Agoracom Blog

Datametrex $DM.ca Reports First Quarter Results

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:42 AM on Wednesday, May 27th, 2020

Highlights for Q1 2020

  • The Company completed work for Democracy Labs on #disinformation in social media regarding #covid19 and #coronavirus and secured a relationship with Carnegie Mellon University IDeaS. These projects assisted in getting Nexalogy in front of the Government Agencies for the opportunity in the United States.
  • The Company continued the second phase of a multi-phase R&D program through the Department of National Defence’s Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security IDEaS program.  
  • The Company was chosen as preferred vendor partner by LOTTE Data Communication.

TORONTO, May 27, 2020 — Datametrex AI Limited (the “Company” or “Datametrex”) (TSXV: DM, FSE: D4G, OTC: DTMXF) is pleased to announce its financial results for Q1, ended March 31, 2020. 

Although certain projects and various sales negotiations have been postponed due to COVID-19 outbreaks, the Company was able to expand its businesses, and recorded increase in revenue for Q1 2020 by 62%, $809,402 compared to $498,565 in the previous year. Operating costs were reduced by 31% to $1,162,723 compared to $1,692,958 in the previous year. The net results  improved significantly with a decrease by 25%, ($721,761) compared to ($904,792) in the previous year. The Adjusted EBITDA also had a significant improvement with a decrease by 177%, ($257,303) compared to ($712,256). 

“In Q1 2020, we achieved multiple key milestones and made significant strides in strengthening our AI platform and offering, reducing operating costs, increasing sales, and focusing on our core business. This resulted in a substantial improvement to the bottom line,” says Marshall Gunter, CEO of the Company.

Highlights for Q1 2020

  • The Company completed work for Democracy Labs on #disinformation in social media regarding #covid19 and #coronavirus and secured a relationship with Carnegie Mellon University IDeaS. These projects assisted in getting Nexalogy in front of the Government Agencies for the opportunity in the United States.
  • The Company continued the second phase of a multi-phase R&D program through the Department of National Defence’s Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security IDEaS program.  
  • The Company was chosen as preferred vendor partner by LOTTE Data Communication.

Financial Highlights

The following table summarizes revenue, net loss and EBITDA* and Adjusted EBITDA* for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

 For the three months ended 
 March 31, 2020 March 31, 2019 %
 $ $  
REVENUE  809,402   498,565 62%
NET LOSS  (721,761)  (904,792)25%
EBITDA  (528,303)  (723,529)37%
EBITDA per share  (0.002)  (0.003)68%
Adjusted EBTDA  (257,303)  (712,256)177%
Adjusted EBITDA per share  (0.001)  (0.003)34%

* Note: EBITDA (non-IFRS measures) is calculated as Net Loss ($721,761) adjusted for 1. Income taxes of ($16,207), 2. Depreciation and amortization of $194,899, and 3. Interest and accretion of $14,766. Adjusted EBITDA (non-IFRS measures) is calculated as EBITFA adjusted for share based compensation of 271,000.

Non-IFRS financial measures do not have standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Specific items may only be relevant in certain periods. For reconciliation of non-IFRS financial measures please refer to the Company’s Management Discussion and Analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

The financial statements, notes to the financial statements and Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are available on the Company’s profile at SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

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).

For further information, please contact:

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

Jeff Stevens- Advisor
Phone: (647) 400-8494
Email: [email protected]

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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Empower $CBDT.ca Expands Its Online Education with the Support of EuroLife $EURO.ca to Promote the Benefits of Functional Mushrooms and Psilocybin to Positively Impact Health and Wellness $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $OGI.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 7:00 AM on Wednesday, May 27th, 2020

– Company is forming a global mushroom education initiative with EuroLife Brands that will leverage the cannvas.me platform

– new initiative expands the original agreement by formalizing a cloud-based, globally accessible, leading educational experience for patients, clinics, and academic circles to participate, learn, interact, and create information on the uses, treatments, and applications of mushrooms for health and wellness.

VANCOUVER, BC / May 27th, 2020 / EMPOWER CLINICS INC. (CSE:CBDT) (OTCQB:EPWCF) (Frankfurt 8EC) (“Empower” or the “Company“), a vertically integrated life sciences company, is pleased to announce that further to the definitive agreement announced on May 15th, 2020 the Company is forming a global mushroom education initiative with EuroLife Brands (“EuroLife”) that will leverage the cannvas.me platform.

The new initiative expands the original agreement by formalizing a cloud-based, globally accessible, leading educational experience for patients, clinics, and academic circles to participate, learn, interact, and create information on the uses, treatments, and applications of mushrooms for health and wellness. The global initiative will be positioned as an educational platform but will also accept clinical trial results, integrate with universities and academic circles, provide knowledge and a safe learning experience free from the outside influence of misinformation.

“Our global mushroom education initiative will provide significantly more information pertaining to the treatment of a number of ailments using plant-based treatment options,” said Steven McAuley, chairman and chief executive officer of Empower. “We are proud to bring premium health and wellness products to our patients online and in our clinics and mushrooms are already a part of our expanding product line in this category. We look forward to working with the team at EuroLife to launch this initiative in the very near future.”

“We have an opportunity to be one of the first online education platforms to deliver information on the benefits of using mushrooms for nutrition and health and wellness,” said Shawn Moniz, Chief Executive Officer, EuroLife Brands Inc. “Our Cannvas.me education portal is scalable and provides quick and easy access to Empower employees, medical professionals and retail consumers who are in need of this important information. We will continue to leverage our technology to move EuroLife forward.”

A report produced by Research and Markets estimates the global mushroom market was over US$38 billion in 2017 and forecasted to expand at a CAGR of 7.9 per cent from 2018 to 2026. Increasing consumer awareness regarding the health benefits offered by mushrooms is a key factor influencing the growth of the mushroom market at present. Consumer mushroom consumption in supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, and cafeterias are also expected to add to the market demand. Mushrooms are considered a super food as they contain protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, with a great deal of nutritional value and micronutrients. They are low in carbohydrates, high in fiber, and a good source of B-vitamins (riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and niacin), iron, and selenium.

EuroLife and Empower will create a mushroom portal which will leverage the same technology platform used for EuroLife’s cannabis portal and will include educational modules on a wide range of topics. The platform will also incorporate dynamic and interactive elements to facilitate learning.

ABOUT EMPOWER

Empower is a vertically integrated health & wellness company with a network of corporate and franchised health & wellness clinics in the U.S. The Company is a leading multi-state operator of a network of physician-staffed wellness clinics, focused on helping patients improve and protect their health, through innovative physician recommended treatment options. The Company has launched Dosed Wellness Ltd. to connect its significant data, to the potential of the efficacy of alternative treatment options related to hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) therapies, psilocybin and other psychedelic plant-based treatment options.

About EuroLife Brands Inc.

EuroLife Brands is a vertically integrated enterprise focused on the pan-European health and wellness sector.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Steven McAuley
Chief Executive Officer

CONTACTS:

Investors: Steven McAuley

Chairman & CEO

[email protected]

604-789-2146

Investors: Dustin Klein

SVP, Business Development

[email protected]

720-352-1398

For French inquiries: Remy Scalabrini, Maricom Inc., E: [email protected], T: (888) 585-MARI

DISCLAIMER FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains certain “forward-looking statements” or “forward-looking information” (collectively “forward looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws.All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release.Forward-looking statements can frequently be identified by words such as “plans”, “continues”, “expects”, “projects”, “intends”, “believes”, “anticipates”, “estimates”, “may”, “will”, “potential”, “proposed” and other similar words, or information that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding: the Company’s expected timing of filing of its Annual Filings, the Company’s intention to create psilocybin and psychedelics divisions, that market research on advancements in psilocybin and psychedelics in North America and globally will create greater shareholder value, the Company’s intention to open a hemp-based CBD extraction facility, the expected benefits to the Company and its shareholders as a result of the proposed acquisitions and partnerships; the effectiveness of the extraction technology; the expected benefits for Empower’s patient base and customers; the benefits of CBD based products; the effect of the approval of the Farm Bill; the growth of the Company’s patient list and that the Company will be positioned to be a market-leading service provider for complex patient requirements in 2019 and beyond; the ability of the Company to complete or execute phases One, Two, Three or Four of COVID-19 test programs, and Psychedelic substances remain illegal in most countries, so please reference your local laws in relation to medical or recreational use. Such statements are only projections, are based on assumptions known to management at this time, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including; that the Company may not open a hemp-based CBD extraction facility; that legislative changes may have an adverse effect on the Company’s business and product development; that the Company may not be able to obtain adequate financing to pursue its business plan; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; failure to obtain any necessary approvals in connection with the proposed acquisitions and partnerships; and other factors beyond the Company’s control. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this release, which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable laws.I

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PyroGenesis $PYR.ca Increases Stake in HPQ Silicon $HPQ.ca $FSLR $SPWR $CSIQ $XMG.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:07 AM on Tuesday, May 26th, 2020

– Directors of the Corporation have agreed to settle an outstanding debt for services rendered by PyroGenesis Canada Inc, (TSX-V: PYR) in connection with works relating to leasehold improvements done in the dedicated PUREVAPTM Quartz Reduction Reactor (“QRR”) premises within PyroGenesis production plant.

MONTREAL, May 26, 2020 — HPQ Silicon Resources Inc.  (“HPQ” or the “Company”) TSX-V: HPQ; FWB: UGE; Other OTC : URAGF; would like inform shareholders that the Directors of the Corporation have agreed to settle an outstanding debt for services rendered by PyroGenesis Canada Inc, (TSX-V: PYR) in connection with works relating to leasehold improvements done in the dedicated PUREVAPTM Quartz Reduction Reactor (“QRR”) premises within PyroGenesis production plant.

The outstanding debt of $395,514, will be settled by issuing 4,394,600 Units at a price of $0.09 per unit. Each unit is comprised of one common share and one common share purchase warrant.  Each warrant will allow its holder to subscribe to one common share at the price of $0.10 for a period of 36 months from the date of closing.  Each share issued pursuant to the debt settlement will have a mandatory four (4) month and one (1) day holding period from the date of closing.  This settlement is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

“This transaction is a demonstration of the strong cooperation HPQ and PyroGenesis are implementing as we develop both the PUREVAPTM Quartz Reduction Reactor (QRR) and the PUREVAPTM Silicon Nano Reactor (SiNR) processes,” said Bernard Tourillon, President & CEO of HPQ Silicon.  “Our PUREVAPTM processes opens up unique multibillion-dollar business opportunity for HPQ and PyroGenesis, as we strive to deliver the critical Silicon nano- materials required by the surging Li-ion battery market.”

About Silicon

Silicon (Si), also known as silicon metal, is one of today’s strategic materials needed to fulfil the Renewable Energy Revolution (“RER”) presently under way. Silicon does not exist in its pure state; it must be extracted from quartz (SiO2), in what has historically been a capital and energy intensive process.

About HPQ Silicon

HPQ Silicon Resources Inc. (TSX-V: HPQ) is a producer of Silicon Innovation that is building a portfolio of unique high value silicon products needed for the RER.

Working with PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (TSX-V: PYR), a high-tech company that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma – based processes, HPQ is developing:

  • The PUREVAPTM “Quartz Reduction Reactors” (QRR), an innovative process (patent pending), which will permit the one step transformation of quartz (SiO2) into high purity silicon (Si) at reduced costs, energy input, and carbon footprint that will propagate its considerable renewable energy potential;
    • HPQ is in the process of becoming the lowest cost (Capex and Opex) producer of silicon (Si) and high purity silicon (3N – 4N Si);
  • The PUREVAPTM Silicon Nano Reactor (SiNR), a new proprietary process that can use different purities of silicon (Si) as feedstock, to make spherical silicon nanopowders and nanowires;
    • HPQ objective is to become the lowest cost manufacturer of spherical Si nanopowders and silicon-based composites needed by manufacturers of next-generation lithium-ion batteries;
    • During the coming months, spherical Si nanopowders and nanowires silicon-based composite samples requested by industry participants and research institutions’ will be produced using the newly develop PUREVAPTM SiNR process.

HPQ is also working with industry leader Apollon Solar of France to:

  • Use their patented process and develop a capability to produce commercially porous silicon (Si) wafers and porous silicon (Si) powders;
    • The collaboration will allow HPQ to become the lowest cost producer of porous silicon wafers for all-solid -state batteries and porous silicon powders for Li-ion batteries.
    • The plan is to deliver porous Si wafer to a battery manufacturer (under NDA) for testing in 2020.

This News Release is available on the company’s CEO Verified Discussion Forum, a moderated social media platform that enables civilized discussion and Q&A between Management and Shareholders. 

Disclaimers:

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or the securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or the benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S.  Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements.

The Corporation’s interest in developing the PUREVAP™ QRR and any projected capital or operating cost savings associated with its development should not be construed as being related to the establishing the economic viability or technical feasibility of any of the Company’s Quartz Projects.

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 Company’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 Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Company’s on-going filings with the security’s regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company 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 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.

For further information contact

Bernard J. Tourillon, Chairman, President and CEO Tel (514) 907-1011
Patrick Levasseur, Vice-President and COO Tel: (514) 262-9239
http://www.hpqsilicon.com Email: [email protected] 

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Affinity Metals Corp. $AFF.ca Enters into Agreement to Acquire the West Timmins Gold Property $SII.ca $TUD.ca $GTT.ca $AMK.ca $OSK.ca $RKR.ca $KL.ca

Posted by AGORACOM at 9:18 AM on Tuesday, May 26th, 2020
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Affinity_Metals_Corp_Logo.png
  • The project is adjacent to Melkior’s Carscallen project
  • Melkior recently made a significant gold discovery at Carscallen.
  • Plan to begin drilling the first target in the very near future

Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – May 26, 2020) – Affinity Metals Corp. (TSXV: AFF) (“the Corporation”) (“Affinity”) is pleased to report that it has entered into an option agreement with an arm’s length third party to acquire up to a 90% interest in the West Timmins Gold property located approximately 29 km southwest of Timmins, Ontario, Canada.

The property package consists of 20 mineral tenures spanning 429 hectares. The property directly adjoins to the west and along geological strike to the Melkior Carscallen project with both properties optimally located directly along the northern flank of the prolific Destor Porcupine Fault Zone. Melkior very recently made a significant gold discovery that has attracted not only the market’s attention but also the interest of Kirkland Lake Gold to participate in furthering exploration of the Melkior project model through joint participation.

The ground making up the West Timmins Gold property was included/highlighted as a specific project example which meets exploration model recommendations as outlined within the 2012 published, Timmins Resident Geologist Report: “Recommendations for Exploration – Gold in Felsic Intrusions”. The geological model and potential of the West Timmins Gold property correlate positively with the recent Melkior Carscallen exploration advancements and the West Timmins Gold property potentials are based on the same geological model to that of the neighboring Melkior project.

The West Timmins Gold property is road accessible with a major highway (101) and regional scale power utility transmission lines passing directly through the property. Both Induced Polarization and Acoustic EM geophysics surveys have been conducted on the property and will assist in guiding future exploration.

The West Timmins Gold property is located along the same structural and geological trend which hosts the Pan American Silver “Timmins West Mine” located approximately 13 km to the east along highway 101 and is also in close proximity to the Timmins mining camp, which is a major structural control corridor that has produced over 75 million ounces of gold.

A Timmins West “staking rush” this past week has resulted in the recent acquisition of over 300 square kilometers of additional claims being positioned by area play participants which now surround both the Melkior – Carscallen and Affinity – West Timmins Gold projects.

Robert Edwards, CEO of Affinity stated: “We are very excited to have added the West Timmins Gold project to Affinity’s portfolio. It diversifies the Company’s Canadian exploration exposure to another very mining friendly jurisdiction in Canada. The seasonal window for exploration is much longer than at our flagship Regal Project, which allows for exploration on the West Timmons Gold property without taking away the focus on the Regal. The project is optimally located in the very prolific Timmons township area, immediately adjacent to Melkior’s Carscallen, which has attracted significant market attention the past few weeks with their recent gold discovery. We believe that the West Timmins Gold property has significant and similar discovery potential and we plan to begin drilling the first target in the very near future.”

The West Timmins Gold property is being acquired through a staged option agreement with terms/payments as follows:

Affinity will drill 500 meters within a specific drill target as directed by the property optionor. Upon the completion of the initial 500 meters of drilling, Affinity will elect to either abandon the option or continue and earn a 70% interest by paying the optionor $15,000 cash, issuing 300,000 Affinity shares, and drilling an additional 700 meters in a specified target(s) as directed by the optionor.

Within 120 days of completing/fulfilling the 70% option terms, Affinity may elect to earn an additional 10% (for a total of 80%) by issuing the optionor 500,000 Affinity share purchase warrants, granting a 1% NSR and paying a corresponding $25,000 cash advance royalty payment, and by drilling an additional 4,800 meters (6,000 meters total) on drill targets specified by the optionor.

Within 120 days of completing/fulfilling the 80% option terms, Affinity may elect to earn an additional 10% (for a total of 90%) by drilling an additional 4,800 meters (10,800 meters total) on drill targets specified by the optionor.

All shares or warrants issued under this agreement will be subject to a statutory 4 month hold period. This agreement is subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Affinity Metals

Affinity is focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of strategic metal deposits within North America.

In addition to this West Timmins Gold acquisition, Affinity is advancing the Regal Project located near Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. The Regal property is located in the northern end of the prolific Kootenay Arch and hosts two major geophysical anomalies as well as three past producing mines. Recent drill results included a new silver discovery with an 11.10 meter interval of 143.29 g/t silver which included a 0.55 meter interval of 2,612.0 g/t silver.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Robert Edwards, CEO and Director of Affinity Metals Corp.

The Corporation can be contacted at: [email protected].

Information relating to the Corporation is available at: www.affinity-metals.com

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Two UK Battery Startups Eye £4 Billion EV Battery “Gigafactory” SPONSOR: Lomiko Metals $LMR.ca $CJC.ca $SRG.ca $NGC.ca $LLG.ca $GPH.ca $NOU.ca

Posted by AGORACOM at 8:41 AM on Tuesday, May 26th, 2020

SPONSOR: Lomiko Metals is focused on the exploration and development of minerals for the new green economy such as lithium and graphite. Lomiko has an option for 100% of the high-grade La Loutre graphite Property, Lac Des Iles Graphite Property and the 100% owned Quatre Milles Graphite Property. Lomiko is uniquely poised to supply the growing EV battery market. Click Here For More Information

  • The UK needs to manufacture 130GWh of electric car batteries a year if it is to maintain its position as the fourth largest car maker in Europe.

A potentially landmark agreement to explore the construction of an electric car “gigafactory” has been signed between two UK startups, AMTE Power and Britishvolt.

The growth of the electric car industry in the UK as car makers wind down petrol and diesel car production has sparked a warning from the UK government-backed Faraday Institution that without more investment in the local battery manufacturing industry, a major opportunity in the form of more than 100,000 jobs could be missed.

Currently, the UK electric car battery industry is led by a battery factory alongside Nissan’s car factory in Sunderland with an annual 2GWh capacity.

A joint venture announced in 2018 between Williams Advanced Engineering and Unipart Manufacturing Group outlined a plan to build another battery making facility in Coventry to build 10,000 battery packs a year, and Unipart has also been chosen as a key player in Jaguar Land Rover’s battery assembly plant.

But these are small fry, in light of the recently released Faraday report which suggests the UK needs to manufacture some 130GWh of electric car batteries a year if it is to maintain its position as the fourth largest car maker in Europe.

If successful, the new memorandum of understanding between AMTE Power and Britishvolt would see as much as £4 billion invested in a new “gigafactory” with a potential 35GWh capacity, enough to rival the likes of Northvolt which has plans to output 32GWH a year at its Swedish battery factory in Skellefteå by 2024, and 24GWH from its German factory in Salzgitter.

While its still a far cry from plans of true electric car battery giants such as the proposed 60GWh that China’s CATL intends to output at its German factoryin Erfurt, or LG Chem’s planned 70GWh in Wroclaw, Poland, AMTE Power and Britishvolt’s vision is big.

“We are delighted to be working with Britishvolt exploring the creation of a large scale manufacturing facility in the UK,” said Kevin Brundish, CEO at AMTE Power in a statement of the proposed battery factory, which it is diplomatically referring to as a “GigaPlant”.

“The recent global crisis has further highlighted the importance of having a robust onshore supply chain, and the creation of a GigaPlant would place the UK in a strong position to service automotive and energy storage markets.

“The scalable production of lithium ion cells is key to electrifying vehicles and would drive new manufacturing revenues and new employment, and can be built on AMTE’s focus on the supply of specialised cells, thereby continuing the country’s tradition of excellence in battery cell innovation.”

For the relatively young Britishvolt, the chance to align with Scottish AMTE Power, which began life as AGM Batteries Limited, a joint vcenture between  Mitsubishi Materials and AEA Technology, GS (GS Yuasa), is a potential coup.

“Aligning our objectives with AMTE Power, who are looking to add to their current manufacturing capabilities in the UK, our ambition is to build a 30+ gigawatt hour factory with the support of the British Government, creating up to 4,000 jobs in the proces,” said Lars Carlstrom, Britishvolt CEO, in a statement.

“Meeting Road to Zero targets and moving the UK into a low carbon economy will necessitate the unprecedented electrification of vehicles, and reliance on renewable energy will require extensive battery storage.

“It is costly and carbon-intensive to have lithium ion batteries imported from the Far East, and this GigaPlant would cement a solid onshore supply chain to ensure quality and eliminate future uncertainty of supply.”

But it will take work. According to The Guardian, AMTE Power is initially looking to expand its operations which currently include a small battery plant near Thurso, Scotland to include a 1GWh plant either in Dundee oe Teesside, while Britishvolt is considering five sites for a 10GWh capacity plant to be followed by a further 20GWh depending on funding.

Ian Constance, CEO of APC, who introduced the two companies thinks that changes in UK consumer perception of electric vehicles as well as technological advances in battery innovation mean the market landscape is ripe.

“The UK is a highly credible location for green growth investment,” Constance said in a statement.

“It has a rich and diverse supply chain, a rapidly decarbonising energy supply and an innovation culture, and government support through a strong industrial strategy.

“As the pace and scale of change accelerates towards new net zero targets the UK is in a prime position to design, develop, manufacture and export high-value battery technologies. It is a positive testament that AMTE power and Britishvolt recognise the full potential of the UK and have identified it as a priority for their battery industrialisation explorations.”

Source: https://thedriven.io/2020/05/25/two-uk-battery-startups-eye-4-billion-ev-battery-gigafactory/

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Spyder Cannabis $SPDR.ca Announces Corporate Update $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $OGI.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:17 AM on Tuesday, May 26th, 2020
  • Company is now awaiting receipt of its RSA (“Retail Store Authorization”) for its Niagara Falls dispensary located at 6474 Lundy’s Lane
  • Company is awaiting a final inspection of its dispensary scheduled for the beginning of June, at which point, it intends to begin operations at its Calgary dispensary, located at 104-58th Ave, SE, suite 140
  • In order to address the challenges presented by the COVID 19 crisis, the company has focus on building up the online and e-commerce components for its US Hemp CBD only locations, in Atlantic City and West Palm Beach.

Vaughan, Ontario–(May 26, 2020) – Spyder Cannabis Inc. (TSXV: SPDR) (“Spyder” or the “Company”) and its wholly-owned associated applicants, The Green Spyder Inc. and Spyder Cannabis Subco Inc., is pleased to provide the following update:

Niagara Falls Cannabis Dispensary

Further to the announcement of receipt of its ROL (“Retail Operator License”), the company is now awaiting receipt of its RSA (“Retail Store Authorization”) for its Niagara Falls dispensary located at 6474 Lundy’s Lane. The company plans to begin operations at the location as soon as the RSA is issued and final inspection is completed, while ensuring it complies with COVID-19 provincial regulations and focusing on its curbside pickup and delivery business.

Calgary Cannabis Dispensary

Further to the announcement of receipt of its Conditional Cannabis License, the company is awaiting a final inspection of its dispensary scheduled for the beginning of June, at which point, it intends to begin operations at its Calgary dispensary, located at 104-58th Ave, SE, suite 140.

Online and e-Commerce

In order to address the challenges presented by the COVID 19 crisis, the company has focus on building up the online and e-commerce components for its US Hemp CBD only locations, in Atlantic City and West Palm Beach. Specifically, the company has launched a US website as well as an affiliate program to generate increased awareness of the Spyder brand at ShopSPDR.com.

Filing Extension of Annual Disclosure Documents Due to COVID-19

Due to circumstances created by the COVID – 19 pandemic Spyder will not be filing its audited financial statements and related management discussion and analysis for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2020 by the scheduled due date of June 1, 2020, as required under section 4.4(b) and section 5.1(1) of National Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations (“NI 51-102”).

As required by Ontario Instrument 51-502 Temporary Exemption from Certain Corporate Finance Requirements (OSC Instrument 51-502), BC Instrument 51-515 Temporary Exemption from Certain Corporate Finance Requirements (BC Instrument 51-515), Blanket Order 51-517 Temporary Exemption from Certain Corporate Finance Requirements (ASC Blanket Order 51-517) and Manitoba Blanket Order 52-502 Temporary Exemption from Certain Corporate Finance Requirements (Manitoba Blanket Order 52-502), the Company discloses the following:

• The Company’s management and other insiders will be subject to a trading black-out that reflects the principles in Section 9 of National Policy 11-207 – Failure-to-File Cease Trade Orders until its audited financial statements and related management discussion and analysis for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2020;

• The Company expects to file its audited financial statements and related management discussion and analysis for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2020 on or about July 15, 2020

About Spyder Cannabis Inc.

Spyder is a Cannabis, Vape and CBD retailer that operates in jurisdictions where the products are federally legal in both Canada and the United States. The Company, through its subsidiaries, is a retailer involved in the development of three retail business units. The first is the sale of Cannabis products, the second is the sale of Hemp CBD in the United States only, the third is the sale of smoking cessation products in Ontario.

Cautionary Statements

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.

This news release includes statements containing certain ‘forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws (‘forward-looking statements”). Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as “plan”, “continue”, “expect”, “project”, “intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “may”, “will”, “potential”, “proposed” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur.

For more information, please contact:

Spyder Cannabis Inc.

Dan Pelchovitz
President & Chief Executive Officer
Telephone: 1.888.504.7737
Email: [email protected]

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Esports Entertainment Group $GMBL Forms New Jersey Subsidiary to Pursue Licensing Strategy in United States. Receives Additional $1.86 Million From Exercise of Warrants $TECHF $ATVI $TTWO $GAME $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $TNA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 7:08 AM on Tuesday, May 26th, 2020
  • Announced the formation of a new wholly owned subsidiary, “GMBL New Jersey Inc.”, to pursue gambling licenses throughout the United States
  • Company expects to make its first such application with the State of New Jersey in the near future and will provide updates for each anticipated application as they are submitted in each available jurisdiction
  • “The US market represents a very big opportunity for us and thanks to the continued support of our valued shareholders, we intend to aggressively pursue it in 2020 and beyond.” said Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports Entertainment Group.

BIRKIRKARA, Malta, May 26, 2020 — Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. (NasdaqCM: GMBL, GMBLW) (or the “Company”), a licensed online gambling company with a focus on esports wagering and 18+ gaming, is pleased to announce the formation of a new wholly owned subsidiary, “GMBL New Jersey Inc.”, for the express purpose of commencing its strategy to pursue gambling licenses throughout the United States that will further the Company’s esports gambling market.  The Company expects to make its first such application with the State of New Jersey in the near future and will provide updates for each anticipated application as they are submitted in each available jurisdiction.

The Company’s US operations will be based in New Jersey, where the Company expects to establish facilities and operating personnel.  

COMPANY RECEIVES ADDITIONAL $1.9 MILLION FROM WARRANT EXERCISES

Investors participating in the Esports Entertainment Group’s public offering of securities which was consummated on April 14, 2020 (the “April Offering”),  exercised a total of 439,844 warrants at a price of $4.25 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $1,860,000 as of May 22, 2020. 

Combined with the Company’s announcement on May 15th in which, the underwriters of the April Offering partially exercised and closed on their over-allotment option and purchased an additional 209,400 shares of common stock from the Company for gross proceeds of $885,762,  the Company has received  an aggregate of approximately $2,750,000 to date in the month of May  significantly bolstering its financial strength and resources necessary to execute its business plan.       

“Today’s announcement marks yet another significant milestone and provides the market with even greater insight as to our growth strategy,” said Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports Entertainment Group.  “The US market represents a very big opportunity for us and thanks to the continued support of our valued shareholders, we intend to aggressively pursue it in 2020 and beyond.” 

ABOUT ESPORTS ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. is a licensed online gambling company with a specific focus on esports wagering and 18+ gaming. The Company holds a license to conduct online gambling and 18+ gaming on a global basis in Malta and Curacao, Kingdom of the Netherlands and is able to accept wagers from over 149 jurisdictions including Canada, Japan, Germany and South Africa. Esports Entertainment offers fantasy, pools, fixed odds and exchange style wagering on esports events in a licensed, regulated and secure platform to the global esports audience at vie.gg. In addition, Esports Entertainment intends to offer users from around the world the ability to participate in multi-player mobile and PC video game tournaments for cash prizes. Esports Entertainment is led by a team of industry professionals and technical experts from the online gambling and the video game industries, and esports. The Company maintains offices in Malta. For more information visit www.esportsentertainmentgroup.com

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The information contained herein includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. The safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 protects companies from liability for their forward-looking statements if they comply with the requirements of the Act.

Contact:

U.S. Investor Relations 
RedChip Companies, Inc.
Dave Gentry
407-491-4498
[email protected]

Media & Investor Relations Inquiries
AGORACOM
[email protected]
http://agoracom.com/ir/eSportsEntertainmentGroup

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Eurolife Brands $EURO.ca and Empower Clinics $CBDT.ca Form Global Mushroom Education Initiative $WEED.ca $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $OGI.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 6:59 AM on Tuesday, May 26th, 2020
  • New initiative expands the original agreement by formalizing a cloud-based, globally accessible, leading educational experience for patients, clinics, and academic circles to participate, learn, interact, and create information on the uses, treatments, and applications of mushrooms for health and wellness
  • Will be positioned as an educational platform but will also accept clinical trial results, integrate with universities and academic circles, provide knowledge and a safe learning experience free from the outside influence of mis-information

Toronto, Ontario–(May 26, 2020) –  EuroLife Brands (CSE: EURO) (FSE: 3CMA) (OTC PINK: EURPF) (“EuroLife” or the “Company”), a vertically integrated enterprise focused on the pan-European health and wellness sector, is pleased to announce that further to the definitive agreement announced on May 15th, 2020 the Company is forming a global mushroom education initiative with Empower Clinics Inc. (CSE: CBDT) (OTCQB: EPWCF) (FSE: 8EC) (“Empower“), a vertically integrated and growth-oriented life sciences company.

The new initiative expands the original agreement by formalizing a cloud-based, globally accessible, leading educational experience for patients, clinics, and academic circles to participate, learn, interact, and create information on the uses, treatments, and applications of mushrooms for health and wellness. The global initiative will be positioned as an educational platform but will also accept clinical trial results, integrate with universities and academic circles, provide knowledge and a safe learning experience free from the outside influence of mis-information.

“Our global mushroom education initiative will provide significantly more information pertaining to the treatment of a number of ailments using these alternative plant-based treatment options,” said Steven McAuley, chairman and chief executive officer of Empower. “We are proud to bring premium health and wellness products to our patients online and in our clinics and mushrooms are already a part of our expanding product line in this category. We look forward to working with the team at EuroLife to launch this initiative in the very near future.”

“We have an opportunity to be one of the first online education platforms to deliver information on the benefits of using mushrooms for nutrition and health and wellness,” said Shawn Moniz, Chief Executive Officer, EuroLife Brands Inc. “Our Cannvas.me education portal is scalable and provides quick and easy access to Empower employees, medical professionals and retail consumers who are in need of this important information. We will continue to leverage our technology to move EuroLife forward.”

A report produced by Research and Markets estimates the global mushroom market was over US$38 billion in 2017 and forecasted to expand at a CAGR of 7.9 per cent from 2018 to 2026. Increasing consumer awareness regarding the health benefits offered by mushrooms is a key factor influencing the growth of the mushroom market at present. Consumer mushroom consumption in supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, and cafeterias are also expected to add to the market demand. Mushrooms are considered a super food as they contain protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, with a great deal of nutritional value and micronutrients. They are low in carbohydrates, high in fiber, and a good source of B-vitamins (riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and niacin), iron, and selenium. 

EuroLife and Empower will create a mushroom portal which will leverage the same technology platform used for EuroLife’s cannabis portal and will include educational modules on a wide range of topics. The platform will also incorporate dynamic and interactive elements to facilitate learning.

About Empower Clinics Inc.

Empower is a vertically integrated health & wellness brand with a network of corporate and franchised health & wellness clinics in the U.S. The Company is building its first hemp-derived CBD extraction facility and produces its proprietary line of cannabidiol (CBD) based products. The Company is a leading multi-state operator of a network of physician-staffed wellness clinics, focused on helping patients improve and protect their health, through innovative physician recommended treatment options. The Company has launched Dosed Wellness Ltd. to connect its significant data, to the potential of the efficacy of alternative treatment options related to hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) therapies, psilocybin and other psychedelic plant-based treatment options.

About EuroLife Brands Inc.

EuroLife Brands (CSE: EURO) (FSE: 3CMA) (OTCPK: EURPF) is a vertically integrated enterprise focused on the pan-European health and wellness sector.

For additional information:

Contact: [email protected] or visit EuroLifeBrands.com

No stock exchange or securities regulatory authority has reviewed or accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Some of the statements contained in this release are forward-looking statements, such as estimates and statements that describe the Issuer‘s future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Issuer or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company‘s Management‘s Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on www.sedar.com.

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Why #Esports and #Bitcoin are a natural match – SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment Group $GMBL $TECHF $ATVI $TTWO $GAME $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $TNA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:20 PM on Monday, May 25th, 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.

Why esports and Bitcoin are a natural match

  • Some market projections claim esports could even eclipse popular sports tournaments like Formula One or the UEFA Champions League in revenues, topping US$2.3 billion by 2022
  • Moreover, those projections were made before March 2020, when the world began its preference for online interaction over physical crowds thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic

By Guest Contributor

Esports, aka competitive video game tournaments, is one of those ideas that’s been touted as perfect for Bitcoin since the beginning. Easy payments and prize pools, portable game item ownership, provably fair games with permanent and transparent records, anti-cheating measures, accessibility from anywhere, and a billion-dollar market. So where are the stadium-sized Bitcoin esports events? Let’s take a look at the issues to find out why you might be seeing some soon.

It’s not as though no one has tried to make Bitcoin esports a thing. Like many other ambitious ideas, though, they often ran into the blockchain industry’s technical (and human) limitations. Bitcoin Core’s (BTC) hobbled block size nixed the idea of any kind of blockchain there. Others, like Ethereum and EOS, have had more appeal for game builders but still suffer from those platforms’ technical and scaling limitations.

Then there’s the problem of convincing the big companies and players in the gaming industry that Bitcoin offers the benefits they’re looking for. This is common in any industry. Even if you believe in Bitcoin and want to build your own esports platform from scratch, there’s the challenge of attracting enough game designing and building talent away from the mainstream producers.

Enter Bitcoin SV, which in early 2020 restored the original Bitcoin protocol and removed all data limits. Companies like Kronoverse, with its “CryptoFights” combat/strategy game, have made the jump from Ethereum to Bitcoin and serve as the most prominent demonstration of Bitcoin’s esports capabilities.

Kronoverse have cited advantages unique to blockchain, like verifiable results, betting on matches, and game item ownership, as reasons why they chose to build their competition on Bitcoin. They also saw Bitcoin BSV as more technically capable than Ethereum and its Enjin gaming platform.

CEO Adam Kling said, “When I looked at the scaling roadmap of Ethereum, it became clear that we were never going to be able to have a million players playing on Kronoverse. Instead, everyone is having to develop layer-two technologies and are only submitting the results to the Ethereum blockchain. With Bitcoin SV, we wouldn’t have to do that.”

All about esports

The worlds of “esports,” “online gaming” and “online gambling” share many similarities, but there are components unique to each. We’ll explain the history and background for esports to get an idea what distinguishes it.

Esports as a concept has been around since the 1970s and 80s, but if you’re old enough to remember those times you’ll also remember the games back then weren’t much of a spectacle. Still, there’s always been a certain rush from watching someone play a game you like really well, and the same intensity in watching people compete to be number one on the leaderboard.

It was the advent of multiplayer games, though, that really saw esports take off. Rather than just trying to achieve the highest score, competitors could now play directly against each other in the same game—just like regular sports.

Esports can involve any kind of game. The nature of the market has meant combat games like Counter Strike, League of Legends, StarCraft II and Dota2 have gained the most attention, and many were designed with esports in mind. But there’s plenty of opportunity for simpler games and games for all demographics. All that’s needed is someone to organize the competition and build the system.

Kronoverse’s CryptoFights, for example, is designed for competition yet played only on mobile devices. The possibilities it and other similar ideas offer are endless.

New #CryptoFights website is live! https://t.co/7dCUZafRlD #kronoverse #indiegame #esports #bitcoinsv pic.twitter.com/xVLZ9LJiRA — Crypto Fights (@CryptoFights) May 13, 2020

There’s been a lot of debate over the years over whether esports can be classified as “legitimate sports”. However that argument is pretty irrelevant if esports tournaments can haul in crowds (and money) on par with the more physical kind.

Some market projections claim esports could even eclipse popular sports tournaments like Formula One or the UEFA Champions League in revenues, topping US$2.3 billion by 2022. Moreover, those projections were made before March 2020, when the world began its preference for online interaction over physical crowds thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Esports tournaments have frequently taken place in actual stadiums. But if it’s the kind of game or tournament that can be played online, esports is actually more accessible to more potential competitors, enhancing its appeal.

Claims that 106 million people watched the World Esports competition in 2017 was enough for even the International Olympic Committee to hold a summit on the matter. While participants argued esports could be considered sports, there were concerns over violent game content and the lack of an international regulatory body. There are still campaigns to feature esports at Olympic events somehow, even if as a demonstration sport or showcase side event for starters.

Just like regular sports, though, you don’t need to be playing at tournament or stadium level to enjoy them—or even make money. Competitions can be any size, and prize money can be pooled from admission fees even if there isn’t a corporate sponsor. Home viewers can interact with the tournament in more ways than say, a football match on TV. There’s also a secondary market for gambling on who’ll win, if that’s permitted in your jurisdiction.

Transparency, fairness and the problem of cheating

Game integrity—whether esports games are equally fair to all players, and detecting who might be cheating—has been a big problem for the industry. This is especially true if a tournament happens online and if players are using their own devices.

Kronoverse says Bitcoin plays a big part in overcoming these problems. Game elements like item ownership, game rules and moves can all be recorded on the blockchain permanently. Others can scrutinize and analyze these records to see if anything untoward has taken place, no matter when the game was played.

Here’s where Bitcoin’s unlimited scalability comes into play. Blockchains designed for data processing, like Ethereum, have hit snags when on-chain projects became popular. BTC can’t do data. Both have had to lean on second-layer protocols to handle large quantities of data (or in BTC’s case, anything much at all) and all these “solutions” come with their own set of costs.

Still, it will take one successful esports platform to run on Bitcoin BSV before larger players will see its benefits in action. Kronoverse hopes to be that leader, and has been beta-testing CryptoFights since late 2019. It hopes to hold more open betas in the coming months and launch a marketplace by the end of 2020, with a fully-playable game and competition following after.

Source: https://calvinayre.com/2020/05/25/bitcoin/why-esports-and-bitcoin-are-a-natural-match/

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#Edtech Boom Boosted by Experiences in Lockdown – SPONSOR: BetterU Education Corp. $BTRU.ca $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 1:43 PM on Monday, May 25th, 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.

Edtech Boom Boosted by Experiences in Lockdown

  • Coronavirus lockdown opens new paths for online education
  • The edtech field may see its growth accelerating even faster because of pandemic
  • The world of education and worker retraining has been upended by the coronavirus, with many changes that could have long-lasting impacts

By: Bruce Rule

Teacher Kai Frazier had a hard time persuading venture capital investors to consider her online education startup, which provides virtual-reality tours of museums and historic sites for children. Then the deadly coronavirus caused societies to shut down worldwide.

“VCs thought that this was only for poor kids who couldn’t afford to go to museums,” Frazier told Karma. “COVID-19 took that argument out” and led potential investors to reconsider Kai XR, she said. Now, Frazier is in the midst of a funding round that may net between $500,000 and $1 million.

With almost 1.2 billion children locked out of schools and millions of adults out of work around the globe, the deadly coronavirus pandemic is forcing the world to re-examine how best to educate and retrain people. That may spur even faster growth of online education, a field that was already expected to surge to $319 billion by 2025 from $188 billion last year.

“COVID-19 is a terrible thing, but what it also did was break down structures that weren’t serving a lot of people,” Frazier said. “Online education may quickly become the classroom experience.”

Her company produces virtual reality tours — like this one of the Obama portraits — that will be viewed online for a monthly subscription fee on a platform that launched last month. The company has seen a 200% increase in people signing up for a free demonstration because of the pandemic.

With VR tours, a child can have a wide range of experiences — from touring a Negro League baseball museum to seeing how a windmill works — that might not otherwise be available because of cost or distance, Frazier said. Online can provide a “diverse education.”

Investors certainly are betting so. A record $18.7 billion was invested in edtech companies worldwide last year, according to research firm Metaari. The pandemic doesn’t seem to have killed enthusiasm for the field. In March, online education company Yuanfudao of China raised $1 billion in a finance round led by Tencent Holdings and private equity firm Hillhouse Capital Group.

According to education research firm HolonIQ, a lot of that growth will eventually be in emerging markets in India, Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa, “where multi-billion dollar funds are being set up to deploy capital into education and other ESG and impact sectors.”
   
Worker retraining also has become a hot topic, with a White House advisory panel last week saying new pathways are needed for the unemployed to upgrade their skills and learn new ones so they can find jobs in fields that are expected to rebound first.

Guild Education is responding to that need. The edtech company was founded in 2015 to help employers including Chipotle, Disney and Walmart create education programs for workers by connecting companies with higher-ed programs at nonprofit universities.

Earlier this month, Guild launched the Next Chapter platform, which enables employers to
provide laid-off workers with access to reskilling programs and hands-on coaching to help them qualify for new positions in areas where demand will increase as the economy reopens.

“Next Chapter was created to help workers make the leap to higher wage” positions, Rachel Carlson, Guild’s CEO, said in an email to Karma.

Investors are also jumping into the field of worker training. Online training platform GO1.com announced this week it raised $40 million in Series C funding.
 
“What has been made clear through this pandemic is the importance of disseminating knowledge across borders, companies, and all parts of society,” The World Economic Forum said in a report last month. “If online learning technology can play a role here, it is incumbent upon all of us to explore its full potential.”

Source: https://karmaimpact.com/edtech-boom-boosted-by-experiences-in-lockdown/

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