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CLIENT FEATURE: Tartisan Nickel $TN.ca Kenbridge Property Hosts M&I Resource of 7.14 Million Tonnes at 0.62% Nickel, 0.33% Copper $ROX.ca $FF.ca $EDG.ca $AGL.ca $ANZ.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 5:50 PM on Tuesday, September 17th, 2019

Investment Highlights

  • Kenbridge property has a measured and indicated resource of 7.14 million tonnes at 0.62% nickel, 0.33% copper
  • 17.5 (21.8 fully diluted) percent equity stake in Eloro Resources and 2 percent NSR in their La Victoria property

Kenbridge Ni Project (ON, Canada)

  • Advanced  stage  deposit  remains open  in  three  directions,  is  equipped with a 623m  deep  shaft  and  has  never  been  mined. 
  • Preliminary  Economic Assessment completed and updated returned robust project 
    economics and operating costs including  a  NPV  of  C$253M  and  cash costs of US$3.47/lb of nickel net of  copper credits.
  • Plans for Kenbridge include updating PEA, advancing the project through to feasibility and exploring the open mineralization at depth

FULL DISCLOSURE: Tartisan Nickel Corp. is an advertising client of AGORA Internet Relations Corp.

Gaming heavyweights raise $17M for new #Esports network as funds flow into this HOT sector – SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming $EGLX.ca $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $WINR $TCEHF $ATVI $TNA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 12:03 PM on Tuesday, September 17th, 2019

SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 85 owned and affiliated websites, currently reaching over 150 million monthly visitors. The company exceeded 2018 target with $11.0 million in revenue. Learn More

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Gaming heavyweights raise $17M for new esports network

  • VENN is set to launch in 2020 and aims to give the fragmented esports scene a home base for content with higher production value than gamers are used to with online streaming.
  • The network was co-founded by four-time Emmy-winning producer Ariel Horn and entrepreneur Ben Kusin and has raised $17 million from investors including co-founders from Twitch, Riot Games and Blizzard Entertainment.

NEW YORK — A new venture backed by many of video gaming’s biggest publishers is unveiling a network that hopes to be to esports what ESPN has been to traditional sports.

VENN is set to launch in 2020 and aims to give the fragmented esports scene a home base for content with higher production value than gamers are used to with online streaming. The network was co-founded by four-time Emmy-winning producer Ariel Horn and entrepreneur Ben Kusin and has raised $17 million from investors including co-founders from Twitch, Riot Games and Blizzard Entertainment.

VENN, short for Video Game Entertainment and News Network, will debut with live studios in New York and Los Angeles. There is expected to be 55 hours of original programming per week, including gamer streams, talk shows, documentaries and live esport events. It already has deals in place to broadcast on Twitch and YouTube and expects to be available on mediums like Roku or Sling.

Esports revenues are expected to top $1 billion this year, and global viewership numbers are rivaling those of traditional sports — nearly 100 million viewers watched last year’s League of Legends world championship, roughly on par with TV viewership for the Super Bowl.

Yet the industry remains disjointed. Just like not all football fans also watch hockey, Fortnite players aren’t necessarily keeping tabs on League of Legends or Overwatch. Creating a common space for all those gamers has proven difficult. Perhaps the closest thing is the online streaming platform Twitch, but gamers there tend to find streams specific to their interest, creating little overlap with other gaming domains.

VENN hopes to solve that with content built around the culture of gaming.

“I think we’re more of a hybridized ESPN and what MTV TRL (Total Request Live) was when it launched decades ago,” Kusin said. “That crossover that it brought music in that generation in the culture.”

It’s a lofty pitch, but one that’s proven credible to many of gaming’s most influential names. The group’s initial investors include Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill, Blizzard Entertainment co-founder Mike Morhaime, Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin and aXiomatic Gaming, an investment group behind Team Liquid and Epic Games. That gives VENN financial connections to esports’ biggest titles — Riot owns League of Legends, Blizzard is behind Overwatch and Call of Duty, and Epic publishes Fortnite — as well as some of its biggest teams.

“We could go to these luminaries in the industry and say, ‘Hey, we want to come together, be swift, work with a bunch of different titles, a bunch of different publishers and move the industry forward in terms of its recognition and prominence, will you help us?'” Kusin said. “The answer was a resounding yes.”

Horn’s presence is a big part of that. Formerly a sports producer at NBC, he has become a pioneering figure in esports. His achievements included a sports Emmy in 2017 for his role in landing an augmented reality dragon inside a stadium during the 2017 League of Legends World Championships opening ceremony and a successful New Year’s Eve stream by Ninja from Times Square last year.

“Taking what’s already there on a platform that (gamers) understand, and taking that into a network environment, that’s what we’re looking to do,” Horn said.

Source: https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/gaming-heavyweights-raise-17m-esports-133920118.html

Vancouver #Canucks buy #CallofDuty pro #Esports team – Did you know Esports Entertainment $GMBL has partnered with 190 Esports Teams? $TECHF $ATVI $TTWO $GAME $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $TNA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:51 AM on Tuesday, September 17th, 2019

OUR FEATURED SPONSOR:

GMBL: OTCQB

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • S-1 Filed for NASDAQ Listing
  • Partnered with 190 esports teams
  • Partnered with 250+ esports streamers
  • Launched VIE.gg P2P esports betting platform
  • P2P means an esports fan always wins
  • Superior to “House” model where fans VS. casino
  • Traditional sports teams owners are investing
  • Athletes and celebrities are investing
  • Wall Street is starting to invest
  • Biggest paradigm shift ever seen on the internet

Hub On AGORACOM

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Vancouver Canucks buy Call of Duty pro esports team

Canucks Sports & Entertainment is diving even further into the growing esports scene.

  • The organization has announced that they’ve partnered up with Enthusiast Gaming, a video game and esports company, and franchised a professional Call of Duty team.
  • The announcement comes less than a year after the Vancouver Titans, Vancouver’s professional Overwatch team, were unveiled to the public.

“Esports has shown extraordinary growth and we’re excited to be at the forefront with a new Call of Duty esports team,” Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini said in a statement. “With the continued support and expertise of our partners at Luminosity and Enthusiast Gaming, we believe the new Call of Duty esports league is also well-positioned for success.”

The newly-franchised team won’t be sharing space with the Canucks, the Titans, or the Warriors, however. Day-to-day operations and home games of the new team will be based out of Seattle.

The Aquilini Group and Canucks Sports & Entertainment will oversee the new franchise, while Luminosity Gaming, another partner esports organization, will handle player recruitment.

The league they’ll be playing in

The Seattle-based team will be playing in a brand new league owned by Activision, the video game company responsible for Call of Duty.

From 2016 to 2019, the company owned and oversaw the Call of Duty World League (CWL). Activision recently announced on Reddit that they would be closing the current professional league and creating a brand new one. Similar to the Overwatch League (OWL), the new league will be franchised with city-based teams from around the world.

Activision said that so far, there are 12 teams included in the league: Seattle, London, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Florida, Minnesota, New York, Paris, Toronto, and two teams in Los Angeles.

Teams will have between seven to 10 members and similar to other professional sports leagues, players will sign contracts and enter free agency.

The company also says that in this new league, pro players will receive a minimum base salary of $50,000 (USD) per year, health and retirement benefits, and housing. At least 50% of a team’s prize pool earning must also go towards the players.

More details about the league, its franchised teams, and how play will work will be announced in the near future.

CLIENT FEATURE: CardioComm Solutions $EKG.ca – Connecting Your Heart To The Cloud $ATE.ca $TLT.ca $OGI.ca $ACST.ca $IPA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 5:37 PM on Monday, September 16th, 2019

Global Leaders in Mobile ECG Connectivity

  • 20 years of medical credibility licensing technologies to hospitals, physicians, remote patient monitoring  platforms, research groups and commercial call centers
  • Sold into > 20 countries, with the largest customer base located in the US
  • Class II medical device clearances and device agnostic for collecting, viewing, recording, analyzing and  storing of ECGs for management of patient and consumer health
  • ECG solutions for both consumer (OTC) and medical (Rx) markets
  • Owns all IP and source code
  • Market expert contributor for reports in m‐health, mobile cardiac monitoring and new advances in  consumer health and wellness monitoring

Recent Highlights

  • Announced ECG Services Integration and Co-Marketing Agreement with California-Based BodiMetrics LLC Read More
    • GEMS™ Universal will be available under two subscription models:
    • $6 US per month with one free ECG interpretation included; and,
    • $69 US per year with 12 free ECG interpretations that may be requested any time during the one year subscription.
  • GEMS(TM) Universal ECG App Launched in Partnership with Multiple ECG Device Manufacturers Read More
    • GEMS™ Universal ECG app , a version of the Company’s US Food and Drug Administration cleared and Health Canada approved GEMS™ Mobile ECG app,
    • Now available for download from the Google Play store
  • CardioComm Solutions’ Heartcheck(TM) CardiBeat Handheld ECG Device Cleared by Health Canada for Direct-to-Consumer Sales Read More
    • Received approval from Health Canada for the over-the-counter sales and marketing of its existing GEMS™ Mobile smartphone app and for the HeartCheck™ CardiBeat, its newest handheld heart rhythm monitor.
    • Both devices were cleared by the Food and Drug Administration in early 2019.
  • CardioComm Solutions Files with Health Canada for Direct to Consumer Sales Approval of the Heartcheck(TM) Cardibeat Handheld ECG Device Read More
    • Filed with Health Canada for approval for the over-the-counter  sales and marketing of their GEMS™ Mobile smartphone app and their newest handheld, heart rhythm monitor, the HeartCheck™ CardiBeat.
    • Both were cleared by the Food and Drug Administration in early 2019 and are available for sale direct to consumers in the US.

Company Accolades

FULL DISCLOSURE: CardioComm Solutions Inc. is an advertising client of AGORA Internet Relations Corp.

As Canada gears up for #pot 2.0, more shortages are on the menu, bodes well for #NORTHBUD $NBUD.ca $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $OGI.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 12:04 PM on Monday, September 16th, 2019

SPONSOR: NORTHBUD (NBUD:CSE) Sustainable low cost, high quality cannabinoid production and procurement focusing on both bio-pharmaceutical development and Cannabinoid Infused Products. Learn More.

NBUD: CSE

As Canada gears up for pot 2.0, more shortages are on the menu

  • Canada will add edibles, extracts and topicals to the list of legal cannabis products no later than Oct. 17.
  • Many analysts agree these products will generate better demand and margins than dried flower.
  • But the federal government has not yet issued regulations for the new formats, making it difficult for producers to prepare lest they unknowingly violate some rule.

By: Kristine Owram, Bloomberg News

Canada’s legalization of pot edibles later this year is facing an even more shambolic start than the dried flower market, which is still struggling to meet demand, according to industry players.

“At least that time we knew what the permissible product types were going to be and were already making them in the medical context,” said cannabis lawyer Trina Fraser, a partner at Brazeau Seller Law in Ottawa.

Canada will add edibles, extracts and topicals to the list of legal cannabis products no later than Oct. 17. Many analysts agree these products will generate better demand and margins than dried flower. But the federal government has not yet issued regulations for the new formats, making it difficult for producers to prepare lest they unknowingly violate some rule.

A spokeswoman for Health Canada declined to comment on when the regulations will be released.

In addition, a huge licensing backlog has built up at Health Canada, the government agency that oversees cannabis regulations. About 614 applications were waiting in the queue as of March 31.

“A full rollout amongst a nice wide array of producers and a wide array of these new product types is going to take time, literally years, because we have such a licensing backlog,” Fraser said.

Company Stockpiling

Canada’s market for edibles and other alternative pot produces will eventually be worth C$2.7 billion ($2 billion) annually, but consumers should expect “missteps, delays and frustration” in the early days, Deloitte said in a report published Monday. Jennifer Lee, Deloitte Canada’s cannabis national leader, estimated it will be a minimum of 24 months before the industry normalizes.

In the meantime, many pot companies are stockpiling, choosing to forgo revenue today to ensure they have enough supply for the new high-value products. This is exacerbating the shortage of dried flower, but executives say it’s worth it.

“We’ve made a very conscious effort to delay revenue,” said Chuck Rifici, chief executive officer of Auxly Cannabis Group Inc. Selling into the market today doesn’t build brand recognition because shelves are empty and consumers are buying whatever’s available, he added. “I would much rather save that product, get a multiple of margin on that brand and make sure that I have enough inventory.”

Lab Delays

This is proving to be a boon for extraction companies like Valens GroWorks Corp. Valens has contracts with many of the biggest pot companies, including Canopy Growth Corp., Hexo Corp. and Tilray Inc., to extract cannabis oil from their plants, which is then used for products like edibles and vape cartridges. It’s also investing heavily in its testing labs in the belief that Health Canada will have stringent regulations to ensure pesticides and other contaminants don’t make it into the new consumer products.

“Even in labs today there’s delays where people are waiting three weeks to a month to get lab results back and I think that will only get worse,” said Everett Knight, Valens’ executive vice president of strategy and investments.

Companies are also making big bets on what products will be in demand, with Canopy and Hexo leaning toward cannabis beverages and others toward vaping.

Be Prepared

“Why do I want an edible or a drink when I can have a vape?” Irwin Simon, interim CEO of Aphria Inc., said in an interview on the sidelines of a cannabis conference last month. “I see the margins and the opportunities there.”

Rifici at Auxly also believes vape pens will be “the most important category by far.” But there are many unanswered questions. For example, will the government require companies to engrave its mandatory THC warning symbol into the pen itself, or will a sticker suffice?

This is why Valens is offering its customers 196 different options for its white-label vape pens. “You’ve got to make sure you cover your bases and prepare for all the possibilities,” Knight said.

Despite the uncertainty, it’s better to be prepared even if plans and production lines have to be tweaked once the regulations come out, said Bruce Linton, CEO of Canopy, which is building a 197,000 square foot bottling plant for cannabis beverages in Smiths Falls, Ontario.

“We’re in a situation where it’s better to spend money to be ready than to save money and be late,” he said.

 Cannabis Canada is BNN Bloomberg’s in-depth series exploring the stunning formation of the entirely new – and controversial – Canadian recreational marijuana industry. Read more from the special series here and subscribe to our Cannabis Canada newsletter to have the latest marijuana news delivered directly to your inbox every day.

Source: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/as-canada-gears-up-for-pot-2-0-more-shortages-are-on-the-menu-1.1268844

8 Ways #Edtech Startups Are Setting Classroom-Innovation Trends – SPONSOR: betterU Education $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:07 AM on Monday, September 16th, 2019

SPONSOR:  Betteru Education Corp. The Only Education Marketplace In India Serving 1.3 Billion Potential Customers Click here for more information.

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By: Devishobha Chandramouli

  • Change drives change.
  • Technology and digital footprints have altered the way businesses work, employees perceive work and even the way families function.
  • Classrooms were not to be left behind. In 2018, there was a marked increase in investor interest in learning startups, especially those that are AI-based.
  • According to a report by market-research firm Metaari titled “The Stunning 2018 Global Learning Technology Investment Patterns: The Rise of the Global Edtech Unicorns,” the investments made to EdTech companies soared past $16.34 billion, with China and the U.S. leading the way, followed by India and Israel.
  • More recently, UK education conglomerate  Pearson announced a commitment of  $50 million solely to fund next generation EdTech startups to keep up with changing trends.

With that in mind, here are eight ways in which EdTech is shaping the next generation’s skills through tech intervention.

1. Immersive Learning

Classroom learning is no longer relegated to the chalkboard. Today, students can participate in immersive experiences while learning about everything from specific timelines in history to climate change in Antarctica. EdTech companies like Early Adopter work with educators to create augmented-reality tutorials, including virtually transporting students to the surface of the moon while reading books about space. 

2. Industry-Specific Learning

Today’s fast-paced business sectors require that learners enter the workforce with a fundamental understanding of how an industry works. Companies like Yellowbrick and InternView create industry-specific online programs by partnering with major colleges, media outlets and organizations with a goal of helping learners get useful training in the industries they’re passionate about.

3. Seamless Classrooms

With limited resources and time-based pressures, it’s increasingly difficult for teachers to ensure 100 percent student comprehension. That’s why companies like Brainly and OneClass have decided to connect the whole world as one collaborative learning group that’s capable of adapting dynamically to global topics and trends. Theirs is a great example of using technology as a leveler while governments figure out how to invest more in the classroom experience. 

4. Big Data

As test scores and attendance persist as traditional metrics for classroom success, seemingly simplistic technologies are creating ripples. Companies like Peachjar promote parent-teacher collaboration and engagement in extracurricular activities using big-data analytics to discover new ideas, opportunities and resources available across the country.

5. Future-Ready Design

With AI set to wipe out millions of repetitive tasks, experts predict that everything that can be automated will be automated in the future, sparking enormous demand for skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, ideation, creativity and, most importantly, empathy. EdTech startups such as Cartedo provide students with a future-readiness platform and design-thinking workshops to develop creative confidence. The foremost goal is to equip students to become agents of change in their own communities, even encouraging them to work on solutions to address subject matter as lofty as UN sustainability and development goals.

6. Gamification.

Classrooms are coming alive with personalized, adaptive learning through gamification. Platforms like Mangahigh are employing gamification to ease understanding of even serious subjects like math by encouraging participation, engagement and collaboration. Gamification also improves context-based comprehension through adaptive and personalized learning.

7. Digital Safety

Given kids’s increased engagement with the internet, there is a need for designing online spaces that are safe for young learners. One company leading the charge is AI-based platform Securly, which intuits risks of bullying and self-harm and innovates protections that meet modern needs.

8. Sustainability and Life Skills

The tendency to confine classroom instruction to solely academic goals is slowly but surely diminishing. Companies like Mindvalley collaborate with schools to impart online lessons on living a meaningful life. Topics include communication and negotiation, finding purpose, staying calm under stress and sustainability design. In other words, all the skills required in real life. 

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/334000

LOMIKO Metals $LMR.ca: Update on Acquisition of 100% Interest in La Loutre and Lac Des ÃŽles Flake Graphite Properties $CJC.ca $SRG.ca $NGC.ca $LLG.ca $GPH.ca $NOU.ca $DNI.ca

Posted by AGORACOM at 10:42 AM on Monday, September 16th, 2019

Lomiko Metals Inc. (“Lomiko”) (TSX-V: LMR, OTC: LMRMF, FSE: DH8C) and Quebec Precious Metals (“QPM”) (TSX.V: CJC) announces that further to the Company’s press release dated December 31, 2018, the Company wishes to update shareholders regarding its option to earn a 100% of the La Loutre Flake and Lac des Îles Flake Graphite Properties, Quebec (the “Properties”). The Company has completed its initial option and has earned its 80% interest in the Properties.

Pursuant to an agreement dated December 22, 2018, the Company and Quebec Precious Metals Inc. (“QPM”) (previously known as Canada Strategic Metals Inc.) agreed to extend two options agreements relating to the Properties which allow the Company to earn a 100% ownership. Pursuant to an amendment dated May 13, 2016, in order to earn a further 20% interest for a total of 100%, the Company was to issue an aggregate of 5,000,000 shares (pre-consolidation) (2,500,000 on or before July 31, 2017 and 2,500,000 on or before December 31, 2018) and fund exploration expenditures of an aggregate of $1,125,000 ($250,000 by December 31, 2016; $375,000 by December 31, 2017 and $500,000 by December 31, 2018). The parties agreed to extend the deadline date for the Company to fund exploration work of $1,125,000 to December 31, 2019 and the Company shall forthwith, upon regulatory approval, issue 500,000 common shares (5,000,000 pre-consolidation) shares. In order to close the transaction, the Company must have adequate funds available and the transaction is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The transaction is arm’s length.

Further to the press release dated August 20, 2019, announcing the engagement of Leede Jones Gable Inc. (the “Agent”) as lead agent on a commercially reasonable agency basis to undertake a brokered private placement (the “Offering”) of a combination of Units (as hereinafter defined) and FT Shares (as hereinafter defined) for gross proceeds of up to $2,750,000, the Company discloses that it will be relying on certain prospectus exemptions including but not limited to, the Existing Security Holder Exemption and BC Instrument 45-536 Exemption from prospectus requirement for certain distributions through an investment dealer. An exemption where the purchaser has obtained advice regarding suitability from a person registered as an investment dealer.

Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company will permit each person or company who, as of September 13, 2019 (being the record date set by the Company pursuant to Multilateral CSA Notice 45-313 – Prospectus Exemption for Distributions to Existing Security Holders) (“CSA 45-313”), who hold common shares as of that date (a “Current Shareholder”) to subscribe for the Units and FS Shares that will be distributed pursuant to the Offering, provided that the Existing Security Holder Exemption is available to such person or company.

Pursuant to CSA 45-313, each subscriber relying on the Existing Security Holder Exemption may subscribe for a maximum of 300,000 Units or 300,000 FS Shares, being such amount of Units and FS Shares that results in an acquisition cost of less than or equal to $15,000 for such subscribers, unless a subscriber is resident in a jurisdiction of Canada and has obtained advice regarding the suitability of the investment from a registered investment dealer (in which case such maximum subscription amount will not apply). In the event that aggregate subscriptions for Units or FT Shares under the Offering exceed the maximum number of securities to be distributed, then Units will be sold to qualifying subscribers on a pro rata basis based on the number of Units or FT Shares subscribed for. In addition to conducting the Offering pursuant to the Existing Security Holder Exemption, the Company will also accept subscriptions for Units or FT Shares where other prospectus exemptions are available. Any Current Shareholder subscribing for Units or FT Shares pursuant to a prospectus exemption other than the Existing Security Holder Exemption will not be limited to a maximum of 300,000 Units or 300,000 FT Shares.

The Company also advises that the insiders of the Company may also participate in the financing, which will be completed pursuant to available related party exemptions under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions.

Up to 20,000,000 units (the “Units”) of the Company will be offered at $0.05 per Unit to raise gross proceeds of up to $1,000,000. Each Unit will consist of one (1) common share and one half of one (1/2) common share purchase warrant (“Warrant”). Each full Warrant shall entitle the holder to acquire one (1) common share at $0.07 per share for a period of 24 months following closing. Up to 35,000,000 flow through shares (the “FT Shares”) will be offered at $0.05 per FT Share for gross proceeds of up to $1,750,000.

The gross proceeds from the issuance of the FT Shares will be used for Canadian exploration expenses and will qualify as flow-through mining expenditures, as defined in Subsection 127(9) of the Income Tax Act (Canada), which will be renounced to the subscribers with an effective date no later than Dec. 31, 2019, to the initial purchasers of the offered securities in an aggregate amount not less than the gross proceeds raised from the issue of the flow-through shares, as applicable, and, if the qualifying expenditures are reduced by the Canada Revenue Agency, the company will indemnify each FT subscriber for any additional taxes payable by such subscriber as a result of the company’s failure to renounce the qualifying expenditures as agreed.

The net proceeds from the Offering of the Units and the gross proceeds from the Offering of FT Shares will be primarily used for: (1) approximately $50,000 for a new Resource Estimate prepared in accordance NI #43-101 regulations which will include recent drill results from the Refractory Zone; (2) approximately $700,000 for completion of work required for a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), including but not limited to, metallurgical/engineering testing and drilling, community relations, testing for conversion to spherical graphite for use in graphite anodes, environmental assessment and extraction and processing cost studies; (3) fund exploration work of $1,125,000 to December 31, 2019, $425,000 on exploration in 2020; and (4) approximately $150,000 to pursue potential off-take partners, fees and for general working capital. While the Company intends to spend the net proceeds from the Offering as stated above, there may be circumstances where, for sound business reasons, funds may be reallocated at the discretion of the Board.

The closing of the Offering is expected to occur on or about October 30, 2019. Closing is subject to a number of prescribed conditions, including, without limitations, approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. All the securities issued under the Offering are subject to resale restrictions under applicable securities legislation.

Offering Jurisdictions

The Offering will take place by way of a brokered private placement to qualified investors in such provinces of Canada as the Agent may designate, and otherwise in those jurisdictions where the Offering can lawfully be made under applicable exemptions.

Agent’s Compensation

On the Closing of the Offering, the Company has agreed to pay to the Agent, subject to certain exclusions, a commission equal to 8% of the gross proceeds arising from the Offering. At the closing of the Offering, the Company will also issue to the Agent non-transferable warrants exercisable at any time up to 24 months from closing, to acquire common shares from treasury in an amount equal to 8% of the aggregate number of units and FT shares issued pursuant to the Offering.

The Company discloses that there are no material facts or material changes about the Company that has not been generally disclosed.

The Corporation does not expect to provide any offering materials to subscribers in connection with the Offering.

For more information on the Company, review the website at www.lomiko.com, contact A. Paul Gill at 604-729-5312 or email: [email protected].

On Behalf of the Board,
LOMIKO METALS INC.

A. Paul Gill,
Chief Executive Officer

ZEN Graphene Solutions $ZEN.ca – Signs Agreement with Chemisar Laboratories Inc. for Consulting and New Graphene Development Facility $LLG.ca $FMS.ca $NGC.ca $CVE.ca $DNI.ca

Posted by AGORACOM at 8:37 AM on Monday, September 16th, 2019

Thunder Bay, Ontario–(Newsfile Corp. – September 16, 2019) – ZEN Graphene Solutions Ltd. (TSXV: ZEN) (“ZEN” or the “Company“)  is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement with Chemisar Laboratories Inc. (“Chemisar”) to provide various consulting services which will include the use of 2,300 square feet of office and laboratory space in Guelph, Ontario commencing on October 1, 2019. This office will become the company’s new graphene research and development centre which will include a small-scale graphene processing and production facility. Additional space is available in the building which will allow ZEN to grow as needed.

The new office and lab spaces are situated 66 km from Toronto Pearson International Airport and is centrally located to Toronto, Hamilton, Waterloo, London and multiple university partners. The office space is part of a larger 5,500 square foot well-equipped stand-alone technology centre which is situated on 1.15 acres. ZEN has access to a 2,000 square foot wet laboratory which has fume hoods, laboratory equipment and a large inventory of specialized glassware as well as other laboratory consumables plus a large inventory of chemical reagents. In the coming months, ZEN is aiming to setup small-scale graphite purification and graphene-related production facilities including Graphene Quantum Dots (GQD’s) and Graphene Oxide (GO). These products will be available for research and development, application development and for commercial use.

Dr. Francis Dubé commented: “This facility represents the next phase of development and scale up of our company. We now have the ability to actively collaborate with our research partners as we move toward commercial scale production. This will also allow ZEN to offer the highest value products for sale such as GQDs and GO as granted by the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines bulk sample permit.”

About Chemisar Laboratories Inc.

Chemisar and its related companies, Guelph Chemical Laboratories and Maxima Laboratories were founded by Dr. Raj N. Pandey. The main areas of research were in the Energy and Environmental fields while offering analytical laboratory services to both private enterprises and government agencies since 1978. The companies have been granted 30 various patents from their research. They also have significant experience with NRCAN, NRC, International Trade, the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy along with the Government and various businesses in India.

About ZEN Graphene Solutions Ltd.

ZEN Graphene Solutions Ltd. is an emerging graphene technology company with a focus on development of the unique Albany Graphite Project. This precursor graphene material provides the company with a competitive advantage in the potential graphene market as independent labs in Japan, UK, Israel, USA and Canada have demonstrated that ZEN’s Albany Graphite/Naturally PureTM easily converts (exfoliates) to graphene, using a variety of simple mechanical and chemical methods.

For further information:

Francis Dubé, Chief Executive Officer
Tel: +1 (289) 821-2820
Email: [email protected]

To find out more on ZEN Graphene Solutions Ltd., please visit our website at www.ZENGraphene.com. A copy of this news release and all material documents in respect of the Company may be obtained on ZEN’s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.ca.

What Drives the Engagement Factor in #Edtech? betterU Education $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 3:46 PM on Friday, September 13th, 2019

SPONSOR:  Betteru Education Corp. The Only Education Marketplace In India Serving 1.3 Billion Potential Customers Click here for more information.

What Drives the Engagement Factor in Edtech?
  • Many edtech developers say that their products foster student engagement
  • Research supports the fact that many digital edtech products have the ‘new and shiny factor’—they boost student engagement by virtue of their novelty

By Henry Kronk

Many edtech developers say that their products foster student engagement. Research supports the fact that many digital edtech products have the ‘new and shiny factor’—they boost student engagement by virtue of their novelty. Others, meanwhile, aren’t flashy, but still promote engagement through their own unique functions and mechanisms. A white paper put out today by the L.A.-based edtech developer GoGuardian investigates student engagement in the classroom, what allows for it, what enhances it, and how it fits into current industry trends.

The first issue with studying engagement is that no one can say exactly what it is. GoGuardian researchers Mariana Aguilar and Kayla Sheldon write that, while there is no set definition, even among academic circles, “it is widely agreed that engagement is a metaconcept composed of multiple dimensions.”

Engagement Isn’t Easy to Define

To conduct their research, the authors reached 359 stakeholders—about 310 of whom were students—across K-12 levels at 19 districts in seven different states (Florida, California, New York, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Washington). These districts were identified because they were existing GoGuardian customers, and that represents a potential limitation of the study. Besides students, the rest of the respondents were teachers, school leaders, and IT admins.

The authors took a qualitative approach to their research. They collected information via focus groups, interviews, and classroom observation. From these, they identified 43 different thematic elements that fall within four aspects of a conceptual framework surrounding engagement: 1) “contextual variables affecting engagement,” 2) “qualities of an engaging learning experience,” 3) “industry trends,” and 4) “indicators of engagement.”

To broadly summarize their findings, the authors found that, to boost engagement, both teachers and the edtech tools they use need to meet students where they are, and not the other way around.

In Edtech, ‘There Is No Silver Bullet’

The authors repeat the conclusion that many have come to before them: there is no silver bullet in edtech. In other words, there is no edtech solution or intervention that can effectively help all the students, all the time.

The authors identified numerous instances in which teachers created a more engaging learning experience with analogue technology compared to when digital entered the mix. For example, they sat in on one math class where the teacher got things started by asking students to do a short period of independent work on their Chromebooks at the beginning of class.

By contrast, as the authors describe a 10th grade history class, “in which students were instructed to work in groups to research the historic relationship between nationalism and violence in a given country and to collaboratively present their findings and perspective in a presentation. While both of these examples demonstrate the use of education technology, the methods of implementation resulted in significantly different levels of cognitive effort required from the students. These examples illustrate the importance of how the technology is used and its impact on student learning.”

‘Personalizing’ Learning

There’s a much-repeated term that describes conforming to students’ needs: personalized learning. While many edtech products seek to personalize learning, effective teachers who boost engagement also do it on their own. Other qualities of engagement identified by the authors include: positive emotional experiences, interactivity and gamification, the social aspect of learning, and validation from teachers and peers.

Another quality they pointed out was blended learning. “[W]e noted that many of the digital learning experiences were supplemented by the offline processing of information,” the authors write. “For example, when observing students complete math problems on a web application, the majority of students were entering the answers on the computer while solving the problems in a notebook. A few of the students were even counting on their fingers! Enabling students to process offline was also observed as a technique for fueling stronger engagement.”

While edtech works with various effectiveness to promote these variables and qualities of engagement, stakeholders also described a few challenges when putting them to use.

Most stakeholders realize the benefits of creating consistency with the edtech used in a given school, but in most, the products and tools used vary widely.

The Struggle to Streamline

As one IT Admin said, “It has been like the wild west at times. They [teachers] are buying different products. One might buy this program and the other buys that one, and there’s been some slipping through some cracks.”

There’s also a huge discrepancy among teachers regarding digital literacy. That impacts both the tools that can be put to use, along with the data that can be collected about how well they work.

One leader said, “We have some teachers that are using technology and others not that much. But when it comes to tracking that piece of information—that becomes part of the problem. Some may be using the technology more than others.”

While edtech works with different degrees of effectiveness, most were adamant about one fact: “Technology will never be able to replace a teacher.”

“This comment came up again and again by both school leaders and teachers,” the authors write, “and it reflects a level of apprehension about the role of education technology. One middle school leader shared, “The teacher still plays a crucial role. We’ve seen those extremes. Neither are good. The successful classrooms are just the right balance. The digital platform should be a tool rather than the teacher.”

Source: https://news.elearninginside.com/what-drives-the-engagement-factor-in-edtech/

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Facebook’s Crypto Launching in H2 2020, Says Libra Association Chief

By William Suberg

The head of the nonprofit organization behind Facebook’s Libra digital currency has said the company is committed to launching it and clearing regulatory hurdles.

Perez: “We don’t want to be like BlackRock”

In an interview with French news magazine Les Echos on Sept. 12, Bertrand Perez, director general of the Libra Association, said the token should appear in the second half of 2020. 

The comments came the day France’s economy and finance minister said the country would refuse to allow Libra to operate within its borders. 

As Cointelegraph reported, concerns over financial stability fuelled the resentment, with Bruno Le Maire appearing to wish to shape a hostile European Union policy towards Libra. 

According to Perez, however, Facebook does not wish to create new supplies of money via the token. He drew comparisons to BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, saying the social media giant did not want to compete in that market.

“We don’t want to become a new BlackRock,” he told Les Echos, continuing:

“That’s why these concerns about the destabilizing effect our reserve currency could have on central banks’ fiat currencies — which figure in our basket — seem unfounded to us.”

Facebook will resolve gov’t worries 

Perez likewise confirmed Libra, upon launch, would be tied to a selection of major world currencies, but notably not the Chinese yuan

As Cointelegraph previously noted, Beijing is putting the finishing touches to its own digital currency, with central bank officials already voicing direct worries of their own about Libra’s backing. 

Nonetheless, Perez is confident that all the regulatory difficulties could be solved by the launch. 

“The year we’ve taken prior to release will allow us to iron out all the problems,” he added. 

France meanwhile has pledged not to tax crypto-to-crypto transactions, highlighting its potentially permissive stance towards the phenomenon.

Source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/facebooks-crypto-launching-in-h2-2020-says-libra-association-chief