Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:30 PM on Sunday, May 10th, 2020
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment Group(GMBL:NASDAQ) – Millions of people from around the world tune in to watch teams of video game players compete with each other. In first quarter 2020, YouTube reported 1.1 billion hours watched, an increase of 13% when compared to fourth quarter 2019. Wagering on Esports is projected to hit $23 BILLION this year although that number will likely be eclipsed due to the recent pandemic. Esports Entertainment Group is the next generation online gambling company designed for the purpose of facilitating as much of this wagering as possible. LEARN MORE.
CSGO has a million active players, is CSGO the best esports for tournaments?
With over a million active players playing CSGO it’s a huge game and with over 450 million esports fans worldwide. Of these 450 million fans 201 million are active players from League of Legends, Dota 2 and CSGO.
CSGO only recently hit the 1 million milestone. Previously at 950,000 and jumped to 1 million active users. In areas like China, CSGO is unpopular but the game is still clearly the most popular.
Looking at CSGO with Asiabet.org, sites like these offer a wide range of games and reviews that show how much esports fans love esports betting.
Big tournaments in the CSGO Esport universe provide the ability to inspire and improve your style by seeing the incredible talents of athletes representing your favourite team.
Please enjoy this list of the next CSGO 2020 tournaments if you share our enthusiasm. Don’t forget – the list is in progress, and when it is publicly released, we will include updates on other contests according to the CSGO tournament schedule.
Many tournaments have different formats, however, esports platforms have data on each match and data on all teams.
Most pro players do not only use different skins to customise their characters but also to personalise csgo settings.
List of the most-watched CSGO tournaments:
ESL One Cologne (506,000 viewers)
IEM Katowice (1,200,000)
StarLadder Berlin (838,000)
These tournaments see millions of views following the tournament due to esports fans not being able to watch the tournament live.
What is CSGO?
CSGO or lengthened to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is the Valve and Secret Path Entertainment squad focused the first-person shooter, published in 2012. The name itself was a standalone game developed in 1999 and eventually adapted into a Valve game series.
Players play the role of a terrorist or counter-terrorist with each side having a particular task to achieve before they are eliminated by the opposing team, or according to the full timeline, such as, for example, planting and protecting a bomb on a specific location, while counter-terrorist agents must destroy the terrorists before they can be planted or re-armed
Esports fills the gap while sports declines
In recent years, global recognition on a different stage has been influenced by esports clubs, competitions and matches. The result was that the marketers were looking more and more at the sporting industry in the same way as they consider conventional American sport like basketball and football.
Earlier in this year, we saw leading brands like Nike, BT, and Kia Motors all partner with sports teams at Louis Vuitton’s then planned 2020 League of Legends World Championships.
With the advent of the pandemic of coronavirus, athletics have now another feature where the sporting industry maintains: widespread suspension of live activities and all the resulting destruction.
But one distinction with esports is that it is fairly well placed to change to the pandemic environment, given its increasing popularity for filling stages and arenas around the world. Live sporting competitions can be moved online very quickly, unlike conventional sporting. Even though IEM Katowice is absent from his usual live crowd, the annual Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO) game event set a new crowd record in early March, making it one of the most highly watched major tournaments ever.
It can only be the solution for the millions of fans whose regular activities are now held. Announcers are informed. So why are companies only just coming on board if they should have had an edge in the first mover?
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:00 PM on Sunday, May 10th, 2020
SPONSOR: New Age Metals Inc. The company owns one of North America’s largest primary platinum group metals deposits in Sudbury, Canada. The company has an updated NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate of 2,867,000 PdEq Measured and Indicated Ounces, with an additional 1,059,000 PdEq Ounces Inferred. Learn More.
BAML sees platinum, palladium deficit this year as South Africa production losses bite
There is likely to be a deficit of platinum and palladium this year after a COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa, the world’s biggest platinum producer, forced mines to shut, analysts at Bank of America Merrill Lynch predicted on Friday
While demand for platinum group metals, which are mainly used in cars and jewellery, has also plummeted due to the global pandemic, the analysts said they expect demand to rebound, while mine production will take months to build back up.
By Helen Reid; Editing by Mark Potter
In South Africa, which produces 78% of the world’s platinum and 36% of palladium according to BAML, a strict lockdown to stop the spread of COVID-19 forced most mines to shut from March 27.
Though the government allowed mines to restart at up to 50% capacity from April 16, BAML analysts predict it will take six months for production to ramp back up to pre-pandemic levels.
“Our base line assumption is that output runs at 50% in May and June, before rising to capacity by December,” they wrote in a note dated May 7 but distributed to media on May 8.
“Putting it all together, we anticipate that both platinum and palladium will be in deficit this year. As such, we remain bullish the white metals into year-end.”
South Africa’s biggest platinum miners have cut production guidance for 2020 and announced production losses due to the lockdown.
Anglo American Platinum said quarterly production decreased by 7%, while Impala Platinum reported a 6% drop.
Analysts are split on how the demand-supply dynamics will play out: Citi on Wednesday predicted platinum group metals prices could fall 15-20% due to a “rising surplus”.
Platinum prices are down 20% since the start of the year, while palladium prices have fallen 3.6%.
Tags: CSE, palladium, PGM, PGM Demand, tsx Posted in New Age Metals | Comments Off on BAML sees #platinum, #palladium deficit this year as South Africa production losses bite – SPONSOR: New Age Metals $NAM.ca $WG.ca $XTM.ca $WM.ca $PDL.ca $GLEN #PGM
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:43 PM on Sunday, May 10th, 2020
Loncor Resources ( LN:TSX ) is the preeminent gold exploration company to own. Armed with a Barrick JV on their 200km NGAYU Greenstone property anticipates a maiden drill program on multiple targets in 2020. Loncor controls 3.6 million ounces of high grade gold outside of this relationship.
If the JV and Ounces aren’t enough to grab your attention, then look at ownership; African Majors own impressive pieces of Loncor:
Resolute Mining owns 27% and has a 30% ROFR on any Loncor financing,Â
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 6:12 PM on Thursday, May 7th, 2020
SPONSOR: Else Nutrition Holdings Inc. (TSX-V: BABY)The award winning, plant-based nutrition company for small cap investors. The company has a $10,000,000 cash balance for US product launch In Q2 2020 with International agreements in Q3. Learn More
My Search for the Healthiest Baby Formula
by Robin Barrie Kaiden, MS, RD, CDN
Robin Barrie Kaiden, MS, RD, CDN is renowned for helping people of all ages embrace a healthier lifestyle through nutrition and fitness counseling. As a Licensed Registered Dietitian and Personal Trainer, her smart and sensible approach to pediatrics, weight loss, sports nutrition, allergies, cardiovascular health, pre/post natal, and other areas of clinical and lifestyle nutrition has resonated with hundreds of people across the United States. Robin received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Nutrition and Exercise Science from Cornell and Columbia Universities.
A Personal Note from this Pediatric Registered Dietitian and Mom
When I began working as a Registered Dietitian in Pediatric Nutrition over 15 years ago, we, of course, were taught, and shared with patients, that breast milk was the best, healthiest option for feeding babies. When that wasn’t possible, sufficient, or babies were being weaned, I knew that there were a variety of infant and toddler formulas available. We could recommend:
Pre-term infant formula: higher calories and minerals for infants born early
Standard term infant formula: intact milk protein
Gentle/sensitive formulas: whey protein in milk partially broken down
Soy-based formulas: for those with milk intolerance, noting that over 50% of infants who don’t tolerate dairy, also do not tolerate soy protein
Hydrolyzed formulas: proteins are mostly, but not completely broken down
Elemental formulas: proteins completely broken down for severe milk allergies
At this point in my career, I did not study the ingredients of each, but rather selected the best option available to best aid in tolerance, intake and growth for the child. There always seemed to be one that worked well…..at least well enough. The biggest problem with the hydrolyzed and elemental formulas was that they smelled and tasted terrible, and babies often refused to drink them.
Over 8 years ago, when I was pregnant with my first baby, I began to examine the healthiest baby formula options more in depth. I discovered that not much had changed in this industry, except that there were a couple of organic options. After discussing with a colleague, I decided on a formula. When my son was less than a week old, this product was recalled due to high arsenic levels. Plus, it seemed to upset his stomach. When my baby nurse suggested a non-organic, but “gentle†formula, I (reluctantly) agreed. I disliked that it had corn syrup (processed inflammatory sugar) as one of the main ingredients, but I was a new mom, overwhelmed, and figured she had so much experience and knew what she was talking about. Plus, my pediatrician agreed as well. A few weeks later, I just went back to the only other organic option on the market, and my son seemed to tolerate it well enough. It was the best I could find at that time.
When it came time to find the healthiest baby formula for my second child, almost 2.5 years later, I become aware that there were some European products that had better ingredients. However, it was pretty difficult and expensive to get these in the U.S. back then. I took comfort in the fact that my baby would be able to get great nutrition in the form of real food within about 4-5 months, and wean off formula totally at 1 year. But all I could think was that I would love to create a new healthy baby formula myself. Why hadn’t someone come up with a better alternative yet? Aren’t the infant and toddler stages the most important as they are developing and growing so rapidly? Why wouldn’t everyone want offer the best possible nutrients to this group, if/when/after breast milk was not an option.
My children are now in elementary school and the infant/toddler formula industry is still, in my opinion extremely limited. I was thrilled to hear about Else Nutrition, and flattered to consult on their timely products. Formulation of plant-based products is way overdue. In the wake of a huge movement towards plant-based and plant-forward diets, due to increased research and interest, Else is a wonderful product to support infant and toddler Nutrition. Read on to learn about all of its positive attributes.
Benefits of Else Plant-Based Formula Alternative
Choose Else Nutrition because it is:
Organic: This means that the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has determined that the ingredients in this healthy baby formula are free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides. Organic practices result in enhanced soil and water quality and, in general, more overall sustainable farming (1). Translation: Organic foods are beneficial for our environment. Research has shown that organic produce is more nutritious: It has higher levels of antioxidants and lower levels of toxic metals (such as Cadmium). Increased exposure to pesticides has been shown to increase risk for ADHD, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, and some cancers (2). The effects of chemicals used in conventional farming may be more detrimental to the small developing brains and bodies of babies/children than to those of adults.
Glyphosate-free: Yes, the USDA Organic Label is important, however, it may not be enough today. It ensures that crops are GMO-free, but this doesn’t mean a product is 100% free of pesticides. Glyphosate is an herbicide (pesticide) that is carcinogenic (can cause cancer). Final organic food products are often NOT tested. The USDA does not check for glyphosate residue. The buckwheat and almond sources in Else formulas are glyphosate-free.
Made from clean ingredients: Else formulas are simple and pure. Almonds, buckwheat, and tapioca make up about 92% of the product. The ingredient list is short and easy to understand. There are no added unhealthy oils, inflammatory sugar/corn syrups, artificial sweeteners, or gums/stabilizers/fillers than can upset small bellies. For moms looking to supplement breast milk or wean their children after 1 year of age, it may seem that there are many dairy-free milk substitutes and products on the market today; however, none are quite right for little developing brains and bodies. They are not nearly as nutritionally dense as breast milk (or full-fat dairy milk). They may be low-fat, low in protein, and other nutrients, and often contain added sugars and fillers as mentioned above. They are simply NOT appropriate, and in fact, unhealthy as a foundation for a toddler’s diet. This is especially true for vegans and/or those who truly cannot tolerate dairy protein.
Pleasantly mild in flavor: When babies are weaned off breast milk and/or need a supplement or substitute for human or cow’s milk, they are more likely to accept a drink/formula that tastes great (they are indeed little humans). Other formulas may not be as mild. In fact, the hydrolyzed/elemental formulas have a reputation of smelling bad and tasting worse. Such formulas may be indicated for little ones with dairy allergies and intolerances, and digested well; however, if the child will not drink due to the smell/taste, this can be an issue.
Vegan/Plant-based: In case you haven’t noticed, there has been a huge buzz surrounding “plant-based†and “plant-forward†nutrition. This is not new news to us health professionals. We have always known that a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fiber, and healthy fats were integral for good health. The research is finally catching up. We now know that our microbiome (the collection of microorganisms-bacteria, fungi, viruses-that live in/on the human body) can benefit our health, especially immunity, aging, digestion, metabolism, mood and mental health. We can best benefit our microbiome by consuming a diet rich in a variety of plant-based foods. Why not start our little ones on such a diet with a plant-based formula?! Research shows that children on a predominantly plant-based diet have increased microbial biodiversity and richness (3).
Dairy-Free and Soy-free: Infants and toddlers with food allergies, intolerances, and/or sensitivities simply cannot tolerate many formulas on the market today. The incidence of food allergies is on the rise in children and adults. According to the Mayo Clinic: “Food allergy is an immune system reaction that occurs soon after eating a certain food. Even a tiny amount of the allergy-causing food can trigger signs and symptoms such as digestive problems, hives or swollen airways. In some people, a food allergy can cause severe symptoms or even a life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis.â€(4) Cow’s milk is the most allergenic food for in children in the U.S. (followed by peanuts, eggs and soy). Most of the formulas on the market are based on cow’s milk.
Else’s products can be tolerated by children with dairy and soy allergies and sensitivities. Anaphylaxis due to almond or buckwheat allergy is very rare (<1% and 1% of anaphylaxis cases in children respectively) with numbers well below egg, wheat, fish, goat/sheep’s milk, lentils, cashew, and peanut.
Also, just as an update and reminder about almonds: recent research demonstrates that delaying introduction of potential allergenic foods (wheat, dairy, eggs, fish and nuts) may actually increase the risk of food allergies and/ or eczema. The American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (AAAAI) now recommends they be introduced without delay, and not wait up to 1-3 years of age, as advised in the past (5).
Nutrient composition matches breast milk: We all know that breast milk is the gold standard for feeding infants. However, if and when it is not possible, and/or a child requires supplementation or is being weaned, Else Nutrition provides a formula with nutrients that match that of breast milk. The macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat, and protein) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are the same in Else formula-even though Else is a vegan product. Moms and caregivers can be confident that their babies are being nourished while they slowly learn how to eat solids.
Created and supported by the best team: These formulas were created by leaders in the infant and toddler nutrition industry. Their formulation and ingredients have been tested, approved, and supported by pediatricians, gastroenterologists, registered dietitians, and MOMS and DADS!
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:39 AM on Thursday, May 7th, 2020
SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp. aims to provide access to quality education from around the world. The company plans to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job industry and enhance the lives of its prospective learners by developing an integrated ecosystem. betterU / Ottolearn launch FREE COVID-19 mobile resource toolkit to fight the global crisis – Click here for more information.
Online education now a new normal for govt, edtech platforms
As millions of kids take online school classes from home globally including in India, government along with private education sector have a great responsibility to offer online e-Learning to more than 60 million college students and 1.5 billion school students worldwide, experts said on Thursday
Private colleges in India which were already offering online education for last two decades now have a massive surge in e-Learning demand to meet.
“e-Learning or online education is the new normal. In future, we will see the proliferation of information technology tools and gadgets, post-COVID-19. But internet and broadband will remain an issue,” said Professor NK Goyal, Vice Chairman, ITU APT India and former adviser of Gujarat Technological University.
If e-Learning apps like BYJU’s and Khan academy are targeting schools, others like Adda24x7 are offering specialised coaching for entrance exams like IIT and JEE.
Robust connectivity is undoubtedly critical for the success of e-Learning.
According to Rajan S Mathews, DG, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), post COVID-19, there will be a surge in online education by schools and colleges in the country.
“The telecom industry is fully prepared with 99.9 per cent network capacity. The telecom companies have taken appropriate measures to meet the surge in traffic due to online education and other online activities using telecom infrastructure,” said Mathews.
Union Human Resources and Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank recently said that the government is offering a slew of educational applications and platforms for both school and higher education institutes.
In addition to teachers, Nishank urged parents and students to make maximum use of online education to ensure their academic continuity is maintained.
The World University of Design (WUD) claims that it has collected materials for online learning across its courses during the last one year.
“WUD is using technology-enabled AI, supervision technologies and video conferencing and other tools to enable virtual learning. This includes a mix of online platforms for sharing files, conducting meetings and lectures in association with online services iamp; resource providers like Coursera, Bloomsbury, EBSCO etc. as partners in its strategy,” said Dr Sanjay Gupta, Vice Chancellor, World University of Design (WUD).
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:08 AM on Thursday, May 7th, 2020
SPONSOR: Datametrex AI Limited (TSX-V: DM) A revenue generating small cap A.I. company that NATO and Canadian Defence are using to fight fake news & social media threats. The company is working with US Government agencies on Covid19 and Coronavirus fake news and disinformation. The company also obtained the rights to import and sell COVID-19 test kits from South Korea – Click here for more info.
AI can distinguish between bots and humans based on Twitter activity
Artificial intelligence is being used to spot the difference between human users and fake accounts on Twitter
Researchers found that human users replied between four and five times more often to other tweets than bots did
Real users gradually become more interactive, with the fraction of replies increasing over the course of an hour-long session of Twitter use
Artificial intelligence is being used to spot the difference between human users and fake accounts on Twitter.
Emilio Ferrara at the University of Southern California and his colleagues have trained an AI to detect bots on Twitter based on differences in patterns of activity between real and fake accounts.
The team analysed two separate data sets of Twitter users, which had been classified either manually or by a pre-existing algorithm as either bot or human.
The manually verified data set consisted of 8.4 million tweets from 3500 human accounts, and 3.4 million tweets from 5000 bots.
The researchers found that human users replied between four and five times more often to other tweets than bots did. Real users gradually become more interactive, with the fraction of replies increasing over the course of an hour-long session of Twitter use.
The length of tweets by human users also decreased as sessions progressed. “The amount of information that is exchanged diminishes,†says Ferrara. He believes that the change may result from a cognitive depletion over time, in which people become less likely to expend mental effort composing original content.
Bots, on the other hand, show no changes in their interactivity or the length of information they tweet over time.
Tags: AI, bot, CSE, datametrex, fake news Posted in Datametrex AI Limited | Comments Off on #AI can distinguish between bots and humans based on #Twitter activity – SPONSOR: Datametrex AI Limited $DM.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 7:01 AM on Thursday, May 7th, 2020
Signed a binding Letter of Intent to acquire LHE Enterprises Ltd, the holding company of online sportsbook and casino operator Argyll Entertainment AG and its operating support subsidiaries
Argyll has established itself as a fast growing and innovative gaming company within the UK and Irish market
“With Argyll already generating around $12 million in revenue annually, this acquisition will have a major positive impact for our company,†commented Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports Entertainment Group.
BIRKIRKARA, Malta, May 07, 2020 — Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. (NasdaqCM: GMBL, GMBLW) (or the “Companyâ€), a licensed online gambling company with a focus on esports wagering and 18+ gaming, signed a binding Letter of Intent (LOI) to acquire LHE Enterprises Ltd, the holding company of  online sportsbook and casino operator Argyll Entertainment AG and its operating support subsidiaries (â€Argyllâ€).
Since launching its flagship brand, www.sportnation.bet, in the summer of 2017, Argyll has established itself as a fast growing and innovative gaming company within the UK and Irish market leveraging the expertise of its 40 strong staff in marketing, technology, risk management, and regulation to offer its customers an entertaining, safe and secure online gaming experience, an award winning rewards program, and access to exclusive and proprietary sports and gaming content.
“With Argyll already generating around $12 million in revenue annually, this acquisition will have a major positive impact for our company,†commented Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports Entertainment Group. “In the current global environment of COVID-19 there has been a surge of interest in online gaming to fill the void left by traditional sports and other activities. Argyll’s established footprint and revenue base, combined with our strong cash position from our successful April capital raise combined with our esports betting platform, places Esports Entertainment in a great position to capitalize on this evolving opportunity.â€
Argyll, incorporated in Switzerland, with operational support services in London, UK and Malta, is licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission under licence no. 000-045143-R-323955-001 and the Irish Revenue Commissioners under licence reference no. 1014456 to operate online sportsbook and casino sites in the UK and Ireland, respectively.
ABOUT ESPORTS ENTERTAINMENT GROUP
Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. is a licensed online gambling company with a specific focus on esports wagering and 18+ gaming. Esports Entertainment offers fantasy, pools, fixed odds and exchange style wagering on esports events in a licensed, regulated and secure platform to the global esports audience at vie.gg. In addition, Esports Entertainment intends to offer users from around the world the ability to participate in multi-player mobile and PC video game tournaments for cash prizes. Esports Entertainment is led by a team of industry professionals and technical experts from the online gambling and the video game industries, and esports. The Company holds a license to conduct online gambling and 18+ gaming on a global basis in Curacao, Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Company maintains offices in Malta. For more information visit www.esportsentertainmentgroup.com
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The information contained herein includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. The safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 protects companies from liability for their forward-looking statements if they comply with the requirements of the Act.
Contact:
U.S. Investor Relations RedChip Companies, Inc. Dave Gentry 407-491-4498 [email protected]
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:07 AM on Wednesday, May 6th, 2020
Integrated Zoom (NASDAQ:ZM) video conferencing into the Binovi Training Live initiative
Using the real-time capabilities of Zoom conferencing to connect with its network of approximately 20,000 industry professionals,
The company is conducting training on Binovi Pro and Binovi Coach applications, including an active customer success Q&A discussion
Toronto, New York – May 6th, 2020 – Eyecarrot Innovations Corp., (Eyecarrot) (TSXV:EYC) | (OTC:EYCCF) | (2EYA:GR), a leader in human performance neurovision software and hardware, is pleased to announce that it has integrated Zoom (NASDAQ:ZM) video conferencing into the Binovi Training Live initiative. Using the real-time capabilities of Zoom conferencing to connect with its network of approximately 20,000 industry professionals, the company is conducting training on Binovi Pro and Binovi Coach applications, including an active customer success Q&A discussion.
Zoom meetings provide live moderated question-and-answer sessions supported by simple registration to the Binovi Platform. Binovi enhances the active management of vision training patients within a diverse client community of neurovision specialists.
“We are forging forward with Zoom integration and have created a tremendous amount of value for our relationships using our Binovi Pro, Binovi Coach, and Binovi Academy resources. With the spread of COVID-19, governments, learning institutions, and businesses are facing a huge paradigm shift to a remote work, training, and eLearning culture. This shift has created an increase in demand for resources to continue operating as close to “status quo” which will lead to a greater adoption of our platform amongst care providers. We are happy to have built a platform that was designed for supporting patients and athletes remotely,” stated Adam Cegielski, Eyecarrot CEO.
With the global coronavirus pandemic disrupting all large gatherings, demand for remote training is surging, which will undoubtedly drive awareness and adoption of the company’s webinar conferencing and remote training platform. Many global companies including Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Google, Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Salesforce have enforced work-from-home policies amid the spread of COVID-19. Enforced social distancing protocols have also increased demand for Eyecarrot’s software as optometry clinics, sports vision specialists, and related industry conferences have suspended traditional services, with employees adopting a work-from-home routine.
“By leveraging Zoom’s video conferencing platform, we’re able to extend our presence beyond our usual face-to-face meetings and demonstrate the value and power of the Binovi Platform to prospective users, new users, and existing users, in an effective manner. We plan on further integrating Zoom’s technology into our own as we move forward,” commented Sam Mithani, Eyecarrot CTO.
Eyecarrot is a human performance technology company that has developed Binovi , a hardware and software-centered platform. Binovi combines hardware, software, specialized expert knowledge, and unique big data insights in order to deliver customized one-on-one training and treatment. Binovi is designed for vision optimization and the enhancement of cognitive skills related to human performance. We are working together under a common banner to help neuro-optometry, vision rehabilitation, and vision performance professionals gain measurable results in less time, and with less effort.
Certain statements contained in this news release constitute “forward-looking information” as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, that the Company’s financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events and that the Company obtains regulatory approval. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause the forward-looking information in this news release to change or to be inaccurate include, but are not limited to, the risk that any of the assumptions referred to prove not to be valid or reliable, that occurrences such as those referred to above are realized and result in delays, or cessation in planned work, that the Company’s financial condition and development plans change, and delays in regulatory approval, as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company’s continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com . The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:16 AM on Wednesday, May 6th, 2020
Quebec government recently announced that, effective May 11, 2020, it will begin easing its Covid-19 related restrictions on business operations in the province
Subject to the implementation of said easing measures, NORTHBUD intends to commence scaling its Quebec production accordingly
TORONTO, May 06, 2020 — North Bud Farms Inc. (CSE: NBUD) (OTCQB: NOBDF) (“NORTHBUD” or the “Company“) is pleased to provide shareholders with the following corporate update:
Quebec Cultivation Facility
Easing of Covid-19 Restrictions
The Quebec government recently announced that, effective May 11, 2020, it will begin easing its Covid-19 related restrictions on business operations in the province. Subject to the implementation of said easing measures, NORTHBUD intends to commence scaling its Quebec production accordingly, and has advised its suppliers that it will be ready to receive starting materials quickly upon implementation of the easing measures.
Outdoor Cultivation Licence Application Status
With respect to the Company’s previously disclosed intention to apply for an amendment to its existing cultivation licence at its Quebec facility to allow for outdoor cultivation, the Company is pleased to announce that it has submitted to Health Canada all required materials and documentation for the aforementioned licence amendment, and it now awaits the issuance of a licence to allow for a proposed 1 million square feet of outdoor production. “With the underlying fundamentals and low-cost capacity of our Quebec facility, especially with the expected addition of outdoor capacity, we believe this facility has the potential to add value and we continue to explore collaborations with companies who have established distribution channels and who are relying on the volatile wholesale market to fulfill their cultivation needs,†said Ryan Brown, the Company’s Executive Chairman and Interim CEO. “Management is encouraged by the amount of interest being shown for potential collaborations and will update shareholders when there are any material developments on this front.â€
To date the Company has signed a letter of intent to supply product to a licensed distributor, and is actively negotiating additional supply contracts with other parties. Securing these supply agreements is expected to provide the Company with further insight into revenue potential and operating capital required for its Quebec facility. While the Company has initiated operations at its Quebec facility, currently the Company does not have sufficient working capital and financial resources to commercialize the full capacity of its Quebec facility.
Furthermore, in light of current market conditions, the Company is exploring options to extend its cash runway to further operations, including with respect to staffing decisions.
U.S. Operations
The Company also announces that it has signed a non-binding letter of intent to sell all the shares of its U.S. subsidiary, Bonfire Brands USA, Inc. (“BBUSAâ€), to an entity controlled by Mr. Justin Braune, the President of BBUSA. The proposed transaction is expected to close on or before May 15, 2020, and would constitute a related-party transaction as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101â€). The proposed transaction is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of the shares of BBUSA proposed to be sold to the acquiror does not exceed 25% of the Company’s market capitalization. This determination is based upon the fact that the value of the net assets of BBUSA is negligible as the assets acquired were, and continue to be, highly leveraged. In light of the current market conditions, it is no longer economically viable for the Company to continue to try to sustain and develop these assets.
Under the terms of the proposed transaction, which remain subject to the negotiation of a definitive share purchase agreement and customary closing conditions and approvals, the acquiring party will become responsible for and guarantee all of BBUSA’s past and future liabilities and capital requirements, including all of the outstanding intercompany debts owed to NORTHBUD. The acquiror will also retain rights to the name “Bonfire Brands†and the Company will no longer proceed with the change of name and symbol that was approved at the last shareholder meeting. Final terms of the proposed transaction will be announced upon the signing of the definitive agreement.
“The structure of this proposed transaction represents the furtherance of the Company’s previously-announced plan to remove its direct exposure to the U.S. cannabis sector in order to eliminate the increasing administrative and capital costs associated with such holdings. Subject to the structuring of the definitive agreement, this proposed transaction would also significantly reduce dilution of shareholders of the Company by eliminating the need to issue additional shares of NORTHBUD related to the U.S. acquisitions,†said Ryan Brown, NORTHBUD’s Executive Chairman and Interim CEO. “We look forward to the successful completion of this deal to divest our U.S. holdings, which will significantly improve the Company’s balance sheet and available cash flow, a key Company objective in light of the difficult economic climate brought on by Covid-19.â€
About North Bud Farms Inc.
NORTHBUD owns and operates, through its subsidiaries, licensed cannabis facilities in Canada, California and Nevada. Bonfire Brands USA, the Company’s U.S. subsidiary, acquired cannabis production facilities in Salinas, California and Reno, Nevada in late 2019. The Salinas, California 11-acre farm is actively cultivating cannabis in its 60,000 sq. ft. of licensed greenhouse production space. The Reno, Nevada facility, located on 3.2 acres of land, was acquired through the acquisition of Nevada Botanical Science, Inc., and includes a world-class cannabis production, research and development facility with 5,000 sq. ft. of indoor cultivation space which holds medical and adult-use licenses for cultivation, extraction and distribution. Through its Canadian subsidiary, GrowPros MMP Inc., the Company built and owns a state-of-the-art purpose-built cannabis production facility located on 135 acres of agricultural land in Low, Quebec, Canada. The Low, Quebec facility currently has 24,500 sq. ft. of licensed indoor cultivation space; the Company expects to submit its licence application to Health Canada for an additional 1,000,000 sq. ft. of outdoor cultivation space in the near future.
For more information visit: www.northbud.com.
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Forward-looking Statements
Certain statements and information included in this press release that, to the extent they are not historical fact, constitute forward-looking information or statements (collectively, “forward-looking statementsâ€) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements, include but are not limited to those identified by the expressions “anticipateâ€, “believeâ€, “planâ€, “estimateâ€, “expectâ€, “intendâ€, “mayâ€, “should†and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its management.
Forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, those regarding the timing of the Company’s filing of its year-end and quarterly financial statements, U.S. and Canadian strategies, the success of the Company’s licence application with Health Canada, the Company’s ability to close its proposed sale of BBUSA, the Company’s ability to execute its strategic plan, conditions in the cannabis market, the Company entering agreements in connection with the B2B supply of cannabis and the Company’s transition into a revenue-generating operational phase of development are based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the risk factors included in the Company’s final long form prospectus dated August 21, 2018, which is available under the Company’s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company’s management to predict all of such factors and to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on the Company’s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect information, events, results, circumstances or otherwise after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law including securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities of the Company.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
North Bud Farms Inc. Edward Miller VP, IR & Communications Office: (855) 628-3420 ext. 3 [email protected]
