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North Bud Farms Inc. $NBUD.ca – Study Says Canadian Cannabis Market Could Reach $5.2B By 2024: 4 Provinces To Watch $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $TRST.ca $OGI.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 5:13 PM on Tuesday, April 9th, 2019

SPONSOR: North Bud Farms Inc. (NBUD:CSE) Sustainable low cost, high quality cannabinoid production and procurement focusing on both bio-pharmaceutical development and Cannabinoid Infused Products. Click Here For More Information

NBUD: CSE

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Study Says Canadian Cannabis Market Could Reach $5.2B By 2024: 4 Provinces To Watch


Alex Oleinic , Benzinga Staff Writer  


  • In 2018, legal cannabis spending grew by 65 percent to $569 million.
  • Through legalizing adult-use cannabis, Canada created a market that covers nearly 30 million consumers.

On Oct. 17, 2018, Canada made history by becoming the first G7 country and the second country overall to legalize adult-use cannabis.

Yet the rollout of legal Canadian cannabis was fraught with shortages, a limited retail presence and poor product selection. 

In 2018, legal cannabis spending grew by 65 percent to $569 million. In the last two and a half months of 2018, adult-use sales reached $112.5 million, falling short of estimates.

Canadian spending on medical marijuana alone in 2017 grew by 84 percent to $330 million.

In a fairly short period of time, Canada has become the home to cannabis companies like Aurora Cannabis Inc. ACB 2.38%, Canopy Growth Corp CGC 2.17%, Tilray Inc. TLRY 0.56%, Cronos Group, Inc. CRON 0.8% that have risen to become the largest cannabis companies in capitalization terms. 

These firms are expanding their presence not just in Canada, but in other countries, either through exports or by establishing full-scale cultivation and distribution operations. No matter what occurs in the Canadian cannabis market, these companies have already established themselves as global leaders.

Provincial Rules, Regulations Are Key 

Through legalizing adult-use cannabis, Canada created a market that covers nearly 30 million consumers.

Shortages weren’t completely unexpected, given that the medical market had only included around 360,000 people.

The Canadian government allowed provinces to figure out how to deal with the legalization and consumption of cannabis.

Stricter rules in some provinces mean that overall cannabis spending might be affected, with more consumers continuing to access the illicit market and its lower prices.  

In a new report, Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics project the legal cannabis market in Canada could reach $5.2 billion by 2024, with the bulk of the figure representing adult-use sales ($4.8 billion).

Arcview and BDS Analytics issued a province-by-province breakdown, to show that not only the role the population plays in the cannabis market’s size, but how regulations and the environment created by local government should also be taken into account.

Four Key Provinces

Arcview and BDS identified four main provinces that they project will dominate the market in spending in 2024: Ontario, Alberta, Quebec and British Columbia. These provinces will account for 85 percent of the market by 2024 versus around 82 percent in 2018, according to the report.

While Ontario is the largest market due to its high population and favorable business environment, Alberta is the second-largest, despite having the lowest population of the four provinces, the research firms said. 

Quebec is the second-largest province in terms of population, but ranks fourth in terms of market share. This figure is not only due to regulations, but also due to very low number of consumers.

Let’s take a closer look at how the cannabis market is projected to develop in each of these four provinces and the main factors affecting that growth. 

Ontario

Ontario is Canada’s most populous province, with 14.4 million people. At the same time, 26 percent of the population identifies themselves as cannabis consumers and 31 percent as acceptors, or people who would consider consuming in the future, according to BDS Analytics’ Consumer Insights. The Ontario cannabis market is expected to exceed $2 billion, with adult-use consumption accounting for $1.8 billion.

The province also has some of the more permissive rules regarding cannabis consumption. Smoking and vaping is allowed in public areas like parks and at designated rooms at hotels, motels and inns. Other than those provisions, public use is regulated in the same way as tobacco.

Another major factor that will help Ontario’s cannabis market growth: changes at the retail level. The government-run Ontario Cannabis Store is being replaced with private retailers, and officials have not set a cap on licenses, although they estimate between 500 and 1,000 locations will eventually open across the province.

Alberta

Alberta is Canada’s fourth-most populous province, with around 4.3 million people in 2018. Since legalization and through the end of 2018, the province registered 28 percent of the total cannabis sales in the country.

The province has a higher-than-average number of consumers (27 percent) and acceptors (32 percent), BDS and Arcview said.

In Alberta, adult-use cannabis is available to people above 18 years of age versus 19 years in Ontario and British Columbia.

The main factor helping Alberta’s cannabis market is the favorable business environment. Following legalization, regulators in Alberta quickly allowed private retailers to enter the market. Two hundred adult-use stores are expected in Alberta, compared to an average of 50 stores in other provinces.

Quebec

Quebec is expected to represent less than 14 percent of the Canadian cannabis market in 2024.

Even though it’s the second-largest province in terms of population, only 20 percent of residents are consumers and it is home to just 3 percent of registered medical patients. Quebec is reportedly considering raising the legal age of consumption fro 18 to 21. Total cannabis spending is expected to reach $704 million in 2024.

Quebec has stricter distribution regulations. Retail is conducted through Société Québécoise du cannabis, which initially opened just 12 stores and doesn’t conduct any advertising. To deal with shortages, SQDC limited the days of operation to Thursday through Saturday, although online sales remain open at all times.

British Columbia

Even though its population is much smaller than Quebec’s  —5 million vs. 8.3 million — British Columbia is projected to amass 14% of total Canadian cannabis spending in 2024, slightly more than in Quebec. Legal sales are expected to reach $722 million by 2024.

Retail sales in British Columbia are conducted both through province-run and private stores. Earlier this year, the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch, which is the sole wholesale distributor of non-medical cannabis, partnered with 31 large licensed producers, including Canopy Growth, which operates the largest cannabis greenhouse in the world in the province.

What To Keep In Mind

While provincial regulations may slow down cannabis market growth in Canada, it’s still poised to grow at at an impressive rate, as more products become available sometime later this year and more retailers are allowed to set up locations across provinces.

In the meantime, the legalization of adult-use cannabis in Canada and a regulatory system that gives some degree of leeway to provinces or even municipalities are providing a case study to the rest of the world to see which approaches work best at ensuring safety and quality — and which should be avoided.

Source: https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/19/04/13504767/study-says-canadian-cannabis-market-could-reach-5-2b-by-2024-4-provinces-to-watch

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Posted in All Recent Posts, North Bud Farms Inc | Comments Off on North Bud Farms Inc. $NBUD.ca – Study Says Canadian Cannabis Market Could Reach $5.2B By 2024: 4 Provinces To Watch $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $TRST.ca $OGI.ca

PyroGenesis’ $PYR.ca DROSRITE™ System Independently Validated by A World Leading Primary Aluminum Smelter $LMT $RTN $NOC $UTX $HPQ.ca $DDD.ca $SSYS $PRLB

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:55 AM on Tuesday, April 9th, 2019
  • Announced today that its DROSRITE™ System has been validated by a world leading primary aluminum smelter as part of the process towards adopting the technology for use
  • After a preliminary due diligence of a system in operation at one of PyroGenesis’ client’s facility, a process analysis was performed to validate its viability.

MONTREAL, April 09, 2019  — PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX-V: PYR) (OTCQB: PYRNF) (FRA: 8PY), a TSX Venture 50® high-tech company, (the “Company”, the “Corporation” or “PyroGenesis”) that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch  products, announced today that its DROSRITE™ System has been validated by a world leading primary aluminum smelter (the “Smelter”) as part of the process towards adopting the technology for use. After a preliminary due diligence of a system in operation at one of PyroGenesis’ client’s facility, a process analysis was performed to validate its viability.

PyroGenesis’ DROSRITE™ system is a proven, salt-free, cost-effective, sustainable process for maximizing metal recovery from dross, a waste generated in the metallurgical industry. PyroGenesis’ patented process avoids costly loss of metal, while reducing a smelter’s carbon footprint and energy consumption, thus providing a high return on investment. The system has been designed to process and recover valuable metals such as aluminum, zinc and copper from dross. PyroGenesis sells DROSRITE™ systems, and provides tolling services worldwide. A tolling service arrangement is one in which a smelter provides dross to a third party to be processed for a fee either on or off site.

PROCESS VALIDATION BY A WORLD LEADING PRIMARY ALUMINUM SMELTER

“The Smelter is one of the most well respected and competitive primary aluminum smelters in the world to which other smelters in the industry look to for guidance. This report is the most significant development since receiving the first DROSRITE™ sale,” said Mr. David D’Aoust, Sales Manager – DROSRITE™ of PyroGenesis. “The report effectively confirms the capabilities of the DROSRITE™ system which we have been advertising and, in part, mitigates the normal concerns a new technology has when penetrating a marketplace.”

ACCELERATING DROSRITE™ SYSTEM’S MARKET PENETRATION

“This is a very important development for PyroGenesis’ DROSRITE™ system as it is timely in that our business development team and Japanese partner continue to advance DROSRITE™ opportunities with some of the largest primary aluminum smelters around the world,” commented Mr. P. Peter Pascali, President and CEO of PyroGenesis. “Seen as a leader amongst leaders, this Smelter is looked upon as an example to follow within the industry. The Smelter continuously demonstrates its commitment to be more sustainable and responsible in its own operations and DROSRITE™, being a salt-free and environmentally-friendly process, integrates itself well with the Smelter’s environmental objectives.”

About PyroGenesis Canada Inc.

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.

SOURCE PyroGenesis Canada Inc.

For further information please contact: Clémence Bertrand-Bourlaud, Marketing Manager/Investor Relations, Phone: (514) 937-0002, E-mail: [email protected]  

RELATED LINKS: http://www.pyrogenesis.com/

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Posted in All Recent Posts, PyroGenesis Canada Inc. | Comments Off on PyroGenesis’ $PYR.ca DROSRITE™ System Independently Validated by A World Leading Primary Aluminum Smelter $LMT $RTN $NOC $UTX $HPQ.ca $DDD.ca $SSYS $PRLB

Enthusiast Gaming $EGLX.ca Acquires Significant Interest in Waveform Entertainment, a Leading Esports Operator and Tournament Producer $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $WINR $TCEHF $ATVI $TNA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 9:32 AM on Tuesday, April 9th, 2019
  • Producers of major esports events in Canada including Dreamhack, GOML, Cineplex, CNE, WESG (EGLX)
  • Partners with major brands and sponsors including Ubisoft, NXNE, AMD, CSL
  • Strategic partnership expands Enthusiast’s client services to include experiential advertising, esports tournaments, and broadcast and production capabilities

TORONTO, April 09, 2019 — Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSXV: EGLX) (OTCQB: EGHIF) (“Enthusiast” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, signed a definitive agreement to purchase 20% of the issued and outstanding shares (“Purchased Shares”) in Waveform Entertainment Inc. (“Waveform”) for an aggregate consideration of $1,680,000 (the “Subscription Price”). Waveform is a leading esports broadcast and production company specializing in the organization of premium esports tournaments world-wide. Enthusiast has also secured an irrevocable option, at its sole discretion, to acquire a 100% interest in Waveform. (the “Buy-Out Option”).

While Waveform was established in 2018, its team has been on the leading edge of esports event production and broadcast for several years, servicing some of the world’s most prestigious esports tournaments and events including Dreamhack, Cineplex WorldGaming, and Enthusiast owned, EGLX.

“Investing in Waveform will contribute greatly to the expansion of EGLX and our events business. Waveform’s infrastructure and expertise are key for the roll out of the Rising Star Series and upcoming esports tournaments at EGLX in the future,” commented Menashe Kestenbaum, CEO of Enthusiast. “We were very impressed by the organization of our esports tournaments at EGLX in October 2018 and we see significant growth potential as esports continue to soar.”

Waveform was responsible for the broadcast, production and execution of Canada’s largest esports tournament, WESG Canadian Finals at EGLX in October 2018. Enthusiast will continue to partner with Waveform as EGLX executes on its North American expansion plan and introduces the Rising Stars Series this summer.  Waveform will provide the infrastructure, broadcast and event support to drive the expansion and continued growth of EGLX in 2020.

As esports continues to grow with $1.1bn in projected revenues in 2019,(1) large brands are entering the industry by sponsoring esports teams and championing their own activations.  Waveform has partnered with major brands including Evil Geniuses, Virtus Pro, Ubisoft, AMD, Asus, Team Liquid and more.  The investment into Waveform will help Enthusiast’s mission to reach gamers both online and offline. The Company will provide digital advertising and experiential marketing opportunities to major brands and publishers, increasing visibility and event attendance.  The partnership enables Enthusiast’s event business to increase its client services portfolio to include event production, broadcast, streaming services and creative experiential brand ambassadorship programs. In turn, the partnership also allows Enthusiast’s platform to promote Waveform’s business and portfolio of large brands and help them drive new partnerships moving forward.

Terms of Transaction

The Purchased Shares will be purchased pursuant to the terms of a share subscription agreement (the “Agreement”), among Waveform and a wholly owned subsidiary of Enthusiast created for the purpose of the transaction. Pursuant to the Agreement, Enthusiast agreed to purchase the Purchased Shares in three tranches: (i) on April 4, 2019, Enthusiast purchased 40.5% of the Purchased Shares for a portion of the Subscription Price, being $680,000.00; (ii) Enthusiast agreed to purchase, on or before (as decided by Enthusiast) October 4, 2019, 29.75% of the Purchased Shares for a portion of the Subscription Price, being $500,000.00; and (iii) Enthusiast agreed to purchase, on or before (as decided by Enthusiast) June 3, 2020, 29.75% of the Purchased Shares for a portion of the Subscription Price, being $500,000.00. On the date Waveform and Enthusiast entered into the Agreement, they also entered into a Shareholders’ Agreement for Waveform (the “Shareholders’ Agreement”). The aggregate purchase price for all Waveform’s shares, if the Buy-Out Option is exercised by Enthusiast shall be equal to the greater of: (i) four (4) times Waveform’s gross revenue (as defined in the Shareholders’ Agreement), multiplied by eighty percent (80%); or (ii) $7,680,000 (the “Option Purchase Price”). The Option Purchase Price will be subject to agreed adjustments.

The purchase of the Purchased Shares on the two remaining tranches, as well as the exercise of the Buy-Out Option (if exercised by Enthusiast) are subject to obtainment of all applicable regulatory approvals (including by the TSX Venture Exchange).

About Enthusiast Gaming

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 and over 50 million YouTube visitors. Enthusiast also owns and operates Canada’s largest gaming expo, Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo, EGLX, (eglx.ca) with over 55,000 people attending in 2018. For more information on the Company, visit www.enthusiastgaming.com.

(1) NewZoo: https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/newzoo-global-esports-economy-will-top-1-billion-for-the-first-time-in-2019 

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.

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CLIENT FEATURE: $LMR.ca Lomiko Reports Wide Intercepts of Graphite in Multiple Drill Holes at La Loutre High-Grade Refractory Zone $DNI.ca

Posted by AGORACOM at 8:20 AM on Tuesday, April 9th, 2019
https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.agoracom.com/public/companies/logos/564363/hub/lomikoLogo300x100_copy.gif
  • Completd a 21-hole diamond drilling program on the Refractory Zone of the La Loutre graphite property
  • Focus of the program was to expand a discovery announced March 7, 2017, and reviewed March 7, 2019 containing high grade intercepts of 7.74% Cg over 135.60 metres, including 16.81% Cgr over 44.10 metres from hole LL-16-001.
  • Two different intersections in hole LL-16-002 reporting 17.08% Cg over 22.30 metres and 14.80% Cg over 15.10 metres
http://blog.agoracom.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/image-2-600x435.png

FULL DISCLOSURE: LOMIKO Metals is an advertising client of AGORA Internet Relations Corp.

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Enthusiast Gaming $EGLX.ca – The State Of #Esports: Why Investors Should Pay Attention $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $WINR $TCEHF $ATVI $TNA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 4:00 PM on Monday, April 8th, 2019

SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 80 owned and affiliated websites, currently reaching over 75 million monthly visitors. The company partial 2018 reported revenue of $7.4 million representing a 625% increase over the same period in 2017.

Images
EGLX: TSX-V
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The State Of eSports: Why Investors Should Pay Attention


  • Forget marijuana stocks and cryptocurrencies, one of the latest disruptive trends investors are looking to capitalize on in 2019 is professional video gaming.
  • “esports,” brings millions of spectators around the world together both online and on-location to watch competitive video gaming.
  • Now, 2019 is slated to be the first year the industry surpasses $1 billion in revenue, solidifying esports’ position as a serious contender on the world stage.

Luis Aureliano , Benzinga Contributor

Newzoo Global Esports Economy 2019

Market research firm Newzoo released its 2019 report on the global esports economy last month and projects revenue for the industry to reach $1.1 billion marking an impressive +26.7 percent growth year-on-year. Newzoo indicates the fastest growing revenue stream for the industry is the selling of media rights for viewing esports with an expected growth of 41.8 percent in 2019. 

Media Rights and Increased Viewership

When it comes to esports entertainment, popular streaming platform Twitch.tv, which was acquired by Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN 0.57% for $970 million in 2014, has been at the forefront. Earlier this year, Twitch and Activision Blizzard, Inc. ATVI 0.42% agreed on a two year, $90 million-minimum deal to grant the streaming platform broadcasting rights for one of Activision Blizzard’s most successful games and competition, the Overwatch League (OWL).

The expansion of media rights as a revenue stream fits with the explosive growth in viewership for esports as a whole. Compared to just years ago, viewership for esports has grown significantly, particularly for League of Legends, the most popular competitive game. During the 2018 Mid-Season Invitational, League of Legends attracted more than 60 million unique viewers. To put things into perspective, the most-watched NBA game since 1998 attracted roughly half that number in 2016 with a record 30.8 million viewers during game 7.

Number of Unique Viewers for Select Esports Competitions, Statista 

The Early Esports Advantage 

Perhaps the most attractive aspect of esports for investors isn’t just the size of the audiences but the state of the market. While esports has grown substantially since its inception, the industry is still mainly a nascent one. Consider Activision Blizzard’s Overwatch as an example again since the title was one of the first games launched with esports already in mind.

Since its launch in 2016, the company has franchised out geo-located teams for Season 1 of the OWL that began last year. Now, as Season 2 is underway, the league is beginning to look more like a traditional professional sport with teams like the “London Spitfire,” “LA Gladiators,” and many others spreading from New York all the way to China and South Korea. And yet, because the OWL is still so young, no teams have their own home arenas to play in as one would expect for a professional sports team — yet.

In Philadelphia, home to the OWL’s “Philadelphia Fusion,” Comcast Corporation CMCSA 0.41% is investing to build a $50 million esports-specific arena; the first in the league. Set to be placed directly in the center of the Philadelphia Sports Complex alongside the homes of the Eagles, Flyers, 76ers, and Phillies, the 60,000 square foot arena is expected to seat 3,500 spectators and include training and broadcasting facilities as well. 

Compared to the well-established world of professional sports, esports offers a unique opportunity for investors to still gain access during the industry’s infancy. 

Growing Pains 

Though esports has experienced impressive growth, that’s not to say it hasn’t come with some growing pains along the way. A major pain point is due to the decentralized nature of competitive play as the term “esports” encompasses a vast array of different game titles, playerbases, and various leagues. Because of the fractured nature of esports, it’s not uncommon for a title to have several unaffiliated leagues for professional players like Counter Strike:Global Offensive’s open circuit system.

However, there are efforts to reduce that confusion and forward the maturity of esports. After the success of the OWL, Activision Blizzard has hinted at the creation of a similar league for Call of Duty with geo-located franchised teams. Likewise, other actors are looking to meet the needs of standardization and legitimacy for esports as well. One of the largest platforms to-date with over a million users, DreamTeam, is creating standardization for professional players across many titles like League of Legends, CS:GO and Electronic Art’s EA 1.06% latest success, Apex Legends. The platform is aiming to bring players together with event organizers, team owners and sponsors to offer an all-in-one solution for professional gaming as a whole.

Amateur players can use the platform to create teams of their own to compete and work their way to the professional levels of play, drastically reducing the barrier to entry for many games. For some titles, that barrier to entry can be steep too. In the case of League of Legends, North American teams seeking a franchise spot had to pay a hefty $10 million fee — in Overwatch, that fee was $20 million per team and potentially doubling for expansion teams in the future. With a lower barrier to entry for players around the world and an easy-to-understand ecosystem, DreamTeam is working to bridge the gap for players forming a professional team.    

The Bottom Line 

With the advent of franchised teams, massive media rights deals and the attraction of big name sponsors like The Coca-Cola Co (NYSE: KO) and Red Bull, it’s clear that video games are no longer just a way for kids to kill time. Now, competitive gaming is one of the fastest growing industries and investors are quickly looking to get in. Whether buying a team of one’s own or investing in the endemic brands propelling esports forward, investors all over are recognizing the promising future of the industry. 

Image sourced from Pixabay

Source: https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/19/04/13488198/the-state-of-esports-why-investors-should-pay-attention

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North Bud Farms Inc. $NBUD.ca – #Cannabis Canada Daily: Pent-up demand leads to roaring start for Ontario #pot stores $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $TRST.ca $OGI.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:02 AM on Monday, April 8th, 2019

SPONSOR: North Bud Farms Inc. (NBUD:CSE) Sustainable low cost, high quality cannabinoid production and procurement focusing on both bio-pharmaceutical development and Cannabinoid Infused Products. Click Here For More Information

NBUD: CSE

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Cannabis Canada Daily: Pent-up demand leads to roaring start for Ontario pot stores

Ontario pot shops made an average of $50K in sales on the first day of business

Data from Cova Software, which provides point-of-sale services to seven of the 10 recreational cannabis stores in Ontario, reveal that legal cannabis shops in the province made an average of $50,913 of sales on opening day.

Source: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/marijuana/video/ontario-pot-shops-sold-an-average-of-50k-on-the-first-day-of-business~1652388

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BetterU Education Corp. $BTRU.ca – #EdTech platforms paving the way for quality #education in #India $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 10:04 AM on Monday, April 8th, 2019
SPONSOR:  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.
BTRU: TSX-V

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EdTech platforms paving the way for quality education in India

DECCAN CHRONICLE   EdTech platforms have reimagined the education landscape by making learning more student-centric and engaging.

  • EdTech platforms making learning interactive and accessible to all
  • EdTech platforms have reimagined the education landscape by making learning more student-centric and engaging.
  • 24×7 accessibility
  • Personalized approach

The advent of learning apps, video tutorials and peer-to-peer discussion portals has not only enabled students to take ownership of their learning, but also bolster their critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.

Up until the 2000s, a standard classroom in India included two common components – the teacher giving lectures standing in front of the blackboard and students passively listening while taking down notes. This rigid pedagogical approach was followed for decades, leaving little to no scope for interactive learning. India’s dated education system, however, has undergone major transformations in the past few years. With educators and policymakers finally realizing the importance of digital learning, top educational institutes across the country are now turning to EdTech platforms. According to a 2016 report by Google and KPMG, the EdTech industry in India is expected to touch almost  USD 2 billion by 2021. The report further stated that the growth will be impelled by the rising number of paid users subscribed to the e-learning portals. The findings clearly indicate that a shift is taking place; students are opting for internet-based smart learning over classroom-confined learning. For instance, personalized learning app Toppr has achieved a seven-fold increase in its user-base within two years.

EdTech platforms making learning interactive and accessible to all

EdTech platforms have reimagined the education landscape by making learning more student-centric and engaging. The advent of learning apps, video tutorials and peer-to-peer discussion portals has not only enabled students to take ownership of their learning, but also bolster their critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. This explains why both they have embraced tech-enabled learning tools with open arms to acquire additional knowledge outside the classroom.

24×7 accessibility

While multiple factors have contributed to the EdTech boom in India, accessibility is the primary reason why digital learning is becoming commonplace. Thanks to the increased usage of smartphones and the internet, students can get 24×7 access to study materials, notes and qualified mentors from the comfort of their homes. Moreover, EdTech platforms also allow them to attend live lectures. This feature can be particularly beneficial for those unable to attend the class in person. Needless to say, the round-the-clock accessibility has helped thousands of Indian students who often find it futile to ask questions inside their overcrowded classrooms.

Breaking geographical barriers

The scope for higher education is limited in small towns and rural parts of India. Especially, the public education sector is not well-equipped to support high-potential and ambitious students. To address this issue, EdTech companies have come forward with their extensive offerings that range from free online classes to proper guidance. In fact, there are many e-learning portals that allow students to take mock tests and self-assess themselves.

Personalized approach

Back in the 90s, most educational institutes followed the one-size-fits-all, rote-based method of learning. While it may have been effective at that time, the requirements have changed. Today, a learner-centric pedagogy that focuses on the individual’s strengths and weaknesses is the need of the hour. Given the pressing issues like skills-gap and low-employability rate in India, a personalized learning approach can help students gain a better understanding of a subject. New-age EdTech platforms incorporate advanced algorithms to a student’s behaviour and then suggest questions appropriate for their level, slowly raising the difficulty until they meet their learning goals. This, in turn, enhances the overall learning experience as well the performance of students.

Audio-visual learning

Numerous studies have shown that audio-visual learning facilitates improved understanding and higher retention of facts. 88 per cent of parents and 84 per cent of teachers seek digital, video-based content to supplement what is being taught inside classrooms, as per a Digital Education Survey conducted by Deloitte in 2016. Students, too, are relying on EdTech platforms to get access to video-based learning modules to clear their concepts.

EdTech platforms have undeniably changed the face of India’s education sector. These changes have worked in favour of students who now have the liberty to learn at their own pace, self-evaluate and introspect.

Source: https://www.deccanchronicle.com/technology/in-other-news/080419/edtech-platforms-paving-the-way-for-quality-education-in-india.html

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ThreeD Capital Inc. $IDK.ca – Societe Generale-Owned Bank Launches #Blockchain Exchange Note $HIVE.ca $BLOC.ca $CODE.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 9:45 AM on Monday, April 8th, 2019

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Societe Generale-Owned Bank Launches Blockchain Exchange Note

  • Kleinwort Hambros, a Societe Generale-owned private bank and wealth manager, has launched an actively managed exchange-traded note (ETN) targeting the blockchain sector.
  • The London-based bank announced the news on Monday, saying its Luxembourg-listed ETN will invest in companies that could “profit most” from the development and increasing uptake of blockchain technology.
  • ETNs are unsecured debt securities that, like exchange-traded funds (ETFs), are traded on a stock exchange.

Yogita Khatri

The blockchain note will initially have 20 stocks diversified across areas including technology, shipping, oil and gas, custody and industrials.

Kleinwort Hambros’ portfolio manager John Birdwood said:

“We have seen increasing interest from clients in the area of blockchain and we are very excited to be able to cater to this demand with the launch of our first blockchain note.”

The product will provide its clients with the “diversified exposure to the promising growth prospects blockchain technology offers, while maintaining the rigorous active management,” Birdwood added.

It’s worth noting that the ETN will be only available for Kleinwort Hambros’s existing and new clients, with a minimum investment of £1,000 ($1,305).

The centuries-old bank has assets under management of £14.2 billion ($18.52 billion) and over 900 employees as of last year, according to its own figures.

In similar news, investment management company Invesco and Elwood Asset Management jointly launched a blockchain exchange-traded fund (ETF) on the London Stock Exchange last month.

The crypto community’s ongoing wait for a bitcoin ETF, however, is still awaiting a decision from the Securities and Exchange Commission in the U.S. However, several exchange-traded products (ETPs) for bitcoin and other cryptos have gone live for trading in Europe.

Societe Generale image via Shutterstock

Source: https://www.coindesk.com/societe-generale-owned-bank-launches-blockchain-etn

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Good Life Networks $GOOD.ca – These are the 5 big trends that will shape the future of digital advertising #adtech according to Adobe $ADBE $TTD $RUBI $AT.ca $TRMR $FUEL

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 9:45 PM on Sunday, April 7th, 2019
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These are the 5 big trends that will shape the future of digital advertising, according to Adobe

  • A new report from Adobe looks at the history of digital advertising and where it’s headed.
  • Programmatic TV and new creative tools are two big areas of marketer interest, said Keith Eadie, VP and general manager of Adobe Advertising Cloud.
  • More ad-tech consolidation is on the way as brands seek to work with fewer than 10 vendors, he said.

By: Lauren Johnson

A quarter-century after Hotwired.com, a digital offshoot of Wired magazine, sold the first banner ad for AT&T, US digital ad spending has eclipsed traditional advertising and is expected to hit $129.34 billion in 2019, according to eMarketer.

A new report from Adobe chronicles the evolution of digital advertising, including big moves like Yahoo launching search ads in 1996 to Snap’s rollout of ads in 2016. The report also details advertisers’ shift from direct to programmatic buying.

Business Insider talked with Keith Eadie, VP and general manager of Adobe Advertising Cloud, about five big trends that Adobe sees shaping the future of digital advertising. Below are excerpts from the interview.

Read more: ‘We’re going to see continued consolidation’: Adobe’s $4.75 billion acquisition of Marketo could spur a takeover spree at Salesforce and Oracle

TV is the next battleground for programmatic advertising

Adobe is betting big on the future of video.

Today, most TV ads are not purchased through data-based deals but Eadie sees that changing as more companies like AT&T and Disney move into streaming TV services and content.

“You’re going to see a spectrum of packaging options put forth by the publisher,” Eadie said. “I don’t see a scale challenge in over-the-top — it’s a pretty big and rapidly growing pie.”

For its part, Adobe is focusing on building programmatic pipes for buyers to plan and measure addressable TV (which uses cable-box data to target ads), OTT and digital video. The company has partnerships with companies like NBCUniversal, Nielsen, Experian and Placed.

Ad-tech consolidation will continue — and brands are asking for it

Eadie joined Adobe through the acquisition of TubeMogul and said he expects more consolidation in ad tech, with eventually two or three companies emerging to compete with Facebook and Google.

Brands are pushing for some of that consolidation, who want to work with fewer than 10 companies, not hundreds, he said.

Some marketers have pushed back on the pitch by marketing clouds including Adobe of a one-stop shop for advertising and data because they are wary of getting locked into big deals, but Eadie said Adobe is well-positioned to work with big brands.

“Our approach is to be empower the digital transformation of the largest brands in the world,” he said. “We also approach it from the perspective that we’re building an open platform and our solutions will integrate with other technology if the marketer wants to do that.”

Ad fraud and viewability concerns are “teenager-like problems” for digital advertising

One area that is getting better is ad fraud and transparency, Eadie said.

Advertisers began grappling with tough problems like ad fraud, viewability and brand safety issues nearly 10 years ago. While advertising boycotts over brand-safety concerns on platforms like YouTube persist and bad actors continue to find new ways to siphon away ad dollars, Eadie said advertisers have made progress in tamping down areas of fraud like bots and malware that hijack ad networks and generate fake ad impressions.

Advertisers have also made headway in bringing transparency to ad-tech fees as more companies disclose their “tech tax” rates.

“We just have to be diligent and mindful about it, but we’re not spending an outsized amount of time on them as we used to be,” he said.

Marketers struggle to manage multiple channels

While technical issues in digital advertising are getting better, brands face new pressure to orchestrate marketing across multiple platforms.

Marketers are trying to sync up email, text messaging and website data to make ads more personalized. That requires brands to focus more on customer experiences and less on ad copy and messaging in specific campaigns. The challenge for CMOs is organizing teams accordingly, Eadie said.

Creative will become more important in digital

As the number of distribution platforms grows, brands increasingly are creating several versions of assets, like switching between horizontal web and email campaigns to vertical formats for Instagram and Snapchat.

Advertisers have tinkered with tactics like dynamic creative optimization that in theory can swap out ad copy, colors and click-through actions on the fly, but they struggle to do so, he said.

Adobe is tackling creative because it believes that digital advertisers haven’t focused on it as much as they should.

“If you don’t start with a channel that the ad is going to be delivered on and build a bespoke asset for that, you’re essentially wasting your money because the creative doesn’t match the format you want to utilize,” he said.

Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/adobe-5-big-predictions-for-digital-advertising-2019-3

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Enthusiast Gaming $EGLX.ca spectators offer investors an opportunity to capitalize on #Esports $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $WINR $TCEHF $ATVI $TNA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 9:15 PM on Sunday, April 7th, 2019
  • Ambitious approach to rounding up these audiences between owned and affiliated media, YouTube channels, and a convention that had over 55,000 people attending in 2018
  • A market leader in digital media for video gaming
  • Its platform represents more than 80 websites reaching 75 million monthly visitors, as well as 900 YouTube channels reaching 50 million additional monthly visitors.

By: Max Arnold | April 05, 2019

The video gaming industry’s media audience goes beyond just the players of video games; there is now a robust audience of non-player spectators as well. This considerably shifts the dynamics of media in the eSports space making it similar to the media ecosystems of traditional sports, and creating correspondingly profitable business opportunities.

Toronto-Based Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (“Enthusiast Gaming”) (TSXV: EGLX | OTCQB: EGHIF) has taken an ambitious approach to rounding up these audiences between owned and affiliated media, YouTube channels, and a convention that had over 55,000 people attending in 2018, making it one of the market leaders in digital media for video gaming. Its platform represents more than 80 websites reaching 75 million monthly visitors, as well as 900 YouTube channels reaching 50 million additional monthly visitors.

Strategically Partnering with and Acquiring Channels

Enthusiast Gaming has built a respectable portfolio of media assets through partnerships and acquisitions. At the beginning of 2019, Enthusiast Gaming announced a partnership with US-based Omnia Media Inc. (“Omnia”), to exclusively represent all of Omnia’s online gaming traffic in the United States, through Omnia’s multi-channel YouTube network which, across 900 channels, has 50 million monthly visitors and a base of more than 400 million subscribers.

In November 2018, Enthusiast Gaming acquired Operation Sports LLC (“Operation Sports”), which operates a leading web portal for eSports and video game content. Under Enthusiast Gaming’s ownership, the subscriber base of Operation Sports grew by more than 100,000 users, bringing the total subscriber base to over one million users as of March 20, 2019.

In-Person Engagement

Part of how Enthusiast Gaming has built its audience organically is by cultivating engagement through its flagship convention Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo (“EGLX”). Its first iteration in 2015 saw 1,700 attendees, growing to 12,000 attendees in 2017, followed by 24,000 attendees in March 2018, and 30,000 attendees in October 2018. EGLX is the largest gaming expo in Canada, and the event has sponsors that include Bell Canada, Nintendo, World Gaming, LG, and eBay. Enthusiast Gaming is contemplating expanding EGLX to other North American cities in light of significant growth in the video gaming sector.

Diversified Base of Revenues

Enthusiast Gaming generates earnings through a number of revenue categories. Video content attracts advertising payments, and EGLX produces revenue from show admissions, exhibitor booths, and show sponsors. Paid user subscriptions are another form of revenue for Enthusiast Gaming. For example, Enthusiast Gaming acquired The Sims Resource in January 2019, which generated approximately CAD $2.8 million in subscription payments in 2018, making up about 40% of its revenue.

Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. has a current market cap of CAD $57.60 million and commenced public trading on the TSX Venture through an IPO on October 4th, 2018 with a closing price of CAD $1.07. TSXV: EGLX closed April 4th 2019 at a price of CAD $1.25, up 16.82% since inception.

Source: https://investorintel.com/sectors/technology/technology-intel/enthusiast-gaming-continues-to-accumulate-esports-viewers/

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