its subsidiaries, is a recognized leader in the research, development, production and sale of solid waste recycling systems and zero emissions process systems, for the industrial and mining sectors in the People's Republic of China. The company operates through its wholly owned business divisions: Shengrong Environmental and Wuhan HOST Coating Materials.

TMSR's Shengrong subsidiary designs, builds, sells and services customized solid waste recycling systems and equipment for some of the largest industries in China. The company provides customers full-service, tailor-made systems from conceptual design to planning, production, modernization, optimization, assembly, start-up, conversions, disassembly, maintenance and servicing of components to complete zero emissions solid waste recycling and process systems.

Utilizing what management believed to be the world's most advanced technologies of physical magnetic industrial solid waste recovery, Shengrong can process a variety of industrial solid waste materials and is able to extract valuable metal byproducts from the waste without generating any chemical pollution. Shengrong's patented equipment can process aluminum slag, copper mine tailings, iron mine tailings, red mud manganese tailings, and molybdenum tailings among many others. Unlike traditional chemical-based recovery methods, the company extracts resalable metals from the waste without generating any pollution. The residues are processed to manufacture high-quality construction materials, turning polluted solid waste into valuable industrial materials with zero discharge.

Industrial solid waste recycling and heavy metal removal are significant worldwide technical, financial and environmental issues. Through Shengrong, TMSR is addressing this profound unmet market need by delivering end users a clean alternative to traditional waste disposal. The company intends to leverage these serious unmet needs, expand its patented industrial waste recycling systems to broad international markets, and provide global industrial and mining businesses cost-effective, patented green technology platforms that create new-found revenue streams for end users.

Through Shengrong, TMSR owns two U.S. patents and five patents granted by the Peoples Republic of China, including four invention patents and two utility model patents. The company's research and development efforts have achieved technological advancements that allow end users to eliminate pollutant discharge as well as generate new revenue streams by selling valuable byproducts extracted from industrial waste.

TMSR subsidiary, Wuhan HOST Coating Materials, is the largest manufacturer of inorganic Zinc-rich resin and one-component epoxy Zinc-rich resin in China. Established in 2010, Wuhan HOST is a leader in the research and development, production and sale of Zinc-rich coating materials throughout the PRC and has a broad customer base that includes some of the foremost enterprises in major industries such as electricity, metallurgy, machinery, chemicals, bridge and shipping. TMSR completed the acquisition of 100% equity interest in Wuhan HOST Coating Materials on May 1, 2018.

Notably, TMSR first went public as JM Global Holding Company, a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) formed to effect a merger, asset acquisition or other business combination that had exceptional growth potential. After reviewing over 50 potential targets and completing due diligence and third party analysis, JM Global identified China Sunlong Environmental Technology Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries as the acquisition target. Upon closing the business combination, the company was re-named TMSR Holding Company Ltd.

Demand for TMSR's products is expected to grow significantly due to Chinese policies that encourage mining and manufacturing companies to adopt "green" technology. Approximately 3 billion tons of industrial solid waste were generated annually in China between 2011 through 2015.  Currently, 95% of industrial solid waste in China is stored in special facilities and sites; however, the cost of storage, disposal and incineration of industrial solid wastes is high. TMSR is focused on exploiting this unmet need, providing end users in the solid waste recycling markets a clean alternative to traditional waste disposal, significantly reducing solid waste discharge into the environment and enabling end users to extract value from industrial waste materials.

WhereverTV Broadcasting Corp. (OTCQB: (TVTV)

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WhereverTV Broadcasting Corp. (OTCQB: TVTV) is a next-generation OTT (Over-the-top) television subscription service that manages live-stream broadcast programming rights across multiple devices, geographies and languages, providing viewers with personalized service that is truly "wherever" they may be watching TV.

WhereverTV's patented Interactive Program Guide (IPG) technology currently handles over 125 live channels that are broadcasted securely over the Internet to any Internet-enabled device anywhere in the world. Many of the company's channels are the same as those broadcasted by traditional cable and satellite companies. For example, the World News Now package includes One America News, RT News (Russia Today), Bloomberg TV, CBN News and EuroNews Live — the latter provides pan-European coverage in 350 million households in 155 countries. Other channel packages include Choice TV (a wide variety of popular options for the family), Spanish TV, Faith TV and Morocco TV, providing current genre-specific subscriptions for news, faith, drama, sports, movie, reality and children's programming.

WhereverTV's free app works with iOS and Android devices to cover the spectrum of mobile consumer needs, as well as with personal desktop or laptop computers through its over the top (OTT) platform. The platform delivers channels, shows and events to SmartTVs and digital media receivers that include Google Chromecast, AppleTV, Amazon Fire TV, iPhone, iPad, Android Smartphone and TabletPCs, with DVR recording functionality slated for future development.

The company, based in Fort Myers, Florida, was developed in 2007 as a solution to its founder's frustration with the complexities of trying to stream English speaking content while abroad.  As the live-streaming market has developed over the decade since then, WhereverTV has gained recognition as a pioneer in next-generation content delivery systems.

WhereverTV's strategy is to increase revenue-generating subscriptions worldwide through the acquisition of content that is desirable to consumers and deliverable anywhere a device can connect to the Internet. Prepaid accounts will be accessed through the cloud, and the IPG technology will allow users to make their viewing choices. The company has developed two separate divisions, one for worldwide distribution and one for Latin American distribution.

In 2017, the company acquired Digital Rodeo, LLC, a Tennessee limited liability company that delivers a rich mixture of music and videos from independent country artists, current arrests and legacy artists, as well as similar Florida-based companies Digital RodeoTV, LLC (Name changed to WhereverTV Country in 2018), Digital CrossTV, Inc., Digital PopTV, Inc., and Digital RockTV, Inc.

"WhereverTV is transitioning from a development to operational company and in doing so we have refined our 2018 business model," CEO Edward D. Ciofani stated. "Our business model calls for content acquisition from around the world, exclusive content development, Major Marketing Alliances, similar to the announced Google Chromecast for Latin America and major marketing initiatives including social media marketing. … There are a lot of content providers (channel providers) around the world that offer a uniquely diversified perspective of cultures, travel and lifestyle content."

As an increasing number of people "Cord-Cutters" no longer subscribe to the traditional cable or satellite distribution but rather a simpler lower cost means of watching content. The streaming OTT industry is expected to grow to $62 billion by 2020 — nearly triple its revenues in 2015, per Goldman Small Cap Research. Future Market Insights estimated the North America OTT market alone at $16.29 billion in 2017 with a CAGR of 17.4 percent through 2028. The arrival of 5G technology this year has the potential to accelerate the pace.

Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI)

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Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) is a leading omni-direct lifestyle company offering a hybrid of the direct selling business model that includes e-commerce and the power of social selling. Among the Top 100 Global Direct Selling Companies, Youngevity offers products from the six top selling retail categories: health/nutrition, home/family, food/beverage (including coffee), spa/beauty, apparel/jewelry, and a range of innovative services. Created through the 2011 merger of Youngevity Essential Life Sciences with Javalution® Coffee Company, today's Youngevity International Inc. is a virtual worldwide Main Street of products and services under one corporate entity that supports a healthy and empowered lifestyle.

Youngevity International is dedicated to improving lifestyles through the universal desires of vibrant health and flourishing economics. Catering to health-conscious consumers, Youngevity believes that combining the best of the direct selling industry with the fundamentals and capabilities of a traditional business model will maximize shareholder value. The company's Nutritional, Lifestyle and Telecommunications products and services are distributed through a global network of Preferred Customers and Distributors.

Youngevity's wholly owned CLR Roasters LLC business line offers quality branded and private label coffee to retail stores, office coffee services, hospitality, food services, distributors, convenience, petrol stores and vending businesses. Today, CLR Roasters is the largest coffee provider for cruise lines in North America and the second largest roaster in the state of Florida. Producing a consistent premium product with superior taste, CLR Roasters has earned numerous certifications that demonstrate the company's commitment to the craft of providing the highest quality coffee products using the best practice standards available.

Youngevity, operating in the direct-selling channel, is rapidly expanding its product and distributor base through acquisitions and mergers under an innovative concept called "the Network Cloud" that provides other direct selling companies with a home base. The company's YoungevityGO2 mobile distributor app, a new technology-driven web platform supporting expansion of global e-commerce and social selling platforms, is available on Google Play and the App Store. In addition to the Network Cloud concept, Youngevity International owns CLR Coffee Roasters which operates a traditional coffee roasting business offering a JavaFit® gourmet product line that vertically integrates with Youngevity and its growing network of direct marketers.

Youngevity International offers more than 1,000 high quality, technologically advanced products under the following categories:

  • Health and Nutrition
  • Home and Family
  • Food and Beverage
  • Spa and Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Essential Oils
  • Photo and scrapbooking
  • Services for Home and Business

Youngevity International Inc. has compiled a best-in-class management team with a strong track record of success in private and public companies. Steve Wallach, CEO, has nearly two decades of sales and network marketing experience and has successfully guided Youngevity International Inc. to become an international, publicly-traded direct marketing company positioned for worldwide growth. Dave Briskie, president and CFO, has shepherded the company's development into a fully vertical coffee roasting and distribution company that owns the direct marketing brand JavaFit® and the retail brand, Café La Rica.

Youngevity has also attracted a stunning group of Brand Evangelists who endorse its products. Among these are actress, author and well-known health and wellness activist Marilu Henner; former NBA basket player, Mike "Stinger" Glenn; former NFL wide receiver Drew Pearson; "Greatest Natural Bodybuilder in the World" Gene Nelson; and WNBA champion, Olympic gold medalist Delisha Jones.

Zenergy Brands, Inc. (OTCQB: ZNGY)

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Zenergy Brands, Inc. (OTCQB: ZNGY) is the nation's leading next-generation energy and technology company operating in the emerging smart energy, conservation, and utility industries. Headquartered in Texas, Zenergy provides an entire suite of conservation-based products and services that enable clients to achieve sustainability goals, reduce carbon emissions and improve their bottom line.

The company's cutting-edge Zero Cost Program™ reduces utility consumption by 20 percent to 60 percent by offering energy conservation, smart controls, and efficiency-based products and services to residential, commercial, industrial and municipal end-use customers. This financing mechanism allows customers to reduce water, natural gas, and electricity expenses by implementing proven conservation technologies at no out-of-pocket cost. The Zero Cost Program™ enriches businesses by immediately reducing energy consumption through the use of smart controls, building automation, LED lighting solutions, refrigeration optimization, efficient water systems, EC motor controls, demand-side management, and load factor correction.

A unique Managed Energy Services Agreement ("MESA") allows for a portion of these utility savings to be retained by Zenergy for financing the upgraded, retrofit equipment and installation costs until a specified repayment period ends. After that, clients reap all the financial rewards of the technologies implemented, which Zenergy estimates should range between 25 percent and 45 percent of total utility costs.

Residential customers seeking cost-effective energy savings can also choose from a suite of "Smart Home" products including home automation, security monitoring, and energy conservation services that can be controlled 24/7 from the comfort and convenience of their smartphones or Internet-connected smart devices. Zenergy's residential program also offers partnership opportunities for homebuilders and residential, multi-family real estate developers to provide smart home technologies to high-end customers.

Zenergy Brands' acquisition of Enertrade Electric LLC, a fully operating, licensed Texas-based Retail Electric Provider (REP), further increases the company's value proposition. Zenergy CEO Alex Rodriguez said this new subsidiary adds an essential complementary service to the company's suite of smart energy products and services.

"Since our founding, our vision has been to converge smart controls (home and building automation) with energy conservation and retail energy to deliver the comprehensive smart energy service to customers," Rodriguez said.

On a global scale, residential and commercial buildings account for nearly 45 percent of the world's total energy consumption. Improving the energy efficiency of these homes and buildings is often a more affordable way to reduce harmful gas emissions while minimizing the need for new energy production. According to Navigant Research, global revenue for energy-efficient commercial building retrofits alone is expected to grow from $71.4 billion in 2016 to $100.8 billion in 2025. At the same time, the energy-efficient devices market is expected to reach a market size of $908 billion by 2022. Increasing demands for reduction in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions along with concerns over climate change are contributing factors driving the market's overall growth.