AGORACOM Small-cap Investor Relations Blog

Welcome to beyond the press release of production of AGORACOM which we speak the small cap executives right after they put up for news today we’ve got not 1 but 2 companies on Empower Clinics trade on the CSE and the stock symbol CBDT and the U. S. under EPWCF we got Steve McAuley of Empower Clinics for those who knew the story that’s gonna be a lot you can get a lot of market attention a vertically integrated health and wellness company their server database but 165,000 patients through clinics in the southwest US plus a telemedicine platform and a world class medical diagnostics lab more than just lip service they’ve out they’ve shown continued growth on patient revenue income side for Q. 4 Q. 1 Q. 2 the other company with us Loop Insights trades on the stock symbol M. T. R. X. and for friends the U. S RACMF a provider of contactless solutions and artificial intelligence to drive real time insights enhance customer engagement automated contact tracing to the brick and mortar space again more just lip service there they’ve had tremendous success also just recently announced a great agreement would tell us we’re going to resell their their products all over Canada Vegas bubble were gonna be providing venue tracing a contact based solutions as well as are a number of other ones they rob believe what you guys have been able to do in the last 30 days. The headline we’re talk about today these companies have combined venue tracing with Covid-19 expertise to create the first ever travel bubble solution for the global travel industry that’s set to lose 3B, gentleman welcome to the show. George thanks for having us.  Guys this is a great press release in fact it’s almost unimaginable how big this is the 2 Canadian small cap covers gonna be able to tackle it before getting some the details you guys are 2 parts of this troubled solution so let’s walk through it briefly so people understand how this practically applies to the let’s start with the loop because you’re the front end facing part of the solution rob so maybe you can walk through that and they will move on to start a Steve on the Empower side with the Covid 19 testing part. Sure and and I’ll use the airline San Juan to Sam I guess with the cruise ships but. The challenge right now is our government needs to wake up I mean Dam they’re shutting down economies one of the only countries I’m not blaming Canada. But you know then to have no plan in place to eliminate the 14 day quarantine is absolutely absurd you know now there’s articles coming out that the Canadian government’s looking to buy a position. So I’m not really sure what agenda our government’s looking out for but it’s most definitely not about small business and that’s a fact so providing their lines the cruise ship the hospitality industry the ability to re open now is what Empower so in our case we have an end to end solution for tracing for payments for contactless engagement as we’ve talked about before when you add now the power of what Empower in the lab testing capabilities there is no need for 14 day quarantine. The minute that that you know person comes off the plane there’s ability now to have testing set out that complete security around all of the results and I have anonymity and what I mean by that is right now all of these news articles and I keep reading and on the on the radio on global too in other news at 90. It’s just a cry and it’s Hey we’ve had exposures come out by us and you know everyone just gets more anxious there’s no need for that with our platform the audience is 100 percent segmented and it’s only notified directly to your phone whether it’s an email a voice call whatever it may be there’s no need for this generalized red alert oh my goodness. Steve your side is the testing side which is easier obviously equally critical this because with loops are I’ve got on my phone it’s a wallet pass I can get on the plane I could be identified I can be alerted. Where does Empower fit in all this. Yeah this is this is a great partnership for us I mean we have been spending some time working with rob and his team going through the platform and understanding and I could tell you on this is state of the art technology on its effective but most importantly it’s simple and it’s it’s easy to use that’s functional so when we think about what our strengths are so think of the supply chain of testing so there’s the front and specimen collection however that might take place in and you’ve seen without prior releases you we are now you’re deep in our 4 stage national rollout of our testing platform but then the others great asset that we have in our books now is trying medical laboratory it has the capability of not only providing rapid tests are to be deployed at point of collection but also to do the back and PCR testing of which we can process for thousands of specimens per day right now that’s our current capacity so given the capacity that we have the scientific expertise having the ability to run the specimen collection at points all of us at that point all with the patients or the consumer might be and then combining with large testing capability we think putting the 2 yes assets together is it is a tremendous solution to help open up the economy and Steve you say simple and easy but that’s only because you made it simple and easy it’s not something very many companies can do don’t don’t sell yourself short that’s for sure. Rob I’m gonna go I’m gonna take a excerpt from the press release here because this is not just too small cap companies getting together and saying Hey let’s slop or solution together and see we can come up with a quote the company advises discussions are already underway with major airlines cruise ship operators and hotel rob can you give us a little bit of insight into what those conversations are looking like what the urgency is like and the acceptance of of this travel bubble solution. Sure it says its dynamic because there’s just so many so many challenges right now George we got boats that are traveling around the ocean empty you’ve got airlines that are struggling to gain confidence you’ve got people that are looking to go you know see family I mean I’ve I’ve got a buddy his you know down in the US is on his deathbed love not not nothing more to go see him but. 14 day quarantine. Like it’s it’s it’s asinine so the challenges are all everybody and it’s not just these these industries here the mom and pop grocery store and convenience store on the corner everyone has to remain remain open. Where where today in an article here with Steve is. To put a plan in place to present. Container again to the government to show them exactly now how we can reopen the private sector because right now putting your head in the sand sending everybody home for 2 weeks again in Toronto is doing anything that there’s still no good at all sell resulting in factors be there either protest mystery now people saying you were just not going to do it it is it’s nonsense and you know the next couple weeks here I think you’re absolutely imperative from government and to see someone stuff up Alberta is is starting to be some of that article when their health minister I mean they’re even more rougher shape so it’s not going anywhere putting that in the sense not solving anything so we’re providing them a turn key solution that starts that can be replicated over and over and over. So it’s not just airlines and cruise ship operators talk to but also governments that these discussions about it and if you don’t mind can you give us a sense for what those conversational like are they well advanced on the right the very beginning and what is what’s the what’s the excitement on the other side that you you guys may have a solution. Well I mean to be honest with you and of course I can’t say too much but that were way down the path we know that’s not a surprise to anyone you know they’re there the belief that the federal tracing apps gonna solve all the problems we know that’s not reality we all knew was gonna take a multitude of solutions and the private sector is going to play a big part of that I mean this this look back in time for decades and decades this is not a surprise to anyone so we’re way way down the path of the escalation of called it in phase 2 phase 3 depending upon how you’re talking to is here upon us and inevitable to grow look at the global numbers in the press release how many countries are shut down it’s not just here in Canada this is a global issue. On that note Steve there is also part of the press which word you guys make a joint statement says  empower believe the travel bubble combination of frequent testing robots in national trade platform provides the antenna production nested to spark a strong global economic recovery I mean you know that’s all I’m gonna play devil’s advocate say that almost seems too good to be true but the fact of matter is someone has to save the day and someone has to save the world at the end of the day and looks like it it may be you guys can you speak more to that as to you know whether that’s done almost intimidate you as the as the size of the problem or your confidence level that yeah we can actually solve this. It did the size of the problem is has incredible magnitude it doesn’t necessarily intimidate us all we know we can’t solve every country’s problems are but we know that we can definitely get to private sector public sector and bring this solution to the table as as rob and I were discussing you know how to put an implementation plan in place yeah we quickly realized that we’re both having independent conversations with small medium and large entities and if we could cross reference those opportunities and bring in more viable young cohesive solution together because you need contact tracing and testing you know one without the other isn’t a complete solution so again it was really relatively obvious for us that if we can find a way to really collaborate and work together we got a fighting chance to make a difference and to make an impact we think we can make a scalable impact on to this right now it’s about getting awareness out but I can tell you that I go right from this call into a large group that owns elder care facilities in all the southwest United States there are thousands of patients and their families that are impacted just by this one conversation that I’m having rocks having the same conversations with large organizations like U. N. C. to weigh in and the tech bubble is coming up and will be on the bubble is coming up in Las Vegas we’ve already been in discussions with cruise lines we know that rob’s been in discussions with cruise lines so as your rob used the word dynamic a little bit earlier that’s what it’s like for us right now it’s it’s it’s kind of wild and dynamic and crazy but we’ve got a solution that we believe is extremely viable and is going to make an impact to getting this economy back up and running Hey rob is a tiny perfect here because if you guys try to you know do. This 6 months ago you would have had tell us third party validation the Vegas bubble for the NC double a the university of Houston Steve would have had the time to show Q. 4 Q. one Q. 2 growth the acquisition of this massive lab in Dallas Texas right in the heart of the medical world there so when you’re having these conversations how much does your success with some of these names come into play because I got assume that’s very important  just can’t come along so we got a solution even if we have it. This that faith in conference might not be there but you guys have it because of you’ve got third party validation. What is time is everything in business and life and it’s much like our ticker symbol people always ask me what is matrix as evidence the watch the movie everything always happens for a reason and you know let’s say 7 not that I’m taking credit for you know cold it but its foresight around digital transformation and you know what without a transformative solution or future proof roadmap we’re gonna be hung out here high and dry for decades to come the financial burden that this is put on by the Canadian population areas it’s it’s still it’s sickening and then out there’s no need to go hire more people throw more money at it this is what artificial intelligence and automation is about. Is about machine learning it’s about managing these processes like we build here was Steve. It it’s it’s it’s a little frustrating they can tell their yeah I’d like to tell you are we all are on I’m glad yeah I think it right it is and you know right now is the perfect timing and like I said when. When when we get in these conversations we deliver and at the end of the day you know there’s a a global problem anyone just punching Covid-19 revolt protest whatever maybe I mean you see videos of you know cities burning burned down again I mean it’s it’s it’s rather alarming at its time here that groups like Empower and Lop come together and deliver something that’s. Black and white in front of them here we go Steve is it fair to say that in phase one. We’ll put their faith in government to do the right things and help us get through all this but now in phase 2 are you hearing from you know you are you said useful to cruise ship operates for example and many other major film studios I mean you you’re you’re you you’ve already announced testing for major film studio we already know that is it safe to say that enterprise is much more willing now in fact almost demanding that you guys come forth with the solution because they’ve lost the faith in government. Well I mean I think to keep in mind here the markets you know my current law on major markets are in the US and the US are doesn’t have a cohesive federal strategy to address these issues that we’re talking about right now even at the state level state by state their success or failures very dramatically but there is one consistency in the United States in all states the numbers are out of control again and they’re not getting worse they’re not getting better getting much worse for sure there is our first region there is dissent I’m at all levels and the other thing is happening now in the U. S. this is becoming a legal matter you know we see our society the U. S. as more litigious than perhaps we see back home here to Canada all but we’re we’re seeing and we’re hearing not and to go but we have have not see this going on is that employers are getting sued by employees if that employer is not demonstrating that they’re doing all they can to provide protect or provide health and safety not only for employees but for customers and vendors so you’ve got industries now that are all putting regulation and so if you take film and television you’ve got the screen actor’s guild who are dictating policy if you look at the cruise ship industry the our cruise line international H. R. association are established policies for cruise lines going forward which say all crew staff and passengers must produce a negative coping 19 task 5 days before boarding or they will not be able to board and indeed a very comprehensive contact tracing solution just to pull it all together make it work so is becoming regulated now whether. Federal government’s comment or state governments come in is almost irrelevant at NY times the big industries are now legislating themselves to bring these solutions to market. Hey Rob any decision like this still comes down ROI no matter what money still matters at the end of the day we know the bad though the losses are massive you gave in to you do you get anything stop the other day off on a call about just how much the Ontario or the Canadian government was losing from foreign students not being able to be here talk a little bit to that if you don’t mind and then does that mean does that give you guys pricing power down today because of the losses are so massive known to be bickering over cost they just want a solution to get back to business. Well most definitely I mean no matter what angle you look at it whether it’s from a federal government standpoint. The impact by not having students foreign students attending school in Canada this year will surpass 1B so just think about not just that’s just foreign students. Looking to still reside in Canada to go to university. The numbers are absolutely staggering. Sell side you know I said to you Hey George I can make your headache go away instantly across on $1000000 and look at the numbers you’ve got last. I mean. You know what is some of what is the what is the value that’s what someone’s willing to pay. And right now we’re we’re in a very strong position. And you know it’s the same side of it my my call before this one was one of the major universities in in the south we’re at 50 percent capacity for the ball season coming up. We have very limited revenue now because of it they’re all not just looking for today George in the US where we’re seeing these large enterprise organizations are looking for 2021-2022. 3 year roadmap because they understand this is not going anywhere just like 911 changed the way security and travel covid pandemic right now is forcing digital ID digital wallets and the complete end to end solution so you’re gonna see testing. I guarantee you you mark my words you will see testing in every major airport in our country in the next 6 months to one year. Do you think you guys play a major role in that Steve and rob do you guys think that you know if you’re able if you got this travel bubble that did you guys be a big part of that well I think part of it and once again I think that that’s the reason easy answer yes we’re going to be a part of this for sure you know the the the volume and scale this is substantial and to the extent that we can you know from a business perspective in our partnership I gain some of that market share then I think people are going to quickly realized that we have that capability we have the operational skill set we have the sciences and the diagnostic testing capability and we have an elegance A. I. driven solution for contact tracing so I definitely think that we can play a role in that part of it but as we’ve been discussing here there are so many large assets not for us to to talk about you know we together you know we are already you know independently talking to your division one universities and colleges in the states and their athletic programs you know some of these big division one colleges you know they have their generate in excess of $1B U. S. on their programs per year so that is a significant revenue that has been lost and they’re not going to regain it that’s read on walks so now is as we’re rob says. How are they going to plan to resolve this business problem that they have in years ahead there to figure out how to regain it in a safe and healthy manner again for all of the people who are in their system your players and coaches and staff but also the fans and without the fans attending then they really can’t generate the revenue streams that they they normally expect. Jets jets I know you both have I mean you’ve done it everyone a great service here by jumping on the middle day you both have hard stops in 2 minutes which is great because you speak to potential customers so rob maybe I’ll ask you is it is it safe to assume that you know you can expect to see some kind of uptake commercialization coming out of this. In the near future or is it still going to be up a long sales cycle in order to get this done. No I I think it’s it’s it’s very near I mean that. The the the thing that we’ve built here George this can be replicated in every city across the world I mean it’s it’s where our data platform that can connect to any lab testing group globally so doesn’t matter which government doesn’t matter it’s private sector independent whatever maybe and so now this is something like this said here that we are we see great opportunity and we’re going after. There’s so much more we could talk about we’re pretty sure the fact the took out your 20 minutes of your time you know the day congratulations.  Pretty soon their future goes sounds like you’ve already got irons in the fire and not your some shareholder point of view but from a system point of view thanks to you guys have done so far and if you can really you know make this happen then you’re gonna be helping out everybody not just financial mental health stress anxiety all that so good luck to you guys and thanks for joining us right thank you George .  you’ve been watching Steve McAauley of  Empower clinics trades on the CSE and the stock symbol CBDT and for a friends of the US under EPWCF. likewise you been watching Rob Anson of Loop Insights trades of TSX venture exchange of the stock symbol MTRX go watch the matrix if you haven’t you can answer the question and for friends the U. S. RACMF thanks for joining us everyone have a great day see you next time.