Agoracom Blog

ZEN Graphene Solutions $ZEN.ca – Here’s What You Should Know About the Commercial Applications of Graphene Nanotechnology $LLG.ca $FMS.ca $NGC.ca $CVE.ca $DNI.ca

Posted by AGORACOM at 11:17 AM on Friday, September 6th, 2019

SPONSOR: ZEN Graphene Solutions: An emerging advanced materials and graphene development company with a focus on new solutions using pure graphene and other two-dimensional materials. Our competitive advantage relies on the unique qualities of our multi-decade supply of precursor materials in the Albany Graphite Deposit. Independent labs in Japan, UK, Israel, USA and Canada confirm this. Click here for more information

  • Metal-air batteries provide a sustainable and efficient solution to large scale adoption of electric vehicles

Graphene consists of a single layer of carbon atoms and yet is stronger than steel, possess exceptional electrical and thermal conductivity and is versatile, customizable, and has extraordinary uses that it can be put to. Since graphene came into limelight a decade ago it has faced major roadblocks in its large scale commercialization.

How Graphene Works in Metal  Aid Batteries?

The electric revolution that we see today is largely due to significant advancements in lithium ion battery technology however large scale adoption has multiple bottlenecks such as limited energy density, concentration of lithium ores in certain locations and hazardous waste created during disposal of batteries. Metal air batteries provide a sustainable and efficient solution to large scale adoption of electric vehicles. The metal air batteries use a metal as anode, air (oxygen) as cathode and water as an electrolyte. A graphene rod is used in the air cathode of the batteries. Since Oxygen has to be used as the cathode, the cathode material has to be porous to let the air pass, a property in which graphene excels. The graphene used in the electrode is able to increase the battery efficiency by five times at one-third the cost.

What is the Use of Graphene in Oil Sorbent Pads?

Oil sorbent pad LSP20 uses graphene as an absorbing material; the porous structure of graphene is responsible for the high absorbance capacity of the pad. The pad is extremely light weight and has very high absorbance thus making it a cost effective and sustainable solution for oil spill industry.  

According to the Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) report released by the Niti Aayog in 2018, 21 major cities are racing to reach zero groundwater levels by 2020, affecting access for 100 million people. However this acute water crisis is for fresh water reserves whereas water as a resource is abundantly available in the form of sea water, current desalination methods are extremely inefficient and consume large amounts of fossil fuels.

Among graphene’s host of remarkable properties, its hydrophobia is probably one of the traits most useful for water treatment. Graphene naturally repels water, but when narrow pores are made in it, rapid water permeation is allowed. This sparked ideas regarding the use of graphene for water filtration and desalination, especially once the technology for making these micro-pores has been achieved. Graphene sheets (perforated with miniature holes) are studied as a method of water filtration, because they are able to let water molecules pass but block the passage of contaminants and substances. Graphene’s small weight and size can contribute to making a lightweight, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly generation of water filters and desalinators.

The future of Graphene 

However, 12 percent of India’s population is already living the ‘Day Zero’ scenario, thanks to excessive groundwater pumping, an inefficient and wasteful water management system and years of deficient rains. The CWMI report also states that by 2030, the country’s water demand is projected to be twice the available supply, implying severe water scarcity for hundreds of millions of people and an eventual six per cent loss in the country’s GDP.

Air filtration is another major sector where properties of graphene can result in developing efficient and effective products. The current technologies in air purification use adsorption and filtration, however when the adsorbent material reaches saturation limit it must be replaced. Graphene nano composites offer excellent adsorption and filtration properties thus making an effective air filter.

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/339158

SPONSOR: ZEN Graphene Solutions: An emerging advanced materials and graphene development company with a focus on new solutions using pure graphene and other two-dimensional materials. Our competitive advantage relies on the unique qualities of our multi-decade supply of precursor materials in the Albany Graphite Deposit. Independent labs in Japan, UK, Israel, USA and Canada confirm this. Click here for more information

A Top #Apple Executive Reveals the Company Thinks #Crypto Has ‘interesting long-term potential’ – Bodes Well For ThreeD’s $IDK.ca Vast Crypto Holdings

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 9:15 AM on Friday, September 6th, 2019

SPONSOR: ThreeD Capital Inc. (IDK:CSE) Led by legendary financier, Sheldon Inwentash, ThreeD is a Canadian-based venture capital firm that only invests in best of breed small-cap companies which are both defensible and mass scalable. More than just lip service, Inwentash has financed many of Canada’s biggest small-cap exits. Click Here For More Information.

IDK: CSE

A Top Apple Executive Reveals the Company Thinks Crypto Has ‘interesting long-term potential’ – Bodes Well For ThreeD’s Vast Crypto Holdings

  • Vice president of Apple Pay Jennifer Bailey told CNN Business during a private event in San Francisco that Apple is “watching cryptocurrency,” adding the company thinks “it has interesting long-term potential.”
  • The comments follow Apple’s latest push into consumer finance products, with its Apple Card credit card releasing in August in collaboration with Goldman Sachs and Mastercard.
  • Apple’s potential move into digital coins would serve as “a major shot in the arm for crypto,” Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives told CNN Business.

By: Ben Winck

An Apple executive said the tech giant is keeping an eye on cryptocurrencies during a private event in San Francisco, saying digital coins have “interesting long-term potential.”

“We’re watching cryptocurrency. We think it’s interesting,” vice president of Apple Pay Jennifer Bailey told CNN at the event. “We think it has interesting long-term potential.”

She addressed the new asset class as part of a talk on the future of digital payments and the company’s push into the sector.

Bailey’s comments follow the August release of the Apple Card, a credit card made in collaboration with Mastercard and Goldman Sachs. The card served as the first major expansion of Apple’s consumer finance products since Apple Pay launched in October 2014.

Apple’s potential move into digital coins would serve as “a major shot in the arm for crypto,” Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives told CNN Business. He added that the interest in crypto “could make sense given its sights on further monetizing its consumers.”

The introduction of finance products would fall in line with Apple’s continued push into service revenue growth. Its Services business now contribute to more than one-fifth of the company’s quarterly income, and upcoming offerings like Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade could further boost its earnings.

Source: https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/top-apple-executive-reveals-company-is-watching-cryptocurrency-2019-9-1028503107

Spyder #Cannabis $SPDR.ca – New Report Puts North American Cannabis Market At $47.3B By 2024 $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $OGI.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 7:02 AM on Friday, September 6th, 2019

SPONSOR: Spyder Cannabis (SPDR:TSXV) An established chain of high-end vape stores. Aggressive expansion plan is already in place that will focus on Canadian retail and US Hemp derived kiosks in high traffic areas. Click here for more info.

(TSX-V: SPDR)

New Report Puts North American Cannabis Market At $47.3B By 2024

  • Market research and data analytics firm Prohibition Partners has released its first North American Cannabis Report.
  • The firm is estimating that by 2024, the continent’s cannabis market will be worth $47.3 Billion.
  • Big-name brands entering the game and celebrity endorsements are cited as important steps toward positioning cannabis as a mainstream product.

In the 134-page paper, the firm analyzes the current state of the cannabis industry in Canada and the United States to draw key insights into the industry’s future in the region.

The firm is estimating that by 2024, the continent’s cannabis market will be worth $47.3 Billion.

Daragh Anglim, the firm’s managing director, said the report offers good reason to believe that both medical and recreational cannabis will be completely legal in the entire region by that same year and â€œintegrated across a number of industry verticals from pharma to food.”

Key Insights

Although the report places Canada as a global leader and an example for countries looking to follow suit with cannabis legalization, it also said the U.S. could soon challenge its northern neighbor’s leadership.

Federal legalization could turn the scale around for the two countries.

Big-name brands entering the game and celebrity endorsements are cited as important steps toward positioning cannabis as a mainstream product.

A long-term decline in smoking and a stagnation in alcohol consumption are helping the cannabis sector accelerate through Big Tobacco and Big Alcohol investments and alliances, which are expected to continue to flourish, according to Prohibition Partners. 

The cannabis industry is expanding within the beauty market, with many premium retailers offering cannabis products.

The edible revolution is expected to hit big, with great expectations around Canada’s legalization of cannabis edibles next month. 

Publicly Listed Cannabis Companies

The number of cannabis companies listed on stock exchanges has increased substantially.

The CSE is by far the largest lister for cannabis companies, with 156.

Curaleaf (OTC: CURLF), Green Thumb Industries (OTC: GTBIF), Cresco Labs (OTC: CRLBF), Acreage Holdings (OTC: ACRGF) and Harvest Health & Recreation (OTC: HRVSF) top the CSE’s list in terms of market cap.

The TSX follows with 22 listed companies; NASDAQ with 15; and NYSE with nine, where the leaders in terms of market cap are Canopy Growth (NYSE: CGC), Aurora Cannabis (NYSE: ABC), The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE: SMG), Aphria (NYSE: APHA) and Hexo Corp. (NYSE: HEXO). 

Current, Projected Cannabis Market Values

The estimated value for medicinal cannabis in both Canada and the U.S. today is of $10.6 billion, and that figure is expected to climb to $25.2 billion by 2024, the North American Cannabis Report said.

The recreational market is estimated at $6.5 billion, with a climb to $22.1 billion projected in five years. Both markets are projected to climb to a cumulative $47.3 billion in 2024, which would represent 177% growth.

Cannabis Consumers: Key Insights

In both countries, 22% of the population reported having consumed cannabis within the past 12 months.

In the U.S., 19% of users said they use cannabis products to relieve pain. In Canada, the average age of first-time consumption is almost 19 years old.

Click here for more information about the upcoming Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference Oct. 22-23 in Chicago

Source: https://finance-yahoo-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/finance.yahoo.com/amphtml/news/report-puts-north-american-cannabis-160855123.html

Spyder #Cannabis $SPDR.ca – An Analysis of Canadian Cannabis Sales Growth $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $OGI.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 5:55 PM on Thursday, September 5th, 2019

SPONSOR: Spyder Cannabis (SPDR:TSXV) An established chain of high-end vape stores. Aggressive expansion plan is already in place that will focus on Canadian retail and US Hemp derived kiosks in high traffic areas. Click here for more info.

(TSX-V: SPDR)

Canadian Cannabis Sales Growth: An Analysis

  • Statistics Canada released June data on cannabis retail sales last week. Nationwide, June retail sales hit $91.1M, which implies an annual run-rate of $1.1B in cannabis sales across Canada.

By: SmallCapPower

Statistics Canada reported that Canadian cannabis sales on a retail level for June continue to show growth across Canada, driven by new retail locations in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta

In Canada, unadjusted sales of cannabis in stores have grown by 120% between October 2018 and June 2019 (Figure 1). In our opinion, recreational cannabis sales are set to continue growing with the upcoming legalization of edibles expected in October 2019. With the increasing demand for cannabis products, there are concerns for Canada’s ability to avoid a supply shortage. For instance, Ontario, the most populous province in Canada, currently has 25 retail locations (plans to increase to 67 by October 2019). As it is a heavily-concentrated area for cannabis companies, with Canopy Growth and Aphria being headquartered in the province, there is the largest demand for cannabis at about 2.9M users. We believe that there are currently not enough retailers to meet demand and as more retailers come on-line,  nationwide sales are expected to increase.

Figure 1: Statistics Canada: Cannabis Legal Retail Sales

Source: Statistics Canada, Ubika

Based on Statistics Canada’s June retail sales data, retail sales are at the highest level since legalization back in October 2018 and have reached an annualized run-rate of $1.1B. Retail sales grew 6% month-over-month (MoM), a decrease of 900 basis points from the prior month. By our estimates this represents ~20% legal market penetration of the illicit market, as Statistics Canada reported that in 2018 total sales of cannabis in Canada totalled ~$6B.

Figure 2: Statistics Canada: Sales Figures by Province

Source: Statistics Canada, Ubika

There was an initial bump in retail sales in April 2019, which coincided with new store openings nationwide particularly in Ontario, but that growth seems to have tapered off in June. Notably, Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia have seen MoM growth of 13%, 8%, 5%, and 18%, respectively, driven by 69 new brick-and-mortar retail locations opening from April to June (24 in Ontario, 2 in Quebec, 30 in Alberta, and 13 in British Columbia). Retail sales are expected to continue to increase as additional retail stores are added, particularly in Ontario. Currently, Ontario has approximately 1 store per 115,000 people, compared with Alberta, which has 1 store for every 10,000 people. Ontario has ~740 liquor stores (1 store/20,000 people) and Alberta has ~875 liquor stores (1 store/5000 people). We are of the opinion that Ontario could support ~1,500 cannabis retail stores, which would bring store saturation to ~1 store/10,000 people. Going into the second half of 2019, we expect steady growth in store openings, in particular Ontario, where the OCS has announced the 42 winners of the cannabis retail lottery, which will bring the total number of retail locations in Ontario to 67. This highlights that with an already underserved market, the provinces will have to start increasing the number retail locations per province to satisfy demand.

Source: https://smallcappower.com/news/market-news/canadian-cannabis-sales-growth/

Enthusiast Gaming $EGLX.ca – August #Esports Investments Recap $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $WINR $TCEHF $ATVI $TNA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 4:58 PM on Thursday, September 5th, 2019

SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 80 owned and affiliated websites, currently reaching over 150 million monthly visitors. The company exceeded 2018 target with $11.0 million in revenue. Learn More

August Esports Investments Recap

  • August saw a number of strategic investments in the esports industry.
  • Five teams raised additional funds to scale their businesses including STILL8’s $4.5M USD investment and former NBA player Kevin Garnett backing Triumph Esports.

August saw a number of strategic investments in the esports industry. Five teams raised additional funds to scale their businesses including STILL8’s $4.5M USD investment and former NBA player Kevin Garnett backing Triumph Esports. Allied Esports Entertainment finally closed the business combination first announced in December 2018. BITKRAFT Esports Ventures led two more investment rounds to get their esports investment count up to seven for the year so far. Millennial Esports cemented its global restructure and refocus on esports racing by acquiring motorsport simulator manufacturer Allinsports and raising investments from former Formula 1 drivers.

During the month of August, The Esports Observer tracked $35.25M in disclosed investments excluding the business combination of Allied Esports Entertainment. Financial terms were not disclosed for all deals highlighted in this article.

Allied Esports Entertainment Deal Finalized

Allied Esports Entertainment (AESE), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) known as Black Ridge Acquisition Corp. before the deal, finalized its business combination with esports property and production facility owner Allied Esports and World Poker Tour operator WPT Enterprises. Both assets had been acquired from previous parent company Ourgame International. Ourgame CEO Frank Ng will serve as CEO of AESE.

With the closing of this transaction, the previously announced equity investments of $5M each by Mexican media company TV Azteca and U.S. property company Simon Property Group have been realized. Lyle Berman—a member of the board of directors of both Black Ridge Acquisition Corp. and its sponsor Black Ridge Oil & Gas, and the largest shareholder of the sponsor—invested $3M. Furthermore, Morris Goldfarb, chairman and CEO of American clothing company G-III Apparel Group, invested $2M. In total, Allied Esports Entertainment raised $18M; the source of the remaining $3M has not been disclosed by Allied Esports.

In addition to equity investments, TV Azteca and Simon Property will enter strategic alliances with AESE. Simon Property will integrate gaming venues and production facilities in its properties around the U.S. In May, TV Azteca and Allied already collaborated to create a PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS esports series called NATION VS NATION, which featured 40 competitors in a “USA vs. Mexico” format. The tournament’s Mexican broadcast reached over 2M viewers.

Going forward, TV Azteca and Allied will expand their work together through a number of projects including building a flagship esports venue in Mexico and creating a 24-hour digital esports channel for the Mexican market.

Roundhill’s Take: The SPAC transaction, which was initially announced in December 2018, has finally closed. As a result, the public markets have another “pure-play” esports company, joining the likes of Super League Gaming and Enthusiast Gaming. According to Company IR, Adjusted EBITDA is projected to turn positive in 2020, at a projected $8.7 million. 

STILL8 Pushing Expansion

South Korean esports company and Team Griffin parent STILL8 raised â‚©5B KRW ($4.5M) from Korean investors Dunamu & Partners, and Murex Partners. To date STILL8 has raised a total of â‚©23B ($19M) from investors including Kakao Ventures, Partners Investment, STIC Investments, TS Investments, and Neptune.

STILL8 is planning to cooperate with fintech firm Dunamu, an affiliate of Dunamu & Partners, following the investment. Existing STILL8 investor Kakao Ventures is one of the major stakeholders in Dunamu.

Both Lee Beomsuk, CEO of Murex Partners; and Kang Dongmin, vice-president of Murex Partners; are familiar with STILL8’s growth potential as they were with Partners Investment when the firm invested in STILL8 before they established Murex Partners.

Proceeds from the funding round will be used to continue investing in building Team Griffin’s brand and expand into new games and geographies. The current investment is a bridge funding supporting the scaling of the business while looking for further investments in 2020.

Roundhill’s Take: STILL8 looks to continue optimizing its Team Griffin brand outside of South Korea. This follows its move in July to partner with Huya for Team Griffin’s Chinese streaming, a contrast to similar deals signed with rival streaming platform DouYu by STILL8 on behalf of Gen.G and SKT T1. Competition for content is increasing between Chinese platforms, as it is in North America, following Ninja’s move from Twitch to Mixer.

FaZe Clan Adds Next Celebrity as Investor

American rapper and songwriter Kiari Kendrell “Offset” Cephus joins the likes of music artists such as Canadian rapper Aubrey “Drake” Graham (who invested in 100 Thieves in October 2018), DJ Steve Aoki, pop-rock band Imagine Dragons (who invested in Rogue parent company ReKTGlobal), and Canadian rapper Daystar “Tory Lanez” Peterson (who invested in Luminosity Gaming) in backing an esports organization.

The musician made an investment in esports organization FaZe Clan. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed.

In April, NBA player Meyers Leonard invested in the organization. Both investments are a combination of equity investment and strategic alliance to help build the FaZe Clan brand in the intersection of esports and entertainment

Roundhill’s Take: As esports monetization progresses, leading gaming organizations continue to focus on establishing themselves as content, media, and apparel brands. From a strategic perspective, bringing on Offset as an investor can help widen the brand’s reach. It is not difficult to imagine a scenario where brand loyalties evolve well beyond the scope of gaming and esports.

Teams Find Backing From Mexico, India, and an NBA Legend

Pittsburgh Knights, an esports organization backed by the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, raised an investment from Mexican esports investment fund Esports MX LATAM. The proceeds of the investment will be used to carry out the Pittsburgh Knight’s current business strategies including global expansion and joint ventures. The Esports MX LATAM fund and the Knights are also partnering to set up an affiliated esports team in Mexico.

Full service esports company and parent organization of Overwatch Contenders participant Triumph Gaming, Triumph Esports, raised an investment from 15-time NBA All-Star Kevin Garnett though his event management and production company, Big Ticket Sports. Triumph Esports will add an esports experience to the established three-on-three basketball tour Hoop It Up, that is organized by Garnett’s Big Ticket Sports.

Indian esports organization Global Esports received a multi-million dollar seed investment from Venture Catalysts, an Indian incubator and seed investor. Besides fielding teams in Overwatch, Fortnite, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), Dota 2, PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS (PUBG), Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, Apex Legends, and PUBG Mobile, the company also owns and runs the Indian national team for the Overwatch World Cup.

BITKRAFT Led Investments

In-game advertising platform Anzu.io announced that it has raised a $6.5M Series A funding led by BITKRAFT Esports Ventures. Other investors in the round were British advertising and public relations company WPP and Axel Springer Digital Ventures, the venture capital arm of media and technology company Axel Springer.

Catering to a more casual audience is BITKRAFT’s seventh investment of the year, The Ready Games maker Ready. The casual mobile games esports tournament platform operator closed a $5M Series A funding led by BITKRAFT. Other investors in the round included Comcast Ventures and Eldridge Industries.

Millennial Esports Focusing on Racing Esports

Allinsports, an Italian motorsport simulator manufacturer, was acquired by Millennial Esports, who purchased a 51% stake in the company for $6.25M. Millennial has the option to purchase the remaining 49% in a six-month timeframe beginning 18 months after the closing of the first transaction. Allinsports’ eRacer simulator will be used in Millennial Esports’ upcoming World Fastest Gamer competition.

As part of a $15M investment via a non-brokered private placement of convertible debentures, former Formula 1 drivers and race winners Brazilian Rubens Barrichello and Columbian Juan Pablo Montoya invested in Millennial Esports. The two race drivers will take on ambassador and special advisor roles to help the company with insights and credibility.

Other Investments

Credit: Statespace

Statespace, developer of the AI-based esports training app Klutch, raised $2.5M in seed funding led by FirstMark Capital, an early investor in Riot Games and Discord. Other investors in the funding round included Expa, Lux Capital, and WndrCo. Investment.

Tournament operations platform Matcherino received $1.5M in a Series A-1 investment from Galaxy Digital’s Galaxy EOS VC Fund and Wells Fargo Strategic Capital. While the Series A-1 funding round has raised more than $4.1M to date including investments from aXiomatic Gaming and Seven Peak Ventures, the company has raised more than $7.7M in total.

Source: https://esportsobserver.com/august-esports-investments-recap/

Tartisan #Nickel $TN.ca – Nickel is the hottest metal in the world right now

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 3:15 PM on Thursday, September 5th, 2019

SPONSOR: Tartisan Nickel (TN:CSE)  Kenbridge Property has a measured and indicated resource of 7.14 million tonnes at 0.62% nickel, 0.33% copper. Tartisan also has interests in Peru, including a 20 percent equity stake in Eloro Resources and 2 percent NSR in their La Victoria property. Click her for more information

Tc logo in black
TN: CSE
Fact Sheet
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Nickel is the hottest metal in the world right now

  by: Darren MacDonald

  • The price of nickel on international markets continued its dizzying climb Wednesday, breaking past US$8 a pound before settling in at US$8.17 late in the day.

It’s a surge Terry Ortslan, a nickel analyst at TSO and Associates in Montreal, saw coming in late 2018, when the metal was struggling to hit $5.

A few factors were depressing prices at the time, Ortslan said, while predicting a rebound into 2019.

“We all know batteries for electric vehicles are going to be very important new demand source of nickel, as much as stainless steel was 50 or 60 years ago,” he said at the time. “So it’s going to be slow times for the next couple of months, but it’s a short-term issue.

“But for the battery-grade nickel that both Vale and Glencore produce, there’s no problem. I think there’s going to be a great market for it. I’d be really surprised if, once we go through this uncertainty over the next three or four months, nickel prices aren’t back in the saddle again.”

On Wednesday, Ortslan said fears of supply shortages – especially after Indonesia banned nickel exports – are driving prices right now.

“The supply side is dominating the market trend,” he said in an email. “The demand side is strong but the impact of electric vehicles are still some time away.”

But there hasn’t been much investment in new supply, he said, and that’s causing fears in the marketplace.

“The underinvestment into the nickel industry will be catching up with higher prices,” Ortslan said. “The industry needs a steady $8-$10 a pound of nickel for brownfield and greenfield investment considerations.”

In Sudbury, Glencore declined comment on rising prices, but Angie Robson, Vale’s director of corporate affairs and sustainability, North Atlantic operations and Asian refineries, said higher nickel prices is always good news.

“While we don’t comment on the market, I can tell you that we continue to work very hard to be a sustainable producer that is competitive in all price cycles – both high and low, especially given the cyclical nature of our business,” Robson said in an email. “With respect to our local operations, we continue to invest in increased exploration, in mine expansions such as Copper Cliff Mine, and in new projects such as our joint feasibility study with Glencore on our Victor deposit.”

The company is always looking for ways to be profitable regardless of price fluctuations, she said, with an eye on long-term goals.
 
“We are also continuing on our journey to digitize our mines to become a safer and more reliable operation,” Robson said. “While we certainly welcome the higher prices, we intend to continue mining in Sudbury for many years to come and won’t rely on favourable prices alone for our long-term success.”

Favourable prices are expected to continue – late Wednesday, Goldman Sachs revised its price forecast, predicting nickel would rise to US$11 a pound before the end of the year. 

Source: https://www.sudbury.com/local-news/nickel-is-the-hottest-metal-in-the-world-right-now-1675243

CardioComm Solutions $EKG.ca – How #Mhealth is Maturing and Changing #Healthcare Delivery $ATE.ca $TLT.ca $OGI.ca $ACST.ca $IPA.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:50 PM on Thursday, September 5th, 2019

SPONSOR: CardioComm Solutions (EKG: TSX-V) – The heartbeat of cardiovascular medicine and telemedicine. Patented systems enable medical professionals, patients, and other healthcare professionals, clinics, hospitals and call centres to access and manage patient information in a secure and reliable environment.

EKG: TSX-V
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How mHealth is Maturing and Changing Healthcare Delivery

  • As the market for mobile health tools continues to flourish, patients and providers experience a growing list of benefits.
  • Mobile devices and applications — tablets, smartphones, wearables, streaming services and gaming consoles — are at the heart of both work and play.
  • This is true in the healthcare world as well.
  • Zion Market Research predicts the global market for mHealth apps will grow to more than $11 billion by 2025.

By: Gus Vlahos

Gus Vlahos is the Director of Healthcare Sales for CDW in the Central Region.

Mobile devices and applications — tablets, smartphones, wearables, streaming services and gaming consoles — are at the heart of both work and play. This is true in the healthcare world as well. Zion Market Research predicts the global market for mHealth apps will grow to more than $11 billion by 2025.

Patients Benefit from Expanded Access to Health Data and Devices

On the consumer side, apps that track vital signs are a boon for population health and preventive care. Wellness apps are being utilized to help people understand and engage in their health.

Mobile apps and devices are also the foundation of many hospital programs designed to boost patient satisfaction and quality of care. For instance, Phoenix Children’s Hospital equips its rooms with iPad devices and other mobile tools so patients and their families can access educational materials, discharge instructions, medical records and treatment plans. Patients can also check their social media accounts and stream movies from the same bedside devices.

MORE FROM HEALTHTECH: Discover how wearables can help battle heart disease.

Mobility Drives Better Patient Care and Physician Workflows

Beyond the world of wellness apps and patient-focused devices, other technologies designed for medical professionals — such as medical record portals and e-prescription tools — are reshaping healthcare services, from the emergency room to post-acute care.

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration recognized the power of mobile apps and devices to transform healthcare. The agency has taken steps to ensure its processes foster innovation while regulating the safety, effectiveness and performance of qualifying devices.

The FDA also gave the green light to Triton OR, which uses artificial intelligence to monitor blood loss collected by surgical sponges and suction canisters in the operating room. Triton OR also assists surgical staff in making transfusion decisions and predicting postoperative hemoglobin levels.

These are just a few of the modern medical devices and apps available. The future is constrained only by the imagination and talent of healthcare IT professionals. We have much more to look forward to.

This article is part of HealthTech’s MonITor blog series. Please join the discussion on Twitter by using #WellnessIT.

Source: https://healthtechmagazine.net/article/2019/06/how-mhealth-maturing-and-changing-healthcare-delivery

Advance Gold’s $AAX.ca Completed Geophysical Survey at Tabasquena Project Identifies a Large Continuous IP Anomaly $ANG.jo $ABX.ca $NGT.ca $MGG.ca $SIL.ca $FA.ca $LON

Posted by AGORACOM at 1:41 PM on Thursday, September 5th, 2019
http://www.smallcapepicenter.com/AAX%20square.png

Kamloops, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – September 5, 2019) – Advance Gold Corp. (TSXV: AAX) (“Advance Gold” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce that the recently completed 3D Induced Polarization (IP) geophysical survey on its Tabasquena project in Zacatecas, Mexico has outlined a significant continuous chargeability anomaly. This anomaly has an east-west width of approximately 250 metres and an apparent strike length of over 800 metres. The anomaly remains open to the north and to the south and at depth.

The complete geophysical report on this work is available on the company’s web site. Image below are cross sections representing a key portion of the overall anomaly.

Figure 10b



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5492/47558_57611db644a9aab6_001full.jpg

Allan Barry Laboucan, President and CEO of Advance Gold Corp. commented: “Based on the size and number of vein intersections in the near surface drilling in the andesites, our exploration team has felt that we have found a very large system. The IP survey has now identified such a possible system. Where the IP anomaly starts is approximately 100 metres below the past drilling and almost directly under the main Tabasquena vein. This depth is very important because it is approximately where the graphitic phyllite horizon begins. The major mines nearby, operated by Fresnillo Plc., and MAG Silver’s Juanicipio mine currently under construction, are epithermal veins systems focused on zones within the graphitic phyllites. We have now established the existence of a large IP anomaly, below the widespread gold and silver mineralized veins, in the graphitic phyllite horizon. We are currently making plans to extend the IP grid to the north and south, and to commence our next drilling campaign. To put the size of the anomaly into perspective, while taking into consideration the widespread gold and silver mineralization above it, it is safe to say that this is the size that all major gold and silver mining companies would be interested in. It is clear to see that our small gold and silver exploration company is sitting on a very large target at a time when the industry is dramatically in need of new gold and silver discoveries.”

Details of Geophysical Survey

The 3D Induced Polarization survey was carried out by GEOFISICA TMC SA de CV, between August 3rd and August 14th, 2019. Approximately 9.6 kms of IP data was collected over the central portion of the company’s claims. The IP grid consisted of nine, east-west lines, 100 metres apart. Lines were approximately 1 km long. An off-set pole dipole array was used.

Data processing and inversion of the data was carried out using RES3DINV software. The inversion model was extended to approximately 550 meters below surface. 3D Voxel images together with a series of depth slices were generated (all available on the company’s website).

The main purpose of the IP survey was to map, laterally and at depth the evolution of the known silver veins and to identify new mineralised structures. The survey was designed in such a way to allow approximately 500 to 550 metres of vertical depth investigation.

The IP survey area encompassed the historic and new shafts that are located to the east of the Tabasquena and Nina veins that define a mineralised system that outcrops at surface for 2.0 km. From past exploration work, the Tabasquena vein was recognized over approximately 70 m along strike near the shaft but only at shallow depth (< 100 m).

The nine (9) vertical sections that were extracted from the 3D IP inversion voxels suggest the presence of (4) four main stratigraphic horizons (lithological units) mainly characterized by their resistivity signatures.

The IP data also clearly shows that the large polarisable body/target is apparently quickly deepening northward and getting closer to surface southward. The IP anomaly starts at around 100 metres below the past drill hole intersections that contained widespread gold and silver mineralization in epithermal veins.

Chargeability and resistivity anomalies are indicated on the IP sections (see report on company’s website) and are graded as per their relative strength. Those chargeability anomalies that are deemed to be caused by the same anomalous target are grouped together in what is called a polarisable axis. Only one main axis was delineated following the review of the IP data, which was labeled IPT-1 (Map C351-3 & Figure 11, report on company website). This axis is a single large amplitude continuous anomaly running north-south, coincident with the two shafts at Tabasquena and the surface projection of the mineralised veins. This anomaly has been categorized as having a high chargeability and is conductive. The anomaly has an average depth of approximately 250 to 300 meters. The most southerly line (L7150N) clearly shows that this anomaly is becoming shallower as one moves to the south. It should also be mentioned that this anomaly is visible on every line, albeit less intense on the most northerly line, as the target is becoming deeper to the north.

In conclusion

This geophysical work has identified a large consistent chargeability anomaly that can be seen on all lines, implying a strike extent of at least 800 meters and an apparent width of 250 meters. This observed IP anomaly could define a much wider mineralised system at depth.

The main recommendation of the geophysical report is to extend the 3D IP survey to the southeast for at least 1 km in the direction of the Tesorito shaft, which will determine the southerly extension of the main anomaly and establish whether this main target is becoming shallower. Following this a number of proposed boreholes are planned to intersect this anomaly.

Julio Pinto Linares is a QP, Doctor in Geological Sciences with specialty in Economic Geology and Qualified Professional No. 01365 by MMSA., and QP for Advance Gold and is the qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and he has read and approved the accuracy of technical information contained in this news release.

About Advance Gold Corp. (AAX.V)

Advance Gold is a TSX-V listed junior exploration company focused on acquiring and exploring mineral properties containing precious metals. The Company acquired a 100% interest in the Tabasquena Silver Mine in Zacatecas, Mexico in 2017, and the Venaditas project, also in Zacatecas state, in April, 2018.

The Tabasquena project is located near the Milagros silver mine near the city of Ojocaliente, Mexico. Benefits at Tabasquena include road access to the claims, power to the claims, a 100-metre underground shaft and underground workings, plus it is a fully permitted mine.

Venaditas is well located adjacent to Teck’s San Nicolas mine, a VMS deposit, and it is approximately 11km to the east of the Tabasquena project, along a paved road.

In addition, Advance Gold holds a 14.63% interest on strategic claims in the Liranda Corridor in Kenya, East Africa. The remaining 85.37% of the Kakamega project is held by Acacia Mining (63% owned by Barrick Gold Corporation).

For further information, please contact:

Allan Barry Laboucan,
President and CEO

Phone: (604) 505-4753
Email: [email protected]

Spyder Cannabis $SPDR.ca Continues US Expansion through Specialty License Agreement in Florida with Palm Beach Outlets $CGC $ACB $APH $CRON.ca $HEXO.ca $OGI.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 12:02 PM on Thursday, September 5th, 2019
  • Opening boutique retail locations in Palm Beach Outlets
  • Located just off the I-95, on Palm Beach Lakes Blvd in West Palm Beach, this location will expand Spyder’s physical footprint to a projected 12 total locations by the end of this year
  • Potential for additional locations in the future.

Vaughan, Ontario–(September 5, 2019) – Spyder Cannabis Inc. (“Spyder“), an established Canadian cannabis supply and vape retailer, announced today an arrangement through which Spyder will open boutique retail locations in Palm Beach Outlets.

Located just off the I-95, on Palm Beach Lakes Blvd in West Palm Beach, this location will expand Spyder’s physical footprint to a projected 12 total locations by the end of this year, with the potential for additional locations in the future. Spyder will offer first-class retail sale of products of the highest quality and as permitted by the governing laws of the State of Florida. Products will be limited to oils, lotions, bath products and candies.

“Palm Beach outlets is one of the highest traffic outlet malls in Florida, has received many retail awards and has 100 + brand stores with Whole Foods as an anchor tenant,” stated Daniel Pelchovitz, CEO and President of Spyder. “This move is part of Spyder’s strategic plan to develop a robust, planned network of boutique retail stores and kiosks across the US focused on the specific health and wellness aging and athletics sectors.”

Spyder intends on partnering with a variety of developers and realtors to sign lease agreements for prime real estate in strategically located in high traffic areas of malls, near senior living centres, and sporting venues throughout the U.S. starting in Florida, California, New York and Michigan state. These boutiques will stock Spyder’s SPDR (R) branded and infused products developed for an aging, health and wellness demographic. Spyder will offer a wide array of product offerings including; muscle balm, face oil, body lotion and bath salts, as well as wellness tinctures, capsules and sprays.

About Spyder Cannabis

Founded in 2014 Spyder is an established chain of three high-end vape stores, and two cannabis accessory stores, in Ontario, with locations in Woodbridge, Scarborough, Burlington, Pickering and Niagara Falls. The Spyder brand is defined by its high-quality proprietary line of e-juice, liquids and exclusive retail deals, dispensed in uniquely designed stores creating the optimal customer experience. Spyder is building off this leading retail, distribution and branding eCig and vapes company and is pursuing expansion into the legal cannabis and hemp derived market. Spyder has developed a scalable retail model with plans to create a significant footprint with targeted and disciplined retail distribution strategy focusing on Canadian retail and U.S. boutique retail and kiosks in high traffic peripheral areas

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

For more information, please contact:

Spyder Cannabis Inc.
Dan Pelchovitz
President & Chief Executive Officer
Contact: Investor Relations
Phone: 1-888-504-SPDR (1-888-504-7737)
Email: [email protected]

Bullseye Corporate
Crystal Quast
Bullseye Corporate
[email protected]

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..

These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made. Any number of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/47560

BetterU Education Corp. $BTRU.ca – How Byju Raveendran Built A $5.5 Billion Business With His #Edtech Startup $ARCL $CPLA $BPI $FC.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:16 AM on Thursday, September 5th, 2019
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. Click here for more information.
BTRU: TSX-V

How Byju Raveendran Built A $5.5 Billion Business With His EdTech Startup

Byju’s has become the rage among students across India, enrolling 35 million to its math and science tutoring app. Photo: Gayatri Ganju  

  • Byju Raveendran got the first inkling he might have a future in education as a teenager tutoring 11th and 12th graders clamoring for his help to pass their exams. Back then, he was just an 8th grade math whiz.
  • Today, he’s a billionaire.

By:Anu Raghunathan

In 2006, Raveendran launched what has turned into the world’s most valuable education technology business, Byju’s. From its start offering test-prep classes, Byju’s has become the rage among students across India, enrolling 35 million to its math and science tutoring app. In July, it received funding from a group of investors that included Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund and valued it at $5.5 billion—and Raveendran has a 26% stake in the company.

Raveendran’s wife, Divya Gokulnath, 33 is cofounder and a director on Byju’s board. Photo: Gayatri Ganju Today In: Asia

“This is not a business which I started as a business,” says Raveendran, who plans to use his new funding to expand his $200 million (sales) company into Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. “It’s a passion which ended up becoming a business.” His timing appears ripe: the global education technology, or edtech, industry will grow 61% from $349 billion in 2018 to $562 billion by 2022, according to U.K.-based market-research firm Technavio. The latest $150 million infusion led by Qatar Investment Authority brings the total funding received by Byju’s to more than $1 billion, following a $31 million investment in March led by U.S. private equity firm General Atlantic and China’s Tencent, and $540 million last December from South Africa’s Naspers and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.

Raveendran, 38, is the son of teachers. After earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in Kerala, India, he took a job in Singapore in 2001 as a globetrotting engineer at a shipping company. During trips back home, he helped friends prepare for the ultra-competitive admission test for India’s elite business schools, the Indian Institutes of Management. Just for fun, he took the exam twice himself, scoring in the top 1% each time.

Raveendran got the first inkling he might have a future in education as a teenager tutoring 11th and 12th graders clamoring for his help to pass their exams. Photo: Gayatri Ganju

In 2005, Raveendran quit his job and returned to India to teach business-school applicants full-time. Within six weeks, he had 1,200 students. He soon started traveling to nine cities. But by 2009 he started broadcasting lessons via satellite. Raveendran soon realized that his aspiring business-school students were struggling with math and science that they should have learned at a much earlier age. To help redress that gap, in 2011 he launched Think & Learn, the company that is Byju’s parent.

“The first thing that struck me about Byju was that he was passionate about teaching,” says Ranjan Pai, the billionaire doctor who controls the education and healthcare focused Manipal Group. “But when he asked me for $8 million, I nearly fell off my chair.” Impressed by Raveendran’s confidence, Pai obliged him and in 2012 became one of Byju’s first two investors, buying a 26% stake alongside a former software executive. He still retains 1% of Byju’s.

India appears fertile ground for edtech: the country has 260 million school-age children struggling through a system rife with poorly qualified teachers in an increasingly tech-savvy economy starving for skilled workers. “You have here a proliferation of smartphones, almost-free bandwidth, ubiquitous internet access and ease of digital payments,” says Krishnan Ganesh, who cofounded the online education company TutorVista in 2005, then sold it to U.K.-based Pearson in 2011, before Byju’s bought part of it from Pearson in 2017. “And you have parents who will spend a disproportionate amount of their disposable income on education.”

Byju’s has raised more money than any other edtech startup. Source: Holoniq

In 2015, Byju’s released its first app, a math and science tutor for 6th to 12th graders and followed it up two years later with one for 4th and 5th graders. In addition to providing video lessons, the app gauges whether the student has understood the concepts. Based on the response, the app takes the student either to the next level or back to basics. “This is what teachers can never do,” says Raveendran. “They’re unable to assess how much each student has really understood any topic.”

Within three months of launching, the app had been downloaded two million times. Today, Byju’s has enrolled 35 million students, with 2.4 million paying between $150 to $200 each for an annual subscription. Byju’s $200 million in annual sales is still tiny compared to the $3.9 billion at Japan’s Benesse Holdings, Asia’s largest listed education company. Yet it’s already profitable—earning more than $2 million in its latest fiscal year—and growing fast. Spurred on by a recent focus on students in smaller cities, Byju’s expects revenue for the year ending next March to more than double to $440 million.

Byju’s inevitably faces a proliferation of challengers, including Vedantu, which is backed by China’s TAL Education Group and offers live, one-on-one tutoring, as well as Toppr, which provides online test preparation. And while China’s own edtech players—such as VIPKid—are not direct rivals, they compete for the same investment pool.

Byju’s is now the fourth most-highly valued startup in India, after mobile payments and e-commerce firm Paytm, hotel operator Oyo and ride-hailing app Ola. Photo: Gayatri Ganju

So far, Byju’s has grabbed the largest chunk of money. In 2016, Byju’s landed $50 million for an undisclosed stake from a group that included U.S. venture capital firm Sequoia Capital and Mark Zuckerberg and wife Priscilla Chan’s Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, marking that fund’s first investment in Asia. In 2017, China’s Tencent invested $40 million on its own. Byju’s is now the fourth most-highly valued startup in India, after mobile payments and e-commerce firm Paytm, hotel operator Oyo and ride-hailing app Ola, after the latest Qatar-led investment round.

Raveendran hoped to stay ahead of the competition by broadening his product offering and expanding into new markets. This year, Byju’s plans to add English and social sciences to its curriculum. And in January, Raveendran paid $120 million to buy Osmo, a U.S. maker of education games. In June, he launched a cobranded app with Disney called the Disney Byju’s Early Learn app, aimed at India’s 5 to 8-year olds. “We’ll be expanding with more products, more grades and more markets,” he says.

Byju’s is already working to widen its youth appeal: In Bangalore, a team of 1,100 animators, gamers, developers and teachers are developing lessons for tech-savvy 3 to 8-year-olds that feature locally developed animated characters. “They have some X factor which kids like,” says Raveendran.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/anuraghunathan/2019/09/02/how-byju-raveendran-built-a-5-5-billion-business-with-his-edtech-startup/#5eb88c981647