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BEYOND THE MIC – Nextech3D.AI Corporation Q3 Results, 95% Margins And AI Event Roll‑Up Strategy

Posted by Alavaro Coronel at 10:05 AM on Friday, February 20th, 2026

In a recent long form video interview with AGORACOM (see link at the end of this article)… Nextech3D.AI Corporation (CSE: NTAR | OTCQB: NEXCF | FSE: 1SS) CEO Evan Gappelberg walked investors through what he believes is a true turning point for the company: a successful pivot out of 3D modeling and into AI-powered event technology, underpinned by Q3 numbers and an AI-enabled M&A-driven roll‑up strategy in a rapidly modernizing events industry.

Gappelberg discussed how Nextech3D.ai has doubled its customer base to more than 1,000 organizations, added hundreds of Fortune 500 relationships through acquisitions such as Krafty Labs (an enterprise virtual and in‑person engagement platform), and launched Nextech Event AI – a unified, AI-driven operating system that brings together registration, ticketing, floor plans, experiential engagement and AI matchmaking (automated software that uses algorithms to match attendees with relevant contacts) into one environment.

AGORACOM Beyond The Mic Feature Article

February 20, 2026

Background / Context

The interview centers on Nextech3D.ai’s strategic pivot away from lower‑margin 3D modeling work and into software‑driven, AI‑powered event technology.

Key elements discussed include:

  • Completion of the move out of the 3D modeling contract business, including work for Amazon
  • Refocus on higher‑margin software and events
  • Acquisitions of Eventdex and Krafty Labs (referred to in the interview as “Krafty”), both event technology platforms
  • Launch of Nextech Event AI, which integrates Eventdex (registration/ticketing), Map D (interactive floor plans and navigation) and Krafty Labs (experiential engagement) into a single operating system for events

Gappelberg repeatedly frames Q3 as an “inflection point,” not just a good quarter, with the pivot now complete and early results beginning to show up in the numbers.

Key Topics Discussed

Breakout Q3 Financial Performance

The company reported:

  • 59% year‑over‑year revenue growth in Q3
  • 20% sequential revenue growth – the second consecutive quarter of 20% quarter‑over‑quarter growth
  • 95% gross margins, up from 41% a year earlier

Gappelberg notes that sustaining 20% sequential growth for two quarters means the trend is more than a one‑off. He also stresses that these Q3 results do not include any contribution from the Krafty Labs acquisition, which closed on January 2, 2026.

On the margin side, Gappelberg says he asked his CFO multiple times to reconfirm the 95% figure, given how unusual it is. He explains the jump as a combination of:

  • Exiting the lower‑margin 3D modeling contract with Amazon
  • Pivoting into software and events
  • Layering AI automation on top of those platforms to reduce cost of delivery

He adds that under “normal conditions” margins might be in the 80–85% range, and that AI provides the incremental uplift toward the 90s.

AI As An Engine For Efficiency And Scale

Gappelberg spends considerable time describing how AI changes the economics of Nextech3D.ai’s business. In his words, AI allows the company to:

  • Turn a team of 40 into a team of 4 by giving a small group an “army of AI agents” to automate work that previously required dozens of employees
  • Compress roadmap timelines – projects that used to take six to twelve months and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in development can now be built substantially faster and cheaper
  • Automate large parts of coding, platform rebuilding and routine workflows

The core idea is automation: using AI to eliminate manual, repetitive work that limits scale and inflates costs. Gappelberg argues that manual processes have historically capped how big businesses could grow; AI removes much of that constraint.

AI‑Enabled M&A And The Event Tech Roll‑Up

Nextech3D.ai has executed roughly a dozen acquisitions over the last five years. Historically, those deals brought along:

  • Founders
  • Key employees
  • Development teams with associated salaries and overhead

Today, Gappelberg says, Nextech3D.ai can approach M&A differently because it has built an internal AI capability and a small corporate team – he likens it to a “SEAL Team 6” – that goes into acquired businesses to:

  • Automate key workflows
  • Optimize platforms
  • Strip out excess overhead

By relying more on internal AI expertise and less on large inherited teams, Nextech3D.ai believes it can:

  • Acquire event‑tech businesses primarily for their customer bases and platforms
  • Reduce the number of people required to run those businesses post‑acquisition
  • Turn acquired units into “lean, money‑making machines” that generate cash flow rather than absorbing it

Gappelberg confirms the company is actively looking at additional M&A opportunities to further consolidate the AI event tech space.

Nextech Event AI And The All‑In‑One Event Platform

The interview also highlights Nextech Event AI, the company’s newly launched unified event operating system, built to integrate:

  • Eventdex – registration, ticketing, badges, and AI matchmaking
  • Map D – interactive floor plans and spatial visualization
  • Krafty Labs – virtual and in‑person experiential engagement

The platform is designed as a single enterprise environment for Fortune 500 customers and government agencies, with modules that include:

  • Blockchain‑enabled ticketing (ticketing systems that use blockchain technology to reduce fraud and enable programmable rules on secondary sales)
  • Krafty Credits and a full credit system, now expanded at the corporate level as Nextech Credit – a dollar‑denominated internal currency that allows enterprises to buy credits once and spend across Eventdex, Map D and Krafty Labs
  • Floor‑plan mapping and venue navigation
  • Ticketing, badging and mobile apps
  • Experiential and engagement programs for teams and attendees

Gappelberg emphasizes that large enterprises want one platform, not five vendors, for events and engagement, and that this unified approach is a key reason Nextech3D.ai is winning larger contracts.

AI Matchmaking: Fixing The Traditional Conference Experience

A major portion of the conversation focuses on how AI is being applied to improve the attendee experience at conferences and trade shows.

Gappelberg and host George Tsiolis describe the familiar problem: attendees receive a lanyard and a list of exhibitors, then “walk around hoping” to bump into someone relevant – a process Tsiolis likens to “1980s dating.”

Nextech3D.ai’s answer is AI matchmaking, which:

  • Uses data on interests, profiles and objectives to match attendees, exhibitors and sponsors in a targeted way
  • Identifies the people an attendee is most likely to do meaningful business with
  • Automatically schedules meetings and books them directly on attendees’ calendars
  • Reduces the odds that a trip produces only one “good deal” – or none at all

All of this is delivered through a mobile app, embedded into the company’s broader event suite. Gappelberg argues that once attendees experience AI‑driven matchmaking, they are unlikely to return to events that lack it.

Customer Base, Pipeline And Enterprise Momentum

Through Eventdex, Map D and Krafty Labs, Nextech3D.ai now has:

  • More than 1,000 customers across associations, corporates and other organizers
  • Roughly 400 Fortune 500 relationships, inherited largely through Krafty Labs

While specific names are mostly under confidentiality until contracts are finalized, Gappelberg references:

  • Global technology giants such as Google, Netflix, Meta, Oracle and Microsoft as existing Krafty Labs clients (consistent with prior company disclosures)
  • Major banking customer BNP Paribas (mis‑spoken in the interview as “BMP Parabas”) as one recently announced enterprise client, with 3–5 more large accounts expected to be disclosed once contracts are signed
  • Active discussions with U.S. government agencies that host hundreds of events per year

He notes that:

  • The pipeline entering Q4 is “larger, stronger and more enterprise‑focused” than at any time in company history
  • The current quarter (Q4, ending March 31) is already about halfway complete and is tracking to be better than Q3’s 59% growth, with larger deal sizes and longer‑term commitments

Gappelberg also points out that inbound interest has grown, and that the company must selectively prioritize opportunities, especially large‑scale government and enterprise deployments.

The Role Of Customer Success And Human Touch

Despite heavy use of AI, Nextech3D.ai still invests in human customer success.

Key points from the interview:

  • The company runs a dedicated customer success team that grew to five people with the addition of Krafty Labs staff
  • This team focuses on supporting the more than 1,000 customers already on the platforms
  • While AI can assist with support, Gappelberg believes that “decision‑making typically still happens between two humans,” particularly at the enterprise level

This mix of automation and human engagement is positioned as part of the company’s strategy to maintain service quality while scaling.

Founder Skin In The Game

Gappelberg underscores his alignment with shareholders by:

  • Stating he is the single largest shareholder in Nextech3D.ai
  • Highlighting that he purchased approximately 550,000 shares in November at around $0.14 per share on the open market
  • Mentioning he is “seriously considering” buying more, given where he sees the share price relative to the underlying business performance

He frames the current situation as a “ground floor” opportunity in a turnaround story, noting that investors are often skeptical of turnarounds and may wait too long to participate.

On forward communication, he reiterates that management will follow regulatory guidance around when and how Q4 numbers can be released. Nextech3D.ai has previously attempted to publish preliminary quarterly figures and received regulatory pushback; this time the company intends to seek explicit permission before issuing any early Q4 update.

Strategic Significance

From Survival To Inflection Point

Gappelberg ties the company’s current position back to the broader small‑cap environment over the last bear market cycle. While many peers did not make it through, he argues Nextech3D.ai:

  • Survived a difficult funding and market backdrop
  • Used the period to pivot away from lower‑margin 3D modeling into AI‑driven event technology
  • Continued “building and building” when others pulled back

In this context, Q3 is framed as:

  • The starting gun for the company’s next phase
  • Evidence that the pivot is translating into measurable revenue growth and margin expansion
  • The beginning of what he describes as a “powerful, new and sustainable growth curve” built around AI and events

Positioning In A Large And Changing Market

The interview situates Nextech3D.ai within:

  • A global event industry Gappelberg pegs at roughly US$1 trillion
  • A broader global event technology and online ticketing market that management has previously referenced at around US$80–85 billion

He argues that:

  • Remote work and AI‑driven automation are increasing demand for in‑person experiences, as people seek more face‑to‑face interaction
  • Live events are likely to grow in importance over the next five years as a counter‑balance to automation and virtual work
  • Nextech3D.ai’s focus on AI event tech, experiential engagement and unified operating systems positions it ahead of this shift

Profitability, Margins And Cash Flow Potential

With 95% gross margins reported in Q3 and a stated internal goal (from prior disclosures) of targeting around 90% gross margins longer‑term through automation and standardization, Nextech3D.ai is explicitly leaning into a high‑margin, software‑first model.

Gappelberg’s description of the AI‑assisted M&A playbook – acquire event‑tech assets, apply automation, remove excess headcount and run them lean – is framed as a way to:

  • Increase recurring, platform‑based revenue
  • Maintain or expand margins
  • Build a portfolio of cash‑generating event‑tech properties under the Nextech Event AI umbrella

While no specific profitability timelines are given in the interview, the combination of sequential growth and margin expansion is positioned as the path toward stronger operating results.

Conclusion

For investors, the interview presents Nextech3D.ai as an AI‑first event technology company emerging from a multi‑year pivot with:

  • A consolidated platform strategy in Nextech Event AI
  • More than 1,000 customers and hundreds of Fortune 500 relationships
  • Q3 metrics, including 59% year‑over‑year revenue growth, second consecutive 20% sequential growth quarter, and 95% gross margins
  • A focus on using AI to both grow revenue (through AI matchmaking and unified event solutions) and sharply reduce costs (through automation and AI‑enabled integration of acquisitions)
  • Founder‑CEO ownership and ongoing share purchases signaling conviction in the turnaround

Gappelberg characterizes Q3 as the beginning of Nextech3D.ai’s “comeback.” With Krafty Labs now integrated, Nextech Event AI launched, and additional enterprise and government contracts in the pipeline, upcoming quarters will give investors more data on how durable this new growth curve really is.

TO WATCH THE FULL VIDEO GO TO: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfL457LW0vdLfUsxUKlol_YZ1jWObS8HN 

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Nextech3D.ai Reports 59% Q3 YoY Revenue Growth as AI First Model Gains Traction With Google and Netflix Among Clients

Posted by Alavaro Coronel at 8:04 AM on Friday, February 20th, 2026

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • Growth Surge: Q3 2026 revenue climbed to $468,000, up 59% year-over-year and 20% sequential, marking the second straight quarter of 20%+ quarter-over-quarter growth.
  • Margin Profile: Gross margins reached 95% (up from 41% a year ago), reflecting a shift toward higher-margin offerings within the company’s event-tech focus.
  • Event OS: Now unifies Eventdex, Map D and Krafty Labs into one AI-powered operating system for registration, ticketing, floor plans, matchmaking, engagement and blockchain payments.
  • Fortune Footprint: The company now serves 1,000+ customers and ~400 Fortune 500 relationships, with enterprise deals expanding across tech, banking and government.
  • AI Leverage: Management reports replacing larger teams with smaller teams backed by AI agents, using automation with the goal of making roll-up M&A and platform integration more economically attractive.

 

When a company shows it can reposition a legacy business into a more efficient AI-enabled platform with software economics, it can represent a meaningful shift. In its Q3 2026 results, Nextech3D.ai reported 59% year-over-year revenue growth, 20% sequential growth and 95% gross margins, all while advancing a strategic pivot away from lower-margin 3D modeling into a unified AI-powered event technology stack. Nextech3D.ai, now positioning itself as an AI-focused live event and engagement platform integrating Map D, Eventdex and Krafty Labs, is targeting the $80+ billion global event tech and online ticketing markets with a single, data-driven operating system. With the acquisition of Krafty Labs, the launch of Nextech Event AI, and a customer base that’s doubled to more than 1,000 accounts including hundreds of Fortune 500 relationships, management believes the business is entering a different phase of its growth trajectory than the one investors saw just a year ago.

STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS

The traditional event industry often runs on manual workflows, disconnected point solutions and analog networking. Attendees may wander show floors hoping for “one good deal,” organizers may juggle multiple vendors, and enterprises can face bloated cost structures for outcomes that are hard to measure and harder to repeat. Even as events represent a roughly $1 trillion global industry, much of that spend still flows through systems that resemble earlier-generation processes – lanyards, paper badges and serendipity instead of data, automation and intent.

Nextech3D.ai is aiming to provide an alternative: a software-first, AI-enabled event operating system where registration, ticketing, navigation, matchmaking, engagement and payments are designed to operate on a single stack. Eventdex handles registration and logistics, Map D delivers interactive floor plans and spatial analytics, and Krafty Labs adds experiential and in-person engagement – all now connected into Nextech Event AI and its “semantic brain” architecture using OpenAI LLMs and Pinecone, as disclosed by the company. Management’s strategy is that a small, specialized team of AI-focused staff can acquire, integrate and automate event platforms, reduce headcount-heavy overhead, and work to convert them into higher-margin, cash-flow-generating modules.

Timing may be an important factor. Enterprises and government agencies are under pressure to rationalize tech stacks, manage costs and demonstrate ROI on travel and events, while employees increasingly seek in-person experiences to complement remote work. At the same time, AI tools are increasingly capable of supporting more complex tasks – from AI matchmaking that can help pre-book meetings, to always-on AI event assistants, to automated workflows that management believes can help improve the economics of legacy event software. Nextech3D.ai positions itself at that intersection, with sequential growth already visible in recent quarters and a pipeline that its CEO states is stronger and more enterprise-focused than at any point in the company’s history.

CEO EVAN GAPPELBERG:

“We didn’t just survive the last bear market – we used it to rebuild the company around AI and events. While others pulled back, we kept building, and now we believe you can see the impact in our numbers and in our pipeline. We’ve gone from lower-margin 3D production to a leaner, higher-margin AI event platform, and we intend to keep using automation and M&A in an effort to turn more event tech assets into scalable, cash-flow-generating businesses. As I keep buying stock myself, it’s because I believe this is just the start of a much larger potential growth opportunity.”

INVESTOR TAKEAWAY

For investors, this interview and the latest filings indicate that Nextech3D.ai’s story is evolving from 3D modeling cycles with a single flagship customer toward a recurring, software-driven event platform with what management views as structural advantages on both revenue and cost. Two consecutive quarters of 20% sequential growth, 59% year-over-year expansion and 95% gross margins indicate that the company’s pivot is beginning to show up in reported financials. Combined with a doubled customer base, hundreds of Fortune 500 relationships and expanding AI modules (matchmaking, assistants, blockchain ticketing, mobile, AR navigation), the platform offers multiple potential paths for higher contract values and deeper customer engagement.

The key risk remains execution: scaling enterprise delivery, integrating acquisitions like Eventdex and Krafty Labs, and sustaining growth in a competitive AI and event-tech landscape. However, the current mix of higher-margin economics, increasing enterprise adoption, a management-reported expanding pipeline and a CEO increasing his own ownership supports the view of Nextech3D.ai as a potential AI-focused consolidator in a fragmented market. For investors considering small-cap AI exposure with existing customers, reported margins and a defined operating thesis, this represents a turnaround story that is now being reflected in both narrative and disclosed numbers, while still carrying the usual risks associated with early-stage growth companies.

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HPQ Marks First Paid Fumed Silica Order With 50 kg Pilot Batch

Posted by Alavaro Coronel at 7:56 AM on Friday, February 20th, 2026

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW?

  • Paid Purchase Order: Management confirms the 50 kg fumed silica order is paid, with material produced and shipment logistics underway.
  • Pilot Plant Function: The facility is performing its intended role — demonstrating scalable material production rather than prioritizing immediate revenue generation.
  • Application Objectives: Management indicates that internal work and independent laboratory testing support that the material meets the goals for the intended application.
  • Due Diligence Relevance: The batch is framed as a meaningful component of the technical due diligence process tied to a potential joint venture.
  • Operational Data: Pilot plant runs are now informing more detailed assumptions, including practical considerations such as shifts, staffing, and location-dependent cost factors.
  • Market Signaling: Management notes that milestones such as paid production runs may influence how other parties evaluate ongoing discussions.

When a pilot plant progresses from demonstrating production capability to fulfilling a paid purchase order, the discussion naturally shifts from technical feasibility to real operating performance. HPQ Silicon management confirms the company has received a purchase order for 50 kilograms of fumed silica, has produced the material, and is now finalizing shipment logistics as the counterparty determines where the batch will be sent. Management explicitly states the order is paid, while underscoring an important distinction for investors: pilot plants are designed to validate commercial-scale production and generate operating data, not serve as near-term profit centers. The batch is described as part of the technical due diligence process associated with a potential joint venture, with management noting that successful material production is a necessary condition for advancing discussions. Internal testing and independent laboratory testing are described as supporting that the material meets the objectives required for the intended application.

STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS

Management emphasizes that pilot plants are not structured as profit-driven operations. Their purpose is to demonstrate that commercially valuable material can be produced and to provide the data required for designing larger-scale facilities. The discussion highlights that once systems are functioning, producing a single larger batch becomes more operationally efficient than multiple small runs. Management also indicates that a significant portion of current activity is concentrated on the joint venture process, describing both HPQ Silicon and its technical partner as heavily engaged in technical evaluation, operational analysis, and commercial discussions.

INVESTOR TAKEAWAY

The significance of the paid 50 kg batch is primarily technical and strategic rather than financial. The milestone reflects pilot plant validation, supports customer-side application testing, and contributes to the refinement of detailed operating assumptions required for potential commercial expansion. As described by management, the project remains positioned within an active due-diligence phase rather than a finalized commercial rollout.

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BEYOND THE MIC – Tartisan Nickel Corp. Kenbridge Drilling, Resource Growth And PFS Path Discussed

Posted by Brittany McNabb at 12:26 PM on Thursday, February 19th, 2026

In a recent long form video interview with AGORACOM (see link at the end of this article), Tartisan Nickel Corp. (CSE: TN; OTC: TTSRF; FSE: 8TA) CEO Mark Appleby discussed the high‑grade drill results at the Kenbridge Nickel-Copper Project, Sioux Narrows,  Ontario, and how they support the company’s efforts to grow the resource, extend potential mine life and advance toward pre‑feasibility.

AGORACOM Beyond The Mic Feature Article

February 19, 2026

Key Highlights

  • Class 1 nickel in a mining-friendly jurisdiction – In the interview, Appleby noted that Kenbridge is located in northwestern Ontario and hosts Class 1 nickel sulphide (often referred to as “battery grade” nickel), a key input for electric vehicles, stainless steel and energy storage.
  • A scalable resource with room to grow – As discussed in the interview introduction, the project currently has a defined mineral resource containing approximately 146 million pounds of nickel and 78 million pounds of copper, supported by more than 115,000 metres of drilling in over 617 holes, plus a three-compartment shaft and road access now within a 45‑minute drive off of paved Hwy 71.

 

New high‑grade drill hits – The conversation focused on recent holes including:

  • 11 metres of 1.05% nickel and 0.33% copper, including 2 metres of ~4.8% nickel and 1.25% copper
  • 3.5 metres of ~2.9% nickel and 0.8% copper
  • A prior hole with 10.7 metres grading 1.58% nickel and 0.8% copper, including intervals above 3% nickel Appleby explained that, for Class 1 nickel deposits, anything over 0.6% nickel is generally considered high‑grade, and he characterized these intercepts as meaningful within that context.

 

Upgrading and expanding the resource – Appleby stated that there is roughly 1 million tonnes of inferred material grading over 1% nickel. He said the current drill program is intended to:

  • Bring a portion of this inferred material into the Measured and Indicated categories to improve confidence for engineering studies
  • Test the down‑dip extension of the deposit, which he believes extends below ~1,100 metres and may continue significantly deeper at depth based on current understanding
  • Support a targeted 25% to potentially 50% increase in total resources, with the objective of moving from a current 9–10 year mine life toward approximately 15 years or more if drilling results are supportive in 2026
  • Path to pre‑feasibility in 2026 – In the interview, Appleby reiterated that Tartisan would like to commence a pre‑feasibility study (PFS) in the summer of 2026, building on baseline work underway since 2021 and a completed Preliminary Economic Assessment. He indicated that drilling in 2026 is expected to contribute data that would feed into PFS economics and help refine capital and operating cost estimates.
  • Ongoing drills and targeting tools – Appleby reported that Holes 3 and 4 of the current program have been drilled (with assays pending), and Hole 5 is expected to commence next, targeting depths around 1000+ metres and beneath the existing shaft. He added that all completed holes are planned to undergo borehole geophysics (downhole surveying to detect conductive sulphide zones), with those results expected in May to help guide a potential Phase 2 program into deeper parts of the gabbro‑hosted system.
  • Strategic land and new targets – The interview also covered Tartisan’s recent acquisition of the Apex property, contiguous with Kenbridge and adjacent to the historic Mayburn Gold Mine. Appleby said Apex hosts a historical resource of about 250,000 tonnes at 1.03% copper and 0.60% nickel, plus various gold showings. He outlined plans for prospecting, re‑sampling and reviewing historical trenching and sampling at Apex this spring and summer, with the possibility of a dedicated drill program if conditions and funding allow.

 

  • Supportive macro and rising interest – Appleby and the host discussed copper trading around US$6 per pound and nickel recovering from prior lows. Appleby commented that this is supportive to in‑ground values as the company advances work, and noted an increase in inbound calls and interest from industry and capital markets following the first drill hole results, along with higher social media engagement and investor outreach.
  • Community and critical minerals backdrop – Appleby emphasized that Kenbridge is advancing in consultation with seven First Nations communities, whose involvement was instrumental in advancing the all‑season access road. He also highlighted growing U.S. and Canadian focus on critical mineral security, including discussions around potential grant programs and strategic stockpiles, and the role that domestically sourced Class 1 nickel and copper could play within that policy environment.

Leadership Perspective

“We’re now starting to bring this million tons in the inferred category that grades over 1% into the measured and indicated category. That helps solidify the overall integrity of the resource, which is exactly what the engineers will want to see as we move into pre‑feasibility in 2026.” – Mark Appleby, CEO

“Anything over 0.6% nickel is considered high grade for Class 1 deposits, and our recent intercepts are 1% and higher. These are meaningful holes and a worthwhile exercise in drilling them.” – Mark Appleby, CEO

Investor Takeaway

In the interview, Appleby outlined how Kenbridge is being advanced from the current  nickel-copper deposit toward a deeper and potentially larger asset, with a stated roadmap to grow the resource, work toward extending mine life and enter pre‑feasibility in 2026. Early 2026 drilling has delivered high‑grade intercepts that management believes support this plan, while additional potential catalysts discussed include pending assays, borehole geophysics results, possible Phase 2 deeper & infill drilling and  work on the recently acquired Apex property.

For investors following nickel and copper opportunities in Canadian jurisdiction, where critical minerals have become a stated policy focus, the company’s current drill program, resource growth objectives and targeted move toward pre‑feasibility in 2026 were presented in the interview as key elements of the Tartisan story to watch.

TO WATCH THE FULL VIDEO GO TO: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfL457LW0vdIGAsX_ean57OmfgUoKfsd9

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Tartisan’s Kenbridge Drill Hits Are The Tesla Moment For Class 1 Nickel Supply

Posted by Brittany McNabb at 4:56 PM on Tuesday, February 17th, 2026

When the ground keeps giving back more than you put in, the story stops being about exploration and starts being about building a mine. Tartisan Nickel’s latest drill hole at Kenbridge came back with 11 metres of high-grade nickel and copper at depth — backed by a second spike of nearly 5% nickel over 2 metres that few deposits anywhere can match. For a project that already has a shaft in the ground, a road in, and a mine plan on paper, these results are not a discovery — they are a confirmation. The next step is a pre-feasibility study.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • Deep Grade: Hole KB26-208 returned 11.0 metres of 1.05% nickel and 0.33% copper, including 2.0 metres of 4.79% nickel and 1.25% copper, plus an additional 3.5 metres of 2.87% nickel and 0.81% copper within the same zone.
  • Model Tightening: This is the second infill hole of the 2026 program, targeting a zone with over 1 million tonnes of greater than 1% nickel that the company is working to move into higher-confidence categories ahead of pre-feasibility.
  • Scale Program: 2,700 metres of drilling have been completed across the first three holes, with results from the third hole still pending and the fourth hole now drilling below the existing 622-metre shaft to test how deep this deposit really goes.
  • Established Economics: The Updated PEA outlines a 9-year underground mining operation at 1,500 tonnes per day, with a pre-tax NPV of $182.5 million and a 26% internal rate of return.
  • Critical Minerals: Kenbridge hosts Class 1 battery-grade nickel in one of the most mining-friendly jurisdictions on the planet, directly in the crosshairs of North American critical mineral strategy for EVs, energy storage and supply chain security.

STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS

For decades, the world has sourced nickel from offshore operations that are expensive to run, difficult to regulate and increasingly exposed to political risk. The result is a supply chain that North American manufacturers, defense agencies and battery makers have grown deeply uncomfortable depending on. Legacy producers have failed to bring new, high-grade, domestically sourced nickel online fast enough to close that gap.

Kenbridge is the kind of asset that makes that problem smaller. It sits in northwestern Ontario with a shaft already sunk, a road already built, environmental baseline work already years deep, and active relationships with seven First Nations communities. It is not a greenfield dream — it is an advanced project hitting high-grade results and moving methodically toward a pre-feasibility study. Each new drill hole either confirms what is already known or expands what the deposit could become, and the current program is doing both.

The timing could not be better aligned. Critical minerals have become a matter of national security on both sides of the border. The U.S. Department of Defense is actively backing domestic supply. Canada is accelerating its own critical mineral strategy. In that environment, a fully-owned, high-grade, road-accessible nickel and copper project with a mine plan already in hand does not stay small-cap forever.

CEO MARK APPLEBY:

“These are the kind of numbers that get people’s attention. We’ve got the goods here — high grade, right where we need it, and it keeps showing up. We’re heading into pre-feasibility this summer, and every hole we turn makes that a stronger story.”

INVESTOR TAKEAWAY

The world is running short on nickel and copper it can actually trust — mined safely, in stable jurisdictions, without a shipping container crossing three oceans. Kenbridge is already built into the ground, already permitted to advance, and already hitting the grades that make mine plans work. With a pre-feasibility study targeted for summer 2026 and drill results arriving hole by hole, Tartisan is not waiting for the market to come to it. It is building the kind of asset that larger players in a supply-starved industry will find very hard to ignore.

 

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HPQ Silicon’s Fumed Silica Joint Venture Mirrors The Desktop Revolution – Innovation Disrupts A Century-Old Industry

Posted by Alavaro Coronel at 8:28 AM on Friday, February 13th, 2026

When a company crosses the line from technical validation to signed commercial agreements with secured financing, markets take notice. HPQ Silicon has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with a strategic industrial partner to form a joint venture that would build and operate a 1,000-tonne-per-year commercial fumed silica plant valued at US$20.0 million. 

The partner has already secured project financing. This follows January 30, 2026 independent verification confirming HPQ’s pilot-scale reactor produces commercial-grade “150” fumed silica. With the technical risk answered, now came the commercial deployment question which seems to now be answered with one breaking headline:

HPQ Signs Joint Venture MOU for a Commercial Fumed Silica Plant with Strategic Partner

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • Financing Secured: The strategic partner has already locked in project funding for the US$20.0 million commercial plant, eliminating a major execution risk.

  • Grade 150 Verified: Independent testing on January 30, 2026 confirmed HPQ’s pilot reactor produces commercial-grade fumed silica meeting industry-standard 150 m²/g surface area and required viscosity specifications.

  • Toxic-Free Process: HPQ’s plasma-based reactor eliminates silicon tetrachloride and hydrogen chloride – the hazardous chemicals that forced half the industry to relocate to China.

  • Dramatic Cost Advantage: The single-step process consumes ~ 87% less energy and produces ~ 84% fewer emissions than conventional multi-step manufacturing while enabling on-site production.

  • Q2 2026 Target: Definitive agreements are expected by the end of second quarter 2026, with plant delivery anticipated within 12 months of joint venture formation.

Commercial Structure and Strategic Intent

The joint venture is expected to own and operate the facility, with production sold under an offtake arrangement to the strategic partner (terms and conditions yet to be agreed upon). Under the contemplated structure, HSPI (HPQ’s wholly owned subsidiarywould receive recurring royalties on each kilogram of fumed silica sold, (price/kg not yet agreed upon), providing HSPI and HPQ with long-term exposure to operating revenues while maintaining a capital-efficient profile.

This structure is intended to align HSPI and HPQ’s interests with long-term production performance while creating a platform that can be replicated across multiple sites as demand grows. Management views this approach as a scalable pathway to commercial deployment rather than a single, stand-alone facility.

HPQ does caution with “While the MOU reflects a shared intent to proceed, there can be no assurance that a joint venture will ultimately be formed, that it will be completed within the anticipated timeline, or that it will prove commercially viable.”

STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS

For decades, fumed silica manufacturing has relied on a toxic, multi-step process that converts metallurgical silicon into silicon tetrachloride, then hydrolyzes it at extreme temperatures while generating massive volumes of hydrogen chloride waste and CO₂ emissions. Environmental regulations pushed at least half of global production to China, creating supply chain vulnerabilities and locking manufacturers into centralized production models with complex logistics. What incumbents failed to achieve was elimination of the chemical inputs entirely – the breakthrough that enables decentralized, on-site manufacturing.

HPQ’s plasma-based Fumed Silica Reactor uses quartz as the sole feedstock and produces zero hazardous by-products. The November 2025 pilot-scale results demonstrated up to 191 m²/g surface area with 99.8% purity, and the January 2026 verification confirmed commercial-grade “150” specifications – the benchmark the entire industry had been waiting for. 

This positions HPQ to redefine how manufacturers access a US$2.57 billion global market dominated by chemical giants who cannot easily replicate a process they don’t control.

The timing aligns with reshoring mandates and supply chain security concerns. Industries reliant on fumed silica increasingly seek alternatives to centralized Chinese production. HPQ offers localized manufacturing at or near the point of use, fundamentally restructuring logistics while delivering superior unit economics through dramatically lower energy consumption and zero waste management costs. The joint venture partner has already secured financing and defined market requirements. This is validation from an industrial buyer with capital committed.

CEO BERNARD TOURILLON:

“This is the demonstration of all the work we’ve done paying off. We’ve demolished the barriers to entry to make fumed silica. Now we’re building something solid, step by step. The fumed silica business is becoming a very strong standalone thing.”

INVESTOR TAKEAWAY

HPQ Silicon has transitioned from technical validation to signed commercial agreements with secured financing. The January 30, 2026 independent verification removed the scaling question, and the February 12, 2026 joint venture MOU answers the commercialization question. With a strategic partner who has capital committed and defined market requirements, 

HPQ enters the revenue stage with a technology that eliminates toxic chemicals, dramatically reduces costs, and enables reshoring advantages that legacy producers cannot match without abandoning their entire infrastructure. 

For investors seeking exposure to advanced materials disruption with tangible proof points and near-term commercial deployment, this marks the inflection from development to deployment.

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HPQ Silicon Increases Novacium Stake to 36.8%

Posted by Alavaro Coronel at 11:00 AM on Thursday, February 5th, 2026

In a recent long-form video interview with AGORACOM (see link at the end of this article), HPQ Silicon CEO Bernard Tourillon addressed pointed shareholder questions about the company’s decision to acquire an additional 8.4% equity stake in French technology partner Novacium SAS.

The transaction, completed entirely through share issuance, increases HPQ’s ownership from 28.4% to 36.8% while maintaining Novacium’s valuation at the same level as the previous year—a point that drew immediate scrutiny from investors.

The all-share deal is valued at approximately C$4 million (EUR 2.5 million) and results in 5.2% dilution to existing HPQ shareholders through the issuance of 22.4 million new common shares. Management defended the transaction as strategic positioning ahead of what Tourillon characterized as imminent commercialization across Novacium’s battery materials, hydrogen generation, and waste-to-energy technology platforms.

 

AGORACOM – Beyond The Mic Feature Article
February 5, 2026

Transaction Structure and Terms

The equity increase was structured as a share-for-ownership exchange between HPQ and three Novacium shareholders:

  • Ownership change: HPQ stake increases from 28.4% to 36.8%
  • Equity acquired: 8.4 percentage point increase
  • Consideration: 22,407,916 HPQ common shares
  • Deemed price: C$0.18 per share
  • Implied valuation: EUR 30 million (≈ C$50 million)
  • Dilution impact: 5.2% to HPQ shareholders

Notably, the EUR 30 million valuation matches the valuation used in HPQ’s prior Novacium ownership increase in early 2025—despite management citing meaningful technology advancement and de-risking over the past 12 months.

 

Strategic Rationale: Why Now?

When pressed on timing and strategic intent, Tourillon outlined several interconnected objectives.

Preventing Future Dilution

Management expressed concern that as Novacium approaches commercialization, it could seek outside investors—potentially reducing HPQ’s participation in future revenues.

“Maybe Novacium would have started to take a look at outside investors and we would end up having less of the future revenue stake,” Tourillon said.

Global Value Participation

While HPQ holds exclusive North American commercialization rights, its exposure to international revenue streams is limited. Increasing its equity stake expands HPQ’s participation in potential global licensing, royalty, and partnership revenues outside its licensed territory.

Founder Alignment

By converting Novacium shareholders into HPQ equity holders, the transaction aligns founder incentives with HPQ’s success rather than maximizing Novacium’s standalone valuation.

Tourillon described the three selling shareholders as the “brainiacs behind a lot of the projects,” comparing the structure to equity-based retention strategies for critical technical talent.

Enabling European Independence

At 36.8% ownership, HPQ remains below the 50% control threshold that would classify Novacium as foreign-controlled—potentially disqualifying it from European government grants and non-dilutive financing programs.

This structure allows Novacium to pursue EU funding while HPQ retains significant economic exposure.

 

The Valuation Debate

Shareholder criticism focused on two primary issues:

  1. The EUR 30 million valuation
  2. The absence of an independent third-party valuation

Management’s Defense

Tourillon acknowledged HPQ did not commission a formal external valuation, citing costs of approximately $250,000–$300,000.

Instead, management relied on:

  • Internal comparative analysis of publicly traded battery materials companies
  • Informal consultations with financial industry contacts
  • Assessment that Novacium’s technologies have advanced materially since the 2025 transaction

“I think that Novacium is worth a heck of a lot more than the transaction we did, but we were able to negotiate that transaction with the founders because of our relationship over the years,” Tourillon said, describing the deal as a “hometown discount.”

Comparable Company Context

Management pointed to significantly higher valuations for companies developing comparable battery and hydrogen technologies—particularly those approaching commercial revenue generation.

Tourillon noted that firms preparing to sell batteries or cells to government and private customers typically command valuations well above Novacium’s implied valuation.

Risk Consideration

Despite management’s confidence, Novacium’s platforms remain in development. Commercialization timelines depend on market adoption, partner execution, and scalability—introducing inherent uncertainty.

 

Intellectual Property and Licensing Protections

A key shareholder concern focused on how HPQ protects its economic interests in Novacium-developed intellectual property, particularly when technologies originate with individual founders.

Binding Licensing Agreements

Tourillon confirmed the existence of formal, enforceable agreements granting HPQ exclusive North American commercialization rights for all Novacium technologies.

Key protections include:

  • Comprehensive licensing agreements covering all Novacium platforms
  • Battery-related patents filed directly in HPQ’s name (developed under contract)
  • License terms embedded into patent documentation as technologies mature
  • Disclosure of agreements in HPQ financial statements and institutional data rooms

“There is a very clear patent license agreement between Novacium and HPQ,” Tourillon said.

These arrangements prevent Novacium from licensing HPQ’s North American territory to third parties.

 

Battery Development Update: Drone Applications Emerge

Beyond transaction mechanics, Tourillon provided insight into Novacium’s battery progress—helping explain management’s near-term confidence.

Application-Specific Strategy

Rather than pursuing a universal battery solution, Novacium is developing application-specific batteries that can be adapted with minimal modification based on customer needs.

Drone Manufacturer Interest

Drone batteries have emerged as a likely first commercial application, driven by direct manufacturer demand.

“Drone manufacturers are actually probably the ones more interested,” Tourillon said, noting many prefer to focus on building drones rather than sourcing batteries from multiple suppliers.

Customer Feedback

Tourillon reported that feedback from potential customers has focused on pricing, not performance—indicating no technical deficiencies or competitiveness concerns.

 

Corporate Structure Changes: Enabling European Growth

The transaction coincides with structural changes designed to give Novacium greater operational independence in Europe.

New Branding and Market Presence

Novacium recently launched a redesigned website (novacium.com) to establish a standalone identity. This enables:

  • Independent European marketing and business development
  • Direct engagement with European investors and partners
  • Eligibility for government and quasi-government funding
  • Communication of technical milestones without HPQ public-company disclosure constraints

Strategic Logic

Tourillon described HPQ’s previous communication control as a “straitjacket” that limited Novacium’s European growth.

“It’s to our advantage that they become better known without the constraint of HPQ as a publicly traded company,” he said.

Increased Novacium visibility could also drive investor interest in HPQ as the only public-market proxy for the technology.

 

Share Distribution and Liquidity Considerations

Shareholders noted that the C$4 million in HPQ shares were issued to individual Novacium shareholders rather than Novacium’s treasury—raising questions about growth capital versus founder liquidity.

Management’s Characterization

Tourillon acknowledged this as “not an unfair assessment”, framing it as a strategic rotation rather than a liquidity exit.

The structure:

  • Converts founders’ interests from Novacium equity to HPQ equity
  • Provides partial liquidity while maintaining long-term alignment
  • Functions similarly to equity compensation for key talent
  • Exposes founders to the same share-price risk as HPQ shareholders

Post-Hold Period Trading

Shares are subject to a standard four-month regulatory hold period, after which they may be traded. Tourillon acknowledged the risk of selling pressure but noted recipients understand that aggressive selling would be self-defeating.

 

Near-Term Outlook and Pipeline

While constrained by regulatory and third-party confidentiality, Tourillon indicated multiple developments are progressing.

Expected Timeframes

Management expects at least two of Novacium’s four technology platforms to “really take off” within 12 months, with the remainder following in 18–24 months, including:

  • Battery materials (notably drone applications)
  • Hydrogen on-demand systems
  • Waste-to-energy processes

Communication Constraints

“There’s a lot of great moving parts moving forward, and a lot of them are still under—we have to keep them in a small box,” Tourillon said.

HPQ now focuses on announcing completed contracts rather than early-stage agreements.

 

Governance and Transparency Considerations

Several governance issues emerged that may warrant continued investor attention.

Disclosure Asymmetry

Institutional investors receive detailed IP and licensing documentation via data rooms, while retail shareholders have limited access. Tourillon suggested future Annual Information Forms may expand disclosure.

Valuation Methodology

The absence of an independent valuation introduces uncertainty regarding whether the EUR 30 million figure fully reflects Novacium’s current progress.

Information Blackouts

Third-party restrictions and confidentiality agreements create information gaps that complicate investor assessment of timing and strategic rationale.

Investment Considerations

Positive Elements

  • Capital-efficient structure preserves cash
  • Expanded strategic exposure without losing European funding eligibility
  • Founder incentive alignment
  • Same valuation as 2025 despite technology advancement

Risk Factors

  • 5.2% dilution for equity in a pre-revenue entity
  • Commercialization timelines remain uncertain
  • Internal valuation methodology
  • No direct growth capital injected into Novacium

Critical Dependencies

  • Conversion of technical progress into commercial revenues
  • Market adoption of core platforms
  • Strength of IP protection and licensing
  • HPQ’s ability to monetize North American rights

Conclusion

HPQ Silicon’s increased stake in Novacium represents a calculated bet on near-term commercialization, executed through equity dilution rather than cash deployment.

Management’s thesis rests on technology de-risking, favorable valuation, founder alignment, and a corporate structure that enables more aggressive European growth while preserving HPQ’s economic interests.

For investors, the core question remains whether HPQ has secured advantaged positioning in genuinely valuable platforms—or accepted meaningful dilution for assets that remain speculative. Execution over the coming quarters will determine the outcome.

 

📺 To Watch the Full Video

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfL457LW0vdIPGWSIORi4o5U61BVLLsCr

 

AGORACOM Beyond the Mic is powered by AGORACOM’s AI Content Agents.

HPQ Silicon is a client of AGORA Internet Relations Corp.

https://agoracom.com/ir/Agoracomupdates/forums/discussion/topics/796135-DISCLAIMER-AND-DISCLOSURE/messages/2399000 

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HPQ’s Bigger Slice of Novacium Is Like Google Buying YouTube For Its Energy Transition Playbook

Posted by Alavaro Coronel at 6:05 PM on Wednesday, February 4th, 2026

When an emerging technology company quietly secures a larger slice of the engine driving its future, it can mark a seismic shift in long-term value creation.

In this case, HPQ Silicon Inc. is lifting its stake in its French partner Novacium SAS by another 8.4 percentage points, taking ownership from 28.4% to 36.8% through an all-share deal valued at:

  • C$4,033,425 / EUR 2.5 million

For a portfolio spanning silicon anode batteries, autonomous hydrogen, and waste-to-value technologies, this higher stake deepens HPQ’s claim on a multi-platform energy-transition business built in Europe.

The valuation is unchanged from HPQ’s 2025 step-up, but the underlying technology set and commercialization visibility are not. And that’s where the leverage lies.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • Stake Jump: HPQ is acquiring 84 additional Novacium shares, raising ownership from 28.4% to 36.8% for C$4,033,425 (EUR 2.5M), at the same implied ~EUR 30M valuation used in February 2025.
  • Share Currency: Consideration is 22,407,916 HPQ common shares at C$0.18, representing roughly 5.2% dilution in exchange for an 8.4% incremental equity stake. All shares are locked up for four months and one day.
  • Platform Power: Novacium’s portfolio spans:
    • Silicon-based anode materials
    • Non-electrolyser autonomous hydrogen generation
    • Circular black-dross-to-value processes
  • 2025 saw patents filed, GEN3 batteries surpass 1,000 cycles, and strategic collaborations initiated.
  • Global Upside: Beyond HPQ’s exclusive North American licenses, the larger equity position increases HPQ’s participation in international revenues and royalty streams tied to Novacium’s technologies.
  • Capital Discipline: The deal is arm’s length, subject to TSX Venture Exchange and regulatory approvals, and preserves HPQ’s cash while maintaining its renewed option framework to further increase ownership over the next four years.

STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS

For decades, IP-heavy energy-transition platforms have created most of their value in private structures or offshore vehicles, leaving public-market investors with indirect or limited exposure.

Legacy models often:

  • Fragment licensing across regions
  • Misalign founders and partners
  • Force public partners to fund R&D without proportionate ownership

That structure can work when technologies are speculative, but becomes a liability once platforms start to de-risk and commercialization paths come into focus.

Novacium Is Built Differently

Novacium is an IP and execution engine advancing three interlocking pillars:

  1. Silicon anode materials
  2. Autonomous hydrogen systems
  3. Circular waste-to-value processes

All rooted in silicon and battery know-how.

In 2025:

  • GEN3 18650 cells using Novacium’s silicon-based anodes retained 80%+ capacity after 900–1,000 cycles
  • Delivered roughly 30% more cumulative energy versus graphite
  • New patents were filed on:
    • Black-dross processing
    • Advanced cathode materials

HPQ’s move to increase its equity stake at the same ~EUR 30M valuation effectively buys more of that de-risked portfolio at last year’s price.

TIMING MATTERS

As Novacium ramps its brand presence in Europe, pursues non-dilutive EU funding, and engages strategic partners under NDA, the risk grows that outside capital could dilute HPQ’s participation if its stake remained static.

By moving now, and paying in shares instead of cash, HPQ:

  • Secures a stronger economic and governance position
  • Preserves balance-sheet flexibility
  • Maintains momentum across its other pillars, from fumed silica to high-purity silicon

In markets where batteries, hydrogen, and circular processes are converging into multi-billion-dollar verticals, HPQ is tightening its grip on the European engine underpinning much of its future pipeline.

CEO BERNARD TOURILLON

“This isn’t a tactical tweak; it’s a disciplined capital allocation decision. We’re using shares to buy a bigger piece of a platform that’s already de-risking and starting to blossom, without touching our cash. It moves us from just licensing North America to having a much larger claim on value creation across every geography as Novacium’s technologies go to work.”

INVESTOR TAKEAWAY

HPQ is effectively trading 5.2% dilution today for a meaningfully larger stake in an asset whose IP, patents, and early battery and hydrogen results suggest far greater optionality than its unchanged ~EUR 30M valuation implies.

This transaction:

  • Consolidates HPQ’s economic participation in Novacium’s global commercialization
  • Reduces the risk of fragmented IP decisions
  • Preserves cash for core project execution across all pillars

For investors, this looks less like a one-off corporate reshuffle and more like HPQ’s Google-buys-YouTube moment, a deliberate move to own more of the platform that could power its long-term energy-transition growth.

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Gold Without Mining: nGRND is defining the sustainable ownership of the world’s oldest store of value

Posted by Brittany McNabb at 1:54 PM on Monday, February 2nd, 2026

Gold is trading at historic highs, with analysts projecting continued strength into 2026 and beyond. Yet for junior and senior developers, the traditional path to mining gold still comes with major challenges: mining is expensive, slow, and often environmentally and socially destructive.

There are, however, high barriers to entry for investors. The opportunity to benefit from these historic highs in the price of gold are made difficult by the limited supply, substantial costs of physical storage, security, auditability, insurance, shifts towards more sustainable investments and significant premiums over the spot price. While modern financial instruments like Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) and digital gold tokens have improved accessibility, traditional, high-trust forms of investment remain restricted by high capital requirements and limited, in many regions, to high-net-worth individuals or institutional players.

That tension is exactly where nGRND believes the next evolution of gold ownership begins.

In a recent interview with AGORACOM founder George Tsiolis, Professor Lisa Wilson, the CEO of nGRND Inc., outlined a new model that challenges centuries of convention: what if gold could create economic value without ever being mined?

Rather than extracting gold, nGRND focuses on acquiring the long-term rights to sites with known verified in-ground gold Mineral Resources and enables their monetisation through alternative land usage from avoided mining. nGRND sponsor a fully regulated and licensed issuer to generate real world 100% asset-backed ownership structures – allowing the verified gold to remain untouched beneath the surface in-ground.

“We go out to globally to find known, verified Mineral Resources” Professor Wilson explained, “procure those assets for a minimum of 30 years, and create an alternative way of valuing and monetising that gold in-ground.”

The outcome is a new category of sustainable gold ownership designed for a world where investors are increasingly expecting hard-asset stability and environmental accountability.

Unlocking the value from gold that is currently uneconomical to mine.

One of the most striking points in the interview is the sheer scale of verified gold that already exists in the ground—but remains economically stranded.

Wilson noted that there are nearly six billion ounces of known in-situ gold resources globally. Much of it is held by junior developers and exploration companies, many based in Canada. Yet these ounces often remain unmonetised because advancing a project to production is an enormous undertaking and in many cases currently uneconomical.

Key barriers include:

  • Long development timelines, often 7 to 20 years
  • Massive capital requirements to build a mine
  • Permitting complexity and increasingly difficult environmental approvals
  • Sites that may be currently uneconomical or environmentally sensitive

For many resource owners, this leaves gold trapped in a frustrating limbo: valuable in theory, but difficult to turn into an economic reality.

nGRND’s proposition is to change that equation.

nGRND Inc. offers an alternative monetisation pathway that keeps the gold in-situ while still recognising its value proposition.

A new value proposition for verified resource owners

Traditionally, junior development companies seeking liquidity or capital for further development are often forced to sell assets at steep discounts to major producers or obtain royalty and streaming agreements.

Professor Wilson described conventional in-ground transactions as frequently yielding at the top end only $60 to $90 per ounce, and often sometimes far less.

nGRND offers something materially different.

According to Professor Wilson, the company aims to provide resource owners roughly 250% more than traditional in-situ pricing, which is approximately $210 to $220 per ounce at current gold levels – while allowing them to retain land ownership and avoid decades of uncertainty.

This liquidity can then be used to:

  • Strengthen balance sheets
  • Continue exploration and resource classification upgrading
  • Reduce dependence on dilutive financing
  • Potentially return value to shareholders

In Professor Wilson’s words this gives junior developers “cash on their books” and an option beyond “crumbs” offered by the traditional system.

Gold as a store of value – whilst in remains underground

A natural question arises: If the gold stays underground, how can it still function as an asset?

Professor Wilson’s answer is simple: Gold is gold, whether it is above ground or still in the earth. It has the same properties in-situ as extracted. The only thing you cannot do is wear it!

Lisa offered a modern analogy:

“Every time you look at your digital bank account, you don’t physically see the cash – but you still recognise it as value.”

In nGRND’s view, verified in-ground gold can serve the same purpose as physical gold stored in a vault, as a scarce, real store of value, but preserved rather than extracted.

Regulated real-world asset ownership through Tokinvest

A defining feature of nGRND’s approach is its emphasis on verification and regulatory structure.

The company does not generate or issue tokens directly. Instead, it sponsors the development of a 100% asset-backed gold ownership structure generated, issued and sold by Tokinvest, a licensed and VARA-regulated entity in Dubai.

Professor Wilson stressed that this regulated architecture is part of what differentiates nGRND from earlier, unsuccessful attempts to digitise in-ground gold ownership.

Key safeguards include:

  • Auditability, provenance and verification of the gold
  • Resource verification must meet recognised standards such as NI 43-101, JORC, or SAMREC, or equivalent
  • Tokens remain in an Token Generation Event (TGE) escrow pool until they are fully backed by contracted verified ounces obatined through nGRND Inc Site Programmes
  • nGRND Gold Tokens are only released by Tokinvest when they are 100% backed by an equivalent verified gold resource

“No verification, no tokens,” Wilson emphasised.

This framework is designed to expand the potential investor base beyond retail participants to include volume trades by institutions already familiar with gold ETFs and regulated commodity products.

A parallel revenue engine: ESG and Carbon Programmes

nGRND’s model extends beyond gold.

By keeping gold in the ground  – what Professor Wilson calls “avoided mining” nGRND Inc. enables alternative land-use programmes that can generate additional revenue independent of gold price movements.

These Site Programmes will have Carbon and ESG feasibility , invesatbility and origination conducted by independent partners CarbonPlanet and Foresteam. The Site Programmes will include:

  • Carbon offset standards accrediting origination from greater than 540 methodologies
  • Land rehabilitation and biodiversity restoration
  • Renewable energy development
  • Environmental restoration of brownfield sites

Crucially, Wilson explained that these programmes remain structurally separate from the gold-backed asset itself.

The gold ownership structure is treated as a commodity-backed asset, while ESG and carbon revenues form an independent dual distribution stream for nGRND Inc and nGRND Gold Token holders.

In Professor Wilson’s framing, this creates investment exposure to two uncorrelated commodity assets and themes:

  • Gold as a store of value and traditional commodity
  • Carbon and environmental assets as a rapidly emerging and high growth asset class

Early momentum and a 2026 rollout timeline

nGRND Inc has only just exited “stealth mode”, but Professor Wilson indicated that traction has materialised quickly and very strongly during its development and the weeks post.

“Before we even exited stealth mode, we had a signed LOI to take over a property,” Lisa said, adding that the company has already surpassed its internal 2029 mineral ounce pipeline targets.

The company expects the Token Generation Event by Tokinvest to occur around April 2026, with regulated professional and retail access to follow shortly thereafter through Tokinvest.

This rollout is structured, verification-gated, and designed to scale over time as additional site programmes are secured.

Why investors are paying attention now?

nGRND Inc. sits at the intersection of several powerful global forces:

  • Rising gold demand in uncertain macro environments
  • Increasing investor focus on sustainability and ESG accountability
  • Institutional adoption of regulated digital asset infrastructure
  • A growing need to separate resource value from environmental cost

In short, nGRND is positioning itself with the vision of being the world’s largest resource company who don’t mine!

The bottom line: A structural shift in how gold Is monetised

For centuries, gold ownership has depended on extraction.

nGRND is delivering something fundamentally different. Verified gold can be monetised, preserved, and owned sustainably – without the delays, costs, and environmental disruption of mining.

With long-term control of Site Programmes with known verified in-ground resources, regulated issuance through Tokinvest, and parallel ESG and carbon programme development through CarbonPlanet and Foresteam, nGRND is advancing a model that will reshape how the world thinks about natural wealth.

As Professor Wilson put it:

“Gold is gold. Whether it is above ground or in the ground, it has the same properties as a store of value. We have created a way to monetise it without destroying the land or waiting decades to build a mine.”

For investors watching the evolution of real-world asset ownership, sustainable finance, and gold’s role in the modern economy, nGRND is emerging as one of the most innovative and closely watched new entrants in the space.

DISCLAIMER AND DISCLOSURE

This record is published on behalf of the featured company or companies mentioned (Collectively “Clients”), which are paid clients of Agora Internet Relations Corp or AGORACOM Investor Relations Corp. (Collectively “AGORACOM”)

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You understand that AGORACOM receives either monetary or securities compensation for our services, including creating, publishing and distributing content on behalf of Clients, which includes but is not limited to articles, press releases, videos, interview transcripts, industry bulletins, reports, GIFs, JPEGs, (Collectively “Records”) and other records by or on behalf of clients. Although AGORACOM compensation is not tied to the sale or appreciation of any securities, we stand to benefit from any volume or stock appreciation of our Clients.

In exchange for publishing services rendered by AGORACOM on behalf of Clients, AGORACOM receives annual cash and/or securities compensation of typically up to $125,000. 

Facts relied upon by AGORACOM are generally provided by clients or gathered by AGORACOM from other public sources including press releases, SEDAR and/or EDGAR filings, website, powerpoint presentations.  These facts may be in error and if so, Records created by AGORACOM may be materially different. In our video interviews or video content, opinions are those of our guests or interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of AGORACOM.

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HPQ Silicon’s Commercially Validated Fumed Silica Process Carries Potential for Global Disruption

Posted by Alavaro Coronel at 10:20 AM on Saturday, January 31st, 2026

What You Need To Know

  • Independent third-party validation confirms commercial-grade 150 fumed silica produced at pilot scale
  • Validation performed by a potential customer under an existing Letter of Intent
  • Results support ongoing commercialization discussions, including with the party under LOI
  • Performance metrics, including viscosity, meet or exceed benchmark specifications
  • Planning initiated for a potential dedicated production site as demand visibility improves

Here’s how HPQ Silicon Inc. is positioning its proprietary process as a simplified, lower-barrier alternative with the potential to materially change production economics in a legacy industrial materials market.

A NEW APPROACH TO A LEGACY INDUSTRIAL MATERIAL

Fumed silica is a critical additive used to control thickness and stability in products ranging from toothpaste and cosmetics to adhesives, coatings, inks, and advanced industrial formulations. Despite its broad use, the industry has relied for decades on complex, fossil-fuel-intensive, multi-step manufacturing processes that are costly, environmentally burdensome, and dominated by a small number of global suppliers.

HPQ’s approach is fundamentally different. Its process converts quartz directly into fumed silica in a single step, eliminating several traditional intermediates. The result is a simplified production pathway that has the potential to reduce complexity and materially alter the cost structure associated with fumed silica manufacturing.

WHY INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION MATTERS

While HPQ had previously demonstrated promising lab-scale results, commercialization in industrial materials depends on more than internal testing. Customers must confirm that a product performs within their own application and process requirements.

That hurdle has now been cleared.

Independent testing conducted by a potential customer under LOI confirmed that HPQ’s pilot-scale material meets commercial-grade 150 specifications, including surface area and viscosity—two of the most important performance metrics buyers evaluate.

“Until we had gotten this result, we were making a big claim. Now, we have the data to prove it.”
 — Bernard Tourillon, CEO, HPQ Silicon Inc.

FROM TECHNICAL PROOF TO COMMERCIAL DISCUSSIONS

Commercial-grade 150 is not an experimental specification. It is a sellable, widely used product grade in today’s market. Importantly, HPQ’s material demonstrated viscosity performance above standard benchmarks for the 150 grade, a key factor in real-world applications where fumed silica is purchased specifically for its thickening and rheological properties.

With validation in hand, HPQ reports that commercialization discussions have continued in parallel, including dialogue around the steps required to move toward an initial commercial-scale facility. While execution of the first plant remains the primary remaining risk, management emphasized that the most difficult technical transition—moving from lab to pilot scale—has already been completed.

STRATEGIC STRUCTURE AND PARTNERSHIP FOUNDATION

The fumed silica initiative is supported by a joint operating structure with PyroGenesis Inc., combining HPQ’s commercial strategy with PyroGenesis’ engineering and process expertise. This structure is designed to reduce execution risk as the project advances toward continuous operation and commercial-scale deployment.

In addition, the LOI framework under discussion contemplates a model where HPQ focuses on production while its partner leverages established downstream capabilities such as packaging and market access—an approach intended to reduce capital intensity and support a more efficient path to market.

MARKET SCALE AND REPLICATION POTENTIAL

Management highlighted that the Canadian fumed silica market alone is estimated at 10,000–15,000 tonnes per year, with material 150 representing a meaningful portion of that demand. Once an initial commercial system is operational, the pathway to growth becomes largely replicative—scaling by adding additional systems rather than reinventing the process.

Beyond grade 150, HPQ believes its technology can be optimized to produce higher-value grades over time, but the current milestone confirms that commercial entry does not depend on future enhancements.

THE OUTLOOK: A PROCESS MOVING FROM VALIDATION TO EXECUTION

With independent customer validation, a defined commercialization pathway, and early planning for a dedicated production site, HPQ has moved its fumed silica initiative into a new phase. The remaining challenge is execution—building and operating the first commercial system—but the company now approaches that step with verified performance data, active industrial engagement, and a clearer line of sight to market demand.

For investors seeking small-cap opportunities where technical risk has been substantially reduced and commercialization discussions are grounded in disclosed customer validation, this interview captures a moment where HPQ’s fumed silica strategy begins to transition from promise to potential production.

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