Agoracom Blog

Can #Edtech Replace Classroom Learning In Times Of The #Coronavirus Pandemic? – SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp. $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 3:30 PM on Monday, June 8th, 2020

SPONSOR:  BetterU Education Corp. aims to provide access to quality education from around the world. The company plans to bridge the prevailing gap in the education and job industry and enhance the lives of its prospective learners by developing an integrated ecosystem. betterU / Ottolearn launch FREE COVID-19 mobile resource toolkit to fight the global crisis – Click here for more information.

Can Edtech Replace Classroom Learning In Times Of The Coronavirus Pandemic?

  • Edtech has definitely proven to be a saviour for students in these tough times
  • Elearning can provide itself as a comparable supplement to face-to-face classes in current times

By: Akhil Shahani

With schools and colleges shutting down due to the Covid-19 led lockdown, teachers and parents are worried about academics and loss of time in terms of learning that students will face. This may be the biggest disruption that education has ever witnessed where leading educational institutes are adapting newer technologies to facilitate learning.

Edtech – A Boon For Education

Edtech has definitely proven to be a saviour for students in these tough times. Any student who has access to a smartphone and a broadband connection can acquire a vast amount of content available online.

There are many free and paid online education resources and videos available that are easily accessible on sites such as Youtube. Additionally, advanced courses can be accessed from MOOC websites and platforms that are now making its courses free for students. The Indian government’s initiative Swayam, also offers free courses on its platform.

Hurdles To Democratising Education

However, in a country like India, replacing classroom learning with online education may prove to be more difficult than it sounds. The adoption of online learning is riddled with major hindrances. The first and foremost is the lack of good internet connectivity in India’s hinterlands, making it difficult for the lesser privileged rural population to access online education.

Students in these areas can access education videos via DVDs or pen drives; however, that depends on whether these children have access to tools such as smartphones, computers and players that are required to make these resources work, and a reliable electricity connection.

Another impediment is that a majority of online education is available in the English language, which only 10% of India’s population understand. It is imperative to have more educational content available in vernacular languages.

From a hiring and employment perspective, online degrees may not be beneficial to students as many employers do not consider online degrees credible for entry-level job hiring. Students still need to go to colleges with physical classrooms to be taken seriously by recruiters.

Government As A Stakeholder

The government can help overcome these hindrances and promote online education through various initiatives. In addition to the Swayam portal mentioned earlier, it can fund the development of online vernacular courses from school to college levels.

Ensuring the availability of a good internet connection and laptops for every government school will provide every student with an equal chance to avail quality education. This can also be done for budget private schools.

Private-public partnerships can also help in creating the infrastructure and services required to democratise education further. The government can publicise the use of online education to many of those that might be unaware that these resources exist.

The various tools used in online education such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented reality, virtual reality and gamification can help enhance the learning experience and have emerged as a boon for educators and students alike. The use of these innovations cannot be ignored, and educational institutions must inculcate the same in its curriculum moving forward for the benefit of its students.

However, despite the innovations currently witnessed in the edtech space, nothing beats the benefits a child gets from attending a regular school classroom.  The development of social skills takes place via interactions with their classmates and teachers.

Also, their facial expressions and tone of voice while responding to questions, allows an empathetic teacher to understand their learning needs better. Elearning can provide itself as a comparable supplement to face-to-face classes in current times, but cannot replace physical classrooms as a long term solution. The only way forward is an amalgamation of the two modules, a blend that combines the best of both worlds to propel education in the right direction.

Source: https://inc42.com/resources/can-edtech-replace-classroom-learning-in-times-of-pandemic/

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#Esports will take over from traditional #sports as No. 1 user acquisition channel for #gambling companies – SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment Group $GMBL $DKNG $PENN $GAN $ESPO

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:47 PM on Monday, June 8th, 2020

SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment Group (GMBL:NASDAQ) – Millions of people from around the world tune in to watch teams of video game players compete with each other. In first quarter 2020, YouTube reported 1.1 billion hours watched, an increase of 13% when compared to fourth quarter 2019. Wagering on Esports is projected to hit $23 BILLION this year although that number will likely be eclipsed due to the recent pandemic. Esports Entertainment Group is the next generation online gambling company designed for the purpose of facilitating as much of this wagering as possible.  LEARN MORE.

Esports will take over from traditional sports as No. 1 user acquisition channel for gambling companies

By: Quentin Martin

– As Luckbox is preparing to become the second public-listed esports betting company, Martin told Yogonet major gambling companies need esports bettors so they can acquire the younger generations

-The firm is planning some acquisitions related to odds creation, and it is working on B2B deals expected to be announced in the next three to six months.

With almost all traditional sporting events interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and land-based casinos forced to shut down for months in several jurisdictions worldwide, the esports industry emerged as one the few sectors to thrive, as it is able to continue online. Esports betting platform Luckbox, for instance, said last month that their total bets were up 500% since lockdown started.

Quentin Martin is the CEO at Luckbox, which is preparing to go public on the TSX Venture Exchange, a stock exchange in Canada, after signing a letter of intent with capital pool company Elephant Hill. Martin has also held different management positions at The Stars Group for over 8 years.

“There are more people at home, playing games again, using games to reconnect with their friends,” he told Yogonet in a video interview. He said one of the big trends in that sense is the rise of FIFA and NBA2K, which made up less than 1% of the betting volume before the crisis, and now represent between 10 and 20% depending on the operator. He believes this comes from traditional sports bettors, as they immigrate across games they recognize easier to bet on. After the crisis, he says those games could decrease a little bit, but the rest will stay flat and continue to grow according to the pre-pandemic rate. 

Watch the full interview with Luckbox CEO Quentin Martin:

Regarding the esports gaming integrity issues, Martin thinks this has always been overinflated in the esports space because it is new. However, he acknowledges that during the pandemic, with the tournaments being held mostly online rather than at LANs and large arenas, there could be a slight increase in the risk of integrity issues.

As for the key reasons to go public and become the second public-listed esports betting company, he said they want to do some acquisitions, and as odds creation is the only segment Luckbox doesn’t do in-house right now, they are in talks and hope to make some announcement in the next three or six months in that sense. 

Martin underlined the technology challenges major gambling companies face and he said they need esports bettors so they can acquire the younger generations. In that sense, he hopes to announce a B2B deal in the next three or six months, “not many, maybe two or three, with some of the largest players in the gambling space to become their bespoke partners on deep integrations, and we’ll grow from there.”

Martin also shared what he believes will be the biggest trend in the coming years: “Esports will take over from traditional sports. It certainly will with regards to user acquisition, for traditional gambling companies, it’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when,” Martin said. He believes esports will become the number one user acquisition channel somewhere in the next five to ten years, “probably nearer to five.”

Source: https://www.yogonet.com/international/noticias/2020/06/08/53484-esports-will-take-over-from-traditional-sports-as-no-1-user-acquisition-channel-for-gambling-companies

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#Coronavirus Pandemic Brings New Use Cases for Augmented Reality #AR – SPONSOR: Imagine AR $IP.ca $SEV.ca $VST.ca $YDX.ca $NTAR.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:21 PM on Monday, June 8th, 2020

SPONSOR: Imagine AR Inc. (IP:CSE) (IPNFF:OTCQB) is an Augmented Reality platform that allows businesses to easily launch AR campaigns. Clients Include: NBA Sacramento Kings, Mall of America, AT&T Shape and The Basketball Hall of Fame. The company recently announced partnership with Engaged Nation, an award winning leader in digital engagement marketing for casinos Learn More.

http://www.smallcapepicenter.com/imagine%20ar%20squre.jpg

Coronavirus Pandemic Brings New Use Cases for Augmented Reality

An Israeli medical center is using Microsoft HoloLens wearable technology to help teach health-care workers how to operate ventilators

By: Sara Castellanos

Sheba Medical Center in Israel and broadband provider Cox Communications Inc. are among several organizations that have found new uses for augmented reality during the coronavirus pandemic, and they plan to continue using the data-visualization technology beyond the crisis.

“It’s a revolutionary tool,” said Amitai Ziv, director of Sheba Medical Center’s Rehabilitation Hospital and founder of MSR – The Israel Center for Medical Simulation. “We believe we can do a lot with it.”

Augmented reality superimposes digital content, such as 3-D images or visual instructions, onto a user’s view of the real world. This can be done through mobile devices and wearable headsets such as Microsoft Corp. ’s HoloLens.

Companies for several years have been experimenting with early versions of the technology to design objects such as automobiles and to receive step-by-step manufacturing instructions. The pandemic has increased those use cases to include remote assistance and training because employees and customers are less willing to be in close contact, said J.P. Gownder, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester Research Inc.

Since March, Sheba Medical Center has used five HoloLens 2 headsets to train about 60 physicians, biomedical engineers and nurses on how to operate ventilators for Covid-19 patients, said Ravid Segal, chief technology officer of the MSR – The Israel Center for Medical Simulation, located at Sheba Medical Center. The HoloLens headset uses computer processing and optical projection systems to create digital hologram-like objects that users can see and interact with in their real environment.

In the Sheba Medical Center scenario, medical workers wearing the headset can see a hologram-like rendering of a ventilator superimposed on their real-world view. The headset includes built-in instructions that guide the worker through the process of operating the physical ventilator in front of them. The headset can also be used as a way for doctors in other parts of the hospital to give remote assistance without needing to be physically present but still being able to see what is happening in a patient’s room. Users wearing the headset can connect to a real-time video feed of a doctor in a separate wing of the hospital, which is displayed to the user as a digital image floating in the real-world room. The doctor, using either a HoloLens headset or a mobile device, can also see what the user is seeing in real time.

Before the pandemic, the medical center had already planned to explore the use of augmented reality this year, said Eyal Zimlichman, chief innovation officer at Sheba Medical Center. “With Covid, it reinforced our decision [to use augmented reality] and the understanding that this is a critical tool in health care,” Dr. Zimlichman said.

Microsoft has seen a 13-fold increase in remote assistance usage on HoloLens 2 since January, largely because of social-distancing and lockdown requirements amid the pandemic, said Charlie Han, principal program manager for Microsoft HoloLens.

The number of U.S. employees expected to wear augmented and so-called mixed reality headsets is projected to reach 8.6 million by 2028, up from 25,000 in 2019, according to a November 2019 report by Forrester.

The research firm refers to the virtual overlay of hologram-like, interactive objects onto a user’s view of the real world as “mixed reality,” while the term “augmented reality” refers to static images superimposed onto a user’s view of the real world.

Enterprise adoption of the technology could accelerate in the coming years as companies realize the value of the technology, meaning the forecast could change, Forrester’s Mr. Gownder said. “We have seen a huge increase in enterprise interest in augmented and mixed reality during the pandemic,” he said in an email.

Broadband internet company Cox Communications in March rolled out augmented reality technology to its workforce of more than 5,000 people including home technicians and contractors. “It’s absolutely essential to how we’re operating,” said Len Barlik, chief operations officer. Customers who need help installing internet service, plugging in a modem or setting up WiFi and passwords receive an email or text message with a link to start a virtual call through a software program from Alabama-based technology company Help Lightning Inc.

When customers click on the link using a phone or tablet with a built-in camera, a technician can talk them through the set-up process while being able to see what the customer is seeing. The technician can “draw” a circle or arrow around a particular object, such as a cable, that the customer will be able to see.

Technicians normally have to go inside customers’ homes to perform such service or troubleshooting requests, but the pandemic and social-distancing requirements have prevented that from happening in various states, Mr. Barlik said.

Cox had explored the idea of using the technology in customer service experiments before this year, but the pandemic accelerated the use case for it, Mr. Barlik said.

The Help Lightning technology is currently available only for residential customers but will continue to be used after the pandemic subsides and could be expanded to business customers, he said. Servicing customers via augmented reality can save the company money and time that would otherwise be spent on driving from house to house, Mr. Barlik said. “We’ll definitely continue to utilize it,” he said.

Help Lightning saw 435% growth in customers using its technology to conduct thousands of calls related to remote assistance between February and April because of the pandemic, said Gary York, chief executive of the company.

Source: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-pandemic-brings-new-use-cases-for-augmented-reality-11590777284

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#PGM: #Platinum to rally in the near-term, #palladium stays range-bounded – SPONSOR: New Age Metals $NAM.ca $WG.ca $XTM.ca $WM.ca $PDL.ca $GLEN

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 1:07 PM on Monday, June 8th, 2020

SPONSOR: New Age Metals Inc. The company owns one of North America’s largest primary platinum group metals deposits in Sudbury, Canada. The company has an updated NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate of 2,867,000 PdEq Measured and Indicated Ounces, with an additional 1,059,000 PdEq Ounces Inferred. Learn More.

PGM: Platinum to rally in the near-term, palladium stays range-bounded

  • The combination of firming commodity and investment demand could create the set-up for a recovery in platinum prices, most notably in 2021
  • For palladium, spot prices will be supported as industrial demand recovers and the industry works through built-up inventories, amid a structural shortage which will remain in place for years to come

By FX Street

Strategists at TD Securities see room for platinum prices to rally in the near-term, before the market rebalances and contains prices while palladium is set to remain range-bound before the demand retrieves. 

Key quotes

“The combination of firming commodity and investment demand could create the set-up for a recovery in platinum prices, most notably in 2021. For palladium, spot prices will be supported as industrial demand recovers and the industry works through built-up inventories, amid a structural shortage which will remain in place for years to come.”

“The palladium market should benefit from shrinking lease rates as metal scarcity is temporarily shelved by collapsing demand. Notwithstanding, we expect palladium to remain in a structural shortage in the coming years, suggesting we may not have seen the end of sky-high lease rates.”

“We ultimately expect the unprecedented scale of central bank stimulus to drive a multi-year bull market in precious metals, as capital seeks to shelter itself from monetary inflation. As global economies recover from the pandemic, we expect investment demand to rebound and demand for industrial-precious metals, in particular, to rise substantially.”

Source: https://www.forexcrunch.com/pgm-platinum-to-rally-in-the-near-term-palladium-stays-range-bounded-tds/

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SOBR Safe Completes Asset Acquisition, Launches New Brand Name and Website $IMLED $SOBR

Posted by AGORACOM at 12:06 PM on Monday, June 8th, 2020
  • SOBR® Safe, Inc., a patented non-invasive alcohol detection system
  • Formerly TransBiotec, Inc., Transaction Effectively Launches New Public Company
  • In connection with the closing of the Transaction, the Company effected a 1-for-33.26 reverse stock split of its common stock.
  • SOBRSafe has been assigned a new ticker symbol (SOBR) and will trade under the new ticker symbol in approximately 20 trading days

BOULDER, Colo., June 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — SOBR® Safe, Inc. (IMLED) (“SOBR Safe” or the “Company”), developers of SOBR®Check, a patented non-invasive alcohol detection system, announced today that it has closed on the acquisition of certain technology assets from IDTEC LLC, a Colorado limited liability company (“IDTEC”), and its parent company First Capital Ventures, LLC (“First Capital”). Contemporaneous with the closing of the transaction (the “Transaction”), the Company changed its name from TransBiotec, Inc. to SOBR Safe, Inc. (www.SOBRSafe.com) and began trading under the temporary ticker symbol “IMLED.” The Company has been assigned a new ticker symbol (SOBR) and its common stock will trade under the new ticker symbol in approximately 20 trading days.

(PRNewsfoto/TransBiotec, Inc.)

In advance of closing the Transaction, IDTEC, its parent company First Capital, and other affiliated entities invested a total of $2,500,000 in the development and testing of the preventative, touch-based alcohol detection technology, SOBR®Check. SOBR®Check is entering its pilot testing phase, and management expects to have a commercially viable product in First Quarter 2021.

Learn more about SOBR Safe and SOBR®Check at www.SOBRSafe.com.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLO0KsPGyOA&feature=youtu.be

“This is truly a watershed moment for everyone with an interest in TransBiotec, IDTEC and SOBR Safe, and even more for the global audience seeking to keep our roadways and workplaces safe and alcohol-free,” stated Gary Graham, First Capital Executive Managing Partner and SOBR Safe Board member. “We believe in this stellar management team’s mission to increase productivity and save lives. As a public company, SOBR Safe has the forum and foundation to gain maximum awareness for both SOBR®Check and other safety-critical detection technologies to come.”

SOBR Safe Chairman and Chief Revenue Officer Dave Gandini stated “I have spent more than 30 years in executive and new venture leadership, and I believe that we have put together a first rate management and business development team that has the skill set to succeed with the SOBR Check products. We are working with global employers to gather invaluable performance data, and we believe that as an organization we are well-positioned to make a material and lasting impact on the safety of our communities – in America and beyond.”

In connection with the closing of the Transaction, the Company effected a 1-for-33.26 reverse stock split of its common stock. 

About SOBR® Safe, Inc. (www.sobrsafe.com) 

SOBR® Safe, Inc. has developed and patented a non-invasive alcohol sensing system – SOBR®Check. SOBR®Checkis a potentially disruptive solution in alcohol consumption detection – a touch-based technology with anticipated applications in school buses, commercial trucking fleets, facility access control and more. Across industries, the headlines are consistent: alcohol is a clear and present danger – impaired operation destroys lives, families and companies alike. SOBR Safe’s mission is to eliminate the destructive impact of alcohol on our roadways and workplaces…with just the touch of a finger.

Forward Looking Statement

SOBR Safe, Inc.’s statements in this press release that are not historical fact and that relate to future plans or events are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by use of words such as “believe,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include risks associated with changes in business conditions and similar events. The risks and uncertainties involved include those detailed from time to time in SOBR Safe, Inc.’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including SOBR Safe, Inc.’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

SOURCE SOBR Safe, Inc

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Datametrex $DM.ca Announces Another Sale of COVID-19 Test Kits to a Canadian Mining Company

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 9:42 AM on Monday, June 8th, 2020
  • Announced a purchase order of COVID-19 test kits from a Canadian based mining company with thousands of employees in multiple jurisdictions
  • This PO is for their Ontario and Quebec operations
  • Total gross sales amount is approximately $450,000 CDN, excluding shipping and courier fees

TORONTO, June 08, 2020 — Datametrex AI Limited (the “Company” or “Datametrex”) (TSXV: DM, FSE: D4G, OTC: DTMXF) is pleased to announce a purchase order (the “PO”) of COVID-19 test kits from a Canadian based mining company (the “Purchaser”) with thousands of employees in multiple jurisdictions. This PO is for their Ontario and Quebec operations.

Under the PO, Datametrex will provide the Purchaser with 10,000 units of the COVID-19 qPCR Detection Kits manufactured by 1drop Inc., 10,000 3 mL Universal Transport Medium (UTM®) Sterile Swabs with 16x100mm Skirted Tubes, and 2 Real-Time PCR Detection System machine to analyze the samples.

The total gross sales amount is approximately $450,000 CDN, excluding shipping and courier fees. The Company has secured all requested testing kits, swabs, tubes, and the PCR machines. All of the items will be imported and distributed to the mining company at their operating sites in Ontario and Quebec. Datametrex anticipates that it will have little or no upfront costs associated with the sale of these test kits.

Ontario and Quebec account for more than 90% of Canadian COVID-19 cases and until there is a vaccine the mining community must carefully balance the risks with the unintended social and health consequences associated with spread of COVID-19 with getting miners back to work. Datametrex feels that a frequent testing, tracking and contact tracing strategy to further monitor and contain the spread of the virus is vital for companies to get employees working and for the reopening of economies. The direct cost to companies using the COVID-19 test kits in the Companies portfolio are a small cost to pay to open operations.

Since March, the World Health Organization (the “WHO”) has urged countries to scale up the testing, isolation and contact tracing of COVID-19 patients in order to fight the pandemic. As the pandemic progressed, some countries, including South Korea, were able to use testing and tracing to control the disease and avert lockdown measures and closure of industries. “Datametrex is honoured to be assisting Canadian companies in the health and welfare of their employees. We are proud to be able to help Canadians and companies to reopen businesses around the world and to help people return to work safely. We sincerely wish them and all Canadian companies the best during this pandemic,” says Marshall Gunter, CEO of the Company.

About Datametrex

Datametrex AI Limited is a technology focused company with exposure to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning through its wholly owned subsidiary, Nexalogy (www.nexalogy.com). Datametrex’s mission is to provide tools that support companies in fulfilling their operational goals, including Health and Safety, with predictive and preventive technologies. By working with companies to set a new standard of protocols through Artificial Intelligence and health diagnostics, the Company provides progressive solutions to support the supply chain. Additional information on Datametrex is available at www.datametrex.com.

For further information, please contact:

Marshall Gunter – CEO
Phone: (514) 295-2300
Email: [email protected]

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor it’s 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.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws.  All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by words or phrases such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “likely”, “should”, “would”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “potential”, “proposed”, “estimate”, “believe” or the negative of these terms, or other similar words, expressions and grammatical variations thereof, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” happen, or by discussions of strategy.

Readers are cautioned to consider these and other factors, uncertainties and potential events carefully and not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this press release and is based on the beliefs, estimates, expectations and opinions of management on the date such forward-looking information is made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.

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Mota Ventures $MOTA.ca Signs Binding Term Sheet to Acquire E-Commerce Platform Leader Unified Funding with C$93.8 Million in Consumer Transactions in 2019 $APH.ca $GBLX $PFE $ACG.ca $ACB.ca $WEED.ca $HIP.ca $WMD.ca $CGRW

Posted by AGORACOM at 11:32 AM on Saturday, June 6th, 2020

June 6, 2020 / Mota Ventures Corp. (CSE:MOTA)(FSE:1WZ:GR)(OTC PINK:PEMTF) (the “Company“) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding term sheet (the “Term Sheet“) dated June 5, 2020 with Unified Funding LLC (“Unified“). The term sheet replaces the previous preliminary letter of intent entered into with Unified on May 21, 2020.

Ryan Hoggan, Chief Executive Officer stated “The very nature of CBD, natural health products and psychedelics unequivocally points the future of our nascent industry into digital targeting, marketing and engagement of customers who will turn to the web to learn about and acquire the right products for them. Mota has already demonstrated superior eCommerce capabilities in 2020 but this acquisition of Unified will make us a formidable presence in the space.”

Hoggan added “From a shareholder value point of view, the one thing the biggest tech companies in the world have in common – according to McKinsey – is that they are all platform-based organizations that owe much of their success to the agility with which they are able to innovate and reconfigure themselves to go after new opportunities. With this acquisition, we hope to establish a platform that will serve a growing global industry going forward.”

PLATFORM HAS FACILITATED C$364 MILLION IN TRANSACTIONS SINCE 2015, C$93.8 MILLION IN 2019

Unified is a leading eCommerce platform company established in 2015 by partners with over a decade experience in eCommerce marketing. Unified has developed a proprietary technology platform along with a CRM designed specifically for emerging, small and medium sized eCommerce businesses worldwide. To date, the platform has successfully facilitated over CDN$364,000,000 in consumer transactions, including CDN$93,800,000 in 2019 alone.

The platform generates revenue from licensing, marketing and product fulfillment fees supporting brands in the natural health products sector, including skin care, nutraceutical, essential oils and CBD. Unified brings the platform and experience needed for the Company to expand its product portfolio and brands. Integration of the platform with the Unified experienced team of professionals to run it will allow the Company to develop new products and enter new natural healthcare markets, aided significantly by Unified’s ability to closely track current trends through a global network of media partners.

Kevin Keranen, Chairman of Unified, stated “Along with a diverse team of eCommerce experts, we have built one of the most comprehensive eCommerce platforms in the natural health products sector. Our combination of technology with a full team of individuals dedicated to specific segments of the business allows us to deliver robust growth for our clients. As we look to become a part of Mota, we will be able to access the growth capital to further expand our marketing efforts and support any initiative drive by the Company in a more strategic manner.”

UNIFIED PLATFORM GOES BEYOND PRODUCT SALES

Unified provides a comprehensive suite of managed services in high-demand by its clients. These services are driven by both technology and a team of over forty United States based employees that include:

Customer Acquisition: Unified creates and executes digital marketing campaigns to acquire customers in the clients targeted demographic. By utilizing Unified’s vast marketing channels, clients are able to learn about new market trends and adapt accordingly.

Product Development: Unified is able to guide product development by utilizing intelligence generated by the millions of customer records of opt-in buyers and potential buyers. Unified has relationships with product development professionals, labs and manufacturers to create products within scope and within budget.

Supply Chain Management & Logistics: Through its partners, Unified can help manage clients supply chain to ensure on-time delivery to each customer’s doorstep and to adapt to varying levels of product demand.

Customer Service: As part of the technology platform, Unified provides real-time customer service metrics to accurately measure performance of each customer service agent, which significantly impacts the profitability of each clients business.

Profitability Analysis: Most importantly, the technology and staff at Unified are focused on profitability for each and every client. The business manages over 100 key performance indicators that have been developed through experience, which translates to higher success rates for Unified clients.

PROPOSED TRANSACTION

The Letter of Intent contemplates that the Company would acquire Unified in consideration for US$45,000,000, which will be satisfied through the issuance of common shares of the Company (the “Consideration Shares“). The Consideration Shares will be issuable at a deemed price (the “Transaction Price“) equivalent to the greater of: (i) the volume-weighted average closing price of the common shares of the Company on the Canadian Securities Exchange in the ten trading days prior to the entering into of a definitive agreement in respect of the acquisition, and (ii) Cdn$0.40.

In addition to the Consideration Shares, Unified will be entitled to receive a one-time bonus payment of US$15,000,000 (the “Bonus Payment“) in the event the Company achieves gross revenue in excess of US$15,000,000 from the Unified business in the twelve-month period following closing of the acquisition. The Bonus Payment will be payable in common shares of the Company (the “Bonus Shares“), at the Transaction Price.

The Consideration Shares, and the Bonus Shares, will be subject to terms of a thirty-six month time-release pooling arrangement, during which time they may not be transferred, assigned, pledged or otherwise traded. The shares will be released from the pooling arrangement in tranches, of which twenty percent will be released upon issuance, and the balance in six equal tranches every six months thereafter.

Completion of the proposed acquisition of Unified remains subject to a number of conditions, including, but not limited to, satisfactory completion of due diligence, negotiation of definitive documentation and the receipt of any required regulatory approvals. The acquisition cannot be completed until these conditions are satisfied and there can be no assurance that the acquisition will be completed at all.

The proposed acquisition is not expected to constitute a fundamental change for the Company, nor is it expected to result in a change of control of the Company, within the meaning of applicable securities laws and the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange. The Company will provide further information regarding the proposed acquisition, as that information becomes available.

This press release is available for investor discussion on the Company’s AGORACOM Discussion Forum, a moderated social media platform that enables civilized discussion and Q&A between Management and Shareholders.

Figures presented in this news release were translated from US dollars into Canadian dollars using the Bank of Canada closing exchange rate on June 3, 2020 of US$1.00:Cdn$1.3504.

About Mota Ventures Corp.

Mota Ventures is an established eCommerce, direct to consumer provider of a wide range of natural health products including CBD and psychedelic medicine products in the United States and Europe. In the United States, the company sells a CBD hemp-oil formulation derived from hemp grown and formulated in the US through its Nature’s Exclusive brand. Within Europe, its Satavida brand of award winning 100% organic CBD oils and cosmetics are sold throughout Spain, Portugal, Austria, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. In German Verrian currently produces natural psilocybin extract capsules under the PSI GEN and PSI GEN+ brand. Mota Ventures is also seeking to acquire additional revenue producing CBD brands and operations in both Europe and North America, with the goal of establishing an international distribution network for CBD products. Low cost production, coupled with international, direct to customer, sales channels will provide the foundation for the success of Mota Ventures.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MOTA VENTURES CORP.
Ryan Hoggan
Chief Executive Officer

For further information, readers are encouraged to contact Joel Shacker, President at +604.423.4733 or by email at [email protected] or www.motaventuresco.com

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Social media firms fail to act on #Covid19 fake news – SPONSOR: Datametrex AI Limited $DM.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 1:15 PM on Friday, June 5th, 2020

SPONSOR: Datametrex AI Limited (TSX-V: DM) A revenue generating small cap A.I. company that NATO and Canadian Defence are using to fight fake news & social media threats. The company is working with US Government agencies on Covid19 and Coronavirus fake news and disinformation. The company also obtained the rights to import and sell COVID-19 test kits from South Korea – Click here for more info.

Social media firms fail to act on Covid-19 fake news

  • Hundreds of posts spreading misinformation about Covid-19 are being left online, according to a report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate.
  • Some 649 posts were reported to Facebook and Twitter, including false cures, anti-vaccination propaganda and conspiracy theories around 5G.

90% remained visible online afterwards without any warnings attached, the report suggests.

Facebook said the sample was “not representative”.

A spokesperson for Facebook said; “We are taking aggressive steps to remove harmful misinformation from our platforms and have removed hundreds of thousands of these posts, including claims about false cures.

“During March and April we placed warning labels on around 90 million pieces of content related to Covid-19 and these labels stopped people viewing the original content 95% of the time.

“We will notify anyone who has liked, shared or commented on posts related to Covid-19 that we’ve since removed.”

Twitter said that it was prioritising the removal of Covid-19 content “when it has a call to action that could potentially cause harm”.

“As we’ve said previously, we will not take enforcement action on every Tweet that contains incomplete or disputed information about Covid-19. Since introducing these new policies on March 18 and as we’ve doubled down on tech, our automated systems have challenged more than 4.3 million accounts which were targeting discussions around Covid-19 with spammy or manipulative behaviours.”

Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, said the firms were “shirking their responsibilities”.

“Their systems for reporting misinformation and dealing with it are simply not fit for purpose.

“Social media giants have claimed many times that they are taking Covid-related misinformation seriously, but this new research shows that even when they are handed the posts promoting misinformation, they fail to take action.”

Rosanne Palmer-White, director of youth action group Restless Development, which also took part in the survey, said young people were “doing their bit to stop the spread of misinformation” but social media firms were “letting them down”.

Both Twitter and Facebook face questions from the UK’s Digital Culture Media and Sport sub-committee on the way they are handling coronavirus misinformation.

MPs were not happy with an earlier session. They demanded more detailed answers and said more senior executives should attend the next meeting.

For the study, ten volunteers from the UK, Ireland and Romania searched social media for misinformation from the end of April to the end of May.

They found posts suggesting sufferers can get rid of coronavirus by drinking aspirin dissolved in hot water or by taking zinc and vitamin C and D supplements,

Twitter was deemed the least responsive, with only 3% of the 179 posts acted upon.

Facebook removed 10% of the 334 posts reported and flagged another 2% as false. Instagram, which Facebook owns, acted on 10% of the 135 complaints it was sent.

Both the social networks insist they have made efforts to bring fake news about the coronavirus under control.

Twitter has begun labelling tweets that spread misinformation about Covid-19. Facebook has also removed some content, including from groups claiming the rollout of the 5G network was a cause of the spread of the virus.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-52903680

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#Esports: Macroeconomic Trends – SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment Group $GMBL $DKNG $PENN $GAN $ESPO

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 12:48 PM on Friday, June 5th, 2020

SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment Group (GMBL:NASDAQ) – Millions of people from around the world tune in to watch teams of video game players compete with each other. In first quarter 2020, YouTube reported 1.1 billion hours watched, an increase of 13% when compared to fourth quarter 2019. Wagering on Esports is projected to hit $23 BILLION this year although that number will likely be eclipsed due to the recent pandemic. Esports Entertainment Group is the next generation online gambling company designed for the purpose of facilitating as much of this wagering as possible.  LEARN MORE.

Esports: Macroeconomic Trends

  • Covid-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on most industries, but has been largely beneficial to esports
  • A prompt transition into online formats has allowed them to weather the impact of the virus. As traditional sporting events remain on hold, prominent sports clubs and celebrities have taken to esports to keep in touch with fans online and raise funds for charity
  • This has pushed esports further into the mainstream and brought it to the attention of a wider audience

COVID-19

The Covid-19 outbreak of 2020 has led to the cancellation of dozens of esports events, with many more postponed indefinitely. Some events are moving online to mitigate the spread of the disease. ESL’s CS: GO Pro League, Riot Games’ League of Legends championships, Activision Blizzard’s Call of Duty League, and Take-Two Interactive’s NBA 2K League are all being launched in online formats. EA is also adopting the same approach for Apex Legend, FIFA, and Madden events. Epic Games and Activision Blizzard are already working on latency optimisation for Fortnite and Overwatch, which are played by teams and franchises from different regions.

Prize pools

A whopping $216m in esports prize money was awarded in 2019, according to Esports Earnings. The industry looks certain to eclipse this record in 2020. This creates a virtuous circle whereby large prize pools attract bigger and better teams, which leads to greater audiences, which leads to more ad sales, which leads to more sponsorship, which results in bigger prize pools.

Franchise leagues

Activision Blizzard and Riot Games launched the first esports franchise leagues in 2018, replicating the traditional sports business model. The model helps developers to retain complete control over their intellectual property (IP), including games, league structure, rules, policies, partnerships, and profit. It provides stability for investors, as it shields contests from independent organisers. Franchise leagues usually feature a fixed set of teams, helping advertisers to target specific groups of customers that are loyal to the game and certain players or teams. NBA 2K League, a partnership between NBA and Take-Two Interactive, replicates the traditional league format featuring playoffs, trades, and drafts, aiming to unite the online and offline audiences of the NBA.

Investments

Esports garnered $4.5bn in investments in 2018, mostly driven by venture capital firms and high net worth individuals, according to figures from Deloitte. As both industry revenues and audience figures continue to grow rapidly, private equity (PE) firms are gaining confidence in esports. Between 2014 and 2017, according to Deloitte, PE groups made four esports investments, which grew to 11 in 2018.

Traditional sports

Traditional sports clubs, including America’s NFL, NBA, NHL, and more than ten European football clubs, have entered esports in pursuit of new fans. In 2020, with most live sporting events cancelled due to Covid-19, players from across the sporting world are taking to digital platforms to engage with fans.  The La Liga Santander Challenge, a FIFA 20 tournament featuring 18 La Liga teams, attracted over one million online viewers in March 2020. Meanwhile, footballers like Mesut Özil, Sead KolaÅ¡inac, and Julian Draxler are playing Fortnite and broadcasting live streams of their sessions.

Viewership

An estimated 646 million people will watch esports online by 2023, up from 443 million in 2019, according to Newzoo. Given the scale of this audience, it is no surprise that media channels and advertisers are rushing into esports. Esports does lack standardised viewership measurement metrics, which could be a long-term concern for stakeholders looking to identify consumer trends, implement new monetisation models, and analyse return on investment (ROI). To address this issue, esports organisers ESL and DreamHack partnered with Nielsen to develop standardised metrics for measuring esports viewing.

Broadcasting

The esports gold rush has sparked competition among streaming platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and Mixer. Intensifying the competition is growing interest in esports from mainstream channels, such as ESPN, NBC, TBS, and Movistar. Over the next two years, with the entry of AT&T’s WarnerMedia, Comcast’s Xfinity, and Verizon’s Fios, the existing streaming platforms, especially Twitch and YouTube, could lose market share. Mixer, on the other hand, could face an existential threat due to its already low popularity.

DouYu, the Chinese streaming giant that completed an IPO in 2019, is expected to target the North American and European markets in 2020. With exclusive streaming rights for 30 major tournaments in China, DouYu will dominate domestically, ahead of Huya, Youku (Alibaba), and Egame (Tencent). YouTube’s acquisition of multi-year live-streaming rights for the Overwatch League and Call of Duty League starting 2020, and Mixer’s deal with influential streamers, like Ninja and Shroud, to broadcast exclusively on the platform are the early examples of the trend.

Source: https://www.verdict.co.uk/esports-macroeconomic-trends/

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betterU Education $BTRU.ca Provides Corporate Update $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:27 AM on Friday, June 5th, 2020

OTTAWA, June 05, 2020 — betterU Education Corp. (TSX VENTURE: BTRU, Frankfurt: 5OGA) (the “Company” or “betterU”) would like to provide an update on the development of the Company.

Corporate Update

  • betterU launches Software as a Service (SaaS) Learning Management System (LMS) – To support betterU’s B2B Ready-To-Go mobile platform, the company has developed and fully integrated a skills development LMS that enables corporate clients, schools and government clients to manage their teams, assign skills programs, access robust reporting and much more. betterU’s skills development LMS integrates seamlessly with the Ready-To-Go mobile platform and assessment system creating a more comprehensive skilling solution for the market.

    The Skills Development LMS has already received high reviews from betterU’s clients. The skills development LMS provides betterU with the ability to manage scale more effectively, putting control in the hands of companies, with the governance, structure and backend being managed by the betterU team.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/df31a720-9d8b-47dc-919b-b0a38fc327a4
  • Corporate Clients – betterU continues to work closely with Positive Ventures Group in Canada and Paramount Staffing in the USA for the development and growth of their programs. betterU has the completed tools and resources to effectively support growth opportunities within both these clients, and their clients as well. The Company announced on April 8th 2020 the signing of Paramount Staffing as a new client. Paramount Staffing, is a subsidiary of Proman, based in France, a multibillion-dollar staffing company with over 50,000 global employees and more than 20,000 corporate clients. betterU, by focusing on Paramount’s needs to support their teams across the USA and Canada, opens opportunities to support the entire organization.  
     
  • Corporate Visibility – betterU has officially launched its social media programs across multiple social media platforms. If you are not following betterU already, please follow on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. betterU has surpassed over 130,000 followers on Facebook. The social program provides highlights about company advancements, new products and services, the TIPS (Tackling Ideas that Provide Skills) program and much more. In addition to providing awareness through social media, the company will be launching this quarter their newsletter and blogging portal that will be available at https://corporate.betteru.ca/.  
     
  • Funding – the Company has been approved for a $40,000 interest free 2-year loan and a $41,000 IRAP IAP grant to support employees over the next three months as well as to support current business needs. The Company has applied for additional non-dilutive funding through other such government programs.

About betterU Education Corp.

betterU is an education-to-employment technology company offering an end-to-end solution leveraging business intelligence to automate skilling, reskilling and upskilling for companies operating on domestic and global scales.

betterU has integrated into its platform the content, technology and support for tailored skills assessments, learning pathways and training modules from 100+ of the world’s leading online education providers. betterU’s eco-system includes detailed job, skill, employer, and educational profiles spanning 3,000+ standardized jobs. betterU’s integrated platform is the most efficient solution to address evolving skilling challenges for employers and employees through the employment lifecycle from entry level to executive. We don’t sell content, we help build better people.  

For more information, please visit https://corporate.betteru.ca/corporate-gov/

Contact:

Brad Loiselle, CEO
1-613-695-4100
[email protected]

betterU Education Corp.
Investor Relations
Email: [email protected]

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

betterU LMS
betterU LMS supports corporate, schools and government clients in assigning and managing their skills development programs. betterU’s LMS comes pre-loaded with over 500 skills development programs supporting various departments and individual skills requirements.

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