Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:34 PM on Thursday, January 3rd, 2019
SPONSOR:Â Betteru Education Corp. Connecting global leading educators to the mass population of India. BetterU Education has ability to reach 100 MILLION potential learners each week. Click here for more information.
——–
Google and KPMG estimates India’s online education industry to grow eight-fold to reach $1.96 billion by 2021
Growing EdTech Market in India: Key Catalyst
India is witnessing demographic dividends, implying more and more
people, students and professionals alike are undertaking smart courses
in order to improve knowledge base to gain a competitive edge in their
careers.
This phenomenon has convinced analysts of the immense growth prospects of the burgeoning EdTech industry in India.
Reducing internet costs and increasing internet penetration in the
country are other notable factors favoring the growth prospects of
EdTech industry.
In fact, a research report
from Google and KPMG estimates India’s online education industry to
grow eight-fold to reach $1.96 billion by 2021. Further, the study
projects paid users in EdTech to grow six times from 1.6 million in 2016
to 9.6 million in 2021.
MicrosoftMSFT has introduced Surface Go tablet in India exclusively through Bengaluru, India-based e-commerce company, Flipkart. Recently, the company commenced shipping of the device, with prices ranging from INR 38,599 to INR 50,999.
The different variants of the new tablet series come with storage
capacity of 64 GB and 128 GB, with 4 GB and 8 GB RAM, respectively.
Notably, Surface Go was introduced by Microsoft in a bid to explore
the low-priced tablet market to take on Apple’s budget iPads, and
Alphabet’s lower-priced Chromebook.
The company had unveiled Surface Go device around Jul 10, 2018 which
was made available in early August, with prices ranging from $399 to
$549 in the United States.
We believe that availability of Surface Go in India will position the
company well to capitalize on the emerging EdTech market. Furthermore,
the enhanced security and performance features hold promise in the
growing enterprise market in the country.
Microsoft is likely to benefit from the competitive pricing of its
Surface Go device. The latest Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 with 64 GB capacity
is priced approximately at INR 57,900.
In the words of Country General Manager, Consumer & Devices at
Microsoft India, Priyadarshi Mohapatra, “Globally and in India, it’s
encouraging to see the rapidly growing Surface community in both
consumer and enterprise.”
Enhanced Security & Performance Features Hold Key
The compact Surface Go features a 10-inch screen and weighs 522 grams
(or 1.15 pounds), lighter than its prevailing Surface counterparts.
Further, the latest series is equipped with Intel’s INTC processor and graphic chips.
Additionally, the device has a decent nine hour battery life and canfunction with optional keyboard, mouse and Surface Pen 2.
Surface Go’s Windows Hello facial recognition option feature for logging-in and Windows 10 S mode, makes it a compelling option.
In a bid to enhance security and performance, users can utilize Microsoft Store appsincluding Microsoft Edge to browse safely.
Enterprises may avail Windows 10 Proto safeguard business
infrastructure with robust security features. Windows Autopilot enables
users to configure Surface Go from the cloud, in turn simplifying the IT
processes a great deal.
Growing EdTech Market in India: Key Catalyst
India is witnessing demographic dividends, implying more and more
people, students and professionals alike are undertaking smart courses
in order to improve knowledge base to gain a competitive edge in their
careers. This phenomenon has convinced analysts of the immense growth
prospects of the burgeoning EdTech industry in India.
Reducing internet costs and increasing internet penetration in the
country are other notable factors favoring the growth prospects of
EdTech industry.
In fact, a research report from Google and KPMG estimates India’s
online education industry to grow eight-fold to reach $1.96 billion by
2021. Further, the study projects paid users in EdTech to grow six times
from 1.6 million in 2016 to 9.6 million in 2021.
Enemy’s Enemy an Ally?
One important point to note in this latest development is that
Microsoft selected Flipkart’s e-commerce platform to launch Surface Go
in India. Notably, Amazon AMZN and Flipkart are the two major players in Indian e-commerce market. Additionally, Walmart WMTacquired a 77% stake in Flipkart.
Microsoft Azure directly competes with Amazon’s cloud platform Amazon
Web Services (“AWS”) in the cloud market. Walmart which competes with
Amazon in the retail and e-commerce market has selected Azure cloud platform.
When we join the loose ends, it makes sense to say that “my enemy’s enemy is my friend.”
Our Take
Microsoft is well poised to benefit from robust adoption of Surface
Go on the back of improving EdTech and enterprise scenario in India.
We believe the availability of Surface Go will aid the company in
bolstering competitive strength in the direct consumer market, primarily
in EdTech market in India.
Notably, Surface revenues increased 14% (same at cc) in first-quarter
fiscal 2019 on a year-over-year basis on the back of strong performance
of the latest editions – Surface Book 2 and Surface Go.
Moreover, Microsoft Surface series of devices have registered
considerable double-digit growth in India in this year, as per
Priyadarshi Mohapatra’s statement to IANS. The incremental sales from
India will eventually benefit the top line.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:52 AM on Wednesday, January 2nd, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports
Entertainment $GMBL Connecting global leading educators to the mass
population of India. BetterU Education has ability to reach 100 MILLION
potential learners each week. Click here for more information
———————–
Ninja made almost $10 million in 2018 with Fortnite
He also made more than $500,000 “on a good month†of 2018.
Ninja is used to working in quantities of 10 million at this point. He became the first Twitch streamer to reach that number of followers in the platform in early August 2018, and has since amassed 2.8 million more.
He also has 20 million YouTube subscribers and said he has 60,000 Twitch subscribers in a recent video for Wired.
Fortnite streamer and gaming star Tyler “Ninja†Blevins earned almost $10 million in 2018, he told CNN reporter Dave Briggs.
The streamer also said he loses “tens of thousands of dollars†when
he’s not streaming, and that he earns “a lot more†than $500,000 “on a
good month.†Ninja’s interview was published on Dec. 31, which makes
these values the most accurate to assess the streamer’s financial
success in 2018.
Ninja said most of the revenue he gets from streaming comes from ads,
like the ones he rolls or the brands he shows on screen when he’s live
playing the game. His monthly revenue also takes Twitch subscriptions
into account, which vary between $4.99 to $24.99 per subscriber
depending on how much each one chooses to pay every month.
Ninja is used to working in quantities of 10 million at this point.
He became the first Twitch streamer to reach that number of followers in
the platform in early August 2018,
and has since amassed 2.8 million more. He also has 20 million YouTube
subscribers and said he has 60,000 Twitch subscribers in a recent video for Wired.
Ninja’s earnings are a consequence of his ever-increasing popularity. He streamed Fortnite in Times Square for the ball drop on New Year’s eve, went to several TV shows in the second half of 2018, and shattered a Twitch concurrent viewers record on an individual channel when streaming with rapper Drake.
Ninja refrained from detailing how much he makes from every source of
revenue he has today, but he said he has to be constantly streaming to
avoid losing viewers, subscribers, and money as a consequence.
He told CNN he streamed nearly 4,000 hours of Fortnite in 2018.
Ninja’s earnings and popularity are still dependent on Fortnite’s
popularity since it’s the only game he’s been streaming. Regardless of
what the future holds for Ninja, he’s one of the most financially
successful Twitch streamers of 2018.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 12:58 PM on Monday, December 24th, 2018
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment $GMBL – Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing agreements with an additional 42 Esports teams, bringing total to 176 Esports teams. Click here for more information
——————–
The first event held at the Esports Stadium Arlington, which is the newest and largest esports events center in North America.
It’s a $10 million, 100,000 square-foot facility built within the Arlington Convention Center that can seat anywhere from 250 fans to 2,500 fans depending on the event.
Arash Markazi ESPN Senior Writer
The convoy of cars pulling into the parking lot at Esports Stadium
Arlington and the line of fans waiting to enter the building on the
Saturday after Thanksgiving have taken the parking attendants at the
connected Arlington Convention Center by surprise.
“Are you here for the football game?” the attendant asks.
“What football game?” the young driver responds.
“Texas Tech and Baylor,” the attendant says. “They’re playing at AT&T Stadium.”
“No,” the driver says as he pays $10 for parking. “I don’t like football.”
The bewildered look on the attendant’s face upon hearing that a young
man from Texas doesn’t like football was similar to the reaction of
many of the older ushers inside the Esports Stadium Arlington watching
2,500 fans cheering while watching the best Counter-Strike: Global
Offensive players and teams in the world compete in the Esports
Championship Series Season 6 finals.
It was the first event held at the Esports Stadium Arlington, which
is the newest and largest esports events center in North America. It’s a
$10 million, 100,000 square-foot facility built within the Arlington
Convention Center that can seat anywhere from 250 fans to 2,500 fans
depending on the event. It’s the newest addition to a region that is the
home of AT&T Stadium, the $1.5 billion home of the Dallas Cowboys,
and in 2020 will be the home of Globe Life Field, the new $1.1 billion
home of the Texas Rangers, which are all located within a walking mile
of each other.
“The convention center was in need of some physical enhancements and
improvements, particularly in the technology area, and as we started to
look at that we also saw the rapid growth of the esports industry,” said
Jim Parajon, Arlington deputy city manager. “We are very thoughtful in
the business decisions we make, and we do a significant amount of
analysis, and once we complete that analysis, we’re ready to move
forward as fast as we can, especially with these emerging industries.
“We’re not going to be in it in a little way. We’re going to be in it
in a big way. I think you can see that with the Esports Stadium,
AT&T Stadium and the new Rangers ballpark.”
The stadium isn’t really a stadium in the traditional sense compared
to the billion-dollar homes of Cowboys and Rangers. It’s more of a
remodeled convention center space complete with a built-in 85-foot long
LED wall, eight team locker rooms, a player lounge and media room.
There’s also a state-of-the-art production facility equipped with a
studio, data center and control room. The front of the stadium features
retail space, concession stands and a gaming center that is open from
noon to 2 a.m. seven days a week where anyone can hop on a PC,
Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch or Xbox One for one hour for $4 (or $100
for 100 hours).
“We looked at every need for esports from the community level to the
player experience, and we took all of those needs and built it into one
single footprint here in Arlington,” said NGAGE Esports president
Jonathan Oudthone, who will help book and manage the events at the
stadium. “We not only want to host events for thousands of people, but
we want the gaming center to be a local community hub every day. We want
to create an ecosystem for esports in which all these different focuses
are existing in one building.”
Esports Stadium Arlington is just one of many esports-specific
venues, big and small, popping up around the country. The rise of
esports venues doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has been
following it in recent years. The 2018 Global Esports Market Report
estimates that global esports revenues will reach $1.4 billion by 2020
with the global esports audience reaching around 400 million.
In 2017, there were 588 major esports events that generated an
estimated $59 million in ticket revenues, which was up from $32 million
in 2016. The League of Legends World Championship alone generated $5.5
million in ticket revenues.
Populous, a global architectural firm that has worked on more than 50
venues for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, helped bring Esports Stadium
Arlington to life and is working on other esports venues around the
country. While there is usually a set seating capacity for arenas and
stadiums that floats around the average of professional sports leagues,
Populous knows that’s not exactly the case with esports. The venues need
to be adaptable to small crowds of 25, small tournaments of 250 and
larger events such as the ECS with 2,500.
The Astralis Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team celebrates after
defeating MIBR to win the FACEIT Esports Championship Series Season 6
finals at Esports Stadium Arlington on Nov. 25 in Arlington,
Texas. Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images
“About five years ago we started doing a lot of research that I’ve
been leading on how we can connect with the esports audience and connect
venues around that,” Populous senior principal and director Brian
Mirakian said. “Esports is still very formational. There’s a lot more
structure that’s happening with leagues such as the Overwatch League
with their regional model, but it’s still a formational sport in terms
of the different leagues and competitions. So the goal is to create a
place where fans can gather for these social experiences and be with
other fans. The live experience is a big driver in what the future of
the sport is going to hold.”
The key from a cost and usage perspective is that none of the esports
venues that are popping up around the country have been built from the
ground up. They’ve been constructed within preexisting structures that
have been previously used as convention halls, nightclubs, sound stages
or movie theaters.
“Looking at it from an adaptive re-use perspective allows you to go
into a building and frankly not have to invest as much as you would with
a new build,” Mirakian said. “And because of that, in Arlington, they
were able to really focus their investment on the fan experience and
technology and do it in a fast-paced project that was over in six months
from start to finish. It was quick and economical and I see that as a
great template for people to get involved in this space. It will evolve
and I think in the very near future you will see purpose-built venues
developed from the ground up, but it takes time. This is really the
start of things to come.”
The birthplace of esports venues in North America began at the corner
of 5th Street and Sycamore Street in Santa Ana, California, which is
one of the more interesting intersections in the country. On one corner
is the historic brick-laced Ramona Building that has been the home of
the Esports Arena for three years, and across the street is the Church
of Scientology of Orange County.
“There’s not a lot of crossover,” Frank Kelley, the director of
operations at the Esports Arena, said with a smile. “I don’t think we
have the same demo.”
The Esports Arena Santa Ana was the first rendition of the
organization’s multiple venues on the West Coast. Since its opening, the
Esports Arena in Las Vegas has opened its doors at the Luxor Hotel
& Casino. Photo by Arash Markazi
Longtime friends Tyler Endres and Paul Ward, who would set up their
computers at a friend’s house and play Halo 2 for hours in high school,
founded the arena in the 15,000 square-foot warehouse that once housed
quinceañera and wedding shops and now is home to more than 120 PCs and
other game consoles. The idea was to give gamers like them a place to
gather and play outside of apartments, garages and internet cafes where
LAN parties had predominantly been held and to give leagues and
organizers a dedicated esports venue to host their events.
“It’s cool to see what I’ve started is expanding,” Endres said. “I
hope all these new esports venues succeed. It validates the industry and
validates what I’ve done and helps create more of a demand. The success
heavily relies on foot traffic and the events, which cost a lot of
money to put on, and you’re not going to have a big event every week.”
With that in mind, Kelly, who used to be the general manager at the
Improv comedy club in Irvine and later booked shows at The Observatory
in San Diego and Orange County, is trying to book non-esports events
such as comedy shows, podcasts and concerts at the Esports Arena on
nights where the main stage isn’t scheduled to be used.
“With esports, you don’t have tournaments every night,” Kelley said,
“so your main stage is not utilized on a nightly basis, and there’s all
these dark periods where you could utilize it. And with my background, I
want to fill the arena with top-notch entertainment on off nights with
hard ticket sales and bring in a different demo than we normally get. In
the future I’d like to merge entertainers with gamers to increase the
popularity of esports, like we saw happen with Drake and Ninja.”
The biggest weekly event at the Esports Arena is “Wednesday Night
Fights.” It’s a night dedicated to the fighting game community with open
tournaments ranging from Street Fighter V to Marvel vs. Capcom. The
weekly event is open to anyone willing to pay a $10 tournament entry
free and was started by Alex Valle, who is the founder of Level Up, a
production company that produces live streaming broadcasts at esports
events.
“I think in the very near future you will see purpose-built
venues developed from the ground-up, but it takes time. This is really
the start of things to come.” Brian Mirakian, Populous senior principal
and director
“We used to play in the arcades, but there’s not that many arcades
anymore, so I decided to host some events. And the very first event I
hosted was in my apartment, and only two people came,” Valle said. “We
then went to a friend’s house and got 20 people and then to a friend’s
garage and got 50, and the next thing we knew Wednesday Night Fights was
born. When Esports Arena first opened, I knew this was going to be the
future. We had over 400 people come out to our first event.”
Earlier this year Esports Arena opened in Oakland’s famed Jack London
Square, and Allied Esports International worked with Endres to open an
Esports Arena inside the Luxor Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. While
the Oakland venue is similar in feel and size to the original in Santa
Ana, the Las Vegas arena is unlike anything else in the space right now.
They took over a 30,000-square-foot corner of the casino that once
housed a popular nightclub and put in a 50-foot LED video wall, a
broadcast center and production studio, luxury VIP lounges, private
gaming suites, a vintage video game cocktail bar and a gamer-inspired
menu created by renowned chef (and occasional gamer) Jose Andres.
The Esports Arena Las Vegas played host to the League of Legends
All-Star event and puts on tournaments in games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
and other titles on regular weekends. Provided by Riot Games
“We have very ambitious expansion plans over the next two years, and
when we realized that a location at Luxor was possible, we jumped at the
opportunity to develop our flagship here,” CEO of Allied Esports
International Jud Hannigan said. “Just as Yankees Stadium, Lambeau Field
and The Staples Center are considered their sports’ most aspirational
venues by players and fans alike, Esports Arena Las Vegas will be the
iconic destination in esports.”
Johnny Carson and Jay Leno’s pictures and old NBC logos are still
plastered on the walls of Studio 1 at what was the old home of NBC
Studios and “The Tonight Show” in Burbank, California. The building is
now called Burbank Studios; Studio 1 is now called Blizzard Arena, and
the old pictures and logos are the the last vestiges of “The Tonight
Show” in Los Angeles before Jimmy Fallon moved it to New York in 2014.
Blizzard Arena, which opened last year, is the home of the Overwatch
League with all competitions outside of the grand final taking place on
the old sound stage Carson and Leno used to call home. The 11,000
square-foot sound stage has been transformed into one of the most
visually impressive esports venues in the country with a
13,000-pixel-wide 4 milllimeter LED wall and an LED halo hanging above
the 450 seats. It’s just part of the 74,000 square-foot, five-level
facility Blizzard Entertainment took over and transformed into their new
home last year.
“I was giving a tour one day, and I told some players this is where
Johnny Carson used to do ‘The Tonight Show,'” said Frank LaSpina, senior
producer of Overwatch League and Blizzard Arena. “They just looked at
me confused. So I said, ‘He did ‘The Tonight Show’ before Jay Leno.’ And
I got the same look. They were so young so I said, ‘before Jimmy
Fallon’ and they said, ‘Oh, that’s cool.’ There’s a lot of history here,
and there’s this interesting dichotomy where the future of sports and
entertainment is happening in a facility that has been around since the
1950s. It’s totally up to date, but ‘Days of Our Lives’ still films down
the hallway, so that cool dichotomy still exists.”
Members of Team Pacific compete during the Overwatch League All-Star
event on Aug. 25 at Blizzard Arena in Burbank, California. Photo by
Robert Paul/Provided by Blizzard Entertainment
The Overwatch League currently has 20 teams affiliated with cities
all over the world, but those teams currently play all their regular
season games in Burbank. The tentative plan is for the teams to play in
their home cities as early as 2020, which would be the league’s third
season. The Los Angeles Valient has already announced they will play
their home games at the Microsoft Theater across the street from Staples
Center. It is believed that the Los Angeles Gladiators would play their
home games in the amphitheater being built next to the future home
stadium of the Los Angeles Rams, which will be completed in 2020. Stan
Kroenke owns both the Rams and Gladiators.
For now, however, the hub of esports is still in Los Angeles, and the
epicenter of some of the biggest events planned around the world is at
Riot Games, which is the developer and publisher of League of Legends.
The home venue for the League Championship Series, the LCS Arena, is
conveniently located across the street from the company’s campus.
“When we started the LCS in 2013, we had no live audience, and we
were literally separating the teams with curtains,” said Chris Hopper,
head of Esports for North America for Riot Games. “We moved to a
soundstage in Manhattan Beach in 2014, but by 2015 we had the
opportunity to set up shop on campus, and it was a great solution for
all of our needs. We wanted to create a home base where our teams,
talent and staff could build their presence and hone in on their craft.”
A Team SoloMid fan cheers during a match at the LCS Arena in Los
Angeles. The venue is home to the League of Legends Championship Series
during the spring and summer splits. Provided by Riot Games
The LCS Arena seats about 400 fans, and like the Blizzard Arena
stages all the competitions during the regular season before they go on
the road for the finals. While the LCS Spring and Summer finals are held
at NBA arenas such as Oracle Arena in Oakland or TD Garden in Boston,
the League of Legends World Championship finals are often held in
stadiums such at the Bird’s Nest in Beijing in 2017 and Incheon Munhak
Stadium in South Korea in November.
When people talk about the popularity of esports and bring up a
picture or video of a stadium filled for an esports competition, chances
are they’re looking at a League of Legends event.
“There’s always something incredible about going to these massive
venues like the Bird’s Nest,” Hopper said. “As a former soccer player,
there was something special about going to the Seoul World Cup Stadium
and standing on a field where World Cup games took place. We’ve been
lucky to have so many of our events take place in such iconic venues.”
The goal for esports teams and leagues now is to build their own
iconic venues that future fans and players can look forward to visiting
and playing in.
“That day is coming,” Mirakian said. “It’s going to happen sooner than people think.”
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:26 AM on Thursday, December 20th, 2018
Announced the amendment of its license application to add 500K SQ. FT. of outdoor cultivation area and provides shareholders with a corporate update on the progress of the corporation and status on its various activities.
Construction of NORTHBUD’s cultivation facility is progressing on schedule and on budget. The building is soon to be completely enclosed and ready for the next phase in construction.
TORONTO, Dec. 20, 2018 – North Bud Farms Inc. (CSE: NBUD) (“NORTHBUD” or the “Company”) announced the amendment of its licence application to add 500K SQ. FT. of outdoor cultivation area and provides shareholders with a corporate update on the progress of the corporation and status on its various activities.
Construction of our Cannabis Production Facility in Low, Quebec:
The
construction of NORTHBUD’s cultivation facility is progressing on
schedule and on budget. The building is soon to be completely enclosed
and ready for the next phase in construction. Please see our website www.northbud.com/blog for videos, photos and ongoing updates.
Request for Outdoor Cultivation License:
NORTHBUD
is pursuing a standard cultivation licence under The Cannabis Act after
acquiring a confirmation of readiness stage ACMPR licence application
in early 2018.
The
NORTHBUD production facility is located on a 95-acre parcel of farmland
in rural Quebec. Under the new regulations, licenced producers can
cultivate outdoors. In collaboration with Cannabis Compliance Inc.
NORTHBUD will be amending its application to include a 1000 x 500ft
outdoor cultivation area. We anticipate this outdoor production
footprint to be operational in the spring of 2020 pending the required
approvals by Health Canada. NORTHBUD expects to begin implementation of
the required infrastructure in Q2 2019 after completion of our 25k sq.
ft. indoor production facility that is currently under construction.
Implementation
of this additional low-cost production footprint will provide NORTHBUD a
unique platform to cultivate both premium quality dried flower as well
as low cost commodity grade organic biomass to be transformed into food
and pharma grade inputs. This will position NORTHBUD to capitalize on
the highest margin market segments.
As
the consumer market develops, we believe our diverse centralized
infrastructure will provide NORTHBUD a solid, low cost, high quality
cannabis supply, which will serve as the core of our products and brand
moving forward.
The
Gatineau valley has traditionally been a fertile area for outdoor
cannabis cultivation with a growing season that typically occurs between
mid June and early October. NORTHBUD will be engaging local legacy
cultivators to acquire genetics with a track record of success in this
particular climate. Our outdoor cultivation will follow international
GAP (good agricultural practices) with the drying, trimming and
packaging to be done in accordance with GMP standards inside our
state-of-the-art custom designed cultivation facility.
About North Bud Farms Inc. North Bud Farms Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary GrowPros MMP Inc. which was acquired in February 2018, is pursuing a licence under The Cannabis Act. North Bud Farms Inc. is constructing a state-of-the-art purpose-built cannabis production facility located on 95 acres of Agricultural Land in Low, Quebec. North Bud Farms Inc. will be focused on Pharmaceutical and Food Grade cannabinoid production in preparation for the legalization of edibles and ingestible products scheduled for October 2019.
Neither
the Canadian Securities Exchange (the “CSEâ€) nor its Regulation
Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE)
accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-looking statements Certain
statements included in this press release constitute forward-looking
information or statements (collectively, “forward-looking statementsâ€),
including 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.
The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect
current expectations regarding future results or events. This press
release contains forward- looking statements. These forward-looking
statements are based on current expectations and various estimates,
factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors. Such risks and uncertainties include,
among others, the risk factors included in North Bud Farms Inc.’s final
long form prospectus dated August 21, 2018 which is available under the
issuer’s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: North Bud Farms Inc. Edward Miller VP, IR & Communications Office: (855) 628-3420 ext. 3 [email protected]
Tags: CSE, Hemp, Marijuana Stocks, tsx, tsx-v Posted in Featured, North Bud Farms Inc | Comments Off on NORTHBUD $NBUD.ca Amends Licence Application to Add 500K SQ. FT. of Outdoor Cultivation Area and Provides a Corporate Update $ACB $WEED.ca $HIP.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:17 AM on Tuesday, December 18th, 2018
Will position Enthusiast as a leading publisher in the mobile gaming industry with significant growth of online and offline gaming community
Owner of over 20 mobile gaming websites and Pocket Gamer brand, the leading mobile gaming media website
Operates 25 live events in 11 countries, including the largest B2B mobile gaming event in North America and Europe
TORONTO, Dec. 18, 2018 – Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSXV: EGLX), (“Enthusiast†or the “Companyâ€)  a digital media company building the largest community of authentic gamers, is excited to announce that it has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent (“LOIâ€) to acquire all of the shares of Steel Media Limited (“Steel Mediaâ€), the largest mobile gaming network in the world, which holds a significant portfolio of consumer and B2B websites, and a series of successful global live networking events.
Founded in 2005 by publishing experts with a focus on quality
editorial, Steel Media is the media company behind over 20 mobile gaming
media websites including: pocketgamer.com, pocketgamer.biz, appspy.com,
and 148apps.com; and is the owner and operator of over 25 video game
networking events in 11 different countries.
Pocket Gamer (www.pocketgamer.com)
is the world’s leading destination for the mobile gaming community,
including: iPhone, iPad, Android, Nintendo Switch, 3DS and more. As one
of the most recognized brand in the mobile gaming industry, Pocket Gamer
has over 2 million monthly impressions on mobile and web, and covers
multiple sites, events and even printed magazines. The addition of
Pocket Gamer to the network will enable Enthusiast to capitalize on the
fastest growing segment in the gaming sector, mobile gaming.
Menashe Kestenbaum, CEO of Enthusiast Gaming commented, “Steel
Media has built a well-recognized gaming brand and successful
businesses across mobile, B2B and events that will enable Enthusiast to
scale our business quickly. We have seen a significant increase in
mobile gaming, and like Esports, mobile gaming continues to be a huge
segment in the industry. The acquisition will position Enthusiast as a
leader in the mobile gaming sector and will allow us to take advantage
of the continued growth within the industry.â€
Offline, Steel Media is an industry leader in B2B and consumer mobile
gaming events. They own and operate numerous successful networking
events around the world with 15,000 registered industry attendees and
key sponsors and partners. Steel Media hosts Pocket Gamer Party, Top 50
Developer Guide, Mobile Mixers, the Mobile Games Awards, and Pocket
Gamer Connects, the largest B2B mobile games conference series in the
west, with events in London, San Francisco, Helsinki and additional
locations in 2019.
Kestenbaum continued, “Steel Media’s series of
successful and well established events worldwide will provide an
excellent platform for Enthusiast’s event business. Our goal has always
been to expand EGLX, and we continue to look at opportunities for
multi-city expansion. Having Steel Media’s network of events on our
platform will provide synergies for growth and provides access to the
international stage.â€
Under the terms of the LOI, Enthusiast has a binding exclusivity
period of 120 days or the agreed upon closing date, whichever is later,
to complete due diligence and negotiate and settle definitive
transaction documentation. The purchase price is expected to be in the
range of USD $2,500,000 (CAD $3,353,125) plus an earn-out amount,
bringing the total purchase price up to USD $3,000,000 (CAD $4,023,750)
based on performance of Steel Media post-closing. There can be no
assurances that the transaction will, ultimately, be completed on the
terms set out in the LOI or at all, as Enthusiast Gaming must be
completely satisfied with the results of due diligence. The LOI includes
a two way break fee of USD $50,000 which is triggered by a party’s
failure to execute definitive documentation as contemplated in the LOI.
If the acquisition of Steel Media is completed, Enthusiast’s network
will grow to over 100 websites and will also significantly expand
Enthusiast’s reach into Europe.
Founded in 2014, Enthusiast is the fastest-growing online community
of video gamers. Through the Company’s unique acquisition strategy, it
has a platform of over 80 owned and affiliated websites and currently
reaches over 75 million monthly visitors with its unique and curated
content. Enthusiast also owns and operates Canada’s largest gaming expo,
Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo, EGLX, (www.eglx.ca). Over 30,000 people attended EGLX in October 2018. For more information on the Company, visit www.enthusiastgaming.com.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Investor Relations: Julia Becker Head of Investor Relations & Marketing [email protected] (604) 785.0850
This news release contains certain statements that may constitute
forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. All
statements, other than those of historical fact, which address
activities, events, outcomes, results, developments, performance or
achievements that Enthusiast anticipates or expects may or will occur in
the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking
information. Such information may involve, but is not limited to,
comments with respect to strategies, expectations, planned operations
and future actions of the Company. Often, but not always,
forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such
as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”,
“estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or
variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or
statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain
actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will”
(or other variations of the forgoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or
come to pass. Forward-looking information is based on currently
available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans,
strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors
that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of
Enthusiast to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking
information. Such factors may be based on information currently
available to Enthusiast, including information obtained from third-party
industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on
management’s current expectations or beliefs regarding future growth,
results of operations, future capital (including the amount, nature and
sources of funding thereof) and expenditures. Any and all
forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly
qualified by this cautionary statement. Trading in the securities of
the Company should be considered highly speculative.
Neither the 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.
The securities of the Corporation have not been and will not be
registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended
and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration
or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press
release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an
offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any
jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful.
Tags: egaming, esports, Fortnite, stocks Posted in Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc., Featured | Comments Off on Enthusiast Gaming $EGLX.ca Targets Mobile Gaming Market with LOI to Acquire Steel Media, the Leading Global Mobile Gaming Media and Events Company #Esports $ATVI $TTWO $GAME $EPY.ca $TCEHF
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:07 AM on Tuesday, December 18th, 2018
Tax loss selling season is upon us once again and you know what that means … George vs Allan Stock Picking Contest!! In this special episode, George and Allan give their Top 5 Tax Loss Selling Candidates (+ 1 Bonus Pick) that are most likely to provide a pop to their portfolios by January 30, 2019. There is a lot on the line in the wager between the two, with each providing completely different picks from the other and some great potential trades for viewers.
*NOTE – Due to a family emergency in February, Allan and I weren’t able to post our contest closing video with the results. However, the final results were as follows:
George + 40.2% (Winner)
Allan + 19.74%
Pretty damn good returns by both of us for 45 days!
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 6:19 PM on Monday, December 17th, 2018
Entered a commercial agreement with a Major Canadian Financial Institution to provide credit facilities that will give GLN access to an aggregate total of $11,250,000.
Included among the credit facilities is a $5,000,000 revolving line of credit to help support working capital as the company scales, and an acquisition line of credit to support company M&A strategies
VANCOUVER, Dec. 17, 2018 – Good Life Networks Inc. (“GLN“, or the “Company“) (TSXV: GOOD) (FSE: 4G5), a programmatic advertising technology company, today announced that it has entered a commercial agreement with a Major Canadian Financial Institution to provide credit facilities that will give GLN access to an aggregate total of $11,250,000. Included among the credit facilities is a $5,000,000 revolving line of credit to help support working capital as the company scales, and an acquisition line of credit to support company M&A strategies. Management plans to access funds from the acquisition line of credit to complete a recently announced acquisition.
“The credit facilities will help us meet our growth objectives while
maximizing shareholder value,” said GLN CEO Jesse Dylan. “We are
thrilled to be working with a Major Canadian Financial Institution now
and in the future as we continue to scale our business.”
Neither the 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.
The GLN Story GLN’s technology is the engine that
sits between advertisers and publishers. The GLN Platform is built for
cross device video advertising: Mobile, In-App, Desktop and CTV
(Connected Television). The Programmatic Video Marketing Platform is
powered by GLN’s Patent Pending proprietary machine learning technology
that targets and connects digital advertisers with consumers three times
faster than industry standards, with among the lowest fraud rates among
vendors without collecting PII (Personal Identifiable Information).
The Programmatic Video Technology Platform features integrations at
the server level with both Publishers and Advertisers. Our technology
quickly finds the most valuable advertisement for every consumer.
Publishers make more money through improved CPM (advertising fill rate)
combined with a more engaged consumer experience. Advertisers make more
money by reaching their target audience more effectively. GLN makes
money by retaining a percentage of the advertiser’s fee.
GLN is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada with offices
in the US and UK and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the stock
symbol “GOOD” and The Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the stock symbol
4G5.
Addressable Market: The total media ad spend worldwide will rise 7.4% to $628.63 billion
by this year, according to “Global Ad Spending: The eMarketer Forecast
for 2018.” By 2020, digital’s share of total advertising will near 50%.
Forward Looking Statements: Forward-looking
statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the
expectations or beliefs regarding future events of management of GLN.
This information and these statements, referred to herein as
“forwardâ€looking statements”, are not historical facts, are made as of
the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements
regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and
statements as to management’s expectations and intentions with respect
to the performance of the company. These statements generally can be
identified by use of forward-looking words such as “may”, “will”,
“expect”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “intends”, “believe” or “continue”
or the negative thereof or similar variations. These forwardâ€looking
statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results
might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking
statements. Important factors that may cause actual results to vary
include without limitation, risks relating to the digital advertising
industry and general economic conditions, success of acquisitions and
any growth strategies implemented utilizing the noted debt instrument.
In making the forwardâ€looking statements in this news release, the
Company has applied several material assumptions, including without
limitation that any acquisitions and corporate directives and
initiatives will be successfully completed in the time expected by
management and produce the desired results, generate the anticipated
revenue and expand GLN’s global reach per management’s expectations. GLN
does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking
statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ
from those reflected in the forward looking-statements, other than as
required by applicable securities laws. Additional information
identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in GLN’s filings with
the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:18 AM on Monday, December 17th, 2018
Announced today that it received a purchase order to provide specialty metal powder from a government entity, the name, origin, amount, and type of powder are not permitted to be disclosed.
This order will require PyroGenesis to produce specialty reactive metal powder using its plasma atomization expertise
The Client intends to qualify this powder for undisclosed purposes.
MONTREAL, Dec. 17, 2018 — PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX-V: PYR) (OTCQB: PYRNF), a TSX Venture 50® high-tech company, (the “Company”, the “Corporation†or “PyroGenesis”) a Company that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch products, is pleased to announce today that it received a purchase order to provide specialty metal powder from a government entity (the “Clientâ€), the name, origin, amount, and type of powder are not permitted to be disclosed.
This order will require PyroGenesis to produce specialty reactive metal powder using its plasma atomization expertise. The Client intends to qualify this powder for undisclosed purposes.
First delivery is expected to occur Q1 2019. It is expected that,
upon successful qualification, follow-on orders would be anticipated.
“Although small, under 1 ton, this commercial order reinforces the
fact that we are, once again, the go-to Company for an entity that has,
at its fingertips, many options. Not only does this opportunity allows
us to expand our powder offerings but it also creates a potentially high
value niche market, which, once again, highlights our competitive
advantages,†said Mr. P. Peter Pascali, President and CEO of
PyroGenesis. “This order is clearly a recognition of PyroGenesis’
strengths as an innovative plasma Company, and further underscores our
position, and value, to the Additive Manufacturing industry.â€
PyroGenesis Canada Inc., a TSX Venture 50® high-tech company, is the world leader in the design, development, manufacture and commercialization of advanced plasma processes and products. We provide engineering and manufacturing expertise, cutting-edge contract research, as well as turnkey process equipment packages to the defense, metallurgical, mining, advanced materials (including 3D printing), oil & gas, and environmental industries. With a team of experienced engineers, scientists and technicians working out of our Montreal office and our 3,800 m2 manufacturing facility, PyroGenesis maintains its competitive advantage by remaining at the forefront of technology development and commercialization. Our core competencies allow PyroGenesis to lead the way in providing innovative plasma torches, plasma waste processes, high-temperature metallurgical processes, and engineering services to the global marketplace. Our operations are ISO 9001:2015 certified, and have been since 1997. PyroGenesis is a publicly-traded Canadian Corporation on the TSX Venture Exchange (Ticker Symbol: PYR) and on the OTCQB Marketplace. For more information, please visit www.pyrogenesis.com.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements,
including, without limitation, statements containing the words “may”,
“plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”,
“expect”, “in the process” and other similar expressions which
constitute “forward- looking information” within the meaning of
applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the
Corporation’s current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a
number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited
to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the
market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the
capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research
and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new
product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory
approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the
Corporation with respect to future events and are subject to certain
risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in
the Corporation’s ongoing filings with the securities regulatory
authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com, or at www.otcmarkets.com. Actual
results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are
cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update
or revise any forward- looking statements either as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as required by
applicable securities laws.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, its Regulation Services Provider
(as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange)
nor the OTCQB accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of
this press release.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:10 AM on Tuesday, December 11th, 2018
Announced the signing of an Affiliate Marketing Agreement with SickOdds.com, one of the world’s fastest growing esports betting comparison sites
VIE.gg, the world’s first and most transparent esports betting exchange, will serve as the only bet exchange on www.SickOdds.com.
ST. MARY’S, Antigua, Dec. 11, 2018 — Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. (GMBL:OTCQB) (or the “Company”), a licensed online gambling company with a specific focus on esports wagering and 18+ gaming, is pleased to announce the signing of an Affiliate Marketing Agreement with SickOdds.com, one of the world’s fastest growing esports betting comparison sites. VIE.gg, the world’s first and most transparent esports betting exchange, will serve as the only bet exchange on www.SickOdds.com.
SICKODDS GENERATES THOUSANDS OF ESPORTS FAN REFERRALS PER MONTH FOR PARTNERS
SickOdds.com, founded in 2017 by esports and digital marketing
experts Tom Wade and Nick Pateman, has quickly become one of the fastest
growing esports betting comparison sites globally. The site covers
dozens of esports titles in-depth, as well as, offering reviews of all
the top esports betting providers. Thousands of esports fans are
referred to betting partners listed on the site every month.
In May 2018 SickOdds.com signed a strategic partnership with London-based iGaming firm Seven Star Digital
to accelerate growth in the burgeoning esports market. Seven Star
Digital was the introducing party that connected Esports Entertainment
Group and SickOdds.com.
Tom Wade, Co-Founder of SickOdds.com stated, “We’re excited to
collaborate with Esports Entertainment Group’s innovative betting
exchange VIE.gg. Their range of esports titles and Tier 1 & 2 match
coverage, along with unique coverage of Pool betting, makes Vie.gg a
very exciting prospect in the esports betting scene.â€
Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports Entertainment Group stated, “This
partnership with Sick Odds is another significant milestone for Esports
Entertainment Group in terms of both business development and third
party validation of our place within the esports industry. We look
forward to a long and prosperous relationship with them for many years
to come.â€
VIE.GG
vie.gg
offers bet exchange style wagering on esports events in a licensed,
regulated and secured platform to the global esports audience, excluding
jurisdictions that prohibit online gambling. vie.gg features wagering on the following esports games:
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO)
League of Legends
Dota 2
Call of Duty
Overwatch
PUBG
Hearthstone
StarCraft II
This press release is available on our Online Investor Relations
Community for shareholders and potential shareholders to ask questions,
receive answers and collaborate with management in a fully moderated
forum at https://agoracom.com/ir/EsportsEntertainmentGroup
RedChip investor relations Esports Entertainment Group Investor Page: http://www.gmblinfo.com
Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. is a licensed online gambling company with a specific focus on esports wagering and 18+ gaming. Esports Entertainment offers bet 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 licenses to conduct online gambling and 18+ gaming on a global basis in Curacao, Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Kahnawake Gaming Commission in Canada. The Company maintains offices in Antigua, Curacao and Warsaw, Poland. Esports Entertainment common stock is listed on the OTCQB under the symbol GMBL. 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.
Posted by AGORACOM
at 9:23 AM on Thursday, December 6th, 2018
Identified 5 vertical sets for its graphene products
Aerospace, Biomedical, Water Treatment, Transportation and Civil Engineering
Graphene has many potential applications and ZEN is working in close collaboration with researchers both in industry and in academia.
Multiple Canadian government agencies have already directly contributed over $2 million to ZEN’s graphene research and development work.
Thunder Bay, Ontario–(Newsfile Corp. – December 6, 2018) – Zenyatta Ventures Ltd. (TSXV: ZEN) (“Zenyatta”, “ZEN” or “Company”) is pleased to provide an update on its graphene market development work which has led to the creation of five significant potential market verticals for the Company which include aerospace, biomedical, water treatment, transportation and civil engineering.
Graphene is an emerging market opportunity with many potential applications. The challenge for a new supplier like ZEN is to define the priority market segments offering the best value creation potential. ZEN is tackling this challenge by working in close collaboration with researchers both in industry and in academia. From the work done by the ZEN team over just the past 6 months, the Company is now actively collaborating with 22 industrial end users and 10 Canadian universities. ZEN is also receiving significant interest from multiple Canadian government agencies who have already directly contributed over $2 million to ZEN’s graphene research and development work.
ZEN’s graphene solutions and the potential economic benefit that they can bring to the Canadian economy has attracted the attention of several government agencies that are supporting innovation, sustainability and new clean technology. The Company will continue to work with the government program coordinators for the opportunities that ZEN’s unique Albany Graphite product offers for innovative nano-materials applications. This effort is led by ZEN’s Ottawa-based Outreach Program Coordinator, Monique Manaigre.
The market development work is being led by the Company’s Head of Sales, Phil Chataigneau along with Research Catalyst, Colin van der Kuur. Their combined efforts have led to the development of the 5 most significant potential graphene market verticals:
Aerospace Applications:
Graphene light-weighting, hydrogen applications, Lightning strike protection, composite enhancement, solid state heat sinks, solid state wiring, leading edge/wing de-icing, ceramic armour, radar/sonar absorption, technical/smart fabrics, personal body armour, Graphene Oxide (GO) in jet fuel, lighter cargo containers.
Biomedical Applications:
Oncology treatment using Graphene Quantum Dots (GQD) to deliver targeted therapies.
Diabetes, other standard diagnostic testing with Functionalized GO sensors.
Water Treatment:
Graphene based desalination membranes and other water purification products.
Transportation:
Applications with auto makers and resin manufacturers for: Heat Sinks & Light-weighting, Graphene wires for electric motors, graphene 3-d printing apps to deliver weight savings, (GO) Fuel Additives (Diesel & Jet Fuel), Hydrogen Economy: Fuel Cells, Electrolysis Units, Next-Generation Fuel Cells with graphene 3-D printed circuits and graphene plates.
Civil Engineering:
Graphene additive in cement/concrete.
Graphene in roads/surfacing products.
In recognition of the excellent progress made by the Company’s market development team over the past six months, the Board of Directors has approved the grant of 50,000 incentive stock options grant to each of these three individuals. These options will be priced at $0.40 per share. One-third of the options vested on the date of their grant, one-third of the options will vest six months following the date of grant and the balance will vest on the one-year anniversary of the date of grant. The options have a term of two years and are subject in all respects to the terms of the Company’s incentive stock option plan and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.
Zenyatta’s Albany Graphite Project hosts a large and unique quality deposit of highly crystalline graphite. Independent labs in Japan, UK, Israel, USA and Canada have demonstrated that Zenyatta’s Albany Graphite/Naturally PureTM easily converts (exfoliates) to graphene using a variety of simple mechanical and chemical methods. The deposit is located in northern Ontario just 30km north of the Trans-Canada Highway, near the communities of Constance Lake First Nation and Hearst. Important nearby infrastructure include hydro-power, natural gas pipeline, a rail line 50 km away and an all-weather road just 10 km from the deposit.
To find out more on Zenyatta Ventures Ltd., please visit our website at www.zenyatta.ca. A copy of this press release and all material documents with respect of the Company may be obtained on Zenyatta’s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.ca.
