Algae Dynamics Corp (ADYNF)
Algae Dynamics Corp (ADYNF) is focused on developing proprietary research and products involving botanical oils derived from cannabis and algae.
The original core of the company's product development strategy was the extraction of Omega-3 fatty acids from certain strains of algae with high concentrations of DHA to create various nutraceutical products. As a result of the many demonstrated health benefits of other botanical oils, most notably cannabis oil, Algae Dynamics developed a strategy aimed at developing products that combined the health benefits of algae and cannabis oils. Capitalizing on the burgeoning demand for cannabis oil and other smoke-free alternatives to marijuana consumption will help support ongoing initiatives to create and market research-driven product formulations.
Although the company is publicly traded in the U.S., business is conducted in Canada with no exposure to U.S. federal regulation involving cannabis. The Canadian cannabis oil extraction marketplace is projected to grow from C$1 million in 2015 to C$1.7 billion in 2020, which is more than a 1,000-fold increase. With the Government of Canada indicating a target date for full legalization on or before July 2018, numerous opportunities for sales in extracts and oils will open up very soon.
Using Colorado as a comparable example, a study performed by Mackie Research Capital found that 45% of dried marijuana users in the state would eventually convert to marijuana extracts and oils. This is because most consumers taking cannabis for medical purposes are increasingly looking for delivery systems that do not involve smoking marijuana. The market's attractiveness can be further realized when considering that the Canada's licensed producer marketplace is far less competitive with 45 current licensed producers for the whole country vs. 624 licensed cultivators in Colorado.
Collaborating with prominent Canadian universities is a core part of the Algae Dynamics' plan to bolster cannabis extraction expertise, develop premium products and add to its portfolio of intellectual property. Through its agreements with the University of Waterloo and the University of Western Ontario, the company is focusing primarily on the use of extracts from cannabis oil and algae oil in the context of cancer as well as the development of new pharmacotherapies for mental health.
Near-term goals include expanding research and development work with existing and new Canadian universities, securing supply/service agreements with licensed producers, and submitting an application to Health Canada to become a licensed producer of medical marijuana and ultimately have a license to sell products derived from cannabinoids. Algae Dynamics also owns a proprietary technology for the cultivation of low cost, highly pure algae biomass, which will be developed as a vertical integration strategy in the future to support the need to source algae oil for research-driven product formulations. The management team leading these initiatives has nearly a century of beneficial experience spanning from management and process experience to successful fund raising and commercialization.
As part of its key objective to be the #1 research Canadian cannabis oil research-driven product formulator, the company has also formed a strong team of scientific and strategic advisors that complement ongoing R&D relationships and initiatives. Individuals who support the company's initiatives include Dr. Jonathan Blay PhD, FRSB, FIBMS, Csci, CBiol, who performs research and product development on cannabis oil and its constituents in the context of colorectum, pancreas, breast and prostate cancers; and Dr. Steven Laviolette, BSc, PhD, who performs research and product development on cannabis oil and its constituents in the context of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and schizophrenia.
With such a strong foundation laid in the areas being pursued, Algae Dynamics is well positioned to execute on its carefully developed business plan to fast-track to revenue growth while having a longer-term strategy to build a sustainable enterprise-building opportunity in a rapidly expanding market.
BlastGard International Inc. (BLGA)
BlastGard International Inc. (BLGA) is a manufacturer and distributor of protective products for military and law enforcement personnel. The Corporation operates under two segments, BlastGard Defense Group and Highcom Security.
Blastguard is a blast mitigation specialist with proprietary material proven to effectively mitigate blasts and suppress fires resulting from explosions. The company's patented BlastWrap® technology acts as a "virtual tent" to effectively mitigate blast effects and suppress post-blast fires. This unique technology works by triggering physical and chemical processes to dissipate blast energy, thereby reducing the aftermath of acoustic and shock waves, peak overpressure, reflected peak overpressure, impulse and afterburn. The remaining, significantly reduced energy is transmitted at a slower, more sustainable level. Notably, BlastWrap does not dispense chemical extinguishants; uses neither alarms, sensors, nor an activation system; and is nontoxic and ecologically friendly.
Similarly, the company's BlastGard MTR trash receptacles dramatically reduce lethal threats posed by the detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED). Equipped with Triple Wall Technology, BlastGard MTR mitigates primary fragments, secondary fragments, mechanical effects (shock/blast pressure) and thermal effects (contact and radiation burn) from the fireball, after-burn and resultant post-blast fires.
BlastGard's primary market focus lies on providing blast effects mitigation solutions for customers operating in the commercial sector, military, law enforcement and government agencies. With a vision of being recognized as the leading provider of environmentally responsible solutions to protect lives and structures from the hazards associated with fire and explosions, the company is capable of addressing a wide array of industry applications spanning from fire suppression for naval vessels and merchant ships to protection of buildings against vehicle bombs.
This vision is supported by the ban of Halon extinguishing agents, as outlined in the Montreal protocol, which effectively establishes BlastWrap® as the only blast and fire suppression means available for most applications, including adaptation for underwater use.
The company's position at the head of the blast suppression market has helped BlastGard attain a number of government awards, including designation of its BlastWrap® product as a Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology and placement on the "Approved Products List for Homeland Security." This designation was extended in early 2017, meaning that BlastWrap® is approved for use by the Department of Homeland Security under the SAFETY Act until November 2021.
HighCom Security, develops, tests, manufactures and distributes body armor and personal protective equipment, including more than two dozen NIJ (National Institute of Justice) compliant hard and soft armor products. Highcom Security has a 20-year history of producing quality armor with no operational failures and no recalls of its American made products.
Highcom Security was founded in 1997 and has produced close to 1 million pieces of armor for the Global community. The company is ISO 9001:2008 certified and the first company in the world to be BA 9000:2012 certified compliant.
For the past decade, Highcom Security has also been able to offer some of the largest armor manufacturers with private label/OEM hard armor solutions for end use by military and law enforcement agencies globally, a market reach obtained because of the company's reputation for innovative technology, exceptional customer service and superior quality performance.
CD International Enterprises, Inc. (CDII)
CD International Enterprises, Inc. (CDII) is a U.S.-based company operating in two primary business segments: mineral trading and consulting services. Headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Florida, with operations centering on the rapid growth of the Chinese economy, CDII allows prospective investors to participate in the considerable opportunities presented by emerging markets in both the People's Republic of China and the Americas.
CDII Minerals, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CD International, serves as its commodities trading division. Through CDII Minerals, CDII sources, aggregates and distributes iron ore, manganese ore and scrap metals for clients operating throughout China. The company maintains a strategic position between its North and South American suppliers and its Chinese clients, allowing it to both address a niche market opportunity and facilitate more efficient transactions for its customers.
In addition to its mineral trading services, CDII has found success in offering a comprehensive suite of consulting services related to the unique characteristics of business operations in China. In December 2016, the company announced its entry into a two-year corporate agreement with a China-based subsidiary of Everbright International Construction Engineering Corporation, through which CDII will provide information related to foreign and domestic constructions, project tending offers, government communications and local networks. In January 2017, CDII announced its entry into a similar agreement with Zhangjiajie Shengshi Agricultural Development Company, through which it will provide consulting services related to a number of business developments, including the development of a distribution business centered on cannabidiol extract derived from industrial hemp.
Per the company's website, CDII's greatest strength lies in the quality of its personnel, which includes a culturally diverse group of professionals operating within the United States, as well as in China and emerging markets throughout the Americas. Dr. James Wang has served as CEO and chairman of the CDII board since August 2006. He has also served as CEO and chairman of China Direct Investments since January 2005. Wang brings a wealth of experience in corporate finance in the U.S. capital markets to the CDII management team, and his work in the identification and acquisition of China-based growth companies has played an instrumental role in the execution of CD International's strategic vision for over a decade.
Wang is joined on the CDII management team by Controller Shirley Xu and Vice President of Business Development Katie Zhao. Xu has served as the company's controller since January 2013, assuming a range of responsibilities including internal control, general ledger accounting oversight, and financial reporting for CDII and its subsidiaries. She is also responsible for SEC financial reporting for the company's consulting segment clients.
Katie Zhao has served in her current role with CD International since January 2012. Prior to becoming VP of business development, she served as the company's project manager from 2007 to 2009 and as senior account executive from 2010 to 2011. From these positions, Zhao played a key role in the establishment of CDII's U.S. distribution channels for its Chinese clients, as well as the implementation of a network connecting the company's U.S. and China-based offices.
ChineseInvestors.com (CIIX)
Founded in 1999, ChineseInvestors.com (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.
Converde Energy USA, Inc. (XFUL)
Converde Energy USA, Inc. (XFUL), d/b/a American Energy Partners Inc., and its group of companies are dedicated to delivering solutions wherever energy production and water meet technology. The company has positioned itself to benefit from above-favorable margins on each of its subsidiaries due to the synergy of the chain of revenues.
Hydration Company of PA (HCPA)
Hydration Company of PA focuses on sourcing, implementing and distributing reclaimed water at a profit. This subsidiary's competitive advantage mainly lies within its pure volume of reclaimed water and its access to low cost treatment with high flow rates and highly concentrated solids through the technologies of XFUL's partners. Because of the volume as well as the flexibility of the model established via patent pending methodology and conveyance methods, HCPA can effectively gain market share immediately as large corporations prefer access to one source that can supply massive amounts of reclaimed water regardless of drought conditions.
American Energy Solutions, LLC
American Energy Solutions, LLC utilizes a network of partners to provide off-the-shelf and custom-designed treatment technologies that contribute to HCPA's business model of low-cost treatment and distribution. As a provider of design, this subsidiary is capable of repeatable and synergistic services across the value chain. American Energy's long-term plan is to utilize an in-house team to grow market share as water use continues to become more critical to modern industry.
Gilbert Oil & Gas Company
Gilbert Oil & Gas Company is leveraging broad industry valuation experience to move forward on its mission to add shareholder value through drilling, operating, and partnership opportunities in the upstream oil and gas space. Equipped with the in-house capabilities necessary to source and evaluate opportunities for profitability, Gilbert is positioned to become a strong customer of XFUL's other subsidiaries, providing them with the foundation to attract other customers and enter new markets.
Integrated Business Strategy
By combining ownership of water sources via Hydration Company of PA, design and treatment solutions via American Energy Solutions, and a stream of promising opportunities via Gilbert Oil & Gas Company, XFUL is essentially creating a positive revenue feedback loop. This synergistic business model also opens opportunity for higher profit margins, additional revenue, and faster growth in new markets.
India Globalization Capital, Inc.
(NYSE: IGC)
India Globalization Capital, Inc. (NYSE: IGC) is a first mover in developing a portfolio of products using cannabis-based "combination therapies" for the treatment of Alzheimer's, cachexia, pain and other conditions.
Through a definitive agreement with the University of South Florida, IGC is the exclusive licensee of the U.S. patent filing entitled "THC as a Potential Therapeutic Agent for Alzheimer's Disease." Known as America's most expensive disease with an estimated cost to the U.S. economy of $236 billion, Alzheimer's currently effects more than 5.3 million Americans and over the next 20 years the number of those afflicted with the disease is expected to double. By acquiring the exclusive right to this patent filing, IGC is protecting a potential cannabis-based blockbuster treatment.
The Company has also filed combination therapy formulations for the treatment of epilepsy and cachexia. About 50 million people worldwide are affected by epilepsy and about 1.3 million in the U.S. experience cachexia associated with cancer, MS, Parkinson's, HIV/AIDS and other progressive illnesses. Cancer-induced anorexia/cachexia is responsible for 20% of all cancer deaths. IGC-502 indicated for seizures and IGC-504 indicated for cachexia are unique combination therapies that, if proven out by clinical trials, are expected to treat medical refractory epilepsy and eating disorders respectively, with lower side effects than conventional mono therapies.
Successful treatment of pain represents an enormous market opportunity as well with the national cost of health care due to pain ranging from $560 billion to $635 billion. In addition, the health care cost attributed to the abuse of prescription opioids, closely related to pain, is approximately $25 billion. IGC's patent filing (IGC-501) is a cannabis-based formulation addressing neuropathic and arthritic pain in joints and muscles using a variety of delivery techniques. The Company anticipates commencing clinical trials, and hopes that through its focus on combination therapy it can formulate and commercialize cannabinoid compounds as an alternative to long-term addictive opioid treatments.
IGC's strategy is exciting and unique in that it is aiming to become a leader in the phytocannabinoid-based combination therapy specialty pharmaceutical sector. This first mover advantage can potentially be formidable as it begins clinical trials and further builds its patent portfolio. "The development of combination therapies utilizing cannabis represents a large, unique opportunity in this emerging specialty-pharmaceutical sector. Securing FDA approval for combination therapy is believed to be significantly faster and less expensive than new drug applications. As a result, we believe that we can bring our cannabis-based pharmaceutical products to market in both an expeditious and cost-effective manner," stated Ram Mukunda, CEO.
IGC has recently exited its legacy businesses. An impressive and experienced team, led by Mr. Ram Mukunda, CEO, directs IGC.
Mr. Mukunda holds degrees in Electrical Engineering and Mathematics from the University of Maryland (UMD). He founded and served as Chairman and CEO of Startec Global Communications, an international telecommunications carrier focused on providing voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) services to emerging economies. Startec, the first pure play international long distance carrier, went public on NASDAQ. He has won a number of awards, including the 2013 University of Maryland International Alumnus of the year award. Mr. Mukunda serves as an Emeritus member on the Board of Visitors at the University of Maryland, School of Engineering, and has served as Council Member at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, Belfer Center of Science and International Affairs. Mr. Mukunda and Dr. Krishna are the originators of all the IGC patent filings.
Dr. Ranga Krishna, Senior Advisor, is a Board Certified Neurologist with a sub specialty in Epilepsy surgery. He is the Director of Neurology at the New York Community Hospital affiliated with New York Presbyterian Weil Cornell Medical College and the Director of Stroke Service at the New York Community Hospital affiliated with New York Presbyterian Weil Cornell Medical College. He is the Medical Director and Chairman of Total Neuro Care, P.C. He is CEO of International Pharma Trials, Inc., which assists U.S. pharmaceutical companies perform Phase II clinical trials. Dr. Krishna is a member of several organizations, including the American Academy of Neurology and the Medical Society of the State of New York. He is also a member of the Medical Arbitration panel for the New York State Workers' Compensation Board and a Founding Member of the New York State Pain Society. Dr. Krishna was trained at New York's Mount Sinai Medical Center (1991-1994) and New York University (1994-1996). Dr. Krishna and Mr. Mukunda are the originators of all the IGC patent filings.
InMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(CSE:IN) (OTCQB: IMLFF)
InMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CSE:IN) (OTCQB:IMLFF) is a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of novel therapeutics leveraging the pharmacological benefits of cannabinoids. Utilizing its proprietary bioinformatics assessment tool, InMed aims to identify bioactive compounds found within the cannabis plant that have the potential to offer optimized therapeutic benefit while demonstrating limited adverse effects. This assessment tool, in combination with the company's cannabinoid biosynthesis technology and drug development pipeline, serves as InMed's fundamental value driver.
Bioinformatics is a proprietary, computer-based program designed to assist in the identification of novel cannabinoids using comprehensive algorithms to integrate data from numerous bioinformatics databases, as well as a database on the structure of currently approved pharmaceutical products and an extensive database on over 90 individual cannabinoid drugs found in cannabis. This extensive collection of data is derived from both public and propriety-based sources. Leveraging this tool, the company aims to create associations between approved pharmaceuticals and cannabinoids with similar structures in order to identify active cannabinoids that have the potential to treat specific diseases. Per InMed's website, this type of bioinformatics assessment represents "significant promise for future drug discovery, as it integrates many data sets and builds holistic models to approach a specific disease."
After discovering these promising active cannabinoids, InMed moves to test and confirm their activity in biological systems through in vitro and in vivo experimentation. It is at this stage of development that the company's proprietary biosynthesis process of cannabinoid manufacturing will be most promising. InMed is currently developing a robust, high-yield biosynthesis process for manufacturing all 90+ naturally-occurring cannabinoids. By modifying the agriculture-based formula for harvesting cannabinoids, InMed aims to combine the inherent safety and known efficacy of the natural drug structure with the convenience, control and quality of 21st Century laboratory-based manufacturing processes.
The company's pipeline currently includes two drug candidates in preclinical development, including INM-750 for the treatment of epidermolysis bullosa (EB) and INM-085 for the treatment of glaucoma. Referred to by the Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association of America as "The Worst Disease You've Never Heard Of," EB is a rare genetic connective tissue disorder that affects roughly one out of every 20,000 births in the United States. The condition currently has no approved treatment or cure. Through the development of INM-750, InMed is attempting to address this significant unmet medical need. The drug candidate replaces missing keratins in the skin with specially selected cannabinoids in an effort to modulate the painful manifestations of EB.
INM-085, InMed's second development candidate, is formulated to reduce the elevated intra-ocular pressure that is often associated with glaucoma. Additionally, the cannabinoids utilized in INM-085 are expected to provide neuroprotection for the retinal ganglion cells and other optic nerve tissues following topical administration. Although it is still in preclinical development, INM-085 targets a sizable market. According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness with no approved cure. The National Institutes of Health estimates that more than 3 million Americans currently have glaucoma, and more than 120,000 have been blinded by the disease.
InMed is focused on progressing toward validation of its drug candidate selection, using data to secure its patents and developing key disruptive technologies. In 2016, the company was successful in completing financings of $1.9 million. In January 2017, InMed completed a non-brokered private placement of common shares generating aggregate gross proceeds of C$1.5 million, strongly positioning the company to attract the new investment required to fund its aggressive growth strategies in 2017.
The company's management team has well over a century of combined experience in the biopharmaceutical space. Company CEO Eric Adams has more than 25 years of experience in company and capital formation, global market development, mergers and acquisitions, licensing and corporate governance. During his time as CEO of enGene Inc., he led the gene therapy startup to a position at the head of the industry.
Joining Adams on the InMed management team are Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Sazzan Hossain; Senior Vice President, Clinical and Regulatory Affairs Alexandra D.J. Mancini; SVP, Corporate Strategy & Investor Relations Chris Bogart; and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Charpentier, as well as Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ado Muhammed, MD, DPM, MFPM.
Muhammed, in particular, has an extensive history in the pharmaceutical industry, having previously served as an executive of GW Pharmaceuticals, a global leader in the development of cannabinoid-based medicines. During his time as Associate Medical Director of that company, Muhammed played an instrumental role in the development and FDA approval of one of the first cannabis drugs. This GW Pharmaceuticals development program coincided with a sharp rise in share price from less than $9 in 2013 to more than $129 today, with the company's current market value totaling more than $2.9 billion.
Kootenay Zinc Corp. (KTNNF)
Kootenay Zinc Corp. (KTNNF) is a mineral exploration and development company focused on discovering large-scale sedimentary-exhalative ("SEDEX") zinc deposits. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the company is ideally positioned near its primary target, the Sully Property, located 18 miles east of the world-class Sullivan Mine.
Of the 22 raw materials tracked by the Bloomberg Commodity Index, zinc was the best-performing base metal in 2016. Based on a widening global supply deficit, outlook for the commodity remains strong. As the most closely tied base metal to the Chinese economy, zinc demand and prices are expected to rise well into the year 2020, putting increased pressure on zinc supply.
For 2017, Goldman Sachs has predicted a 360,000 ton shortage of zinc, along with a subsequent rise in zinc prices to $2,500 per metric ton in the first half of the year. Zinc continues to make history in the metals exchange, driving significant interest in the market amid supply constraints in concentrates and refined metal drive prices.
Ready to claim its share of the market, Kootenay Zinc is focused on its Sully Property. It comprises 1,375 hectares and overlies rocks of similar age and origin as those which host the legendary Sullivan deposit. The Sullivan mine was discovered in 1892, and is known to be one of the world's largest SEDEX deposits. Over its 100-year lifetime, Sullivan produced approximately 150 million tonnes of ore, including approximately 300 million ounces of silver, 8 million tonnes of zinc and 8 million tonnes of lead.
Notably, geophysical data suggests that Kootenay Zinc's Sully project and Sullivan share many geological features:
- Strata at Sully are in the same sedimentary basin as the Sullivan mine
- The exact stratigraphic time horizon at which Sullivan formed is present at Sully
- Filtered AeroMag anomalies coincident with Sullivan Time at Sully appear similar to Sullivan
- Gravity anomaly at Sully indicates excess mass of comparable magnitude to Sullivan
- Pb-Zn is present as traces in outcrop, drill core and in a soil geochemical anomaly
The squeeze in zinc supplies particularly affects China, which is both the world's largest zinc consumer and its largest producer, with 4.9 million tons of output in 2015. Chinese manufacturers are now being forced to import zinc for use in cars, household appliances, paints, rubber products and smartphones.
Zinc's rally shows no sign of slowing down in the near future, and companies that currently occupy stake in a zinc deposit find themselves in an enviable position over miners rushing to find new reserves. With its Sully Project, Kootenay Zinc could be on track to capture its share of the market, guided by a management team of mining directors and executives that currently lead some of the world's best mining companies and have been involved in world-class discoveries which sold for billions of dollars. The company's technical team includes industry experts that have worked on mega-mining projects, including the Sullivan and Voisey Bay projects.
Monaker Group, Inc. (MKGI)
Monaker Group, Inc. (MKGI) is a technology driven travel company focused on leveraging resources to become a significant presence in the fastest growing sector of the $1.3 trillion travel and tourism market. The company's flagship brand, NextTrip.com, is the industry's first and only real-time booking engine that features alternative lodging (vacation home rentals, resort residences and unused timeshare inventory – "ALR"), as well as a full selection of airlines, hotels, cruises, rental cars, tours and concierge services all powered by the Moanker Booking Engine ("MBE"). These features are combined into a single, easy-to-use platform that gives travelers complete real-time control when planning and booking their vacations.
NextTrip.com takes an integrated approach to the needs of travelers by combining multiple booking solutions into a highly intuitive real-time booking platform. Since its launch in February 2016, NextTrip has already grown to more than 250,000 units of vacation rental inventory. Monaker currently has roughly 2 million additional alternative lodging units under contract that will soon be added to the platform. This places NextTrip among the top three largest vacation rental inventories and rival industry peers, Airbnb and HomeAway, in the rapidly expanding alternative lodging market. Unlike the competition, which book by request which can take hours or days before a lodging owner confirms, NextTrip's platform books in real-time, similar to online hotel bookings.
Most NextTrip listings are in desirable locations around the globe including the U.S., the EU and the Caribbean with 10% as exclusive listings. Monaker expects exclusive listing growth because, unlike the competition, Monaker doesn't charge a sign-up fee, just a commission upon booking. The competition charges both. Monaker even has a proprietary solution to unlock Timeshare and Fractional Share properties as rental inventory.
The Monaker Booking Engine, significant ALR inventory and strategic distribution partnerships positionnMonaker to be a major player in the travel and alternative lodging sector. In addition Monaker is also the parent to Maupintour and Voyage TV.
In business for 65 years, Maupintour still leads the tour industry in the creation of outstanding, unique itineraries and has the highest repeat rate in the tour industry. Maupintour's upscale luxury services create a unique blend with the various product offerings of NextTrip. Voyage TV has thousands of hours of travel footage shot in over 30 countries worldwide. These 15,000 video clips of hotels, resorts, cruise, and destination activities are a treasure trove for vacation travel marketing.
With an established portfolio of travel brands, and a proven record acquiring, consolidating and integrating companies, Monaker is building a diverse and exciting foundation to drive the company's future. According to data from the U.S. Travel Association, direct spending on leisure travel by domestic and international travelers topped $650 billion in 2015. When combined with the fact that roughly 64 percent of travel companies are still considered small businesses, Monaker's all-inclusive approach to vacation booking through Distributor Partnerships forged with the MBE, NextTrip and Maupintour strategically positions it for sustainable growth moving forward.
Monaker is headquartered in South Florida,he company is led by a seasoned management team with decades of applicable industry experience. Monaker's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bill Kerby has over 18 years of experience in the travel and media industries , as well as 10 years of experience in the financial industry.
ORHub, Inc. (ORHB)
ORHub, Inc. (ORHB) is a cloud-based software platform designed to transform the business of surgery into a value-based model. The platform empowers care providers at every stage of the surgical process to collaborate, organize, deliver, measure, and reimburse in one intuitive, easy-to-use program. This significantly decreases cost and improves outcomes by eliminating inefficiencies, duplications of effort, and errors and omissions that result from siloed processes in outdated software and poor handoffs from one part of the care process to another.
The need for ORHub is clear. Health care costs are out of control at more than 17% of US GDP, which equates to over $3 trillion per year. With costs rising every year due to an aging population and increasingly expensive treatments, providers are under severe pressure to become more efficient and reduce costs. This is happening because payors are aggressively reducing reimbursements and finally moving away from fee-for-service and toward a performance-based reimbursement system referred to as value-based health care.
Accurately measuring the cost of treating a condition and relating that cost to the patient's outcome is at the heart of value-based health care. Institutions that have adopted this model have reaped savings of 20-40% on their overall cost of care. Unfortunately, today's siloed IT systems are fundamentally at odds with this process. Legacy health care solutions come from a fee-for-service world and have reinforced the problem and produced a system with erratic quality and unsustainable costs. Most health care applications today are incremental improvements on these existing systems or are simple digital implementations of antiquated pen-and-paper processes.
Providers wanting to practice value-based health care need value-based software. ORHub creates a value-based solution that will revolutionize surgical care delivery by tracking the cost of treating a condition from diagnosis to discharge, and tracking outcomes that resulted from that treatment.
In an industry where major IT rollouts traditionally cost millions of dollars and take an average of eighteen months, pilot installations of ORHub have been completed in less than a month. By avoiding integration with legacy systems completely through a radically comprehensive and collaborative approach, providers see results right away. This approach produces real-time metrics in a uniform manner at any institution, which makes it ideal for large providers looking to make improvements across the board at multiple facilities.
ORHub started as a pilot program developed in cooperation with a major Southern California hospital. It has since expanded operations into a second facility at the number two non-profit hospital system in the US. Three additional pilot programs are scheduled prior to a national launch.
The company is also a showcase member of the startup program at Microsoft, which has been a key partner by providing financial assistance, strategy, introductions to influencers and mentors, and access to its sales organization who see ORHub as an exciting partner to expand the utilization of Microsoft Surface devices and Azure Cloud. Microsoft is funding a major case study in partnership with Intel about the impact of ORHub on participating institutions to be concluded sometime in Q2 2017.
ORHub's leadership team is helmed by Colt Melby, who was appointed CEO in 2016 and has been crucial to developing and executing the company's business strategy. Mr. Melby's extensive business experience includes the NASDAQ uplisting of Smith and Wesson (now American Outdoor Brands), CUI Global Inc., and Quest Resource Holdings Corp. His wealth of information and relationships have been vital in helping the company go from concept to production in institutional medicine in less than a year.
Delivering surgical care to a single patient is a complex process that may take half a dozen companies and more than a dozen departments cooperating inside and outside the care facility. ORHub simplifies and streamlines this process by enabling vendors, providers, and surgeons to collaborate on providing care.
Patriot One Technologies, Inc.
(TSXV:PAT) (OTCQB: PTOTF)
Patriot One Technologies, Inc. (TSXV:PAT) (OTCQB:PTOTF) is leveraging seven years of development to create powerful technologies that mitigate security risks by detecting concealed weapons via novel radar technology.
Developed through a NATO-funded project at McMaster University, Patriot One's disruptive NForce CMR1000 technology is the first cost-effective solution available for active shooter prevention, the need for which is evidenced by an increasing number of active shooter events in the United States and worldwide.
A recent study that surveyed data going back as far as 1966 demonstrates that there have been significantly more mass shootings in the U.S. than any other country for decades. Statistics for the 46-year period shows that even though America only holds 5% of the world's population, it took count of 31% of all public mass shootings. According to the FBI, there were an astounding 160 incidents from 2000 to 2013 that resulted in 486 people killed and 557 wounded. In years 2014 and 2015, there were nearly six times as many incidents compared to 2000 and 2001. The disturbing trend shows that there will be increasingly more incidents if better preventative measures aren't taken.
Patriot One's patent-pending solution to this alarming progression enables stand-off detection, even on moving targets, with a "cognitive" ability to learn and identify new threats once deployed. The product is not intended to threaten the constitutional rights of legal gun carriers, and it is also void of privacy and health concerns of traditional detection technologies, which require subject compliance, present false positives, and are often slow, inefficient and costly.
In contrast, Patriot One's technology is small in size and can be "covertly" placed in a doorway or hallway to prevent planned attacks in public places like schools, concerts, stadiums, banks, airports, offices, hospitals, shopping centers and other facilities for which there are concerns. With this method of deployment, there is no subject compliance requirement. In addition, because an image of the target is not generated, there are also no privacy concerns. Detection is real-time and entirely computer-based, which means there is no need for human operators to alert security. This eliminates the safety concerns of a would-be operator, reduces the expense of a human operator, and enables overall accuracy of 93%.
The technology is designed to identify if someone is carrying a gun, knife, suicide vest, etc., by analyzing metal content and relating it to a database of known weapon signatures. Patriot One believes the widespread use of this detection technology could act as an effective deterrent, thereby diminishing the epidemic phenomena of active shooters across the nation and around the world.
The company is guided by a team of experts in the areas of high-frequency electromagnetics, counter-terrorism, conflict resolution, government/corporate interface, sensor development, proactive security and business development. Senior Management has partnered with, among other affiliates, Ridge Global, which was founded by recently appointed advisory board member Tom Ridge, the first head of the Department of Homeland Security, first U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, and 43rd governor of Pennsylvania.
Along with its partners, Patriot One is addressing global concerns of active shooting events and other violent terrorist attacks. The key is to short-circuit the event through effective prevention technologies and security protocols.
ProBility Media Corp. (PBYA)
ProBility Media Corp. (PBYA), based in Houston, TX, is an EdTech Company that is building the first full service training and career advancement brand for the skilled trades. Through both acquisitions and organic growth, ProBility is executing a disruptive strategy of defragmenting the market place of disparate companies servicing fifteen vertical categories in over sixty skilled trades. ProBility has positioned itself as a key industrial training resource for individuals, small- and medium-size businesses as well as enterprise customers offering consistent high-quality training services and materials for education, testing, and career advancement.
Through its Electrical Training Division, the company has become the biggest wholesaler of electrical codes and test preparation materials in the U.S., while its Construction Training Division is one of the largest certification providers in the country, with programs in 22 states, and continuing to grow. The company serves corporate accounts and government buyers, and also offers advisory services for companies of all sizes.
Companies currently under the ProBility Media conglomerate include:
- Brown Technical Media Corp. – An online web business with multiple micro web sites featuring training materials and codes and standards sought by engineers, construction workers, scientists and other tradesmen in a wide variety of fields.
- Brown Technical Publications – A proprietary publishing business generating copyrighted training materials for engineers, construction workers, scientists and other tradesman in a wide variety of fields.
- 1ExamPrep – E-Learning, education and exam preparation for contractors via the cheapest, fastest and most effective exam prep school in the industry instituting our 4-point proven learning system.
- National Electrical Wholesale Providers – In the business of distributing wholesale industrial, commercial and residential training materials including HVAC, plumbing and electrical.
ProBility's technology platform features virtual reality training for the crane business to be expanded into other industries, online subscription services for enterprise level companies, and recurring revenue streams. In addition, the company is already beginning to explore international expansion options, supported by the fact that other countries have adopted U.S. based codes, and have used U.S. training services.
The company's acquisition strategy targets operations that service engineering firms, electrical contractors, fabricators, plumbing contractors, pipe fitters, riggers, QC firms, and additional vocational industries.
Singlepoint, Inc. (SING)
Singlepoint, Inc. (SING) has grown from a full-service mobile technology provider to a publicly-traded holding company. Through diversification into horizontal markets, SinglePoint is building its portfolio by acquiring an interest in undervalued subsidiaries, thereby providing a rich, diversified holding base.
SinglePoint's approach is to first research and identify acquisition opportunities in which it can take an active and influential role among existing leadership to provide enhanced strategy and direction. Target companies are undervalued, cash-flow positive, with high potential and verified assets. SinglePoint acquires and takes controlling interest of successful candidate companies.
SinglePoint recently signed a Letter of Intent to acquire an interest in Jacksam Corp., dba Convectium, a profitable California-based provider of equipment, branding, and packaging solutions for the cannabis industry. Convectium has developed the world's first cartridge and vape pen oil filling machine for wholesale distribution to dispensaries. The 710Shark and 710Seal systems can fill and package over 100 cartridges or disposable vape pens in 30 seconds and are sold to dispensaries through its EquipCanna.com brand. The company also operates a consumer brand that includes BlackoutX and HazeSticks and reaches customers in over 52 countries.
Additionally, SinglePoint has raised more than $300,000. The move provides management with ample capital to execute its business plan, while avoiding debt repayments that can eat into cash flow and reduce flexibility over time. It's also a rare development for a development-stage company in the cannabis industry.
Guided by a visionary leadership team with extensive experience in technology, engineering, marketing and raising capital, SinglePoint continues to explore high-potential acquisition opportunities to grow and diversify its current holding base. The company also plans to uplist to the OTCQB and become a fully reporting company during the current fiscal year.
The company has engaged Milost Advisors to pursue acquisitions and financing facilities toward funding acquisitions, as well as to provide working capital. Milost Advisors will assist SinglePoint in the acquisition of undervalued companies with annual revenues of at least $50 million, and has already identified potential acquisition targets for the company to consider.
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